Blue Country Cyclist

This was a commissioned piece that I just finished yesterday.  I'm currently working on another couple of pieces trying to get done before Christmas.  Oh, the stress of painting deadlines. This painting had 5 preliminary drawings that it went through before it became this finished piece.  I'm glad to say that Tim was very pleased with the finished painting.  He wanted something to remind him of cycling on RAGBRAI but in blues/grays with less riders.  LOL!

Photo:"Blue Country Cyclist"; watercolor on 12" x 16" paper
Commissioned Piece

You may notice in the sky of the finished piece a subtle cloud face.  That was added in the final painting and was an idea that we (Tim & myself) and thrown back and forth.  It's loosely based on Tim's face.

The last Prelim drawing for this piece.

Thanks for stopping by and I welcome any comment you may have!

Another Painting Break...

I took a day of on my BIG Adventure at my Aunt Lindy's house and did a bit of painting while doing some laundry too; talk about doing some multi-tasking!  I did a couple of more scenes based on photos I took while in Washington State.  One of these is based on a photo I took at my girlfriend Jean's wedding of her guest on the beach and the other is from photos that I took at Port Townsend, WA.  Both of these are on 9" x 12" paper and are a bit of puddle painting.  Enjoy!

"Mother and Son on Beach"; watercolor on 9" x 12" Paper.

"Tickled Pink Shoppe"; Watercolor on 9" x 12" Paper.

I welcome any feedback you may have and thanks for visiting!  Please feel free to read more about my BIG Adventure traveling at my other blog....click here.

A Painting Break on Whigby Island...

I've been on the road on my BIG Adventure for 11 days now and I've really been keeping busy with other things.  I have not managed to find as much time as I thought for painting.  So when I woke up one morning while visiting Whigby Island and it was cloudy and cold; I decided it was a good enough excuse to take the day off from sightseeing and stay in to do a bit of watercolor painting.  Here's  what I did during my day off from sightseeing...

"Honesty Flower Stand"; Watercolor on 9" x 12" paper.

All over Whigby Island there are stands that are not tended by people they just put the flowers or sweet corn or other vegetable/fruit out with a box to leave the money in.  It just boggles my mind because coming from a large city where something like would never fly.  It is almost like it hails from another time.

"Libbey Beach"; Watercolor on 10" x 15" Paper.

This is based on a photo I took on Libbey Beach which is on the west side of Whigby Island.  It's the first watercolor I've done of a beach scene and painting the rocky beach was a bit of a challenge to figure out.  But it's always good to have room to grow and learn.

A Birthday Surprise & A Bike Break...



"Ms. Popette"; Watercolor by Colleen Reynolds.

A couple of months ago, I won a drawing at my teacher's gallery show.  The prize was a portrait of a significant other.  I found it rather funny and had everyone laughing shortly after the drawing because here I am single and uninvolved.  So the group had decided that I would use the possible portrait as a pick up line to any of the good looking guys that I happen to come into contact with.  I was almost crying we were all laughing SO hard.  Then, Colleen suggested a pet I had or maybe a special friend.  That's when the idea of the Popette literally popped into my head.  I thought it would make a wonderful 79th birthday present for the Popette (Mary).  I sent Colleen a few photos and last night I finally got to see the wonderful painting that she did.  Here it is...


  Colleen did a wonderful job and I can't wait to give it to Mary on her birthday at the beginning of April.  I know Mary will just LOVE it!  Thanks Colleen!  You can check out more of her art click here.


Meanwhile at art class last night I did this quick landscape painting...

"Benched- Father & Daughter"; Watercolor on 10" x 14" Cold Press Paper

A Bike with a Red Rock View...

Here's a painting that I did last night in my watercolor painting class(my teacher- Colleen Reynolds).  This month we are working on landscape watercolor painting especially the wet watercolors on dry paper.  I had this black & white copy of a photo that a friend emailed me from a bicycle trip he took in Southern Utah.  I thought it fit the bill and on top of it of course, it had a bike.  Yes, it's Spring time and I've got biking on the brain. :) 

Here is what I call "A Bike with a Red Rock View"...

"A Bike with a Red Rock View"; Watercolor on 9" x 12" Cold Press Paper.

I chose to capture the Red Rock in pale pinks(Permannet Rose) and purples(Dioxazine Purple) with just a touch of Yellow Ochre.  I used Prussian Blue for the sky and bike.  I kept to those four colors for the enitre painting.  Mixing those four colors made for a wonderful black and even more amazing grays.  I welcome any feedback you may have and thanks for visiting!