View from Red Bud Isle

View from Red Bud Isle, 8 x 10

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This was painted all on-site last Saturday morning at our Plein Air Austin paint-out at a beautiful municipal dog park on Red Bud Isle in the middle of upper Ladybird Lake. I've been across the bridge that passes the isle hundreds of times, but had never stopped. Downtown Austin is a little over a mile downstream around this bend. This was painted relatively quickly (for me), as we got a late start due to the line of cars waiting to get in. Including set-up and packing up afterward, it took a little over two hours.

Misty Morning

Misty Morning, 10 x 8

Today's Plein Air Austin paint out was held about an hour west of town near Johnson City at a place called the Preserve at Walnut Creek. The paint on this study is a bit thin in places and some areas need a little more definition, but I enjoyed painting outdoors again in this quiet setting. 

On the Clock

Back Yard, 8 x 10

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This back yard view was painted from a reference photo I took a few weeks ago in Georgetown. To keep the style loose and to avoid overworking the subject, I set a timer for 1 hour.  I did go over by half an hour before gaining enough courage to post it here, but I am glad to have rediscovered this helpful exercise.

Late Light

Late Light, 20 x 24

commission

This painting was done for a homeowner in Georgetown, north of Austin. The challenge here was to channel my inner arborist to make the home's signature turret adequately visible behind what is, in reality, the much thicker foliage of the front yard trees. We chose this angle in order take advantage of the wonderful, late afternoon sunlight and shadows.

More Gas Pumps

Corner Station, 36 x 48

commission

Hello friends. Outside work and painting larger of late have kept me away from blogging much over the last few months, but today I do have a new piece to share. It will look familiar to many who have visited this blog before, as I was commissioned to do a larger version of a piece I painted in early 2011 called Corner Station. The new piece, above, measures 36" x 48" and is hanging in the lobby of the new north Austin branch of Horizon Bank near Oak Knoll and U.S. 183. Not much different than the first, though considerably larger and, therefore, a bit more detailed. The first studio version and an earlier plein air study are shown below.

Corner Station, 24 x 30

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Corner Station, 8 x 10 plein air study

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Driftwood Station

Driftwood Station, 8 x 10

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You may have seen this old gas station depicted in paint before, as it is a favorite subject of Plein Air Austin painters. This was my second attempt at this venue, which we revisited as a group several weeks ago. I haven't been able to paint as much so far this year as last, so I really enjoyed taking the time yesterday to touch this up before posting. 

Park Bridge

Park Bridge, 8 x 10

This painting was started back in March during a Randall Sexton workshop in southern California. With all the beautiful coastline normally available to paint, we were forced to this city park in Irvine because of the tsunami warning from the Japan earthquake. We had tried a for a spot above the cliffs at Corona del Mar, but there were so many people there waiting to witness their very own tsunami, we packed up and headed inland. 

Right Spot

Right Spot, 5 x 7

Second in a series of three for Arthouse's 5x7 Show.

Hot House

Hot House, 5 x 7

This representation depicts the main office of the apartments I live in. I've exaggerated the colors for artistic effect, as you may have guessed. I'm happy about that, since, though they appeal to me here, being surrounded by such colors day in and day out might get to be a little unsettling.  Over the next couple of days I'll be posting the two companion studies I've painted which, together with this one, will be entered in the upcoming 5 x 7 show at Arthouse Austin.

Last Light

Last Light, 20 x 24 oil on canvas
available

This is a larger version of a plein air study I posted back in December, depicting Lake Travis at dusk.  I will be showing it and other recent work in April, along with that of Julie Davis and our friend and mentor Laurel Daniel at the Davis Gallery here in Austin. I'm excited to be exhibiting with these two and very appreciative to Laurel for inviting us to hang our work with hers at her spring show.

Summer Plans

Summer Plans, 8 x 10

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I caught these boys last year in Ohio during a break in their summer activities. They were more than happy to strike a pose for me.

Corner Station

Corner Station, 24 x 30

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Sorry for the long delay in posting the final step in this project, but here it is.  Hope you like it.

Last Light

Last Light, 6x8

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The plan this day was to paint a beautiful Texas sunset over Lake Travis. We had a fabulous spot at the property of our wonderful and generous Plein Air Austin co-member, Lynn. Since I happened to arrive a few minutes late, however, and with every moment so precious, I decided to take the easy way out and paint the pretty, indirect light coming off the water facing north. 

It turned out to be no bargain. The subtle light and color shifts (which, like the actual sunset, were still constantly changing) were more than enough to demand all the focus I had. The exercise was valuable, however, and certainly one that bears repeating and continuing to learn to see and render such subtle, yet powerful differences.

In The Barn II

In The Barn II, 6x8

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Saturday evening, after a couple hours of painting, Plein Air Austin had our end-of-year party at Westlake Beach and Marina.  The weather was perfect and lots of family and friends showed up for the catered picnic. The scene above is not actually of Westlake Beach, but of the adjacent marina, the name of which I didn't notice. I was attracted by the clear skies and the bright, late afternoon light on the boats.

Gruene River Grille

Gruene River Grille, 10x8

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Today's post is from last Saturday's PAA paintout in Gruene, Texas, just north of New Braunfels. Once again I had to finish the piece almost a week later. I was fighting a slight fever during the outing and, contrary to the plan, being outdoors only made things worse. Happily, unfettered access to plenty of Thanksgiving food the last few days has returned things to normal.

Done For The Day

Done For The Day, 5x7

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Another of the farms on the outskirts of Malvern, Ohio, this one on Citrus Road NW.

Local Flavor

Local Flavor, 5x7

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Garcia's Restaurant is the place to go for authentic Tex-Mex when you're in Round Rock. Nothing fancy, just really good food and an atmosphere that makes you feel you're among friends. I rediscovered this little spot this weekend after several years away, during Round Rock's inaugural Chalk Walk, an art & music festival.

The Road Out II

The Road Out II, 8x10

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I painted this landscape from photos I took a year ago in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. My college buddy, Bruce Powers, hauled me up there to help him build a tool shed on the property he and his wife, Peggy, bought there a few years ago. This view is from the road that fronts their scenic property.

Not Dead Yet

Salt Lick Shack, 6x8

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This morning's Plein Air Austin paintout was on the property of a famous central Texas Bar B-Q joint, the Salt Lick, in Driftwood. Before this image convinces you never to visit said gathering place, rest assured this is not the actual restaurant. In fact, this forlorn structure is a good quarter mile away, back where some maintenance and repair equipment is kept. I guess you could call this a supply shed, as it's full of all sorts of, "supplies." I don't think you'll find any of them on a working inventory list, however.

Azumaya

Azumaya, 8x10

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Ahh, the wonders of the Internet. With a few keystrokes, I've identified the structure depicted above. Anything I spend three hours scrutinizing and painting (and scrutinizing and painting), I figure I should know the name of. So, this structure — this open-air Japanese shelter, commonly comprised of a roof supported by beams and four vertical posts — is called an azumaya.

In any case, our paintout was wonderful. We overran the normally peaceful confines of the Austin Botanical Garden early Thursday morning under conditions that were almost perfect — slight overcast, breezes that were actually cool, and no rain.

That's right, no rain — making it, of course, unnecessary to seek shelter in the nearby azumaya.