"Cup with Doodles"

Okay, I have dropped using linseed for a while, and I think I like this painting better than my last few. I have not figured out a title for this painting yet. As many of you have seen I lack a certain creativity when it comes to naming my paintings. So, any suggestions?

"Study"

I have already wiped this painting down. I have been using too much linseed oil an I think its been too hard to control. I though I would post this painting because I have been painting the last couple of days without satisfaction, and wanted to share some trial paintings with you. Sorry about the photo, its kinda washed out on the underside of the spoon.
One other item of business. I am excited to be a part of a new website...dailypaintwork.com. There is some amazing talent, so check it out.

"Apple and Mug" - SOLD

I was asked a few questions about my technique. Hmmmm. Well I do use a new brush for each new color. I think that helps in laying down the first broad colors. But after the colors are all down my brushes no longer stay free of mixtures. I use different brushes that I have just collected over the years. I like the blue handled watercolor brushes from Utrecht, and I also use Utrecht paint. I also use the white synthetic flat brushes (the longer, and softer, the bristles the better). In order to get the "right" color, I isolate that color by looking through a hole punched through a 2"x2" square piece of gray cardstock. Once that color is isolated, it is so much easier to mix that color. I don't really know what more to say about my technique except that I am still trying to figure it out too.

"Plastic Creamer"

Oh its Saturday and I am sleepy.

"Glasses" - n/a

I stopped at the local thrift shop and bought a bunch of new item to paint. Yeehaa.

"Snack" - SOLD

I have actually tried to paint apples in a baggie before, but never with success. I think tonights is a good-enough-to-post painting. I had to paint the apples as if they were just sitting there in open air. Then once all the color is down, I started to put down the white lines (highlights). The painting still did not look that great so I used a half inch brush and started to knock back some of the apple and bag to get some better edges and hopefully the appearance of looking through plastic.

"Cut Tomato"

Generally after twenty minuets of painting, my left hand tends to have around ten different paintbrushes wedged between my fingers. I use a new brushed for each new color so, as you can imagine, my left hand fills up quick. I look like Freddy Kruger or Edward Scissorhands (except with paintbrushes instead of scissors, or knives). And, well, it gets kind of dangerous. If I am lazy and decide not to change into a painting shirt all it takes is one small itch on my neck and then, BAM...I have a new painting shirt. Which is always kind of sad and happy. Goodbye nice shirt, hello paint shirt.

"Blue Shadow"

I had no direct light on this setup. Just the indirect light from off my easel. So the highlight on the painting is brighter than reality, but I couldn't help myself. I love painting highlights.

"Empty"

I was looking at some of my older paintings and started to compare them to some newer work. I have been getting smoother in my paint application (not necessarily a good or bad thing). I tended to not have interest in crisp drawing but applied paint more loose. So, this painting is a response to some of my older work. I tried to not be to concerned about drawing and just apply the paint and move on.

"Short Mug"

Check out the work of Jimmy Longacre. He has great work and I enjoy reading the quotes he incorporates into his blog.

"Tipped" - SOLD

To all those lactose intolerant people, I apologies. Milk is just too fun to paint.

Check out the work of Michel McNinch who recently had a successful art show, and has some great work.

"Milk and Water" - SOLD

I know, I know...its been a week. I actually left my last cup of milk down in my studio for a couple of days. I used whole milk which my kids drink because its a brighter white than the skim I drink. Anyway, The entire cup of milk had turned solid. Despite how gross that sounds it was actually kind a neat. I turned it upside down and it came out in the shape of the cup. Now that would be a cool painting.

I have come across some great artists lately --
Check out Sandra Flood her work is fantastic, and make sure you go to her website too. I'll post some other artists later this week.

"Milk" - SOLD

I have wanted to paint this scene before, but I did not have the right kind of glass. So, I went to the store and bought this glass in a four-pack. One of the glasses fell out of the package and broke and then my son broke another on our kitchen floor. Good thing I still have two others. But I'm not sure how long they are going to last.

"Blue Ribbon" - SOLD

I like the cup on this one, especially the highlight on the handle. The dinosaur is a bit more difficult to like. I have been trying to get a few more objects which are more difficult to draw, as the dinosaur proved. But it was fun to try.

"Red Ribbon" - SOLD

I had a fun art show with Jared Gillett on Friday. We had a two person show at the Pickett Fairbanks Gallery in Salt Lake City. A good sized crowd showed up to support us. Thanks. My studio turned into a makeshift frame shop for a week and I spent a good two hours today cleaning up the sawdust. But now the studio is clean, and ready for some new work.

"Green Stripes" - n/a

"On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises from his pumpkin patch and flies through the air to deliver toys to all the children." ~Linus

This is a pumpkin from my dad's garden. I thought the pumpkin was beautiful with the green stripes radiating from the stem. I don't know if this picture shows the stripes well enough. Maybe I will paint it more head on. The pumpkin also looks a bit lopsided but...maybe it is.

"The Gentleman and the Bottle" - SOLD

“Chaos in the world brings uneasiness, but it also allows the opportunity for creativity and growth.” ~Tom Barrett

I was talking to a friend of mine about artists who have "made it". Meaning they have reached a fair amount of success and recognition in a short amount of time. During the conversation I remembered a comment by one of my teachers concerning bad paintings. He said, "Bad paintings are a good thing. They indicate we are still experimenting. We should never stop experimenting". Whats nice about experimenting is our chance to get a really great painting, but we also chance failure. We came to the conclusion that we never wanted to "make it" but continue to make bad, and good, paintings.

"Apple and Plastic"

Sometimes I love a painting all the way until I put on the last brush stroke. And, other times I will dislike a painting until I finish and I then love it. I am not going to say where this painting sits.

"Racing Stripes" - SOLD

Every now and again I paint a painting that I would love to paint again. This is certainly one. I had so much fun painting the shadows, even though they are only two small brush strokes. But they made my day.

"Piggy Bank"

I was asked what kind of medium I use. I actually don't use any medium, except liquin on slim occasions. I have nothing against mediums, I just have never been taught--or taught myself--how to use them. I have actually wanted to start experimenting with different materials, and eventually will. I would be interested to hear what other people have used along with there outcomes.

On the pig; Monica said the pig might not appear see-through. It is. Let me know what you think.