New Lion Painting

Another Day another Lion. This is a 30" x 40" Oil on Canvas of a lion that resides at Out of Africa in Cottonwood Az.
I'm enjoying painting lions and working large.
30" x 40" is actually feeling small lately.
With 2014 right around the corner the plan is to get out there.....into the environment .....get those beautiful creatures surrounded with atmosphere, make them part of the landscape.

Gotta keep workin.....gotta get better.
So here's the "King of Cottonwood".

Some good news to share

Well I won 1 st place at the Wildlife in Art show this Saturday at the Foothills Gallery in La Mesa. Above and Beyond won. I also won the Louis Tiencuff Award for Young RJ Bobcat.

I'm working on a series of lion paintings. At the same time I'm working on reflections.....water,light, memories.

Above and Beyond a Lion of Cottonwood

I'm getting ready for a up and coming wildlife show at the Foothills Gallery in La Mesa, CA.
This is an annual show and I just found out two of my paintings have been juried in.
This is one of the paintings "Above and Beyond" an oil on linen 30"x 40".So here's the stages of Above and Beyond .
I struggled to complete this painting. My mother was in the hospital after a terrible accident and I was preparing to leave to be with her.
The subject matter could not have been more appropriate....a lion and strength.
And so the painting became.

Here's the other painting that will be in the show.

This is a young bobcat that I had the good fortune to meet at  a big cat sanctuary, Lions Tigers and Bears here in San Diego. "Young R J Bobcat" is 11"x14" and is an oil on canvas.

Memories in Black and White Continue

I just completed another version of the Black and White painting I did recently in acrylic. This one is done in oil allowing a much more creamy smooth image. I've got to say I am really enjoying the world the way it was. Exploring memories...
Here's the new painting.

Memories in Black and White

I've taken a break from color and have decided to work on my values in Black and White. What better way to do this than to recreate a time when black and white was so prominent .

Acrylic paint was my choice of medium for this new adventure. Instead of using oil I decided to flex a different muscle and use a different medium.

I'm thinking I may revisit this painting and use oil just to see and feel the difference.
So let's call this a study.

Painting finished

Here is the completed painting. After receiving some interesting feedback from some very well respected artist friends of mine I decided to add some lavender notes and create a much cooler background.

Telling a story

A wonderfully talented artist friend once told me make sure you tell a story when you create a painting.
A story creates interest.

Another wonderfully talented artist told me paint 3/4 figures and never put points of interest directly in the center of your painting.

The painting that I am currently working on hopefully reflects these words of wisdom. Story, 3/4 figure and not in the center.
This painting is not complete yet. Soon.

The arrival of the Paints

"The Arrival of the Paints".... that would be the Painted Horses.
Here's a new piece 20" x 24" oil on linen.

I am preparing to bring a collection of paintings and scupture to an exhibition in Fallbrook, Ca.   Celebrate the Horse June 15 - July 15 2013.
The artists reception is June 15 from 5 -7.

Here's one of my new paintings for the show:

Portrait of a Young girl

Here's an oil painting I completed not too long ago.


Empowering the beauty and innocence of youth.

20" x 24" Oil on Canvas

"Circle of Life"

New Sculpture, New Paintings

Here's some new pieces I recently completed.

A Sculpture  "Gratitude/The arrival" Terra Cota with White/Verde finish.

A painting 20" x 24" oil on linen " Samson and Delilha".

A painting oil on linen 14" x 18 " Mousey's Pushing it".

Mermaid Sculpture

Here's a Terra cotta sculpture I completed not too long ago.
This piece had some interesting mishaps along the way, however I am pretty happy with the results. I say pretty happy because there is always room for improvement.
I started with 2 , 25 pound blocks of clay. The model was a beautiful french woman who visualized herself as a mermaid...thus she became a mermaid.
After a good start and a few on going sessions with the model , in my excitement of working I managed to knock the entire piece off the rolling platform the sculpture was placed on. It was totally flattened on one side.
Now I had to work harder because the model's time is limited.
Then when I was hollowing her out, removing the inside clay, her waist collapsed because I took too much clay out leaving thin walls which could not support her upper body. After the piece was fired and I applied the patina I got carried away with the Verde green and had to rework the patina a few times to correct my error.
The good news is clay is very forgiving and allows for mistakes and corrections.

So here she is a " Mermaid named Marie".