Saturday 26th April 2008 - Opaeka'a Falls

I got a little baked painting this one!



Opaeka'a Falls - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $575

Wednesday 23rd April 2008 - Ke'e Beach

This beach is on the Na'Pali Coast, the North side of Kauai. I had meant to stay for a sunset painting but I painted these 2 during the afternoon and was tired and hungry, too impatient to stay. if i have time I may go back for the sunset here before I leave as this is one of the few places where the sun sets over the water in driving distance from where I am staying.





Ke'e Beach 1 - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas - $295
Ke'e Beach 2 - 12 x 16" - oil on canvas - $575

Sunday 20th April 2008

After a night camping on the beach under a full moon, I painted this one in the morning. My second attempt at painting the ocean went all right. I was trying to capture the 'atmospheric perspective', the damp air making the further cliffs lighter and more blue. You don't often see this up in the mountains of New Mexico as the air is so dry.

Just as i was finishing this one off, the surfer came and stood right on the beach, watching the waves and creating exactly the right foreground detail.

Polihale Beach - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $575



Later that day I took a drive up Waimea Canyon and painted this one from the look out. The light changes all the time, which makes it a little challenging. It started to rain soon after I set up, so I was painting under an umbrella waiting for the rain to stop. As the tourists were laughing at me I replied that i had done crazier things to get a painting... but i couldn't think of any right now.





I was very happy with the effect of the light hitting the rain falling in the distance.




Waimea Canyon - 16 x 12" - oil on canvas - $575

Thursday 17th April 2008 - Kaua'i!

Here is my first Kaua'i painting, the Kilauea Lighthouse. This area is a bird sanctuary so there are lots of birds, particularly red footed boobies (great name!)



This was painted in the morning with a constant line of sightseers taking a look, taking photographs of me as well as the lighthouse. When they ask me to take photographs of them, rather than say 'please don't interrupt me, I'm painting!' I just show them my paint smeared hands and they find some one else.



Kilauea Lighthouse - 8 x 10" - oil on canvas - $295

Saturday 12th April 2008 - Robin

Robin is a young woman from the Pueblo and posed for us in ceremonial dress. She really likes English humour and we had a good chat in the break, exchanging favourite TV shows and music.

I decided to change her hair a little to make her look more traditional, and I intend to paint in a view of the Pueblo in the background to complete the scene.

Waiting for the dances to start - oil on canvas - 20 x 16" - unfinished.

Friday 11th April 2008 - Lily

It's been an interesting few months for my gallery situation. I started the year with my paintings in 2 galleries which both closed in February. Just as I was taking paintings out of the galleries and bringing them home, I got the call from Centinel Bank to say i was Artist of the Month for March.

Before the end of March I was put in contact with Eduardo from the restaurant Gutiz ( great fresh bread and croissants baked daily, authentic Spanish and French food - very tasty!) He then went to view the show at the Bank and said he really liked the big sunflower painting which is 5 x 6 feet. I told him i wouldn't be able to hang anything untli I got back from my Kuau'i trip. He told me he got married in Kuau'i and is very interested to see what I paint on my trip - so it seems i have exhibition space lined up ready for the paintings I haven't even done yet!



After i finished the sunflower painting over 2 and a half years ago, I started this orange lily painting and it's been sitting there unfinished ever since. It was so interesting to finish it off and have such a clear indication of how much I've learned in that time.

Lily - acrylic on canvas - 5 x 6' - $1,200

Wednesday 9th April 2008 - Alexandra

After 2 weekly sessions in a difficult pose, we gave Alexandra the option to relax a bit for this session.

I had bought myself a soltek easel in time for my Kuau'i trip next week and was using it for the first time. I guess it won't stay all clean and shiny for very long!


Alexandra Lying Down - oil on canvas - 10 x 20" - $600

Weekend in Colorado

No painting this weekend as i took a trip up to Colorado and got in a couple of days skiing before the end of the season.

Wednesday 2nd April 2008 - Alexandra

The Wednesday group has been pretty busy the last few months. We painters are now forming little road blocks for the sculptors and we have to be careful where we set up.

The same pose as last time although putting her weight on her shoulder was pretty challenging for Alexandra. She posed in shorter sessions and took more breaks to get through the 3 hours.

Alexandra, Leaning 2 - oil on canvas - 20 x 20" - sold

Monday 31st March - Daffodil

Dear Blog readers,

I painted a juicy yellow daffodil, picked from my own garden, for the "Spring green" show at the Country Club. I handed it in, still a little wet (cadmium yellow can take a while to dry compared to other colours) and completely forgot to take a photo of it. It will be on display there until the end of August or until it is sold.

Daffodil - 24 x 24" - oil on canvas - $425

Saturday 29th March - Marisol

The Saturday group had Marisol as model.

Marisol - oil on canvas - 16 x 12" - $575

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