Red Oak Snow

One of my favorite places is a little woods near my house. And once in awhile on the Outer Banks it actually snows. Last year it snowed quite alot for here and I got lots of snow photos. This painting is from one of those pics in my favorite woods. There is a little red oak tree there that was all decked out with red leaves and blue snow. I liked all the contrast. 5 x 7 matted and 1" walnut frame,  8 x 10, soft pastel on Wallis paper, $125. At Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head, NC.

Last Light Dune

The other day I finally made it out the door with french easel to try some "en Plein Aire" painting. I asked permission at the ranger station at Jockey's Ridge and they said it was "light the kite" night and the dunes would be filled with people. I had scouted out this dune earlier in the week and it was right at the end of the boardwalk where everyone would be walking, Rats! So I had to set up on a different set of dunes and only got a photo of this as the last light of the day illuminated its flank and tree tops. So I took the photo into the studio and created what I wanted all along. 8 x 10 oil on canvas board, oak gallery frame $125. At Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head, NC.

Shad Lite

This shad boat sits in front of an antique store in Manteo. It has a lot of other junk around it which I cleared away and gave it some new fallen snow. I thought it would make a great Christmas greeting for all my friends and customers. Thank you all for your business and support in the last year. If you would like this painting, it is a 7 x 5 watercolor on arches, matted $40.

Sunset Winter

This is the second Ampersand Aquabord I used with some watercolors. It is a very interesting surface to use and does not require a mat or glass. It is sprayed with fixative when it is dry for a matte finish. A typical winter sunset on the sound in Kitty Hawk, NC. This is a 4x4 and includes a beautiful burgundy frame from Yellowhouse Frame Shop. $65 includes sales tax and shipping.

Turner Light Sunset

I bought four Ampersand Aquabords awhile ago and I am just now getting around to using the last two. I ended up with kind of a JMW Turner look. He loved to work with this kind of light in his paintings. The panel is sprayed with a fixative for a matte finish. This is a 4x4 and is in a beautiful dark brown frame from Yellowhouse Frame Shop.  $65 includes sales tax and shipping.

Marsh Islands

In the marsh there are these little high ground places that are not constantly bathed by the rising tide like the grass and trees can gain a foothold. These islands were laid out in a row like this with these wonderful mauve shadows. I did this with a red ground and worked and worked and finally gave up. I visited my friend, James Melvin, who said, oh, if it is oil keep working on it. You'll get it. And I finally got to where I wanted to be. 12 x 9, oil on a panel, framed, $175

The Old Docks

I have this idea that mediums should be used to their best advantage. Watercolors have their own quirky nature and portray water best, since they are actually, well, water. Beyond that, they do lost edges and hard edges, vague dreamy washes and shining sparkling light in really wonderful ways. I am always disappointed if I don't use a medium to its best advantage. I was pleased with how this one turned out because it shows off some of the spectacular advantages of watercolors with only a few minor problems arising. That is because I forced myself to slow down and do it right, which took all week while I waited for each wash to dry, lest I get in there and create mud because it wasn't quite dry, which is what I usually do (not happy face). From an old black and white photograph from the 1950's, somewhere near Wanchese, NC. This boat reminded me of a boat Everett Tate had, it was long and low like this and he used it to haul net. He had another boat and he would tow this skiff behind him -- it was mostly just a boat to carry the net. This is watercolor on arches paper, approx. 15 x 9, matted and in golden tiger oak frame to 20 x 14. $180 includes shipping and sales tax. At Seaworthy Gallery in Hatteras Village 

Wild Dunes

This painting is from a photo by Eve Turek. We think it might be Penny's Hill which is above Corolla. Of course, with inflation, nowadays it might be more like 50 cent hill or Susan B. Anthony Hill. Or with the coming bridge there it is most probably going to be paved and developed hill. But for now, "The 4x4," as people call it, is wild and free. I was striving for "painterly" and following Susan Sarback's advice from her book to look for the hidden colors. This is soft pastel on Wallis sanded paper, 10 x 8, matted and framed to 14 x 11, SOLD.

We Bow Down

We used to sing a little praise chorus that went like this, "We bow down..." and I thought it was appropriate for a title since I have added some streaming light to the horses on the beach (from a photo by Karen Watras). You might think they are worshipping the Creator, depending on your outlook. Or, in the spirit of my father who was always irreverent at times like these, the colt might be saying to it's mom, "Wait! I have to stop to bite an itch!"  10 x 8, watercolor on arches, matted and rustic medium brown frame to 11 x 14, $175.

Nags Head Woods

This is the first time I have ever tried to paint a woods scene. Usually, I get the photos home and wonder what I was photographing since all the trees look alike. But this was a particularly beautiful day in Nags Head Woods one winter hike and the light was streaming onto the road and fallen leaves. So it was easier to paint than just a forest scene. I tried to give a feeling of light and atmosphere here and did so by using a lot of maskoid to begin with. Then I tried to work in transparent layers, always preserving the light areas. This is matted and framed, 8 x 10 matted to 11 x 14, watercolor on Arches, $175. At Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head, NC.

@Daybreak

Some of the most beautiful things are often the simplest. A clearing storm and the brilliant sunshine of early morning combine to reveal curtained light streaming down over the ocean, lighting up the whole scene with brilliant color.
This is soft pastel on Wallis sanded paper, 7 x 5, matted and stack golden oak frame to 10 x 8, $150. At Yellowhouse Gallery in Nags Head, NC.