Tufted Titmouse

I tried this titmouse to keep in line with my new found interest in painting animals.  I used masking fluid to help create the bird’s furry feathers and was almost able to use the same pallet I had out from the giraffe.  This is much smaller than my usual stuff at only 8″x9″, I didn’t want to get too adventerous yet and thought a smaller piece would be easier.   I’ll have to search my zoo pictures for a new reference idea, practice makes perfect, doesn’t it?  Well, it at least makes things a little better…..

Great Neck-SOLD

So, I spent the day at Leslie’s house, host of what has become a  great “teaching” artwork  blog site called Lesliepaints .    I have had the good fortune of being friends with Leslie for over 12 years, a friendship that has definitely influenced my artwork, as well as  my ambition to continue to paint and she was the driving force for this blog site.   Leslie encouraged me to act upon my expressed interest in varying my work from primarily landscapes and architecture to adding animals to the mix.   When I wanted to start doing this, of course, I called her.  Painting with Leslie is like nothing you have experienced while painting alone.  While she enjoys watching another artist’s style at work,  her input is priceless, noteworthy, entertaining, useful and appreciated.  This giraffe is from the same photo Leslie used to compose her piece Giraffe Portrait.   It is always interesting to both of us to see the different colors and style that appears when we do the same piece, this mainly derived from our trips through the Indiana countryside painting landscapes plein air style together.   Our finished pieces were always a world apart and fabulous to see.   An artist’s style is definitely their signature, every artist has their own and all are definitely unique and wonderful.  This was a fun and informative day, thanks Leslie.  I may be on my way in the animal world.

Show Me Your Petals

I applied colored pencil to the final piece to add depth and character, one of the few pieces I have with no ink, actually the only one I have right now.  This was a long process with tons of layers, I am ready to move on to a new project!

Sunbeam Bread Sign-SOLD

This is the Iconic Sunbeam Bread sign in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  This sign is situated on top of a building between Pearl and Main Streets.  It has been looming over Fort Wayne since 1957.  The moving bread slices have dispensed hundreds of thousands of slices of bread from the bag to the plate since that time.  I have always thought this was a cool unique attraction for the city,  as far as advertising goes.  This is pen and ink and watercolor.

White House

A friend’s home in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Watercolor and pen & ink.

ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, Fort Wayne, Indiana-SOLD

I took this picture while driving around Fort Wayne in search of architecture to use as photo references for local pieces.  I was standing below in the massive doorway of this church, looking up, I thought it gave this structure a unique view, it is huge.

Rail Generations

This is a scene on State Road 3 in northern Indiana going towards Avilla and Kendallville.  The owner of the property was kind enough to allow me to take photos as reference for this painting.  It is watercolor and pen & ink.

California Spice Patio

While visting my sister one year in Sacramento, California, I found myself a little bored at her house waiting for her to come home from work on some days.  This day, I called her at work and asked her if I could paint her boring off white patio wall,  I just felt it needed something, she entertains here often and spicing it up with some original artwork would be unique.  To my surprise, she told me, “yes”.  Without even asking what I was thinking of doing to it.  I asked her, “don’t you care what I do to your wall?  I might screw it all up!”, she replied, “No, I trust you”.  Her trust inspired me to  be sure I did something Cool.  I rode her  bike to a nearby hardware store and purchased some supplies, then returned and started in directly.  I painted the whole thing with a three or four inch sponge roller, just free painting, no drawings, no outlines and no clear idea of what I was doing, I had a blast and actually enjoyed getting paint all over me.  I still wear the shorts and shirt with the paint stains!  The only sure thing I knew I wanted, was the flames coming out of the grill.  When she got home I was anxious and scared to see her reaction, she loved it.  The little outline of the doggy door in the bottom right was an ode to her two little wiener dogs, Sydney and Sammy.

Infirmary 1872-1957-SOLD

This was done plein air style in Albion, Indiana.  Leslie White and I drove by this while looking for subjects to paint and were complelled to stop.  It is known to be an old “asylum”, but the sign at the far edge of the yard read, “Noble County Infrimary and Farm 1872-1957”.  The colored pencil barn I have posted on this site that is in Albion, is attached to this property as well,  So, this was a beneficial stop for us.  Naturally, we had to make two trips here to do the barn and the infirmary, but,  it was well worth it.  The tubes coming from the top windows are old fire escapes, as I understand it, a matress would have been thrown down under the patient and they would slide down to safety.  Looks fun just to play in to me.   It was these unique old escape routes that first caught my eye to this beautiful brick building.   I would love to paint this again.  The two strips of camera flash  glare on the fire escape are a result of  this piece being wrapped in plastic.

Chappell’s SOLD

This is a seafood restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, there is an art/framing shop right next to it.  While participating in a sidewalk art sale along this area, I painted this plein air style.  It was a fun activity I spent the day doing with  artist friend, Leslile White, who, now owns this piece.  This is watercolor, pen and ink, colored pencil.