"Memorial Day"

14 x 18 (Plein Air}

From Lake Jackson at U.S. 27

"Haze"

8 x 10 (plein air)

At Lake Jackson

"St. Johns"

24 x 36

"Dry Lake"

11 x 14 (Plein Air)

This is from the middle of Lake Jackson. Yes, the middle. This lake has drained regularly for years. (The indians use to call it Lake Okeheppkee which means something like "missing water".) It drained in 1999 and hasn't come back. Recently another sinkhole formed and what was left of the lake drained overnight. It is a beautiful place with birds and lots of open space.

"Shrimp Vista"

8 x 10 (Plein Air)

"Tide Going Out"

24 x 30

"Standing Alone"

36 x 48

This is a large piece from a photo taken over in Amelia. I wanted to do an intentionally simple sky. Some gradation but no clouds. Mixed up a bunch of paint for the sky in three different mixes and did it quickly. I like this one. I think it has a nice feel and depth with just a minimal amount of subject. What do you think?

"River Bank"

10 x 8 (plein air)

I painted this at the White Springs Paintout in White Springs, Florida. Had a fun time. It was my first paintout that gave awards. Got there late and had to hustle around to find something to paint and to make it work. I would have to say I paniced. This one was the only one I finished and the only one worth showing to anyone. Didn't win anything but got some good comments from the other artists.

"Tidal Pines"

24 x 36

At Carrabelle, Florida.

"New"

36 x 36

"Soft Ground"


11 x 14

"Down the Intercoastal"

8 x 10 (plein Air)

"Spunk"

36 x 36

"Tidal Creek"

9 x 12 (Plein Air)

This is from my trip to Amelia Island. This is near the southern tip of Amelia Island near Jacksonville. Great light as the sun was setting. Some hispanic guys -- about four -- came up out of this creek with a cooler full of clams. They liked the painting and the only one who could speak English asks if I paint portraits. "Yes," I said, "but I am pretty expensive". "How much? For one this big?" and he motions with his hands from his belt of his head. "I don't know -- couple grand probably". He smiles, "Yeah, you got a card?" And the truth is he probably makes more money than I do. He had me take down his phone number.

"Fort Clinch S.P."

8 x 10 (plein air)

Delivered some paintings to Steller's Gallery in Jacksonville in the morning, then drove up to Amelia Island and did some plein air painting. Beautiful day.

"Marsh Vista"

24 x 30 Sold

"Still"

24 x 30 Sold

"Seen it Before"

40 x 30

This is not from a photo. The palms are from a photo and the cloud is from a sketch. Reminds me of the St. Johns river valley in Central Florida and the big summer thunderstorms. One of my favorite painters is Edgar Payne. He was a California impressionist/realist from early 20th century. He did alot of mountain and dessert scenes. Sometimes I think those Western landscape painters have it easy because of the elevations and vistas. Then I look at some of Payne's paintings and they are all sky. We got sky in Florida. So I was thinking about that when I did the tops of the palms and couldn't decide what to do underneath them.

"Morning Flight"

30 x 40

This is a piece I did a number of months ago. I have wanted to make some changes, but ultimately decided to leave most of it alone. This is one of those blackbirds that hang around in groups (flocks?) and speed around between the palm trees.

"Patch"(finished)

"Patch"

11 x 14

This is loosely from a photo I took at Canaveral Seashore. Used a warm underpainting. One of those bright days in Central Florida.

"Brisk"

9 x 12 (Plein Air)

This is looking south at Miller's Landing. Its a great place to paint. Quiet. Parked the truck against the wind and sat on the back. Cold breeze.

"Ruts"

12 x 9

From memory after visiting Miller's Landing on Lake Jackson. There's a trail that has been opened up going north towards Rollins Point. Didn't think my truck could make it. Trying to capture the abstract pattern of the ruts from the four-wheel drive trucks.

"Portland Head Light"

8 x 10

This is from a photo I took while in Maine a couple of years ago. This is Portland Head Light. Edward Hooper painted this lighthouse and it looks the same now as it did back then. Of course he did a much better job on his painting.

