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These were all painted on Sunday (June 16, 2008. They are all 3" by 4", Water Color

It was a good paint day. I painted the Jazz in the morning at Phillz Coffea. Then drinks at Nappers and then the Humming Bird when I got home. A lazy paint day, my favorite kind.

City Window

JUNE 14, 2008
11" by 14"
Oil on Canvas Board
300$

Painted with the San Francisco Plein Air Club. I spent at least 5 hours on this one. I got sunburned on my knees because they never see sunlight. I did not get burned anywhere else. It was a good turnout.

I was so used to painting in watercolor that I forgot that I was doing an oil painting. I did not listen to my own blog entry the other day when I told myself that a oil painting should be painted as an oil painting. Well I stared out very light and soft. I worked on only sections at a time as I would on a watercolor. It took me about two hours 4 hours to realize that this painting was not going to be completed as a watercolor. So I began really painting. I am happy with the results of this painting because it is like my studio paintings but outside. I fell back into my old habit's painting as I used to before I started plein Air painting. I have been re issued my artist licence. Yes you can use an artist licence in Plein Air. I feel this describes me. Good or Bad it describes me it is my painted personality. I cant run from this way of painting for to long.

While painting a group of five 12 to 15 year old kids were walking down the street near my house. I could tell they were up to no good. They did not see me. In fact one of the kids peed right right in front of me and he did not know it. The kids were throwing rocks at cars. I figured they were just little pebbles so I did not pay much attention to it. Then I herd a crash. The little punks broke my neighbors back windshield. As quickly as I could I ran into the street but they were gone. I went back up and secured my paints so the wind would not blow my canvas away and I told my landlord that one of the tenets car had been vandalized. I know what these kids look like and I know they live around here. I am going to confront them the next time I see them. They don't think anybody saw them but I did.

Mission Bay Bridge

June 10 2008.
5" by 7"
Water Color

I had so much fun at lunch painting the broken dock that I came back and painted the bridge next to it. In this painting you can see the lights to the Giants Stadium. I started this painting after work and pretty muck painted until it got dark. I found myself using vanishing points. This is something I do not normally do but I went with it. I feel I rarely paint in this manner and it was a good change and a lot of work!
It was a nice evening, warm and bright. Nobody really bothered me.

Lunch Break Painting

Broken Dock
3" by 3"
Water Color


Painted on my lunch break. I did not have a lot of time but what time I did have I used it wisely. For these quick paintings water color is the way to go because you can describe things very Loosely and still get away with it. A couple of guys were very interested in this painting. It nice when people show there interest.

The Napper Tandy

June 9, 2008.
Happy Hour
2.5" by 4"
Watercolor

Painted at happy Hour at The Napper Tandy - Mission - San Francisco, CA. In the table in the back of the bar. I had three Stella's. Nice paint session

Sun Tan Lotion

June 10, 2008.
4" by 4"
75$ Frame and Matt included
Watercolor

Talk about another perfect beach day. These days bring out great paintings. The day consisted of surfing and painting. The two things I love most in life. If you look closely you can see the head of a surfer on the break. Painted on 21st street beach in Santa Cruz.

White Wash

April 8, 2008.
4" by 4"
Watercolor
75$ with Frame and Matt

This was painted right as you enter the park. Again I ditched my friends to paint this one....sorry guys.. Man talk about a view. I have never seen anything like this before. You can see the waves come in from miles away. The waves collecticly become diffrent shades of blue and white. I think I could move to Big Sur. To see this view every day would be worth it.

Sandy Air

Saturday June 7, 2008.
11' by 14"
300$

What a drive it is into Big Sur. This was painted in about 4 hours. Man talk about windy my paint box proved very useful. There was sand blowing all trough the air. I let it fly onto the canvas and into the paint. I have painted with sand before and the texture has worked, so I went with it. These sea cliffs are one of my favorite things to paint. I am very happy with this one, it was worth ditching my friends to paint it.

Boat Painting

I spent 45 minutes on just the boat and then I was like "Ah man I need to give it a setting a place to live". The last fifteen minutes I frantically tried to place this little boat a home.

May 4 2008

I was fighting some serious battles in my mind while trying to paint this one. The paint just was not doing what I wanted it to. Compared to yesterdays painting this painting did not come natural. I took on more subject matter there was more to describe. I made up a couple things to resolve this painting.
When I paint I feel my head clears. I observe the world and it's complexity. I step out of being individual and become everything. It's a great feeling and I wish more people would turn off their their I pods there cell phones and watch the day die. Painting is just the tool I use to get me out there. The real experience is observing. When I paint I'm just taking down what I observe. Some people may say that my plein air painting is not my strongest work...They may be right but I don't care. Fishing is not about catching fish and painting is not about production. It's about the journey and enjoying where it takes you. It is nice to catch a fish now and then. I feel I caught a good one today. Plein Air painting has brought me closer to reality.

Oakland Views

OK this works. I just went in light and I painted what I saw. Quite simple really. Love that blue violet and that blue on the green shade.

Another Lunch Break Painting

Man an hour is not a lot of time!

Bernal Park

Water Color
4"by4"
Bernal Park
Great evening to paint. A nice quite stair case on Bernal Hill. A few dog visitors came by to say hi. I feel I painted this approach as a water color painter and not a oil painter.

Mission Bay Boat

4" by 4"
WaterColor
Painted on my Lunch Break at a park in Mission Bay. I've been eager to paint in this area for a long time. The area where this was painted is very unique. There are plants in pots laid out everywhere even on the boat that I was painting. The lady who lives on this boat house came out to water while I was painting it. These paintings are good practice because you have a deadline and you have to make important decisions.

Helmet Rock

This was a meeting with the California Plein Air Club. It was a good meeting with the California Plein Air CLub and there were lots of quality paintings produced. Lands End is a great place to paint and I will definitely come back here soon. I went in thick real thick. Sometimes you have to pull out the palette knife and have a little fun. This rock was a struggle in the begging because the shadows were a undefined. Then as the sun dropped the shadows became solid. Its enjoyable when the waves crash in to the rocks I am not bold enough yet to paint the flying waves