Philip Marie Cafe

Saturday found our group in the west village at the corner of Bleeker and Hudson, along with a lovely farmer's market and a chilly breeze. Granted, I am from Texas, so 70 sometimes feels a trifle chilly to me. My first painting was hideous. I scraped it off eventually and did the one above on another panel. The trouble with the first one I think was that it was rough linen... and I have grown so used to gesso and clayboard that I could not get the paint to move on that canvas. But I was pleased with this second painting. Though I think the corner needs something - a light pole and signs, etc.
We were apparently very near some bakery that was made famous in "Sex in the City" and tour buses kept pulling up and parking in front of us blocking our views. Eventually, I was looking at the scene from the curb and walking back to my pochade box to paint. Perhaps that is why I left out details like lamps, lights, signs, etc.


Yours truly, stylin' in my apron and gloves, dutifully squinting.

Patience in a Monument

This was the last of my paintings on Friday (17th) in Central Park. There was a performer setting up under the archway and a number of curious people stopped to wait for him to begin. I sketched lots of their poses and then did this quick oil sketch of a woman silhouetted against the backdrop of the walkway - she had waited the longest, by far. I hope she was not disappointed in the performance. It was intriguing and dramatic. That walkway was so ornate and beautiful too. But I can't find any detailed information about it. I'd love to learn more if any of you know when and why it was built.

Bethesda Fountain

A view of the fountain with a beautiful young lady... well, she was in real life. There was much activity in this area. Twelve or so artists painting, models posing and being photographed, a movie scene being shot, and the usual musicians and performers entertaining the park visitors.



This is my "completed" first painting. I do not like the foreground, but I like the rest. Perhaps I'll do another version of this in a square or horizontal format.

New York City

I am back from the Big Apple. It was so much fun and the workshop with Ken MacIndoe was really very good. Phil Levine was the planner - and he had everything very well organized and great locations. He suggested our hotel too and it was in a perfect spot - we could walk to most of the best spots in Midtown and had a plethora of great restaurant choices right on our block.

I will be able to work on images from New York for a long time to come. I am really inspired. The city was awesome too and I have to say one of the friendliest cities I've visited.

I am exhausted however. No painting probably for a couple days as I get myself, the house and my daughter back in order! And we have guests coming next week. But I will post my paintings from the workshop - just remember they are "sketches" and are "unfinished" and got smeared as well in some cases. Hauling multiple wet paintings back to the hotel was not easy.

Here is my first painting in progress - we were in Central Park at the Bethesda Fountain. This is a view of the arches and walkway below. A guitarist and violinist entertained while we painted.

LifeStyle

20x20 oil on linen
sold

I've had no little paintings for awhile and I am sorry for that. But what I've been doing this week, and am very glad to have done it, is finishing some paintings that have lingered. Something just didn't look or feel right and after letting them sit awhile, I saw what needed to be changed. It feels good.
Now I can leave for my NYC workshop with a clean studio, several new gallery works and be ready for a fresh start when I come back. I hope to get to those small works regularly again in Sept.

Dress Rehersal

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal - sold

This was done a few weeks ago... but as I have nothing new at the moment I thought I would post it. Its a sweet little painting of some young ladies "backstage."

Driskill Wedding

20x30 oil on canvas
commission

The final product. I am very pleased. As is the mother of the bride. The happy couple of course are honeymooning and have not seen it. I hope that they will like it. If I can get the frame soon, I could almost deliver it to them when I go to NY for my workshop in a couple of weeks.

Afternoon Light

12x12 oil on panel
Available at Russell Collection Fine Art

Another view of one of my favorite painting spots - Halycon Coffee House.

