Nature painting…

 

I’ve been working on all four of these at one time. They’re pretty small - 8x10 or under. Trying to focus on color mixing on the page, painting shapes not things, and letting things dry. Hard lessons to learn…

from the 9 towers project

Alan Fall 1 2026

 OK!   I gave up on this one. Here’s the reference photo that intrigued me. 

And this is what I did to it.  I started out drawing with a grey tombow that I thought would diffuse but it didn’t. I never recovered from that error, especially in the center. I just couldn’t control it. Believe me I tried but I finally decided to quit. 

Back to normal stuff. Here’s a 10 X 8 coldpress watercolor painting of a view from the side of our cottage looking towards the lake. It was just a view that changes with the time of day and the sun. I thought that I might do a series using the same basic structure. Losing my muse. But I liked a lot of things in this painting. 

The next one is an 11 X 14 Yupo version of a flowering desert cactus. I’m trying to do more non-representative versions of things. 

You can tell it’s a cactus plant because of the spikes. I might not be done with this yet. 

The Artist and the Artist Ss10.10

The painting session at the Millennium Park Summer Fest during a preCovid era is about a young portrait painter who for a minimal fee painted another artist, Me!This artwork with a previously muddy background waited several years for its second session.Am glad, that I returned to it on October 10 & with maturity and discernment, I was able to focus on the sketch and showed the 2 painter and the model as minor characters. Happy Painting to All!

Last Year’s Garden

 Overdone,  chaotic….it is really kinda that way. 

Doctor’s office has art books. Turns out it’s not that easy to paint like Rothko 🙄.

This is in hot press sketchbook. This composition appeals to me. The people on the left are “in” the painting and the bench connects to the person on the right. 

October 10, 2026 — Elaine O.

Isn't this the cutest baby? I absolutely love that big happy smile. The small size really suits the subject—and this is painted on a coated panel so it can be displayed without framing. At any rate, I'm happy with it.

6" x 6"

I also made a small start on another painting, although you'll probably have to come back next week to actually see what's going on.

10" x 14"

second of 9 - Shoemakers Tower

the first of a set of 9 towers - Clock Tower, Sighișoara

Alone in Andersonville Ss10/03

This wet scenery reflects my lonely walk in an Andersonville Parade of happy people.Life goes on while one's heart is filled with loss and sorrow. This painting is an unfinished project where the background, middle ground and foreground were not defined before almost 5 years ago..Once I defined the walking person to the right as the focus I felt I have captured a feeling of connection to my personal transition. Old paintings when given new perspectives and different emotions could give the viewer a diary of surprises.Life is good one day at a time!

Uncertain Smile Ss926

My convention photo selfie is still on hiatus.