Painting Without Edges

Stillness
Oil on panel, 7x5

Marshes make a nice painting subject when you live in the very flat Southeast.  I like looking at the sparkling water through tall grasses.  I softened the painting by blending it with a paper towel dipped in medium.  By taking away the edges of objects, I created a feeling of oneness and atmosphere.  I want the air, water, trees, and grasses to seem connected.  That is the way we normally see things before we start focusing more closely on an individual object.

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.

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.

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.