Tomato Study

Experimenting more with house paints….

and with space...

.

and with painting using a palette knife.

# 3 Study of Two Paint Tubes

against white…

It's been a busy last month preparing for shows in November: Twin Sisters in San Antonio, Flatbed Press in Austin and this up coming weekend for East Austin Studio Tour. So, if you're in Austin the next couple weekends come by and visit.  I'm a guest artist at Jennifer Chenoweth's Fisterra Studio, 1200 E. 2nd Street, November 14-15 and 21-22 from 11:00am-6:00pm.

Until December 19th I have four graphite and watercolor pieces in a group show at Flatbed Press Gallery, 2830 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Austin, TX 78702.

And from November 3rd to November 30th I have a solo show of small paintings at Twin Sisters, 6322 N. New Braunfel Ave. San Antonio, TX 78209.

#2 Study of Two Paint Tubes

in color...

Study of Three Bottles

and possibly the culprit of my allergic reaction when using oils.

Study of a Cup and Spoon

Four versions of a teal cup and silver spoon: 

Study of the Whole Sink

Now stepping back...

My family has asked if I'm moving my studio into the bathroom!


(These are three separate studies, not a progress sequence.)

Study: Sink Objects

Little closer study of our bathroom sink...

Gray Study of Two Cups

With these I tried something different: I premixed my grays.  I made the darkest gray I could with my red, yellow and blue.  Then, using white, I mixed five incrementally lighter shades and started painting. I tried to limit myself to my six choices.  It's a good exercise in really seeing and comparing values.  Since doing these studies, I find myself staring at scenes or objects and imagining how I would paint them in grays.

Gray Study of a Single Cup

Study: Jar of Safflower Seed

10" x 8" mixed media on watercolor paper

Our pigeons favorite treat is safflower seeds.  This is a jar that I keep by the door to the back porch. All I have to do is shake it and they come right away.

I did this with caran d'ache (water soluble crayons) and house paints.  Some of my first paintings were done with house paint. I often return to this medium, it's feels refreshingly uncomplicated. I keep the palette simple---red, yellow, blue and white.