SUNDAY BARN #111

I will remain in western Kentucky for today's barn: 

Abandoned Barn

Pastel  20x30 plus mat and frame

$800.00

This barn is available in July's Make me an offer sale.

UMBER

The name itself suggests something from the earth, and the pigments, Raw Umber,  Burnt Umber, along with Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, and Yellow Ochre  are referred to as the earth colors.  I have used all of these extensively in my paintings.

Recently I have decided to create a series of paintings using primarily earth colors to establish the mood and overall tone of the paintings.

In this first painting the sky is a mixture of Raw and Burnt Umber with a touch of Burnt Sienna, and the darker foreground is Raw Umber and black.  Touches of primary colors were used to create the trees.

Umber series #1  acrylic  24x30

 I wanted a darker mood in this second piece, and used more Raw Umber and black.   I have mixed feelings about the tobacco barn – not sure it adds to the painting.  I’ll look at for a while to see if I want to take it out.

Umber series #2   acrylic  24x30

                                 

A third painting is in progress.

FAVORITES #2 Grain Elevator or Feed Mill?

This structure sits one block from the main street in the small town of Elmer, in southern New Jersey, surrounded by small crop farms and dairy farms.  I am fascinated by its clutter, texture, and seemingly totally incoherent architecture and it has been the subject of several pastel paintings.  Every side of the building is totally different from the others.  My favorite rendering, one that I include in this series of "my favorite works", is this construction done in 2004.

The list of materials used includes acrylic, pastel, ink, scale model building supplies, and miscellaneous gadgets and gizmos lying around the studio.

I'm often asked what my favorite medium is, and I say "the one I'm working with".  But for pure fun, nothing comes close to working on these constructions.

Here are 2 other renderings of the subject:

Pastel and ink - 30x20

Pastel - 30x20

SUNDAY BARN #110

 

Watercolor

9x13"

$175

 

You can see this barn if you are driving along Rt 121 in Graves county KY.  The green "dripping" down the sides is actually the remnants of of a shingle or paper covering; I could not get close enough to determine which.

MY FAVORITE PAINTINGS… #1 BROKEN

From the hundreds of paintings I've created over the past 35 years, a handful have remained my absolute favorites.  I would like to share them with you on this blog and on my Facebook page in the weeks ahead.  Today's entry is an acrylic, but I intend to look at all of the mediums with which I've worked.

I began working with acrylics in 2006.  As anticipated, the work – over 175 paintings - has evolved, both in technique/style, and in scope.  From the over 175 paintings, there are a few pieces that from the moment of their completion have remained my favorites.   Interestingly, my two most favorite paintings are from my very earliest acrylic work.  One sold shortly after it was exhibited, and the other remains in my “collection”, meaning it hasn’t sold..yet.

I don’t think I can pick one of these before the other, so I list them as my two “all time favorite” acrylics, with several others right behind them.

BROKEN

 Acrylic on wood panel

25x25” plus frame

$1500

To fully appreciate this painting it should be viewed in direct light, preferably sunlight, to see all of the colors that come through the seemingly very dark foreground, colors which are difficult to capture photographically.

I really don’t know what inspired this painting.  The only given at the outset was the horizon – a fixture in almost all of my paintings – the colors sort of “happened”, and as I became involved with the work it began to dictate the final direction.  While the sky is brushed, the foreground was created entirely with a palette knife. 

I suppose the painting is too dark for most people, but I love this, and never tire of looking at it.  I am not upset that it hasn't been sold.

the DAILY DEAL #8

Today's offering is a framed clay mono type - An Urban Skyline

framed 13x16

Image 6x9"

$50.00 plus $10.00 S&H

SUNDAY BARN #109

It's Sunday, and it seems like only  a week ago I posted a Sunday Barn.  Today's barn is from a series of watercolors of barns in western KY, and can be found on route 339 in Melber KY in Graves county.

Currently untitled

Watercolor  10x13

$175.00