Little Panel Big Value (to me)

This is the little study for the larger painting I posted some weeks back. I used these small panels to kind of take notes of colors that might flash to me and give a composition in my head a chance to work or not. I personally love to see the small panel studies from my favorites, it gives me a glimpse into what they do when thinking fast with a brush in their hand. Just for the record I wasn't thinking; I was freezing. Quote:"They'll sell you thousands of Greens. Veronese green, emerald green, cadmium green and any sort of green you like; but that particular green, never." Pablo Picasso.

Busy Prep Day and a Cloudy Day Delivery

This is just a tiny 5x7 sketch of a 150ml tube of Ultramarine Blue, the tube is bigger then the painting.

Today was a busy one in Studio de Dan, I oil primed 5 ea 24x36 and 5 each 30x40 and 5 16x20 canvases. All to get ready for my show coming at the end of April. That might not sound like alot to some of you, but any painter that has had their home decorated with fresh primed canvas can attest to the smell being a bit overbearing (alkyd based) and man that paint flew to places I was nowhere near, but I got it all. (i think) I also painted a 12x12 of the snow bank in the driveway but no good light to photo by(or paint), so you get the paint tube. When I was getting started on my painting; my bulk order of white and some fresh Utrecht brushes got delivered (WOOHOO) so hopefully no more brush strokes that look like I made them with my fingers,YAY. Quote:" The successful painter is continually painting still life." Charles Hawthorne..

Opening Doors

This painting is the result of being snowed in and mentally "done" painting snow, but fired up to paint everything else. I don't know exactly what it is but since my return from my Cape Cod trip, I have been painting more then ever and have never felt more inspired. The edges, color intensity, colors seen peripherally, the effects of overwhelming light, beautiful abstract shapes interwoven to represent reality. OK maybe that's all a bit much but seriously, if I wasn't into these things, I might be painting like Kinkade...?. (Thank you to those who inspire me and those who support me!)

Quote: "Do whats true; let them talk." Edouard Manet

WIP Big Plein Air

This is 24"x36" I was working on en plein air yesterday (feb 18th)at Pemaquid Point and just in time, we got another storm last night, about half a foot of snow, and now as I write this its raining. I think I'm almost done with this one, and after the marathon session it took just to get this far, I hope so! two brushes have already died in this battle and am hoping to figure a way to not beat them up so bad, but I think its useless..?. I have started oil priming my canvas in an attempt to not have to scrub so hard to get the paint in there, and it is bit better. nuf rambling, QUOTE: "If you conduct your work in that way by carrying it each time as far as you know, each time you will go a little further." Charles Hawthorne

Nobleboro Historical Center

This is just a 5"x7" 10 minute color sketch, Raquele and I were out driving around and I had my little 6x8 pochade box /me and loved the colors here so we stopped. While I was working on this for few minutes and she did some reading. Quote: "Place a simple Building in the scene. Treat it as just a block study with landscape around it." Henry Hensche.

7-UP at Cape Cod

This a sketch from this past Thursday in Buzzards Bay, Cape Cod. I travelled down to meet up with some of the "Port Clyde 12,(13, ..?.) and hopefully get to paint some while there. I was so stoked to paint I did this one while waiting to meet up with them. This train bridge is one that I have loved as far back as I can remember, (I grew up going to Cape Cod) and didn't even mind that the painting didn't work out so good.

When I met up with the group at the Addison Art Gallery ( http://adisonart.com/paintapalooza.html ) I was pretty overwhelmed at first with all the great paintings and meeting the painters that made them. Everyone was welcoming, friendly, and genuinely a pleasure to be around. For those who were there reading this Thank you all, and there is a home in Maine you are always welcome in, and If Colin's not home you can come over here. (HA)

Quote: " Real Painters understand with a brush in there hand....What does anyone do with rules? Nothing worthwhile." Berthe Moriset .

Waiting for the timer

This is a portrait of one of my favorite models (Hi Rachel) from ???? maybe 6-8 months ago I remember I was gonna paint over it because my drawing was not perfect and that was all I could see when I looked at it. But time past and somehow through my lack luster skills made me feel her sitting there thinking, waiting for the timer to ding))) even a half year after. Thanks Rembrandt Fairy! Quote:"Cézanne rushed foward: 'You wretch! You have upset the pose! You should sit like an apple. Whoever saw an apple fidgeting?' Motionless as that fruit may be, Cézanne was sometimes obliged to leave a study of apples unfinished. They had rotted."Ambroise Vollard, 1936, on posing for Paul Cézanne. I know not a quote exactly but I came across it and thought it to be funny, and absolutely nothing to do with my model.

PIF and the Broken Easel

Ok first things first, This week I am throwing my hat in the PIF ring, PIF means Pay IT Forward. Here is my take on the rules of PIF, I will send a hand made gift to the first three people to leave a comment promising to continue this on there blog or I will extend it also to people who promise to continue it there own way in the real world. I don't know what the gift will be yet, and I don't know when I will send it to you, but you will receive it within 365 days of commenting. OK? Also this will expire in 365 days from today so don't wait an entire year to participate. (1 added rule, I must limit this to people living in North America as I am not able to absorb large overseas shipping costs currently, sorry, but if you are travelling here in the future I will hold for you :) ) I got into this while I was searching thru the older entries of one my favorite blogs http://frankgardner.blogspot.com/ and when I saw that Frank was part of this and there was an opening, I jumped. Sure it was an older blog entry, but how could I turn down a handmade gift from one of my favorites..?. I was hoping for one of his masking tape sculptures but instead he sent me one of his beautiful 6x8 paintings that I am very thankful for.(Thanks Frank). As for the broken easel, I was at Pemaquid Point Lighthouse before our most recent storm (couple days ago) and set up to do a small coastal rock study, it was a beautiful scene and all the values were so close that i pictured the finished piece only being two mid values, anyway I forgot my brushes in my backpack so I turned around to get them I was maybe 6ft away when the wind came and blew my easel over into a snow/ice bank, well the back of my new EasyL that holds wet panels kinda shattered, and my brushwasher landed, bent, and spilled all over the ice, luckily I had just cleaned so the spill was just thinner . but it was so cold I think the thinner froze?.?. Then it started to snow, If any of you haven't you must see the ocean while its snowing, just beautiful. In the mood to paint I was, so I didn't let this stop me, I got a decent study done but nothing I wanna share. So instead you get to see my little sketch from the other day on my way back from figure/life painting. I stopped briefly to freeze.. I think its in Lincolnville..?. (the photo is angled a bit if your wondering), that thing in the painting is a ferry dock and I got this started about 10 mins after the ferry left. so I think this was about a 10-15 min sketch.. Quote: "Nobody has ever bet enough on the winning horse" Richard Sasuly. let me know if you like the new digi painter to your right??