Spring Mist

Misty foggy mornings continue to fascinate me. I'm after capturing just the right value to express that unique quality of air.

(6"x8" oil, $175.)

Plein Air Bluebells

I don't know if it is safe to say or not, but I think spring is finally here. Despite a drizzly morning I really wanted to paint the bluebells before they disappeared until next year. Of course part way through the sun came out. I'm not complaining. I'll take the rays even if it meant prematurely stopping on my little oil study. Next time, paint faster or rather with better accuracy. As always, this is another value study.
6"x8" oil painting sold

hmmmmmmmm, what can I say, it was a cold cold day but we decided to try and paint snow anyways. I mean, when else can one learn to paint snow

12x12 oil

another animal painting

If the heading doesn't make sense to you, "another animal painting," please read yesterday's blog.

Last night I jumped outside to tackle The Beast, cityscape's once again. Wow, what a totally different feel you get painting in the dark. The dark rather insulates you from the craziness and tones down the city clatter. I wish I had more time to resolve more issues in this piece but mostly I just wanted to blop in some temperature notes. Now I can't wait to get back outside and do more night paintings. (used a book lite to illuminate my canvas and palette.) 12"x9" oil on linen

"Filtered Lights"

60"x36"

Oil on Linen

Here's my shameless plug for the art competition http://www.artprize.org/ which opens on Wed. It's quite unique in that it is a peoples choice award only art competition. So please, go to the website (under search type my name or title of my painting) or openings and look for my painting. I'll be in Grand Rapids, MI this coming weekend to do the meet and greet thing.

This painting was created in my studio and is the direct result from numerous plein air paintings of my neighborhood's sugar maples. I used a bakers spatula and palette knife.

"Riverside Ramblings"

Today I returned with a friend and fellow plein air artist to one of my favorite paint sites. I've been painting this same area for a couple of years through it's various seasons and changes and many moods. Everytime I come here, it's different and new. It's been interesting to look at paintings from a few years ago and compare them to my present works. I see a drastic change in how I'm explaining/painting the scene. I feel I'm doing less copying what's in front of me and more personal interpretation. Also, I'm really curious about painting something that looks almost like a "nothing" but hopefully the painting will tell the story.
6"x8" oil on linen mounted on archival museum board. ($145. framed)

River Side Findings

Last night I was again at my new favorite spot to paint, along the river's edge. The river has finally receeded to reveal the rocks and the ground dry enough for me to walk. It was a nice surprise to see these wild flowers blooming in more than a foot of water. Just you in case you can't tell, the blops are suppose to be rocks. I think these rocks were placed here to prevent the riverbanks from washing away.
It was dusk when I started so I painted quickly with a palette knife and hoped my first strokes were accurate because there wasn't time for correcting.
6"x8" Oil on Linen

"Along the River's Edge" (sold)

After a couple of days of hard rain I was surprised to find trees with spring blooms. I wish I could do them justice. The spring colors and textures are a fun challenge.

"Redd"

Yesterday was raining too hard to paint outside so I finished a piece I started a while ago. This painting is part of a plein air piece and much larger. My aim was to create the pleasure I have on a solitary walk among all the beautiful colors.

36"x24" Oil

"Swan Pond"

This area is normally a grassy park but because of all the rain the river has flooded this area. I've been told it's a natural protection which Frederick Olmsted, the developer of my town, incorporated into his design.

So here is another study on reflections. It's so easy for me to get lost in all the complexity of so many colors and shapes but a problem I am enjoying learning to solve.

6x8 Oil on Linen ($99. w/frame)

plein air paintings

"Still Waters" Oil 6"x8" ($145.)


I made these paintings over the last couple of days and decided to post them together. The theme is paint-what-normally-doesn't-get-a- second-glance.

The river flooded but has started to recede leaving pools of water in the woods. It has opened a whole new world of painting possibilities. I hope to paint more before it all dries up.




"Reflections of Blu Skies" Oil 6"x8" (sold)

I never knew how much a blue sky could change the colors of muddy water.
















"Morning Glow" Oil 8"x6" ($145.)

Tried to capture the sun light as it just starts to touch some of the buildings in the morning. Normally I focus on the watertower which is shown to the right but cropped off. The smaller surrounding buildings have much charm themselves so I hope to paint them from different angles.

can you guess what it is???

Yesterday I finally got to paint this area that I pass by daily but haven't found the time to stop and paint. My primary concern was to create a simple simple composition/design with my subject matter. But now I'm wondering if the simplicity made it too abstract. If so, I probably should consider painting in a more highly realistic manner and minimalize my loosy-goosy style. So, can you tell what it is I painted???

6"x8" oil on linen mounted on 6 ply archival museum board

"Passage"

I painted this rather quickly before the snow fell. When I arrived the sun was bright and there were beautiful cool dramatic shadows. Although I set up my easel fast, a thick blanket of dark clouds rolled in and changed the lighting completely to warm shadows (which I keyed up) and compressed values. If I'm not too lazy, I'll walk back to this same spot and paint it again as I'm sure it's now under a heavy layer of snow.

8"x6"

Oil on Linen ($75.)

"Behind the Scenes"

Because it began to rain and the wind was strong, I took shelter under the green bridge (see last week painting of this bridge). Perhaps the smart thing to do would have been to head back home but I still felt like painting. The only thing I could see was the top back of a building(s) and these wires. It may not be the typical "pretty" landscape but I liked trying to capture the fall blustery air. It may be the beginning of a new series called, "Behind the Scenes."

10"x8" Oil on Linen ($145.)

"The Green Bridge"

Painted this during the last bits of our beautiful fall weather. My daughter wrote (& published) a poem about this bridge which is in our town. I've included a few lines,

The Green Bridge isn't any ordinary bridge

It links us from the busy town to the gracious woods

It allows us to be bathed by the sunlight or calmed by the whispering wind

The bridge sways as the breeze whistles

No work, no insults come to mind

The feeling is like none other than love for the nature...

...of the Green Bridge.

12"x9"

Oil on Linen

www.hong-sammons.com

"Fallen Oak"

This is something I've been wanting to paint for over three years. I don't know when this mighty tree fell but I'm glad that "they" have not remove it. Painted once again with my new favorite tool, a #10 round brush.
8"x10"
Oil on Linen
www.hong-sammons.com

"Red Oak"

For several months I've been painting with a palette knife but today I used a large round bristle brush. I have a coffee can container of brand new round brushes which I've never used. They've been sitting in my studio for at least 15 years. I liked how I could load up this brush with a ton of paint, make broad strokes, and also had the flexibility to make very delicate small marks.

8"x10"

Oil on Linen

($165.)

"Autumn Bursts"

The falls colors are so pretty along the river. It's hard to decide which to focus on, the colorful trees themselves or their reflections. This is a palette knife painting.
10"x8"
Oil on Linen
www.hong-sammons.com

"After The Rains" (Sold)

After a couple of days of heavy rains and flooding I was finally able to get back outside and paint. This is our over-flowing river creeping towards our library.

6"x8"

Oil

($145.)

"Along the River's Edge"

Broke this painting down into three triangles in order to make all the colors hold their shapes.

12"x6"

Oil

($175.)

"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.