"The Post" --- SOLD

Thanks so much to all of you who left comments encouraging my plein air work! I do really enjoy it, and will someday have much more time for it. Right now, with a 3-yr-old, it isn't often feasible.

This is the second painting from my Rockport trip. There was this cute little Marina just opposite our hotel, and I went wandering around it looking for the perfect boat to paint. I kept walking by this one spot thinking "oh that nice little area BETWEEN the boats is so pretty." Everyone else painted boats. : )

Robert Elliot wrote to me today in response to yesterday's post, asking what a "non-wipe" is. My bad! When I do a painting bad enough I don't want to waste the panel, I take a paper towel, dip it in mineral spirits, and wipe it off to use later. That's what I call a wiper. Robert calls them "turkeys." I like that too.

"Pelican Bait" --- SOLD

This is the first non-wipe painting from Rockport. It was also the first time during the weekend that the sun came out from behind the clouds. : ) Even still it all looked terribly gray to me. I am so used to being in full control of my subject - of trying out 5 background colors if necessary (all of them fairly saturated) - of making the light do exactly what I want it to - of taking out the odd orange and adding another apple! But, I loved the way this bait shack leaned, and how the white sign on top was slightly darker than the sky. Don't ask me why. I used the Ampersand boards again and my new fantabulous brush. I painted two more and will post them soon.

"Radishes on a Hill" --- SOLD

These radishes weren't on a hill, but it looks that way to me now. It has something to do with the bottom bit, and I'm still trying to figure out what I could have done to change that.

I went to Jerry's Artarama today and fondled all of their MANY brushes trying to find one right for this surface (back to the smooth panels today). I finally found one not too soft or hard and I LOVE IT! It's an Umbria bright from Princeton Art & Brush Co, size 6. It is perfect for this surface - perfect. Now it's just a test of how long it holds up. I'll let you know.

I'm off to Rockport, TX tomorrow for 3 days of plein air painting with my Austin painting buddies. Maybe I'll come out with 1 or 2 landscapes good enough to post. Mostly I'm looking forward to the break from REAL LIFE. : ) I may or may not have internet - back on Sunday for sure.

"Orange Parade" --- SOLD

Thank you all who commented on yesterday's post and took the time to state an opinion about the past few paintings. I got a really mixed response. The consensus? I am going to continue experimenting with both surfaces, and find some brushes that work a little better on the smooth one. Today's is back on the canvas, my comfort zone.