"Shrimp Boat Carrabelle"

9 x 12

"Destin Dune"

16 x 20

I finally decided to put a year along with the signature and I put 06 instead of 07. Oh well.

"Alligator Point from St. Thersea's"

16 x 20

"Eastpoint"

9 x 12

This is an oyster boat. The bridge in the background is the bridge to St. George's Island.

"Afternoon"

10 x 8 (Plein Air) Sold

"Self Portrait with McMurphy Hat"

14 x 11

I am listening to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" on CD. This is the novel and its really good. Different from the movie in one essential element - the story is told by the Chief. So I think that is why I was wearing this headware and thought about doing a self portrait. Also why the look on the guys face (me) seems like a crazy man. Of course it could also be that the heat was out in our house for about a week. This is my first self portrait and there are a bunch of things I would do to improve it, but since it is dry I think I'll just leave it like it is and just do another one.

Florida Jungle 3 (Work in Progress)




40 x 30

Still working on this one. Doing some more work on the upper foilage and more highlights.

"Burlap"


10 x 12

This is from Eastpoint, Florida. The things hanging on the dock in the background are burlap sacks. They use them to put the oysters in and I guess they reuse them. Not a large margin on oysters.

"Tough"


12 x 10 (Plein Air)

This morning at Phipps Park. A guy walking his dogs as I just started says "you picked a tough subject". I liked the dark trees against the grey woods in the background. It was tough, but I think this came out good. One of the problems with plein air painting is that you can drive around all day looking for the perfect subject. I am trying to discipline myself to just go somewhere and find something to paint and in the words of Tim Gunn "make it work". This is about one mile from my house. A great undeveloped park where they hold the "Red Hills Horse Trials". Beautiful, peaceful morning. I hope I got some of that.

"Marsh Island/Part Two"




16 x 20
I reworked this piece. The photo isn't that great. Grayed the sky, put more light into the trees, and changed the color of the distant trees. Why? Because I decided I didn't like it the way it was. It's my painting. Which do you like?

"Marsh Island"


16 x 20

"Spoil Island"


9 x 12 (plein air)

This is from Parrish Park in Titusville. I was there for Christmas and this was done on the day after Christmas. Kind of a wet and rainy day.

"Tangle"


40 x 30

"Corner"


14 x 18
This is from some photos I took in Jacksonville. Coastal Marsh. Not sure if I'm done or not.

"Low Tide Marsh"


11 x 14

"Red Roof Farm"


16 x 20

This is a farm near Madison, Florida. It's near the interstate exit. I've changed it here, but the roof is almost this red in real life.

"39B"


9 x 12

This is pad 39B. At least I think it is. This is from Canaveral National Seashore. It was a foggy day. Wanted to capture the technology appearing through the fog.

"Tree Sketch"


6 x 8 (plein air)

"Tree in Late Light"


9 x 12

"Snipe Hunters"


6 x 8 (Plein Air)

Saturday morning at Lake Jackson trying to apply some of the things I had recently learned. There really are birds called "snipe". I talked to one of the hunters. The birds hang around in the grass near the shore. They look kind of like sandpipers at the beach.

"Open"


9 x 12 (Plein Air)

"St. Simons Light"


9 x 12 (Plein Air)

Got up early and painted the lighthouse.

"Old Boat"


9 x 12 (Plein Air)

From the dock in Darian, Ga. Lots of shrimp boats. Skippers Restuarant. Great crab cakes.

"View from the Bridge"


8 x 10 (Plein Air)

We painted from a dock near the bridge going into St. Simons Island.

"Coast Guard Station"


8 x 10 (Plein Air)

This is from St. Simon's Island. I think they call it the Old Coast Guard Station off East Beach Road. I did a workshop with Ray Roberts who is a nationally known painter from California. Had a great time and learned alot.

"Horse Stables"


10 x 8 (plein air)

Horse stables at Melhana Plantation just south of Thomasville, Georgia.