Marina on the Salmon River, 18"x24"

This is one of the large pieces I had in the show last month.

It was a tricky piece from the very beginning because the photo reference was taken during late afternoon on a cloudy day and I wanted to experiment representing midday light and temperature.

Also, I had to get rid of foreground trees and reeds in order to create a more pleasing composition, and later on, I had to subdue the orange tree in the background because it was detracting attention from the boathouse. All in all, I think it works, but it left me with the need to learn more about the colors during midday hours.

Peeking Through, 7"x 5"

I recently heard a good instructor say that if you have a building in the focal area of a painting there is not much point in hiding it with trees, etc.

I have thought a lot about that because I happen to like things that are half-way hidden! What I liked about the reference photo was the quiet statement the house made amid so much color.

Otisco Sunset , 5"x7" Sold

I've been working on small paintings for the upcoming Plowshares show. This one I'm planning on painting in a larger format for my solo show next year.

Very often I drive around scouting for locations to paint. As it's often the case, the perfect spot is right in the middle of the road, and I'm lucky if I get the chance to take a good photo for reference. I really felt lucky with this one.