Wild Horses On My Mind

Triumphant
Gouache on paper, 10x8

Wild horses have been on my mind a lot lately.  So much harm is being done to them.  Many horses have been removed from our public lands by the BLM, under a false pretext.  Here is my vision of wild horses running freely and joyfully.  I hope that those of us who are advocating for the protection of our wild, American horses will be triumphant.

Evening Plein Air Session

Time To Pause
Oil on panel, 10x8

Ken Thompson Park in Sarasota is a great place to paint at any time of day, but my favorite is the evening.  I had to paint quickly as the sun was getting lower, and the shadows longer.  The great blue heron was standing still in the shallow water for a long time.  I painted the calm, stillness of the evening.

Wild Horses Running

Let's Go Fast
Gouache on paper, 7x5

Here are some wild horses running.  I simplified the shapes and added some bright colors.  This painting shows the motion of the horses.  In order to do that I had to let go of some details.  I generally like less detailed, more abstract images.

Painting With Gouache

Free Wheeling
Gouache on paper, 10x8

Gouache is an opaque watercolor.  It is good for painters who aren't very skilled with watercolors, because the opaqueness allows you to make changes and repaint areas.  Gouache has a matte finish that is pleasing.  It works best on heavy, high quality watercolor paper.  This painting was inspired by the Salt River Wild Horses in the Tonto National Forest of Arizona.  I hope to visit that area someday and take photographs and do some plein air paintings of the horses in the water.  Years ago, I tubed down the Salt River in the Phoenix area and it was a great way to see the desert flora while enjoying the cool water.

Ocean Sunsets

Ocean Dreaming
oil on canvas, 24x24

Sunsets over the ocean provide an endless variety of painting material, especially when there are clouds.  As the sun dipped behind the clouds, I saw many reflections and splashes of color on the water.  This is a view of the Gulf of Mexico, which usually has more greenish-blue, but on this evening I saw some purples and greys as the light faded.

Light On The Water

Edge of the Sea
oil on canvas 14x11

Painting, for me, is ultimately about painting the light.  When I paint a scene, I am seeking to express what light symbolizes.  Light can evoke love, truth, peace, and timelessness.  I chase the light with my paintbrushes and camera, ready for those moments when the land, water and living things in front of me are bathed in light.  I prefer painting the romantic light of early morning and evening.  I often focus on scenes with water and reflections, such as sea and sky.  While I watch and study, the ordinary world around me is transformed by light into the sublime.  I seek to share poetic and mysterious moments with my art.  My goal is to transcend literal representation and express the spirit and spark of life in nature and living things.  I see myself not as an imitator of the natural world, but an interpreter of it.  My art is a way to share my inspiration and appreciation with whoever stops to look.

Sailboats in Sarasota Bay

Tranquil Morning
Oil on panel, 11x14

I returned to one of my favorite view of Sarasota Bay - from Island Park near O'Leary's and Marina Jacks.  It was a cloudy morning, and the water looked like a pale greenish-blue.  This study shows the softness of the morning light, and expresses the tranquility of the scene.  Painting at the same location many times has helped me improve my sailboat paintings.