Live Event Painting - work in progress

This was potentially the most exhilarating and exhausting experience I've had as an artist. I painted a wedding reception last night. These are some images from it. The painting is 20x30 and still needs a few more key people placed and finishing touches, but this is the result of several hours of work while the party went on around me. I'm very excited about this concept and I learned a lot from this first experience. My neighbor's daughter was the bride and they were kind enough to let me use them as guinea pigs of sorts.
It was a lot of fun and people were so excited to see a painting being created in such a setting. I think that was the most exciting part for me - the interest and excitement of the guests.
I hope the couple is pleased when its all done. I will post it later, once they have seen it, but I couldn't resist sharing the experience and the work in progress. Its such a neat idea and I hope to have the opportunity to paint at many more such events soon.

Cafe

12x12 oil on panel
available -$550 - email me

This was so fun to do. Sometimes I find that a more complicated scene allows me to loosen up - if I fool myself by charging in. That way I do not have time to worry about the details or scare myself about the drawing. On my easel I've painted this reminder: "Its just paint!"
Why does it have to be scary or precious sometimes? I can draw very well with a pencil, why get locked up with paint? Its my goal to be loose. And have fun. And I am having fun lately. :-)

Rush Hour

14x11 oil on panel
nfs - yet
This is a similar scene to one that is available at Artworks Gallery. I love the bustle that goes on behind the scenes in a fine restaurant. Elegant and quiet without, and all energy and seeming chaos backstage.

C'est Bon?

24x18 oil on panel

I tried to do some more small scenes from the party, but could not get going on them. I think this was calling to me - something lighter and brighter. This is the restaurant "Ventana" at the "Le Cordon Bleu" Texas Culinary Academy here in Austin. Its tres bien!

Into the Ballroom

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal - sold

Fire Light

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal - sold

I am leaving off with Florida for the moment. I've still been working on the wedding commission and am really pleased with the paintings so far. The elegance of the affair made me want to paint some more classy figures in intimate settings. I really have so many ideas that its hard to figure out WHAT to paint next, but variety is the spice of life! And I do not want to get famous for doing just one thing....and then never being able to deviate. :-)

I have to mention Edward Gordon and give him a nod for his influence on my composition here. He paints a lot of figurative pieces but what I really like is the sense of mood he creates and the feeling of just having turned a corner and happening upon something. So, though my photo might not show it so well, the woman's leg is just touching her companion's, who is hidden by the door frame.

Big Al -2

7x5 oil on panel, nfs
This one is for Big Al himself... a kind of payment for posing for me, though he didn't know he was going to be a subject in paintings.
Have I mentioned how much I love my job??

Big Al

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal

Big Al owns a really nice nursery near my folks home in FL and they do most all their garden shopping there. He starts all his own plants, and Anna liked seeing the monkey which was very near this stack of "flats" under a shed.

This was a real joy to paint and I included a close up to show some of my brushwork in detail. As you can see, I gesture a lot with the brush and with color. No details, no real information, but I always hear that people see a likeness in even my sketchiest work. I think so long as I have the gesture; capturing the way people carry themselves or hold their heads, etc. then the person rings true.

Siesta Time

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal - sold

This was so much fun to paint. I think I really love light and bright colors - I will have to go back through my work and see if there is any kind of theme there (even in the cafe/interior scenes?). I know I am not one to paint with washes and lose edges that way. I really like thick opaque paints. And painting the sand and the shadows on it, and her flesh and shirt, etc. was a real joy.
I wish my photos did my paintings justice - I finished this late though and all my good light is gone.

Time to Shower

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal

Another lovely day on the beach; heading in for a refreshing shower and a glass of wine over dinner; to return to the beach for sunset.

Untitled

7x5 oil on gessoboard
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal

This lady must have everything she could need for a lovely day on the beach. But what I need is a catchy title! Sometimes this is the hardest thing for me - naming the work! I've sat here long enough and have other things to do. Any bright ideas would be appreciated.

Color Coordinated

7x5 oil on gessoboard
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal

I am back from two wonderful weeks in Florida. We were at Siesta Key beach this past week and so I begin my paintings there while the memories are still fresh. Siesta Key has the nicest sand beaches in the world I think. Truly it ranks up there with the best. And the sand takes on such wonderful colors - all in line with this lady's coordinated hat, suit, tubes and flip flops.