Angel Trumpet

Mendocino Angel Trumpets

16x20 oil on canvas

When I went to Mendocino with my kids this last summer, flowers were blooming everywhere around the quaint town of seaside Mendocino. I loved this tree of Angel Trumpets blooming near the entrance of one store. It took me a while to get the gumption to paint them because I put so much pressure on me to do their beauty justice. I think I'm almost there and now want to paint more.

Petalos de Rosa

Petalos de Rosa

20x24 oil on gallery wrapped canvas

Doesn't it always sound more exotic in another language? Pink petals in Spanish [petalos de rosa] gives my painting of my neighbor's cactus flowers an extra punch. As I approached our court, these blooms were a pink spotlight on her lawn. I went and grabbed a few photos and this was the result.

Freedom with Freesias

I really appreciated everyone's input with my last post. I believe the reoccurring sentiment was: 1. this is a common stage for an artist to go through 2. to keep on , keeping on.... or continue to create and relax a little more about where it might take you. 3. Try different styles, experiment, explore.

So in keeping with this new insight, I decided to try and paint flowers. If you look back, I have only painted flowers in a simplistic style for a commission. I wasn't crazy about. The style I'm crazy about is Diane Hoeptner's. Such a beautiful, loose and lovely style for all sorts of flowers. If you don't know her work, check her out. I believe a National Retail business is looking to use some of her paintings to decorate some housewares.

I noticed the front yard had some freesias blooming. I plunked them in a clean Pace Picante Sauce jar and painted away. I was surprisingly please with the result. I am glad I tried to tackle something I thought I could not do.

8x6 oil on Raymar panel

Flowers and Del

Last year I posted a painting for my neighbor. She wanted another one for the opposite wall. I don't do flowers so it took me longer than I want to say to finish this 30x40 oil on canvas. She's happy with it and that is all that matters right?

She invited me and the kids to a Bar-B-Que when I delivered it this weekend. While there, I noticed one of her guests lounging and texting so I did a quick sketch.

Turns out, Del is 18, just graduated high school and plans to get into Law Enforcement after he finishes college. He was visiting my neighbors with his family and lives in Phoenix. He also has wanted to learn how to draw better.

I asked what his favorite subject was, [thinking to myself it had to be cars, babes or something else young men adore] and he replied "Dragonball Z".

I had to make sure my memory recalled correctly and was proud of myself for not doing a 'spit take'. So I went across the street and printed some Dragonball Z images and had a drawing lesson. Del is quite smart and learned a few pointers quickly and was drawing very well after awhile.

I left him my 6B pencil and special eraser and told him to keep studying hard and to email me if he had any questions regarding drawing or Law Enforcement. It's so encouraging to see young men who really will help to make this world a little better for all of us.