Recent Field Studies...

 Tillamook, Oregon (early evening)

A smattering of sketches from the road in Oregon: Summer is the time to get out and explore the countryside, and it's fun to capture different landscape and light situations... Some end up being no more than throw-away pieces, but a little something is learned with each attempt...

 Newport, Oregon (early morning)

 Kings City, Oregon (Mid-afternoon)

Banks, Oregon (early evening)

Summerland

 Summer Barn (12x16)

Been out barn sketching again. They end up on a lot of artists canvases, but they're a vanishing breed. I've done 3 the last four evenings; partly as an exercise to incorporate a man-made structure into a colorful landscape, and partly as an escape from my suburban existence to where I want to someday live. I will include this one in my upcoming solo show of landscapes entitled "Summerland" opening September 6th at Brian Marki Fine Art in Portland, OR

Barn Storming

 Historical Remnant (9x12) o/c

I found this old barn on a country road outside of Easton, MD during Plein Air Easton last week... The farmer wasn't home and I was a little leery of setting up on his property without permission...but I did it anyway. I figured a good little painting could be worth the possible trespass ticket, but an imagined load of rock salt in a shotgun made me paint as fast I ever had before, and I think produced a decent little gem...

Relic (16x20) o/c

As I was packing up to leave,  a renter of one of the many barns on the property drove up and said he thought it was fine to paint there, so I repositioned my easel and did this larger version... It came out alright too, but I think the smaller piece is the best one. Sometimes our best work is done under pressure, imagined or not...

Five O'clock Shadow

"Five O'clock Shadow" (9x12)

Painted this one on site somewhere in the country west of where we live in Oregon... I could find it again, but probably couldn't tell you how I got there. Sometimes you drive around waiting for the light to get good -- sometimes you drive around looking for a decent subject to sketch... Either way, you usually do a lot of driving around, but at least this time I came home with something.

Sometimes you don't...

Simplicity every now and then...

"On Sauvie Island"

A simple design with a quick execution is a good part of a balanced diet... I try to keep this in mind (especially after struggling with a complex painting). If I were a Zen master (my painting might be better for one thing) but I could probably explain the benefits more concisely too. 

I can say this however; simplicity in design sheds an immediate and clearer light on the truth (how's that for profundity?) Like running water taking the path of least resistance, go with the truth you see before you without trying to say more or adding to it... Don't forget, your effort is all that's needed to make it your own.

Hot Pink & Olive

Hot Pink & Olive (16x12)

A recent ballet piece; I like the design aspect even though this subject matter is really over done by painters -- maybe this is the last one for a while...

Quick Sketch

"Sheridan Spring"

We had one nice break in the weather the other day, so I ventured out in the early evening into an area I had not visited before. I came across this configuration, and with a little artistic license (but not much) came home with the above quick sketch... 

Today, back to the rain...

Trimmed in Blue

Trimmed in Blue (16x18 o/c)