December Art Lessons

"Snow at Dusk" and "Snowstorm of October 29" are 2 paintings used for teaching for our art lessons at the Wallkill River School.

Field by Beaver Dam Road

An art piece for the December show at the Wallkill River School.

Painting Lesson on Sky, Tree and Grass.

With a palette knife, I made about 10 blends of color that would be appropriate to create the sky. I made sure I had the value range that would show where the sunlight was coming from and the strong color differences. I knifed in the color blends onto the canvas in their correct spots and then proceeded to blend in the colors with the palette knife. I would be completely focused, efficient and make sure the color transition is working and not lose the colors. Too much blending can turn gray or muddy. After about 90% of the sky is blended, I use a soft brush (1/4 inch) and softly fill in where a little canvas still shows and slowly soften the whole sky so it looks smooth and flat.
The grass gets the same treatment only I look for hills and crannies and exaggerate where the sun shines on and where it is in shadow. Need a whole assortment of values so the sun and shade will be obvious.        Painting size is 8x10

Painting for the "Hill-Hold" Silent Auction

This painting was sent out to the Hill-Hold Museum for a silent auction. The scene is of a farm that I pass by quite regularly on Rt. 211. There's a few bushes in the front which I left out.
The Hill-Hold Museum is on Rt. 416, opposite the Thomas Bull Park. In fact it was Thomas Bull who built the Hill-Hold as his home in 1769.

Fantasy Art

Someone needed illustration samples that were more imaginative than my usual artwork that I put on show at the galleries. At least, I was able to present these 3 pieces that could be labeled "fantasy" or "science fiction"

Wolfgang Reception

Mickey Teutul's "The Wolfgang Gallery" had their November Reception on the 12th and I entered this painting. The art gallery has a very Manhattan ambiance. Then when you walk outside, you realize "Oh, I'm in Montgomery"

Snow on October 29

When the snow subsided, it was a beautiful twilight and then in the morning, the snow was a photographer's Winter Wonderland. Just had to be careful not to stand under the wrong tree branch. They were all heavily laden and snapping off all over the place.

Preparing for the Christmas Auction

For the December Wallkill River School Auction, we're creating bookmarks painted in oils. So each one is a little Original work of Art. That can make a nice present for both an artist and a book lover. The format is small and an absolute joy to paint. I almost want to paint these forever because the list of imagery available goes on forever.

To Capture the Sun

I received an email that someone wanted to buy this painting at the gallery in Cold Spring, but by the time he returned, it was gone. Thank goodness, I love this style of painting so I have another one in the works, which has a similar atmosphere and color palette. I just love it, when the colors are slightly exaggerated and many times contradictory to real life but when presented in a painting, creates that feeling of shock and amazement. Of course, I hope I find those "color blends" in my next painting.

Oil Paint Demonstration - Tree

After outlining the tree, I added colors on the outline, which will add a sparkle effect to the image. More colors next to each other, the better the effect. I also painted the dark shadows making sure the colors are not bright and doesn't have the "out of the tube" look. To dull a color, the easiest way is to add it's opposite on the color wheel. If the green is too bright, then I would add a little "red" to tone it down.

After adding the shadow colors (at the top would be a lighter more blue shadow and would slowly work it's way to be darker and more reddish as I got to the bottom), I added the middle tones and did the same treatment with the color transition. (more bluish and lighter on top and darker, more reddish at the bottom of the tree.)

Wild Connections by Jack Lancaster and Rick Van Der Linden

This is an image I did back in art college in England and it became a cover for a record album in the late 70's. I'm happy to see it has been reissued on CD and they are still using the original cover.

Sailing the Doodletown Byte

The Doodletown Byte is still there but the small hamlet, located near Bear Mountain, turned into a ghost town after 1960, when it was supposed to have been turned into a ski park but it never happened. Nature took it over instead.

Perennial Surprise

Debra, a student from the Wallkill River School, surprised me with this purple perennial. After I made this photo, it looked so colorful in the sunshine, that I just had to add it to this blog. It's a "natural" work of art.

