This week's pottery

 A customer had a request for some fish flops.  So I made a few pair.  I've also made some nesting wall chickens.  I used to make a lot of those "back in the day" and it seemed like fun to do some again.

I also made some flip flop ornaments.  Some for me and some for Margaritaville Key West.

Little wall chickens are $29
flip flop ornaments are $22
fish flops $48 a pair

Learning curve

I have been wanting to paint a cow for quite some time.  While going through my stacks of paper to use there was another odd size one that just said "cow head" to me.  At the time I put my signature on it I thought it was finished but as I look at it now I see a number of improvements I could make, and that is a good thing.  It means I learned something.  But now the decision, do you go back and work on it some more? or do you leave it as is and apply what you learned to the next one?

acrylic on paper
about 15" x 15"

Standing Tall and Proud

This great blue heron, again on odd size paper, looks like he is standing guard at the entrance to the swamp.
"Great Blue Heron" acrylic on paper
11" x 7"

I call this one "Ruffled Feathers"
acrylic on paper
11" x 7"
I get to see white herons, and great white egrets on a regular basis in the wetland areas that surround where I live. But a blue heron sighting is more rare. For these poses I would like to thank the artists who share their photos on wetcanvas.com.

http://www.wetcanvas.com/

This painting is on larger paper 15" x 11'

no title as of yet

Feathered friends

September in Key West is a quiet month. Not very many visitors and the snow birds haven't returned yet. The gallery ( 7 Artists Key West) is opened limited hours this month and I am using my extra time in the studio as best I can. I am determined to use up art supplies that I have on hand. Some of which is beautiful watercolor paper that was cut in an odd size for a workshop and didn't get used. The paper is about 7" wide and 11" long. Not standard at all, but a great shape for this series of expressive roosters. My plan was to start abstractly with just shapes and then use layering and brushwork to resolve the image. My new favorite brush is a synthetic liner that was perfect for the feathers. I used acrylic paint for all the paintings in this series. I will be showing more.

I like the above image because even though there is a lot of activity in the grass and feathers he seems calm and reflective.
"Lost in thought"
acrylic on paper
I think this rooster is just about to shake himself into a crow.
"Day Break II" acrylic on paper

I like this rooster very much but it has a "commercial" feel to it (my opinion). That may be the result of the color palette and its abstract qualities.
"Day Break I" acrylic on paper

The title says it all.

"All riled up" acrylic on paper

A look at what is in the gallery

Just a quick peek at some of my pieces in 7 Artists Key West.