"Just a Slice" (sold)

I love painting fruits and vegetables because their colors are so clean and intense. I think that's why I've been making them bigger than life and using a palette knife. The subjects feel like I need to paint them really gutsy.

9"x12"
Oil on Linen
website: www.hong-sammons.com

"Shabby Chic"

12"x6"
Oil on Linen
($145.)
website: www.hong-sammons.com

Trying to catch a bit of daily life as it flies by me while plein air painting near an intersection.

"City Colors" (sold)

I've been away for almost two weeks and will try to post some of those east coast paintings but this morning I was attracted to this calm spot despite being in the thick of heavy tourist traffic.

Oil on Linen
8"x6"
website: www.hong-sammons.com

"Keeping Cool"

Using my son and his friends has been a great way to work on capturing life as it happens. Some people call it "expressionist" I call it my "loosy-goosy" style.

I'm out of town so this may be my last post for a few days

12"x6"

Oil on Linen

($145.)

"Orange" (sold)

Really worked to make this orange feel 3-dimensional and get the colors just right.

8"x8" Oil Painting

"greens"

Did a second study in Humboldt Park about greenery. Painting only with a rag kept me focused on big shapes and value which I feel helped reduce the mindless dabbing strokes.

10"x8"

Oil Sketch ($99. +$6 s/h)

"Boat House" (sold)

Painted this morning in Humboldt Park.

8"x6" Oil on Linen

"From the Vine" (sold)

I was about to throw these grapes out as they're past their prime but their color had become more beautiful than a few days ago. So here's another palette knife painting which I painted vertically as well as horizontally.

20"x16"
Oil

"Summer"

I spent the last couple days in a landscape workshop taught by my favorite plein air artist, Scott Powers. He help me face another major challenge of mine, greens. Up until this workshop I really disliked painted foliage in the summer. This study was painted with a rag only. Painting without my usual tools allowed me to concentrate on the essentials, clean simple shapes and value.

8"x6" Oil ($99.)

"Full Service"

Cars intimidate me so what better way to face my fear then go to the local repair shop. Although I tucked in two cars, the several others waiting to be serviced mysterious do not appear in my painting.

8"x10" Oil on Linen
($190. +$6. s/h)

"Off the Vine" (sold)

one more inspired by the "Huntington Hottie"

8"x8" Oil

"Fruit of the Vine" (sold)

Inspired by the "Huntington Hottie."
We spent the past few days renewing friendships in beautiful Minnesota. My friends homes inspired many new painting ideas. This oil painting was created with a pallete knife and larger than I normally would do for the "daily" piece series, 20"x16" Oil Sketch

"Red Dee-lish" (sold)

8"x8"
Oil on Linen
gallery-wrap ready to hang

"Passing on Grand"

This morning I painted a street scene with a few other plein air painters. I'm really loving this skinning format. I think it's because it gives me just a slice, a suggestion, of what's going on.

12"x6"
Framed Oil
($175. + $6. s/h)

"Tea With Lemon" (sold)

8"x8"
Oil Sketch
gallery-wrap ready to hang