for those mid-Feb. blahhs

"Watching the Surf" - Syulita
24 x 36 ins. oil on canvas

This one is from Syulita, a small fishing/surfing beach just (far enough) north of Puerto Vallarta. I'm working on a few with similar theme at the moment. I like this one. I think you can almost hear Bob Mally in the background. If so, I really hit it right because of course, Bob was omnipresent and always is at a surfin' beach - I wonder how long Bob will "live on"? ............ another 50 years? ............ another hundred??
I remember the first time I heard Bob - It was "I shot the sheriff" - I must have been about 10 years old. Well, I heard it again about a week ago and it still sounds great! - must get back to the beach soon!!!

The Plein air from Sunday

"The Church at San Miguel Viejo"

14x18 ins. oil on panel

This picture started out fairly well but quickly turned into a disaster and it was embarrassing because it was a paid demonstration (of my masterly technique) for one of Donna's students . I had trouble visualizing it. I had trouble drawing it. I had trouble applying the paint and I had some trouble with the color. I had lots of  poorly timed trouble......................

For the benifit of those few of you who have any interest in the matter, I'll point out the main avoidable problems that were throwing me off and maybe we can remember what not to do in the future. .........maybe.........

 By the way the picture you see above is a bit of a rebuild - I worked on it today for about 3 hours. I'm actually happy with it now. I think now it's the most interesting painting of that church I've done to date. Those flags were worrisome to say the least!

 

 

Firstly I was distracted by the circumstances of the event. I've got to totally concentrate when choosing a scene and planning the execution of the painting. There are just so many factors to keep in mind. A good instructor can blot most distractions out - I'm not a good instructor.

 

Secondly the wind was blowing like crazy and we took a little longer to set up because of it. We tried to find the best protection but the scene precluded total escape.

Thirdly, the worst of it was we were standing under some very dark trees and looking out toward the light. Not only that but the view was up-sun, in the afternoon, making the contrast of light to shade even worse. We couldn't judge our values and colors that we were mixing. I've run into that one lots of times but this was the worst case yet. On top of it all I've been experimenting lately with dark, primed panels. It would have been bad if the surface had been white. It was all too much for this painter. Some of it was fun but there was a point at which I was tempted to scrape.

.........Evolve/Devolve/Whatever ?????

"Late Afternoon Light S.M.A. 

14x18ins. oil on canvas

"7 p.m." 

14x18 ins. oil on canavs

"Mexican Fishermen"

14x18ins.  oil on canvas too

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.

A Perfect Day at San Miguel Viejo

"AUTUMN, SAN MIGUEL VIEJO" 14x18 ins. oil on canvas

This is from our last plein air day and it was one of the most pleasant days painting I can remember. It was identical to what we used to call back home in Ontario an "Indian Summer Day" - not too hot, not too cold, with a gentle, soft breeze and this golden, quiet afternoon glow to everything. We were surrounded by farm animals and even they seemed especially content. When we arrived a mother cow was licking the face of her calf and when we left she was still soggily at it. An untethered colt came up the path kicking his heels and settled down to munching in the field next to us. Yes, it was a prime day - even the farmers seemed to get it and were extra friendly. When it came time to go we all just kind of bumbled around with no desire to leave. Painting on location is practically always enjoyable but sometimes it's just too cool.

On Thursday we're off to the beach for a couple of weeks of teaching and painting different subject matter (not to mention some nice bobbing in the waves). We'll be going to Rincon de Guayabitos first, crossing to Baja for a meet up with old friends and finally returning to Mazatlan for a few days. I probably shant get around to posting for the next month. (Sorry, - I know it's going to be hard but you'll just have to suck it up and be patient.) God  or  whatever willing, we should be back in a few weeks sporting a good tan and fine attitude.

"November Fields" 14x18 ins. oil on canvas

We're going back to the same location tomorrow afternoon. I liked this scene right away when I saw it but realized that the corn stalk stacks and all that stubble were going to be a challenge and a half. It turned out O.K. I think but IT WAS A BIT OF A CHALLENGE! The whole thing has that kind of forlorn, "waiting for the first snows" kind of look.................. of course we could be in for a very long wait. That's a dormant volcano in the background and we did spy snow on the upper slopes one cold morning a few years back. We had a maid back in the 80's who saw flakes in the air when she was a little girl. 

People used to tell us that they couldn't move south permanently because they would miss the changing seasons - fact is the seasons do change here, only they just don't slide into that long, ghastly deep freeze one and all seasons are plein air painting seasons. You just have to find a little shade from time to time when it gets too hot. Am I gloating? You bet - this place is a painters delight!

new ones ..........

..... so far untitled. Les will recognize this one. We had a great day together a week or so ago. We started in the morning at the Presa and ended up painting near Dolores Hidalgo later on, 'till about 5 pm. It was very gray by the late afternoon so I added a little sunshine back in the studio.

Well now .................... I see I have taken a picture of the wrong one. I meant to post the other we did that day but this one was from a few days prior - Elaine will recognize this'n ......so confusing to the old man! It is from the Presa area however - no cigar I guess but close. I will put the other on real soon.