"Harmony in Brown & Green 2"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

The other "Harmony..." piece in the set.  When I painted them, I envisioned this piece being displayed on the right, and "Harmony...1" on the left. 

I've been trying to loosen my style a bit with the "Harmony" pieces.   

"Harmony in Brown & Green 1"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

Just finished this piece, and "#2" which I'll post tomorrow.  I'm liking this palette a lot.  

"Variations #2"

11"x11"

Oil on wood

My blog has sort of come full circle with this piece.  Back on  July 2oth, 2006, my wife used this piece to set up the blog for me.  She surprised me with it.  I'm glad she did.  Since that time my painting has changed a lot.  I've used the small jewels as an opportunity to experiment with techniques, mediums, styles and palettes.  I feel I've grown, (at least I HOPE I have!) and I've really enjoyed myself in the process.  For those of you who have checked in on me, I really appreciate your comments.  It helps to kind of kick my butt a little when I know that people may be looking at the blog.  

"Harmony in Blue #2"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

This is the second piece in the "Harmony in Blue" series.  I need to put a quick layer of gloss varnish on it, just to even it out a bit.  When I  started doing this series, based on the "Variations" series, which is oil, I had a challenge in trying to replicate the technique and effect. The pigment in the former, was mixed with wax; which is how I got the desired effect.    I found that if I mixed the acrylic paint on the "Harmony" series with gloss extra heavy gel, that it was too buttery, but if I mixed it with matte extra heavy gel,  the consistency more closely matched that of the oil-based series.  Because of that, there are both glossy, and matte areas on the finished "Harmony" pieces which need to be evened out.  

"Harmony in Blue #1"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

Yes, this is mysteriously like the other, smaller piece.  I tried to blow it up, and this is what I got.  I also painted another piece to go with it.  I will post that one tomorrow.

I must say, it feels good to be using a lot of blue again.  

"Variations #3"

11"x11"

Oil on wood

Another piece in that older series.  With this piece, you can see how I've tried to work in small bits of color to connect the paintings.  The series really should be displayed together, though they are available separately.

"Variations #1"

11"x11"

Oil on wood

Say whaaaa? Oh yeah, you read that right. OILS!   

Okay, so this is an older painting.  This is one of four pieces I based my last jewel on.  It's a direction I feel needs more exploring.  Making the switch from oils (and wax on this piece and the three others in the series) isn't easy, also, I'm going this direction while making these larger, no small feat.  Well, for me anyway.

Untitled

10"x10" 

Acrylic on stretched canvas

This piece is based on an older painting I did, but in oils.  I was given the assignment of duplicating the earlier piece.  I didn't want to completely copy it, it was more a case of trying to remember the technique I used in this style of painting... It represents a new direction, or, depending on how you look at it, an old one.

"Dancing Woman" (movement sketch)

5"x7"

Acrylic on fiberboard

Hmmm.

Yeah, not really sold on this, but hey, at least I DID one.  This is kind of movement sketch I tried.  I got the idea from a book on drawing my Dad gave me when I was home last week. To me, this looks a lot like some sort of failed Olympics logo or something.  I like the idea of trying my hand at sketches of moving figures, and I really think my work could benefit from the looseness that I wish to achieve.  This represents my first foray in that direction.