Chance Encounter

Last month, I dropped my daughter off at the Beacon train station, so she could catch the train to Manhattan. She just started living there, so she can fulfill her dream of becoming a Fashion Designer.
In the meantime, I happened to see the schooner "Mystic Whaler" on her way out of Beacon Bay and pass right in front of Newburgh. Thank goodness, I had my camera and was able to capture this moment and with a little tweaking, create this painting of the Mystic Whaler sailing out.

Touch Up

My August show is now over. How sad. In the meantime, Jim Hiller bought a beautiful painting of an alp scene at a yard sale. It had a few scratches but with a little restoration paint, it's now back to it's former glory. We both just find it hard to believe that the artist "David Slade" is completely unheard of.

August Shows

I'm glad to see the painting of "Mary Powell Sailing by West Point" has sold. Now I have another painting going out to an art show and we'll see how it fares. This one is to celebrate the New York spirit.

Woody Guthrie off Beacon Bay

For the month of August, I'm having an art show at the Wallkill River School. I'm happy to see that this painting has sold. This is a replica of a typical Hudson River sloop that plied the waters over a hundred years ago. This one was built in 1978, for Pete Seeger and the Beacon Sloop Club, to help promote clean water for the Hudson River. For the same reason, the Clearwater was built 10 years earlier. I'll have to do my research and put together a painting of that sloop, as well.  

Napoleon, finished and delivered

The finished painting of Napoleon, but with a friend's face painted in the portrait. It was Fedex to England and their normal delivery still cost $158.

Mary Powell steamboat

I finally finished the second painting of the steamboat "Mary Powell"

Napoleon Redone

A client requested a commission of a Napoleon painting. The face, of course was to be of his friend and the background was to be the local scenery where he lived, in England, in an area called Blackheath. Hopefully it will have that authentic look that it was painted centuries ago. I will post it, when it is done.

Nature's Garden

Summertime is a beautiful time to paint Nature in all it's color and glory.

Book Cover

While I have been gone for a week, Doug Cooper has sent a sample of the book cover. The design is a work of art. I love the shape of the title's typeface and the beige color of the background. It's amazing how things get done, step by step. An idea sparks in the mind and then the mind just keeps it going until "voila", you're holding a solid book in your hands. 

auction

This painting has sold at a local auction. It's only a small study but as I look at it, I realize, I just love the colors and atmosphere of the painting. I'm inspired to do a larger piece, with the same spirit of blues and moodiness.

Ready for New Painting

I got a phone call from Jim Hiller, that it's a "go" for a painting of the steamship, Mary Powell on the Hudson River, steaming in front of West Point. The buyer noticed the painting of the Mary Powell, I did earlier and she requested one as well.

2 more paintings

Brought 2 more paintings to the James Douglas Gallery. I can paint scenes from the Hudson River till eternity. When I'm in the vicinity of the river, I'll have to make sure I have my camera so I can find new ideas for my riverscapes.

Ting and I

Doug Cooper is hoping that the book "Ting and I" will be coming out in the autumn of 2011. It will be available in paperback, ebook and Kindle, and published by Outskirts Press as well as Amazon. It sounds like it's a far-a-way time, but I know how lately, time is just flying by.

Framing

I seem to be missing a post about the paintings I brought to the James Douglas Gallery to be framed and shown at his little gallery in Cold Spring, across to the east side of the Hudson River.

"Ting and I", the book.

Doug Cooper is getting a lot of people on board about publishing his book "Ting and I". And the interesting point is that now a days, there are so many different ways to publish and present a book to the public. My favorite one is when he'll do a book signing at the Wallkill River School, and have the painting of Ting that is used for the book cover to be framed and at the book signing.

Inspired to Paint

There's been a commission that is truly inspiring. Doug Cooper came to the Wallkill River School where I teach painting in oils and requested a portrait of his wife. As he talked, I noticed this was no ordinary request. The story he told is happening right now and is in the process of turning into a book. It turns out the portrait is meant to be used as the book cover. The love story started when they were young and through separations, twists and turns, their unity has developed into a continuing romance of courage and devotion. From the initial obstacle of race, which led to their separate courses in life, we see the power of feelings that forever keeps the memory alive and decades later, the feeling is still a burning power that united them.
Their present challenge is formidable, but the dedication of Doug for his wife Ting is a study of the tender and the tough.