Mt Diablo

 

Mount Diablo

15.5" x 37.5"

Oil on wood Panel

While walking the Bay area with Campbell we saw some views of Mount Diablo that were very interesting. Very much dominating the area.

Later I discovered this view with Mount Zion in front of Mount Diablo

The odd size was chosen because I wanted a wider painting and I had an unused frame that fit this size without modification.

It's been on the easel for a couple of months and re-worked several times. I think it is finished?

I've been asked several times if I'm still painting and I am however I have not takent the time to post. Often because I am not happy with the photos rather than the painting

Chickadees and Waxwings

Black-capped Chickadees

Oil on stretched Cotton

11" x 14"

We had a couple of my older acrylic paintings in the dining room. I wanted to replace them and Lori agreed only if she had approval of the final paintings. She also wanted to retain the original frames, hence the 11 x 14 format which is not a size that I use very often

Chickadees are cheerful, active little birds

They have a friendly aspect

Bohemian Waxwings

Oil on Masonite

11" x 14"

Waxwings are fall and winter birds in this part of northern California, and I always look forward to the first sighting. We usually have only Cedar Waxwings which are attractive in their own right. They are usually in small/medium flocks looking for fruit trees

Beautiful birds that nest in the northern areas

Trees

Trees

I enjoy trees especially ones without foliage. The trunk and branches and the shadow structure are so fascinating.

So much variety

To keep them interesting they must have variety: spacing, color, shadow, negative space, bark

Working in layers helps

Painted in Sao Paulo

Oil on Textured Paper

12" x 16"

A fair amount of glare from the varnish on this one

As you can see, I like trees with character and water together

Many of my paintings have a dead or winter tree in the scene

Southern California effect.

The actual painting has more saturation in the colors than this

Stillness at the Riverside

12" x 16"

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The paintings above are from Brazil; the two below were painted at home in California

Wasatch Fields

18" x 24"

Oil on hardwood panel

A painting inspired by John Pototschnik

It was painted in my usual fashion from the distance to the front.  It was difficult to avoid overstating the shadows and darks in the background to save them for the focus and front

If you look closely you can see some of the fence wire

I think that this scene could be from Wasatch County

Sweet Waters

30" x 24"

Oil on HDF Panel

This is a much larger painting than the others.

Last Autumn Leaves

16" x 20"

Oil on Masonite

Simple peaceful autumn scene

Water is flowing but calm,  gentle clouds, restful

I like the trees on the right

Rochas Oceânicas

Coastal Cliffs

18" x 24"

Oil on Panel

One of the few paintings of this size from Sao Paulo. I scavengered some panels after being there six months from various construction sites, etc.

Lori didn't want to be seen with me when I was bringing my materials home however otherwise it was paper or poorly made cotton stretched panels for painting

Cutting them with my limited tools was also interesting

The southern Brazil coast has beautiful scenery

This was done with a limited palette including an 'azul turquesa' oil that I acquired in Sao  Paulo - it was a mix of a blue and a green phthalo but reasonably consistent when tinting

I also had an 'azul cobalto' that never came within five kilometers of any cobalt, it was however a buttery ultramarine blue.

12" x 16"

Rocks washed with waves. I suppose everyone is fascinated by waves and the breaking surf. The foamy area near shore is always changing

Cidade perto da Praia

Cidade Costeira

12" x 16"

Oil on Paper

A southern Brazil coastal town

Dickcissel

Dickcissel

Oil on Panel

16" x 12"

Colorful small birds that are common in the middle part of the country. Live in open grassy, weedy areas and are commonly seen on fence posts and fence lines

This is the spring breeding plumage

I enjoyed them on my 2019 spring visit to Texas

That yellow breast would 'pop' more if I had chosen a different background

Still Life with Fruit

Still life with Fruit

Oil on Panel

8" x 10.5"

Reflections, shadows, folded linen lines and a specific size frame that needed a painting...so there you have it