September 9 - TSA Man

"TSA" I found myself with about two hours wait until my flight to Dallas/Fort Worth sitting in the Ontario airport this morning. I took out my watercolors and did this portrait of the many security people evident around the area now. He was restless, and moved a lot, but seemed to have that almost blank stare so often seen in folks with his job description. It was tough to catch his pose, but I did get his "look", which doesn't require too many details.
  I had several people come by and look over my shoulder, and one very nice artist chat with me for a while about methods and materials while creating this. Now there's an amazing way to meet people--better than a dog on a leash!
My watercolor setup is a white plastic Jilur palette from Japan, set up with the 12 colors of my color system. This palette is one my mom had, and it was strange and yet comforting to find myself cleaning out her colors to replace them with ones I use. I've not painted much with watercolor, but actually like the end result. It is a whole lot easier to translate the color system to a new medium--like having a familiar friend!  The palette folds into a 1/2" deep 3.5" by 8", and here's a photo of it (left)
This 6 x 6 unique watercolor painting is available for $100 from my dailypaintings.com website for this date.

September 8 - Morning Sunrise

"Morning Sunrise" The peace of an early morning sunrise, enjoyed by those of us who manage to scramble out of bed to see it. As the summer wanes, and the days grow shorter, more and more of us will be up early enough to enjoy the rising sun. I painted this canvas as an exercise in grays to convey the true illusion of the sky being luminous with many intense colors. Not so, as all of these are very grayed.
 I saw the harvest full moon tonight and wanted to paint it, but I was driving up to the new home, and the paints are still at the old place! Maybe tomorrow evening, as I fly into Lexington. I'll have my watercolors with me. WATERCOLORS??? Yes, desperation makes us do strange things! This 5 x 7 acrylic painting is available for $100 From my dailypaintings.com web site for this day.

September 7 - One More Cat

Ahhh, one more cat, this time a more abstracted subject, and far more profound in messaging than the nice portraits that came your way these last two days. Entitled "Expectations" it is
an original acrylic, also 7 x 5 inches. This painting evokes more of the emotional response of the yellow rocker to me.  The cat is looking out the window, much the way we look to our own uncertain futures, and wonder what the world will deliver to us. I'm getting ready to leave on Saturday, and there is a long laundry list of things I need to do tomorrow.  Today several volunteers and friends came to help move the corral panels, the horse and goats, and it was fraught with excitement. One flat tire, one shredded tire on the freeway, and company arriving from up Nevada way to see the new digs and spend some time together... we put him to work!  
  This painting is available for $100.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to be really sore tomorrow from moving those galvanized pipe 24 foot sections of corral. Whew.
Pending Sale

September 6 - Maine Coon Cat

"Maine Coon" Cats again. I seem to go in a series of three or more paintings on a subject before moving to a new area. Today's painting is a Maine Coon, one of the fluffiest and friendliest of cat breeds. A friend of ours has one, and he is HUGE. Doglike, they follow you from room to room and press their huge heads up against you to be petted. Although we don't have a Maine Coon, our cats will forgive their staff for painting something not like them--at least today. 

The painting again focuses on a complementary color scheme, this time blue orange, similar to yesterday's.  Hmmm, I think there's a black or white cat coming out soon so I can get some other colors going! This is an original acrylic 5 x 7 available for $100.
Pending Sale

September 5 - Cat/Kitten

How Now, Meow?" Yup, it's a cat. Well, adolescent kitten, really. Got a look there--into your soul, or are you prey, or can we play, or will you FeeeeeeEEEEddd me? Miao!
Who knows? Cats are inscrutable. This is an acrylic, 7 x 5 inches, and is kind of  a combination of several cats that have come through our life. OH, I know!  She's a Mona Lisa Cat!
Ha! For lesson purposes, this is a classic analogous color scheme, blue/orange with a discord of those yellow-green eyes. Remember that brown is nothing more than a grayed orange, reduced in value. So where you see brown, think orange! Available for $100 from the web site.

Now I think I'll have that evening glass of wine! I hope you enjoy her, or a young "him". Meranwhile, I'm packing. Sent the last box today, and now can figure out what I left out that I'm going to have to take on the plane.
SOLD to the collection of Cynthia Jaeger of Quail Valley, California.

September 4 - Red Onions Evolving

"Evolving" Remember that red onion from a few days ago? Here it is again, this time in oils as a 5 x 7. Interesting how the two media behave under the same hand, each with its own charm and utility. I call this one "Evolving" because as I peel off a layer of that papery skin, I see new nuances of color and translucency. Onions are not easy to paint--they have a depth and sheen that isn't a snap to capture. In this painting I want your eyes to caress the surface, so nothing is so important to keep your eye from moving. 

The repetitive curves in the design keep your eye looping around, and yet there is a strong triangle of the three shapes to keep you within the canvas plane. But heck, I was going to paint a cat. Oh well, maybe tomorrow! Original oil, 5x7

SOLD to the collection of Sue Estrada of Hemet, California.

September 3 - Fox Hound

"A Heart for the Hunt" You probably know that sometimes I go into the studio and have no idea what I'm going to paint.  This is good, because then I am never frustrated or dismayed if I'm taken from a preset goal.  Today was the poster child for that method.  I received an email from a friend and artist with a camera, with some distressing news of a life event that is a real challenge for her.  Her words moved me, and I paint this tonight in her honor.  

Vickee has been the official photographer for Red Rock Hounds, over there in Reno, Nevada, and had graciously shared some of her photographs with me for use in my painting process a couple years ago.  An enjoyable communication was begun, and we've kept in touch over the years with paintings and photographs passing one another in the mail.  I've been brought up short by her news and wanted to somehow express my concern--so I paint.  The source material for this 8 x 6 gallery wrap oil is one of her photographs.  I've wanted to paint it, but before, it just never felt quite "right".  Now, it is.

It is not for sale, because I want to give Vickee the first opportunity to take it, and until she makes her decision, I'll hold it.