Count your blessings

In painting class today we sat on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico and looked out on this beautiful vista. I am fortunate indeed. Today's class lesson was abstracted seascape using cardboard (small pieces of old mat board) instead of brushes. I opted to use my palette knife instead. I have been using the knife a lot this summer and wanted to continue. This painting is larger than what I have been doing lately. 20" x 24", acrylic on canvas on board. I think it is finished, but I have to look at it for a day or two. I am looking forward to putting a frame on this and taking it into the gallery.

One of the best parts of class is the critique at the end. You get to see every ones paintings and hear what Jim has to say about them.

Plein air painting for the uninspired.

This painting of a variegated Agave and flower friend are from Jim Salem's painting class last week. The lesson of the class was "what do you do when you go out to paint and none of the "big vistas" inspire you? The solution is to find a very small area you like and paint it life size. I found this lovely variegate agave and his flower friend nestled at the base of a gumbo limbo tree (they have a red shiny bark) and loved the cool and warm colors together. I did not finish this painting in one plein air session, but continued with it in the studio over the next several days. I haven't settled on a title I like yet, but when one comes to me it will go into a frame and into the gallery.

There is an unfortunate glare on the top of the photo, pretend you don't notice.

11x 14"
acrylic on canvas on board
$375.00

Vacation Photos

My son Guy on Father's Day, it's all about the gifts.
Jake and me, early morning Hilton Head

Whitney and Jake, "cute shoes"

Guy multi-tasking, when they eat every 2 and a half hours, you have to.

Father and son

Jake with his bodyguard, Randy, aka BD

Beth with girls Kathryn and Caroline "Mom to the rescue"

The Guy Ruleys, Guy, Jake and Whitney

Caroline and Donna, Mother of the Groom

The Ben Ruleys, Beth, Caroline, Kathryn and Ben

"Watch your cocktail"

Rehearsal dinner, Guy, me, Ben, Randy with Jake, Whitney

With the Ben Ruleys, you know our names by now

The three "goombas" Frank, father of the groom, Randy and Guy

Uncle Ben

The Mark Ruleys, Mark and Andrea

The Dinnerware

A friend's new web site

My friend, Janet Burner, in Tucson, AZ is a wonderful potter, sculptor and pastel artist. Her studio and gallery are in this delightful old adobe house. Above are some photos of her gallery and work. She has a new web site and I invite you to take a look at it.

Her studio is Sabino Pottery Her web site also hosts her blog.

Now, today, my vacation is officially over and I am back in the studio. There won't be any finished work for a little bit but I'll get some wedding photos together to post.

Everyone have a great day.

A Single Mango

Well, I am home from vacation and I am still getting reorganized and I am not back in the studio "groove" yet. Here is a painting that recently went into the gallery. We love our mangoes in Key West and always look forward to mango season, which is just ending. This single mango and its reflection is a good example of the dry brushing technique, which often frustrates me, but this time it worked.

Mango Reflection 11x14" framed (gold) $325.

Sunflowers and dragonflies

I make a lot of these two piece entertainment sets. The most popular of the motifs I use on these sets is the pineapple, but I am always experimenting with new ones. These sunflowers have the same bright colors as the pineapples, so maybe some customers will find them appealing. They went into the gallery this week.

Dragonfly and Sunflower set $74.00

Key West Sunset paintings

Key West Sunset #4

Key West Sunset #3

Key West Sunset #2

Key West Sunset #1

I had a great time visiting my family and grandson. I was sorry to leave them, but I am going to be seeing them all again at a family wedding next weekend. I will post a few family pictures then. In the two weeks I have been home it has been mostly "same old - same old" getting things together to go into the gallery. But I did sneak in a couple of new direction sessions. I am still working on the sunset set theme but with these I used a palette knife. These palette knife paintings got a little work each day until I was happy with them. We take our sunsets very seriously in Key West and I do plan to give them proper titles. Sometimes I know a painting's title almost at once and sometimes I have to live with it for awhile.

You are seeing these paintings framed because the canvas size is 6" x 8" , which is not a standard frame size. So these paintings come framed. They are acrylic on canvas, $125.00 each.

A Happy 4th of July to all.