Working on the paintings now that they are back in the studio, Color Fields

Anastasia State Park
12x16 inches
oil on Birch panel


Washington Oaks State Park Dunes
20x24 inches
oil on Birch panel

Sunday, my friend Sarah brought back most of the paintings I did at the paint out in October. I sold one of the eight paintings and that was after the show was over. For the last two nights, I've been touching them up. These two were two of my four favorites, so I thought I would work on them first and I'm happy with them after a few changes. It didn't take me long. That's why it is so great to put paintings away and then look at them a couple of months later for corrections, especially location work.

The larger ones are almost never right, because of the time restrictions. I also almost always have to do contrast corrections. I don't see very well out on location and so they don't look right when I get them back to the studio. Since my only goal is to get a good painting and I'm not obsessed with the purity of plein air, I like to make small corrections to get the best possible painting I can, while still retaining the freshness of the location work.

I have always loved the combination of plein air and studio work and still feel it is the very best of both processes. I'm really surprised that more painters don't work that way. You get the wonderful block ins, interesting compositions,striking light,values and contrast, and beautiful color out on location. Then you bring it in to the studio, let it sit and percolate for a bit while you consider any changes which would improve the painting. After it dries a bit you are ready to finish it quickly. It usual takes 10-30 minutes to finish the painting in studio, so we are really only talking about cleaning up the contrast, color and edge work. I find that these combination paintings sell as well as my all studio work because they are more refined than alla prima but still have the freshness and light of plein air work.

My alla prima work is least likely to sell, regardless of subject, because despite what the plein air pundits say, most people want a nicely finished painting. I'll give you an example. I did a very nice alla prima painting at the beach. It was done in about 30 minutes so it was quite loose with obvious brushwork. Many of the artists there remarked that it was my best painting of the week. I agreed.

A friend told me that her husband liked the painting but felt that it just wasn't finished. There was a spot which did not look complete so they chose a different one of my paintings, which I liked a lot too. Will I go back and touch up the painting they liked? You bet I will, and then it will sell to another patron. I give this example because that is the way most patrons feel. The don't give a hoot about the so called "magic" of alla prima field work. Really, the alla prima mystique is an artist thing, not a patron thing. I think there are pockets of alla prima patrons in the southwest,Maine and California, but I don't see much of it anywhere in the South. I have far too many Southern artists who tell me that studio sales out number alla prima location sales greatly.

So, I have found a way to enjoy the location work and still sell it by making small corrections on more substantial work and selling the quick studies for a lower price point. A good way to go I think.




I really am enjoying the night time painting sessions. The schedule is working out very well, and I am much less frustrated now. Henry is safely in bed and I am focused. I took my easel down to the give away place today. Of course I took the rubber chicken off and saved it. It is now sharing the top of my studio TV with it's rubber duck cousin. Thank you Jackie Schindehetti HERE :>) She is my rubber chicken enabler and a wonderful painter too.

I decided to use my 9x12 oil pochade box for oil paintings, until I get my H Frame Easel. It works fine, even with 20x24 panels here in the studio. No wind to blow them off. I just pack it up and put it in the car and I'm read to go out on location if I want to.



Color Fields #13
5x7 inches
acrylics on Masonite panel


Here is another color fields painting. I have been able to experiment with a lot of palettes, using this series. That is an added bonus that I hadn't thought of when I started. My original focus was really on brushwork and using flat layers to build the painting. The brushwork exercise is terrific. Along the way, I decided it was the perfect vehicle for studying potential palettes for larger paintings. Along with those two advantages, came the great study possibility for larger format paintings with studies of possible compositions. Then, it became a great way to do small format paintings for my two series, Florida Farms and Ranches and Florida Keys and Islands.

The biggest bonus of all is that people love them and have been buying them from my web site and at the Wood Swink. Who knew? The old trite saying "Paint What You Love" comes to mind here.

Of all the potential palettes the above painting is a favorite.
My other favorite is the one which substitutes the Cad yellow with yellow ochre for a more winter look.

Today's Recipe

Hash Brown Casserole
2 # bag frozen hash browns
1/3 tsp pepper
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pint sour cream
10 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
1 can French fried onion rings

Mix everything up except the FF Onion rings.
Put into greased rectangular baking pan. Bake at 350 for one hour, top with onion rings and brown on top. Yummy!!