30 Paintings in 30 Days #20 Castillion Village

Castillion Village

Castillion Village

One of the loveliest villages is this medieval one in the Gard region of Provence. It's not too far from Pont du Gard the Roman aqueduct, a magnificent yet busy attraction. There is a vantage point from this village where you can see it off in the distance. Whereas here, you get to paint with the local kids playing on the church steps, an elderly woman walking by with a baguette for her evening meal. (Subjects for another painting!) I'll keep village on the itinerary.

Oil on archival board. 8" x 7.5"

As with all my 30 in 30 paintings, please contact me for availability or buy through DailyPaintWorks for the duration of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge

30 Paintings in 30 Days #19 Spring Dusk, Apricot Tree at the Chateau

Spring Dusk, Apricot Tree at the Chateau

Spring Dusk, Apricot Tree at the Chateau

As the light fades at the end of a bright day all the colors change too. Here's how I see that. The Greens lose their warmth and take on a color closer to blue. It doesn't last long, the hues are fleeting and open to wonderful interpretations. I cannot wait to return in June when this tree will be laden with apricots, ripe for picking.

Oil on archival board. 6" x 6"

As with all my 30 in 30 paintings, please contact me for availability or buy through DailyPaintWorks for the duration of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge

30 Paintings in 30 Days #13 Dog's Life

#13 Dog's Life

A Dog's Life

Dog's in France have a wonderful life. 
From what I have observed, the French adore their dogs. The dogs are happy, healthy and well behaved. But, what we also discovered - that you don't just go up and pet someone's dog. There seems to be a special relationship with the dog and his master that is sacred and you can't just jump in there and tickle his ears. Tut-tut, non-non.

Oil on archival board. 6" x 6"

As with all my 30 in 30 paintings, please contact me for availability or leave a comment below!

Or buy through DailyPaintWorks for the duration of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

30 Paintings in 30 Days #12 Door at Dusk

#12 Door at Dusk

Door at Dusk

We passed this door maybe three or four times a day. Just an old wooden door in an ancient wall. But like most of the old structures in Provence, it has its own unique history. And it's hard not to notice. In fact it has been said by many that everywhere you look in Provence, there is something to paint, perfectly composed. This caught my eye more than once and I sat to paint it before I lost the light for the day. It's on the chateau's estate, so you don't even have to roam far to paint. However I didn't quite finish it until I hit the studio today and handled the highlights.
One night I came across a family of hedgehogs by the stoop. The chateau owner doesn't mind them, they manage the snail population. 

Oil on archival board. 6" x 6"

As with all my 30 in 30 paintings, please contact me for availability or leave a comment below!

Or buy through DailyPaintWorks for the duration of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

30 Paintings in 30 Days #8 Vineyard Road

I love the light effects in Provence. The very air seems to shimmer and objects transform into light emitting forms. And when painting them, well sometimes, it's like trying to catch sunlight in your hand. Not possible, but we keep on trying. 
Here's a typical road, heading off into the shimmering light, beckoning to follow. But sometimes it's better to stake down your easel and give a shot at capturing light. 

5" x 7" Oil on Archival Board.
As with all my 30 in 30 paintings, please contact me for availability and prices.
or leave a comment below!
Or buy through DailyPaintWorks for the duration of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

30 in 30 -Day 1 - Evening Star - Provence

Thirty Paintings in 30 days. Day 1

Evening Star

An evening view from the upper terrace at the Château. Dusk arrives, the birds grow silent and the first evening star appears. I stop to admire the light on the church tower. A quiet moment after happily painting in a French vineyard and right before sitting down to a dinner with my artist friends. Salut!

6" x 6" Oil on Archival Board.
As with all my 30 in 30 paintings, please contact me for availability and prices.
 or leave a comment below!

Or buy through DailyPaintWorks for the duration of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

"Blue Door"

Here's my painting titled "Blue Door". 

The Asian Influence is very evident to me; I feel its influence in my art. The major aspects of the Eastern Aesthetic that affect me are design, color harmonies and influence of the line and flat two-dimensional shapes. The wood blocks of Japan are among my favorites. 


The Blue Door
The major influences of the Asian Aesthetic that affect me are design, the color harmonies and influence of the line and flat two-dimensional shapes. Here’s a blue painting; I’m in love with this color and I try to make everything a harmony of blue. The design is simple – really an undulating triangle against four flat panels of color. One of the background panels is painted in silver pigment and I used a brush to “inlay” 2-dimensional tiles of blue into the flat silver shape. The broad black (actually blue-black) line designed into her kimono is to lead the eye through and up the painting to her face and dark hair. Even the flesh tones are tending to blue violet. But if you really look at this painting I have used almost no pure blue at all – it’s all grey-blue, blue-violet and aquas. Like a haiku, it can say a lot about a subject without directly addressing it.

When Japan, in particular, opened its borders in the second half of the 19th century the world was exposed to a new aesthetic that swayed the art world completely. It presented a new sense and direction in the decorative arts and artful living, away from ostentation and towards balance and simplicity. Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Impressionism to a degree were born out of the Asian influence.
The artwork from the past that I love, admire and study for what it can teach me, is most often by artists who were influenced by this Eastern aesthetic; Klimt, architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, painters John Singer Sargent and the Glasgow Boys’ George Henry and E. A. Hornel stand out as a few.

When I contemplate a new painting, I take a few moments, move into a meditative place to form the major idea, design and message for the work I am about to undertake. And since I work at the easel quickly, this prior step is vital to the painting. This is when I lay out the road map for the piece, the harmonies, palette and the composition. From this starting point, I do not try to “visualize” the painting, but just like heading for a new destination I have an idea of what it might feel like. With these elements in agreement I can confidently paint at any speed as I know then, where I am going and how I am going to get there.

Again Dominique modeled, and she made the kimono. I sat her on top of a table to paint her as if I was seated on the ground - in other words got my eye  level about the same as hers.

The painting was included in a really gorgeous exhibit at the Galeria Gitana, San Fernando, California - Asian Influence - The Eastern Aesthetic. The show was curated by gallery director, Karen Nichols and included some great works by fellow artists. One of the exhibit highlights was a lecture on the subject by John Paul Thornton, Art Education Coordinator at City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.