a Painters Blog

me painting at Gray Whale Beach Photo by Ray

2008 36×36 Gray Whale Beach

Last week I went out with two students (Keene and Ray) and we painted at Gray Whale Beach (Also known as devils slide.) The wind was bad and they were real troopers and suffered the wind all day.

I know when the wind is pounding you should bring small panels so your easel doesn’t turn into a sail.

Photo by Ray

But that’s why they invented bungee!

The picture to the right is my painting (YES…IT’S A 36×36!!!) bungeed to the tree in the wind. Go ahead read that line again. I should have checked the wind conditions but amazingly it didn’t fall over once…Not once.

2008 Under A Eucalyptus

The next painting was painted this week in a beautiful park with some great eucalyptus.

Keene took some great photos of me painting with my painting in the direct sunlight. We have this ongoing discussion about how all the books say NOT to paint like this.

Um? Photo by Keene

My response is if you wait for ideal conditions….ideal weather, ideal sun, ideal anything you will never paint!

Um? Photo by Keene

It is never about THIS painting or the painter you are TODAY. It is always about tomorrows painting and how much better a painter you will be tomorrow, having painted today regardless of the circumstances.

I am not a slave to the result. If the painting is successful…great…if not…scrape and move on to the next one.

2008 22×28

Lately I have found it difficult to put the paint brush down.

I have stayed out late painting plein air and then cleaning up the paintings later that evening and then working on still lifes well into the night.

I keep telling myself and the people around me that I need a break but the truth is…I can’t stop.

2008 9×12	2007 8×10	2007 8×10
2008 8×10	2008 6×8	2008 5×7
2008 6×8	2008 5×7	2008 12×16
2008 12×16	2008 12×16

Only had time to post a couple today….lots coming next week