Helen's Pine

 Helen's Pine
Oil on Canvas 10" x 8.5"

Private Collection

This small and simple picture was inspired by a pine tree situated very close to my studio. I walk past this area all the time,  coming and going many hours of the day. At a certain moment in the afternoon,  the light falls on this otherwise nondescript tree,  and it comes alive.

Summer is usually a challenging time to paint outdoors. The light is harsher and more direct,  it is usually very hot,  and unfriendly insects are abundant. The biggest difficulty is the unmitigated greenness of everything in nature. My aim was to create sufficient variations of color, so that my picture wouldn't bombard the viewer with green.

Seascape, Update

Here is a good example of a "stalled" picture. This kind of picture may start out well, and as it develops, we begin to see things we don't like or didn't envision.

In my case, there is something a little too "precious" about this picture in its current state. At the moment, I'm not positive as to the reasons. Maybe it is the time of day, or perhaps the colors are exaggerated in a certain way. Since this is a studio project, I will put it aside until I'm ready to revisit it.

This is not a unique situation. I used to try to fight through painting blocks. Sometimes it was successful, but it was a brute force method. These efforts were intense, and could lead to burnout.

There are smarter ways to revive a picture that is in a coma. Sometimes we grow so accustomed to looking at a picture from the same vantage point, that we miss obvious flaws. Viewing the picture turned upside down, or backwards using a mirror often helps.

It can be comforting to know that other artists have been in the same situation before. Looking at works by other masters will sometimes reveal solutions.

In my case, I'm simply going to give it some time.

Black Shale

It has been awhile since I have worked on any new pigments. The black shale in the photo is from a mineral sample, that I took last year and had not gotten around to using. A small outcropping had caught my eye while I was in the mountains about four hours to the west.

I didn't know very much about my sample, so I wanted to be sure that it would be suitable for use in oil paint. I consulted a local geologist, who suggested that I take a pH test of the sample.

After I ground the raw sample, I mixed some with a small amount of water for the pH test. The pH was about 6, slightly acidic. I chose to go ahead to put the sample through my usual process of grinding, washing and levigating. Then I will try mixing it into paint.

Ocean Visit

Last week I visited the beach, with the intention of painting my first seascape.

While I was planning my trip, I spent a lot of time searching for the right site to visit. I wanted to paint the most unadulterated area possible. Most of the Atlantic seaboard has been overrun by beachfront houses and tourist hotels. The natural dunes have diminished or ceased to exist. Some beaches have to truck in sand or they would disappear altogether. As a result, its hard to find a beach that feels authentic.

My choice was a wildlife refuge not too far from the hotel where I was staying. I visited the site in advance, and enjoyed the scenery. There was lots of interesting things to paint: dunes, beaches, and some wildlife.

As the week of my visit approached, the weather predictions indicated a mixed bag: a few nice days punctuated by lots of rain. The forecast also called for strong winds throughout the week. It appeared that there would be only a few days of sunshine. This was discouraging. As I didn't have the option of rearranging my visit, I decided to go anyway and make the best of it.

The refuge was about an hours drive from where I was staying, so it was easy to get to by car. I ended up visiting only a few times; it was so windy that I could barely hold onto a sketchpad. I spent hours studying and sketching the waves. Back in my hotel room, I worked out a design for the final composition of the painting:


I started working on the painting towards the end of my visit. As it became clear that the weather was not going to cooperate, I made the decision to set the picture aside and complete it in the studio.

Sandy Bay, Jamestown

Sandy Bay, Jamestown
Oil on Wooden Panel 14" x 8"

This painting is available. Contact me.

More Progress...

Here is another work in progress, nearing completion. An interesting view from the Blue Ridge mountains, during a passing storm. This is an informal studio project, so that I could experiment with various techniques. I get a little more comfortable and familiar with my historic palette the more I use it.

Right now I'm trying to find a good balance between the warmth of the foreground and the drama of the background atmosphere.

A Small Tip

Cleaning brushes is probably my least favorite part of painting. I'd love to have the means to be able to pay someone to do the job for me. Until that day arrives, it will remain a necessary daily chore. Cleaning a whole set of brushes is easy to put off at the end of a long day. There are other times it is not practical, such as during travel.

This is a small tip for those kinds of situations. I heard about the idea from another artist,  who uses it all the time.

All you need is a small painting tray. I bought this one at a local hardware store. The tray was made for small detail paint rollers, and was inexpensive.


I filled the deep end of the tray with a moderate amount of linseed oil. Brushes are laid on their side so that the bristles rest submerged in the oil.


The oil retards the drying time of used brushes, so dirty brushes can be stored for relatively long periods. Later, if I need to use one of the brushes in the tray, I take it out, and wipe it clean on a towel or rag. The brush can be put to immediate use, or given a real cleaning.