#281 "End of day"

Well I feel like I have dropped off the planet and abandoned my blog...  But just like that I am back.  Speaking of backs, my back has been messed up for the past five week.  I have two bulging discs from golf.  Its been very depressing.  I am going in today for an epidural to receive some of the swelling and help with the pain.
I have been painting some, just not posting.  I just photographed seven freshly pained pieces.  They will be up in the coming days.
On another note my mother is visiting us here in Scottsdale.  It will be her first visit, we are all excited.  I didn't think this day would ever come. What do you know....
This oil sketch will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com..

"Delgado Lane" #275

When I think of Santa Fe in the summer, hollyhocks always come to mind.  I lived on Delgado Lane, a half block off  Canyon Rd, the world famous art gallery street, in the late nineties.  What a wonderful place to live.  There was always something going on just around the corner.  I had these hollyhocks in my garden.  I wasn't an artist then but I had a dream of one being one day.  Five years later, I found the Scottsdale Artist School.  This painting will be up for auction on my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com, later today.  

Ghost Ranch, #270

I painted this a few weeks ago.  I was looking over some old pictures of New Mexico when I came across this one.  It is kind of a frankenstein, in a way.  If you have ever been to ghost ranch, you might know, the mountains and lake are not like the painting.  But that is why I love painting... I can do what ever I want.  This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com.

"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.

Lovely lake, #268

I titled this piece "lovely Lake" but the real show stopper is the group of trees.  In composing the trees, I wanted them to really drive the eye around the painting.  I like the reflection and the way the trees aren't restricted to the 9x12 format.
With it being cold and wet in Scottsdale today, this painting brings me some warmth and sunshine.
This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com, with an opening bid of $100

County Road #12, #250

Here is one I did a few weeks ago.  This painting in my opinion has it all...  Great light, depth, and balance.  I forget sometimes that paintings need a purpose and I also need to keep ones that do as a reference.
Well enough of that, I am all focused on Fantasy Football.  If my team holds on tonight I'll be in the Championship game..

Eucalyptus Lane, #266

Trees, mountains, and wild flowers....I really like this piece.  I have been planning our family RV trip to California, I was reading a web page on the central coast about eucalyptus trees and monarch butterflies.  Apparently there is a state park near the coast that is quite famous for the migrating monarchs.  I can't wait.  Painting them will be the difficulty.  We'll see.
This painting will be up for auction on my online gallery soon...

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...

Eucalyptus lake, #265

I painted this a week or so ago.  Oops, I should say, I somehow painted this a week or so ago.  It's amazing with everything that has been going on, but I am happy to say we finally bought an RV.  When I pick it up in a few days I will post some shots.  I think Leaf has already posted some pictures to Facebook.
I can't wait to hit the road.  We head out soon for California.  We are driving over to the central coast to spend a few days on our way to Chico.  I love that part of the state.  The fastest way to Chico is the I-5, don't, love that so much, the coast is a better bet.  Well, back to packing.
Check back soon for some wet plain airs.....
This one will be up for auction later today at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com.

Blue Monument, #262

I haven't added a new painting in quite awhile.  I have been RV crazy, I guess you could say.  We are planning on buying a new RV, so I have driven all over the valley to try to find the perfect one.  It's been fun and a little time consuming.  We hope to take a big RV trip this coming summer, all over the southwest and into Canada. I get a little tunnel vision when it comes to this sort of thing.  So as a result my painting and even golf has taken a back seat.
But back to the painting,  I painted this over the weekend from a photo, but I hope to be painting  Monument Valley from my new RV very soon.  The valley is beautiful, especially in person.  If you have never been there, it's well worth the trip.  Or just buy my painting which will be up for auction soon on my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com.

Eucalyptus Draw, #259

This painting was created on the 28th.  The shadows are my favorite aspect of this one, they add contour and texture to the piece.  The cross light gives the trees nice form.  I have been obsessed with purple as of late.  I think it looks so cool to throw little accents in the shadows.  Please tell me if I'm going overboard, lol.  This painting will be up for auction at dailypaintworks.com later today.

Mountain Pines, #258

This Mountain painting was  completed on Monday.  I love the peek a boo trees.  This painting reminds me of a trail I use to hike in the Pecos Wilderness, in the Sangre de Christo mountains above Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The ponderosa pines and the distant mountains.  Love it....

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

Daughter's Paradise, #248

My daughter, Bailey, just got home from school to discover my latest painting.  When I asked her what she thought of it, she said " Wow, I want to live there...".  Pretty cute or oh no, I guess we are leaving Arizona...
This painting will be up for auction at my online gallery, dailypaintworks.com, tomorrow.  That is if Bailey don't grab it first.

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.

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.

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.