Sunday, December 28, 2014

The Last Sunday Barn

The last Sunday of the year is the perfect way to end the Sunday Barns.  Today's offering is one of my rare oil paintings.  I don't know why I don't use this medium more often; I enjoy working with oils every time I do. Who knows - maybe this will be the year for oils.

Alone at Dawn  oil  16x24"

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Thursday, December 18, 2014

CHRISTMAS COUNT DOWN

In the days remaining until Christmas I will replace the daily Industrial landscape with a daily "Christmas Card".

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #10 ELMER NJ

Elmer New Jersey is one of the many small farming communities scattered through the state's "deep south".  This village, which I always found difficult to take seriously because of its name, is 15 miles from my home town, and for years I drove through the town on my way to Wilmington, Philadelphia, or anywhere west of our farm.

It took 40 years for me to discover, to my utter amazement and delight, Elmer's incredible architectural gem, a worn out and fading grain elevator located only blocks from its small main street, and towering over everything else in the vicinity.  It did not take long before it showed up on my drawing table, not just once, but three times.

the first time - pastel and ink

second time - construction

third time - pastel

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #9


Two glorious industrial scenes pulled from my imagination, both are pastel enhanced clay mono types.  Each measures approximately 15 x 30".

Saturday, December 13, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #8

Here are two of my most extravagant paintings in the industrial landscape series.  Like most of the others, they are clay mono types enhanced with soft pastel.

Oliver's Skyline  aprox. 24x36"  available framed

Industrial Skyline #6

Thursday, December 11, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #7 JUST DRAWING

Of all the industrial landscapes I've painted and drawn these two are my favorites.  Both were done with a sepia pen and markers.


Power Plant on the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh PA

NRE facilities in Paducah KY

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #6 The Paducah scene

Moving from one location and one medium to another, this morning finds us on N. Eighth Street in Paducah with pen & ink and a bit of color.



Tuesday, December 9, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #5 GRAIN ELEVATORS

Sentinels of the prairie, aka grain elevators, have been a favorite subject of my art.  They possess an elegance, standing tall above their stubby surroundings in the endless flat fields of middle America.  They are cousins to barns as icons of rural industrial architecture. 

Imagining a landscape   pastel

Winter Grain elevator   pastel

Monday, December 8, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #4 CONSTRUCTIONS

I abandoned the shadow box in the following three pieces, working directly on a wood support to create my imaginative "power plants" using an assortment of wood, plastic, and other studio junk I saved for occasions like this.

Power Plant #3  18x38"

Power Plant #2

Power Plant #1

Saturday, December 6, 2014

SUNDAY BARN # 130

I have misplaced my handwritten list of barns that I've posted and I am too lazy to go scrolling through all of the posts.  So, today's barn may be a repeat, but that's ok because it is one of my favorites.  It measures only 8x8" and is no longer available.

Standing Alone  acrylic  8x8x'
I think it's time for some more barn paintings.

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #3

About 15 years ago I created a series of Shadow Box industrial landscapes with a painted background  - acrylic, pastel, clay mono type, alone or combined.  The foregrounds were composed of leftover model railroad cars and other paraphenalia.  (Model railroaders are notorious for hoarding all sorts of "stuff" that might be used in the miniature worlds they create.)


Yes, they are a lot of fun to make, and yes, they leave a mess in the studio because you end up using every tool and every art supply imaginable.  But they are worth the effort and the mess.

Friday, December 5, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #2

Today's industrial landscape, like many that will follow, is a clay mono type enhanced with soft pastel.  It is difficult to estimate, but the balance is probably 70-30 in this piece, with the pastel being the dominant medium.  They are really fun to create because there are no boundaries as to what can be done.



Prairie Grain Complex
Clay mono type-soft pastel
22x30

Thursday, December 4, 2014

THE DAILY INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE #1

For the past year I've posted the Barn a Day and the Daily Urban Landscape, and it is time to move on. For something totally different I thought I would begin posting a daily Industrial Landscape.  The gritty texture and dark colors fascinate me and invite imaginative interpretation in form and color.  I have chosen the very first Industrial Landscape I created to initiate this series, which also happens to be my very first clay mono type.


The First Industrial Landscape
Clay mono type
12x44"

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #54 OAK PARK IL

Yesterday I finished this painting - one of my favorite buildings in downtown Oak Park.  It is the latest addition to the growing Oak Park Portfolio.


Watercolor
aproximately 15x15"

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #53 Drawing on clay

Today's urban landscapes are drawings on clay mono types.
Fells Point in Baltimore

Big Red inspired by the piazza in Greve in Tuscany

Monday, December 1, 2014

THE DAILY URBAN LANDSCAPE #52 PHILADELPHIA DINING

After hot dogs and Philly cheese steaks it is time for some finer dining.  I don't know if these establishments from my days in Philadelphia are still around.

China Town

Old Original Bookbinders