"Sedona Times" #285

Here is another Sedona painting, I like how the juniper leads my eye to the rockstar of the painting, those beautiful rocks.
I am heading up to the canyon today.  I won't have time to paint, plein air, because we are playing tour guild for some friends, but my camera and sketch book will be very active.
This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com

'Cool Winter Day" #274

I love painting all types of water.  We all know water is clear in it's natural state, but it reflects what is around it and we can see though it.  In this piece there are three elements of water, clouds, snow and the the river.  I am attracted to the river the most because it's changing colors are quite beautiful.  The river has the reflected blues from the sky and the greenish river bottom.  Painting snow is fun too, it can be whiter than my canvas and dark blue in the shadows.  But clouds are by far my favorite to paint.  Clouds give me the best opportunity to be creative.  I rarely paint what I see, I always change the color, size and shape.  This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com later today.

"Taos Valley #4", #271

Here is the painting I'll be giving my mother for Christmas.  I love the colors in this piece, the orange foreground trees work well with the purple-ish mountains.  I have painted this view four times now with different color themes.  This is my new favorite.

Twin Live Oaks, #254

Happy Birthday Jen....
My dear friend Jen Wilber just grabbed this off my wall of finished paintings for her birthday.  I hadn't posted this little baby because I loved it so much.  I look forward to painting more live oaks next week in California...

All a Bloom, #255

"All a Bloom" Is another California landscape.  I chose to put in some wildflowers and go with green hills.  The California spring is quite beautiful when the hills are green and the flowers pop.  By summer the hills are golden.  I guess most of California is arid.  This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com later today with a starting bid of $100.

California Hills, #253

I painted another California hills and tree scene on Wednesday.  I have been having trouble with getting enough separation.  In most cases, the foreground trees and the background hills are the same value.  So after studying the photos, the separation comes from color temperature, duh.  As you can see from my painting, the distant hills are painted a cooler green and the oak tree in a warmer green.  Every painting is a learning process.  I enjoy the the journey...
This painting will be up for auction on my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com

King Oak, #252

I found an old photo of this California Oak tree from Carmel Valley, CA.  I decided to zoom in the oak for some added drama.  I have been painting a lot of trees lately...
Last weekend I was even looking at homes to buy in Carmel, I guess I have California on my mind.
This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com.

Golden Reflections, #249

I love the way trees reflect off water.  The reflections add so much interest to an otherwise boring scene.  I created this mountain painting the other day.  I am so far behind with my postings.  I just took four photos of recently finished paintings.  I also have a wet one still on my easel from this morning.  This one will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com.

I'm calling this one "Skinny Trunks".  I painted it over the weekend.  I think it turned out good.  I love all the color and the feeling of the piece.
This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com.

Shiprockin', #198

No time to paint today, but here is a older painting I did in Shiprock, NM a few week ago, before I started my blog.  Simple, but I think dramatic.  No time to paint today, I am off to Home Depot to buy a 4'x8' sheet of masonite or MDF,  whichever they have in stock.  I'll be cutting new panels for many new paintings today.  About a year ago, I bought a table saw so I would be able to cut my own panels.  It's been great, for one I can cut true sizes.  The big manufactures make their panels a quarter inch small, which is frustrating when you go to frame your piece.  Secondly, I can make the panels any size and shape.  I made a 6''x 24" panel for a Sedona landscape once.  After the panels are cut, I apply a few thick coats of Gesso.
The Shiprock painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com, with a starting bid of $75.

By the Trees, #246

I painted this last week.  It has such a tranquil feel for me.  I love the colorful trees and meadow.  The slow moving water catches the lightly colored reflection of the large trees nicely.  I put in the small foot bridge to break up the stream.  I feel it all works... It doesn't always.  I'm working on one today that is not coming together, but who knows.  This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com, with a starting bid of $75.

Golden Light, #245

I have been exploring shadows and light lately, and how it creates depth and drama in my paintings.  I really like the cooled shadows in the foreground with the warm strip of light through the middle of the painting.  I had fun with this one.  This afternoon I want to do a backlit tree.  I have a few photos in mind to use as references.
"Golden Light" will be up for action soon at dailypaintworks.com, my online gallery, with a starting bid of $75.

