Happy New Year!

Wanted to catch the last of the Fall colors before the next storm blew thru. It's the afternoon before New Years' on the Bob Jones Trail along the San Luis Obispo Creek. The weather was mild - in mid 60's, with a lot of people using the trail as they walked and rode their bikes to the beach and back. Working from my quick color study of the previous day I did a more complete composition for a final studio painting. Lots of good cheer among the passerbyes as we all looked forward to the New Year. Let's hope it's a good one. Happy painting!.

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"Great White Egret"

11 x 14" Oil on Canvas
These elegant birds are just entering their mating season and as a result are starting to show longer, feathering head and tail dressings. I’m lucky to watch them along the”Bob Jones Trail” running along the San Luis Creek near our home.

$150., purchase by contacting artist. (10% will be donated to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo)

Palette Knife Demo for Art Club

This is the finished painting "Break of Spring Along The Bob Jones Trail"

Today I gave an oil painting demonstration to the El Camino Art Club in Arroyo Grande on oil painting - "Palette Knife Technique". Following are the photos of the step by step process and the steps written out follow. Let me know what you think.







1. On a toned stretched canvas I sketched in the basic layout
2. (Using a palette knife only throughout the painting), I next laidd in the sky
3. Laid in the far bank bushes and trees - basic shapes only.
4. Laid in foregound creek bank.
5. Used 'color shaper' (rubber tipped tool to remove color from the egret.
6. Sky was sticky enough now to lay in clouds
7. Using various greens, shaped far bank bushes and created some trees.
8. Darkened shadow cast immediately under far bank.
9. Applied variety of blues and blue-greens to stream
10. Brought in tree branches from far right of painting and added apple blossoms and blossom buds.
11. Tuned details and added 'fiddleneck flowers'.

Try it out and let me know what happens.

"Center Stage"

24x36" Oil on canvas
This painting may be purchased at Judith Hale Gallery 'South' in Los Olivos, California

Finished this painting last week, let it set up - palette knife paintings take at least a year to fully dry, and then sprayed with retouch varnish. I delivered it last Wednesday in a lovely gold leaf frame that is 5" wide.
The San Luis River/stream passes thru down town San Luis Obispo and by the Mission, meandering South along the old El Camino Real Highway until it reaches Avila Valley, where it makes a right hand turn flowing west into the Bay and Port San Luis Bay.

I've tried to imagine the stories that must have unfolded along this part of the stream. We know the first settlers followed it, and I'm sure the native Chumash tribes must have treasured this area. There are several hot springs here. The weir was built to keep the salt water tides from flowing upstream and entering the wells there.

The Bob Jones biking/hiking trail now follows the stream to the ocean. It's quite close to where I live, and in the mornings, a beautiful light flows through the oaks. There are always ducks, herons or egrets paddling or standing patiently. The deer come down for a drink as do other furry cretures -including bobcats and an occasional Mountain Lion. It's like a well lit stage with a never ending drama.