Chinook

Winter Project 2 from the PPASP "Subject to Interpretations" blog.

These two pieces were from a photo off the PPASP website for a painting project. The painting on top is the first painting. After I did this painting, I questioned my palette, and felt I had chosen colors I enjoy working with rather than colors that capture the image I was painting and the season and mood I intended to convey.

This was a painting from a painting that I did. The object was to loosen up with the subject material and explore the painting process.

The joy of painting

Well, I must say that I have been on an incredible journey. I return to my blog, which, I admit has been some what ignored. The job loss, income limitations, and job search was troubling and time consuming. But, that has all ended, happily, and now I return to my calling - the joy of painting.

During this time, my commitment to sketching worked well. I had a sketchbook wherever I went, and even when early for an interview, I would bring out the sketchbook and draw from inside my car. Many times these drawings were of cars.

Here are color studies of flowers from my garden.

Outing at Tea Cup Lake

An outing to Tea Cup Lake and a glorious day! We parked by little Tea Cup Lake and biked the gravel roads exploring and searching for the perfect area to paint. We ended up back at the lake, with the late afternoon sun creating interest and shadows. The grasses and bushes screamed color! Yellows and oranges and reds! I did a quick painting, attempting the color and the trails of shadow.

After the attempt at the painting, I decided to do a little more sketching with a watercolor pencil and spit. Forgot the water. Finally loosened up-what fun. The sun goes down early now, ending a great day.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog. Please join me on my journey as I explore the wonders of painting. It is a journey that I have taken many times, often sidetracked by other life demands. Having been relieved of my corporate responsibilities recently, I find myself struggling with my purpose, my goals and my aspirations as well as the physical loss of income and insurance. With this loss, one not only deals with the physical, but also the psychological. The result is the exploration and reinvention of oneself. Hence, this blog is born.

Having always loved art and been a 'closet' painter, I have not been in the public eye. Therefore, I picked a few pieces and placed them on this page, as a beginning. These pieces were painted in the studio. Inspired by the landscape beauty of the world around me, I began with that inspiration and a photograph. My medium of choice is watercolor. Once I begin painting, I leave the world of documenting the actual place and begin the play with paint. The purpose is to simplify and create the mood and inspiration of the place through the painting process.

In an attempt to learn and refine my painting skills, I am exploring plein air painting. It is an eye opener, literally. Forget what you think you know and paint what you see. Capture the light, the time of day, the mood. It is an incredible learning process.

The purpose of this is to set a goal. The goal going forward is a sketch day and one Plein Air painting adventure a week. Now I’ve stated it, now hold me to it.

Happy painting.

Stormy Coast

Gorge Lake

Road to French Glen

Rain at the Beach

Crooked River