Changing Time, #244

This painting was painted with New Mexico in mind.  Even if I can't be there, I can imagine the leaves are a changing...  My yoga instructor went to Santa Fe last weekend for wine and chili fest. It was her first time to experience Santa Fe and all it's beauty.  She had a great time.  It was fun to here about my adopted home town from her perspective.
I needed to paint this paint today with the changing cottonwoods and fall colors.  Painting takes me places.  It's can be transformative.  Summer has finally broke, here in Scottsdale.  More fall painting on the way...
This painting will be up for action at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com, with a starting bid of $75.

Oak Creek Detail, #241

I painted this, en plain air, last week in Sedona.  My wife's family lives in Camp Verde, Arizona, about 20 miles from Sedona, so we have the opportunity to get up there often.  If you have never been to Sedona, it is time.  I love painting there.  You can literally stand in one spot and paint all day.  Everywhere you look there is something special.  On this day, I painted in the creek for the first time.  My wife went for a hike up the canyon, so I had just enough time to whip this little beauty out.  What a great time...
I'll have this up for auction soon at dailypaintworks.com.  Starting bid of $75.

Winter Pines, #240

For some reason, my blog isn't playing nice tonight.  I can't get the text in the right place.  So this will be a quick post. I painted this 8x10 off and on most of the day.  I really like the way it turned out.  I decided to go with orangish grasses in the foreground.  I tied the orange in by adding some in the trees and the distant mountain.  Snow is fun...

This painting will be up for auction at my gallery, dailypaintworks.com, soon,  The starting bid will be $75.  

Twin Oaks, #239

The title I selected for this piece sounds more live a trailer park or a retirement village.  But I'm feeling it.  The is a California scene of some of my favorite trees to paint.  The colors they exude are exquisite.  They are also great trees to use the window to create depth in paintings. The Painting is quit colorful, I guess I was in a great mood this morning.  What a incredible live I have.  I am very grateful...
For tomorrows painting I am thinking about painting a mountain stream with some fall foliage.  I'm ready for some cooler weather.  It's going to be 103 today in Scottsdale.
I am so happy, I have two bids on my painting through my online gallery.  I thought it would take longer to sell my work.  Thanks for reading and this painting will be up for auction soon with a starting bid of $75.  Dailypaintworks.com   It could be yours.

Morning Meadow, #237

I was laying in bed this morning thinking about what I wanted to paint today, when the light started streaming in the room under the curtains.  So I came up with this scene that was inspired by that morning light.  In the landscape, I wanted to capture the same effect of the low morning light streaking across the canvas.  I love cottonwood and evergreen type trees, so I stuck a few of those in to bend and block the low morning light.  

About the time I was putting the final touches on the painting and drinking my second cup of coffee,  my wife and daughter rolled out of bed.  

What a great morning.  This piece will be up for auction tomorrow.  Thanks for viewing and please sign up for my email list.  And check back tomorrow to see what I've been painting.... 

I spent last summer in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The main thing I miss about the land of enchantment are the clouds.  Every day the clouds would gather around the mountains and I would scramble around with my easel looking for the daily painting.
This painting is of a distant mesa north of town.  I improvised the foreground.  But as painters we have all the power.  In my pre painting life, I was a photographer and I was alway frustrated with not being able to change key elements in the landscape.  Granted I was taking picture in the 80's, before photoshop.  I had to do manipulations in the darkroom.  I didn't have Ansel Adams skills.
This painting will be up for auction on dailypaintworks.com with a starting bid of $75.  That is when I can figure it out.

I love New Mexico in the fall...  I painted this 8x10 yesterday from a photo.  Scottsdale gets a little boring this time of year, so I find myself looking through old photos and scouring the internet for something new to paint.  New Mexico never disappoints with it's true crisp colors.  There is no wonder why the state has attracted so many artist.  I spent 20 years there cataloging it's beauty.  So as the result you will see many paints of it's landscape.
I am going to try my first online auction with this little guy.  All of my auction will have a starting bid of $75, unframed.  Regardless of the size. I think...Wish me luck

My very first post...

I painted this a few years back.  It's more of a test upload, from pacasa.  I've never done this before, hopefully everything works out.