Sunset Views

Remember This Moment
oil on canvas, 12x12

I look for dramatic skies.  Sometimes when there are clouds in the late afternoon sky, I rush over to the beach to take photos of the sunset.  This painting was from a photo taken at the Venice Dog Beach, while my dog was playing with his friends.  The sailboat was passing across the horizon, as the sun lowered.  I found the right moment when a patch of light was glowing on the white boat.

Bright Beach Colors

Beach Colors
oil on canvas, 4x4x1.5

The colors at the beach can be very bright and vibrant.  In the middle of the day, the Gulf Coast water is a warm, brilliant blue.  I usually don't paint this tiny, but the 4x4 canvas was a gift, so I thought I would try it.  It would look nice on a small, display easel.

Lots of Blue

Morning in Blue
oil on panel, 8x10

As I was driving over the bridge to Manasota Key, I noticed this sailboat illuminated by the morning light.  I parked my car, snapped a few photos, and went on to my plein air painting session at the beach.  This painting shows the brilliant blue of the water and sky, and the delicate reflections of the white sailboat.

Seabirds and a Sunset

Gathering
oil on panel, 6x6

A flock of seagulls were playing at the edge of the water as the sun went down.  They looked like sillhouettes against the bright reflections.  Doing a backlit scene is challenging, but I like it once in a while.

Florida's Amazing Sunsets

Eternal
oil on panel, 6x6

One of the best things about Florida is the amazing sunsets.  Every evening is another spectacular show.  Sunsets remind me of the concept of eternity.  In my paintings, I try to show the timelessness of nature.

Light on the Water

Final Moment
oil on panel, 7x5

The sunlight reflects on the water for one final moment before the sun sinks below the horizon.  I tried to really show the wetness of the water and the softness of the atmosphere.  This is a painting of Siesta Key Beach as you face North.

Seascapes and Clouds

Cloudy Morning
oil on panel, 7x5

Clouds and seascapes make a winning combination for a painting subject.  In this view, there was just enough light shining through the clouds to lighten up the water.  The sand has a pinkish glow early in the morning.  I like to bring my dog down to the boardwalk at the beach and sit with a cup of coffee, sketching and taking photos.

Studying Nature with a Paintbrush

Cypress Study 2
oil on panel, 6x6

I started this on site at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, and finished it in my studio.  The next time I visit the preserve, I will bring gouache and drawing supplies.  Meanwhile, I will be working from my photos.  The wild, scrubby branches make a dynamic composition.  Sometimes I like an overall composition without a strong focal point.  This painting has many patterns that repeat throughout.

Natural Florida

Deep Creek
oil on panel, 6x6

The Peace River runs through Charlotte County and empties into Charlotte Harbor. Yesterday, I visited the Navigator Grill in the Lake Suzy/Deep Creek area with the VAC plein air group.  It rained lightly while we were painting but I was able to finish this one.  A great blue heron stood perfectly still under the palm trees that I was painting.  This was another quiet, mysterious, old Florida place.

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

Cypress Study 1
oil on panel, 5x7

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is in Fort Myers, Florida.  It is a cypress swamp with a boardwalk.  I took a lot of photos of the cypress trees and reflections in the water.  This plein air study was the first painting in a series of studies of cypress trees that I am working on.  The preserve is a haven for wildlife.  This is one of the most amazing places I've been to in Florida.  I'm exploring these unique, old Florida natural places with my paints, camera, and sketchbook.

Another Day in the Marsh

Marsh Rhythm, oil on canvas
10x12

When I visit a marsh, I look for a composition with patches of water shining through the grasses.  Here, I found a view with water behind a beautiful tree.  I simplified the whole scene, and focused on the wide variety of colors I found wherever I looked.  As usual, the sunlight came and went.  Lately, it seems like every time I paint outside there are lots of clouds.  I prefer painting strong lights and darks and fairly strong colors.  If the sun comes out for a little while, I quickly make some dabs of the colors and values on the canvas, and do the rest from memory after it gets grey and cloudy.  Plein air painters need to learn how to deal with a variety of weather conditions.

Sea Oats

Breezy Day
oil on panel, 7x5

The sea oats bend in the direction of the wind.  I like the way they look against the light sand and water.  The sand at Siesta Key Beach is very light, almost white.  On the morning that I shot this photo, the water was pale blue.  Painting and taking photographs is a good way to become more aware of the nature around me.  I am lucky to live in such a beautiful area.

Looking for Patterns in Nature

Marsh Patterns
oil on panel, 7x5

There are a lot of marshes in Florida.  I look for places where I can see the water through the grasses, because it makes interesting patterns.  I also look for patterns of light and shadow, and warm and cool colors.  The grasses had yellow, gold, orange, brown and green areas.  In this painting I brought out the colors and patterns that I found in the scene.

Painting Trees and Patterns of Light and Dark

Tree Patterns
oil on panel, 7x5

Here is another plein air to studio painting.  I started it in a park in Mount Dora, Florida over a year ago.  I liked the slender, curly branches and the colorful foliage in between the trunks.  After I returned from my trip, the painting sat in a pile in my studio, half finished.  Everytime I looked at it, I thought it had potential.  Last night, I jazzed it up with some brighter colors and more contrast.  I used my imagination and memory.  It was no longer a literal representation of what I had seen.  Sometimes it helps to think of a painting as an abstract, and just focus on the shapes, colors, lines, patterns, and contrast.  I think this one will make a good study for a larger painting.

Peace River Study

Around The Bend
oil on panel, 6x6

This scene is from the Peace River as seen at Morgan Park in Arcadia, Florida.  I used one of my photos taken during a plein air session.  This location is an hour drive so I will need to rely on my photos for some of my paintings.  The colors in the water were changing constantly while I was painting and taking photos.  In this view, I liked the curved shape of the river and the skinny branches.  The Peace River is very peaceful except for when obnoxious noisy airboats go by.

Tonal Series

Stillness
oil on panel, 7x5

I've started a series of tonal paintings.  By tonal, I mean scenes with soft, subtle light, preferably early morning or late in the day, and muted colors.  This was a quick, plein air study of a marsh on a grey day.  I am amazed at how the colors in water change as it reflects the sky above.  My last few plein air sessions have been focused on water and trees.  In this painting, I barely suggested the background trees and treated them as a simple shape.  I also used some textural effects instead of a more literal representation, in order to express the quiet mood of the marsh.

Year Of The Tree

Quiet Afternoon
oil on panel, 5x7

This study was done at Twin Lakes Park in Sarasota, Florida.  Everytime I visited the park I noticed how beautiful it was, and I wanted to come back and paint.  I finally found time to spend a whole day painting there.  This was the painting I did in the morning, before the clouds came in.  There was an alligator slowly floating around at the other end of the lake.  I saw egrets, herons, osprey, anhingas, and vultures around the lake. 

I am calling 2015 the year of the tree because I am planning on doing many plein air tree paintings.  The best thing about painting trees in the Southeast is the spanish moss.  It reflects color and changes with the light.  I have seen gray, green, yellow, lavendar, and red tones in the spanish moss.