From Here and There

"En la Plaza Civica"  9x12 in. oil on panel

This one was done on our plein air day 2 weeks ago.

"Dried Flowers" 9x12 in. 

and this one was from this past Monday session. 

I'm happy with both of these - they've got good strength of color and were both very nearly completed on location. I like the direction my technique is going. Like a lot of people, I always felt that everything I did was way too tight. I guess the only way to really escape that is by "paying your dues" and you can rest assured that I certainly paid mine! In the end though painting has become highly pleasurable entertainment. I just wish that there would have been an opportunity to get better instruction when I went for it back in my teens. Even today a young person with potential would have a hard time finding a really useful Maestro with the ability, patience and care to indicate the way forward. It;'s not that they don't exist but they're a very rare hominid indeed. I happen to be married to one! -Donna Dickson. It's incredible .......... she received her early instruction from me, at a time when I could have used some supercharging from above, myself. We both went on through the years to explore together and in the end she not only became a highly skilled painter but unlike myself, an accomplished instructor as well. Now it's great! - when she offers some criticism I really listen up. I only wish I'd bumped into the likes of her way..... back....... when ......................

"Los Vendadores"  24x30 ins. oil on canvas

This one is based on a photo of  street vendors at Sayulito, from our recent trip to the Pacific coast. I'm working on a few bigger beach scenes from the area at the moment but this thing was the most complicated and troublesome to work on and the only one I've actually finished as yet. I'll post the others soon, as they're well on the way and I'm pretty excited with them. Come to think of it, I never got around to posting any of the demos from that workshop in Guayabitos. I may take a few snaps now and post them if the light is decent. If not ..... there is always "manana".

I just remembered - I already took those photos weeks ago and sent them to a friend. So, here they are .....

I haven't affixed titles to them so far. They are mostly 14x18 ins. None of them I consider to be really finished. I don't know when I'll get around to doing that - maybe a rainy day. Trouble is it almost never rains here between now and July.