Abstracted Landscape plus Monet Inspiration

Cloudy Skies

8X6" oil on Raymar panel $150.

Purchase HERE

Artist Note
In this painting my goal was\
abstracting to only the
main shapes
of what I saw in the landscape.

I used colors from one of
Monet's Landscape themes.
It is a great way to learn how
 he really used a LIMITED palette.
The same few colors mixed
in different proportions
make for an interesting
 harmony.

 Below, left, is another Monet waterlily painting

You can see how I matched the colors 

on the plastic sleeve overlay before

using them in a still life of my own.

Scraped and gone, the painting exists no more
but it was a terrific lesson on the green
because I found it was mixed
from yellow and purple.
Reddish purple and blue purple.

The Grand Prismatic Pool - Yellowstone

Grand Prismatic - Yellowstone

6x8in  oil on canvas panel  $125.

If you are wondering what on earth this is besides color, you will not be alone.
This is abstract by nature and execution.
It is a composite from memory. One of the more difficult pieces I have done with
the fracturing technique...no scumbling the mist on here!

Of all the spots we went to in Yellowstone, this is the one which
made my heart beat
faster and my eyes and mind go into orbit.
Words seem inadequate to explain the surreal experience of walking in
and out of
mystical mists exposing gorgeous blues and turquoise
next to brilliant rust, orange and yellows
...only for them to disappear again.

If you have never been there, then check this video our friend and guide, Dave Hon, made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSYalb-tmq4


Huge crowds gather to watch Old Faithful blow a plain white blast into the sky,
but it has nothing on the emotional level of this misty beauty of power and color.
In my humble opinion of course...

On the Edge

On the Edge

6x8in  oil on canvas panel    100.

We have all seen this...a thriving tree right on the edge of a cliff,
growing out of what appears to be solid rock.
I can plant seeds with tender care into perfect soil...
only to see some survive better than others.
Weeds leap out of places where there has been no water.
Mother Nature continues to astound.

Mountain Meadow Flowers

Mountain Meadow Flowers

11x14in  oil on linen. Demo - Not for sale.

I did this a demo in class this morning. It is from a photo
I took in southern Colorado. We were driving to our destination
and I nearly dropped my jaw when I saw this amazing carpet of flowers
in the middle of nowhere. When I opened my mouth to yell, stop the car,
I found my own Mr Wonderful was already pulling over.
The years together do have their benefits!

I am not sure what flowers they were, but they looked to be in the wild aster family.

Artist Note.

This months focus in class is painting on a colored background.

I covered the canvas with a pinky/purple color and I lifted
out the light of the sky.

I chose this color as it would give me a good idea
of the placement of the flowers without having to put paint on top
too soon. I like to keep everything in a transparent paint quality
for as long as possible. Two reasons. It is easier to lift off cleanly anything
you are not comfortable with, and I like the dark areas to be painted
as transparently as possible. Richard Schmid along with many other artists,
stress this theory.
Unless I am making soft grays I never use raw umber. (as a dark)
I do use a beautiful transparent brown by Rembrandt which is
wonderful mixed with Ultramarine Blue or Viridian to achieve
rich, non chalky darks.

What Are You Having, Fred?

What Are You Having, Fred?

8x6in oil on canvas board  100.

This was painted on the same patio as yesterday's blog image.
I had painted the empty table and then along came Fred and his
lady so I had to make major changes.
I know his name was Fred because I heard her call him that.
They are definitely visitors to the area because they sat on the sunny side
of the umbrella. We were all grabbing tables in the shade.

Artist Note.

I used a #6 bright, Silver Bristlon brush for most of this.
Carol Marine recommended this brush when I took her
(fabulous) workshop a few years ago. It produces a
square stroke. I used opposing strokes
to get the loose look. I did use a rigger to do the chairs.
Don't look too close at the chairs...they were little beggars to do.
The nameless lady had her purse on the chair so I painted
the back of the chair after I had done the purse.

The Simplified Landscape

The Simplified Landscape

6x8in oil on canvas panel   SOLD

On a quest to seek personal inner reactions to abstract art.

You can see I took yesterday's landscape (see below) down
to its simplest forms.
Even though I abstracted the landscape into interlocking, flat shapes
they still strongly suggest a landscape by the horizontal format,
form and color.

Below you can a see a reminder how yesterday's painting was
impressionistic in its approach.

Tomorrow I will take it closer to pure abstract.