My progress this year has been steady and I've been in a good rhythm of idea, sketch, transfer to canvas and paint. I have a small notebook with my future painting ideas outlined and have gone as far as to prime canvases for them. During the past few weeks I've finished two paintings; Hwy 30A Surf Monitor and Tree Swallow Waiting.
Hwy 30A Surf Monitor
Back when I was in high school I used to sneak off with my brother's surfboard. He was at UF so he was none the wiser. After surfing for a bit I'd come to shore and doze. Once in a great while a sea gull or two would be standing nearby eyeing you or surveying the beach. You could imagine a discussion about the surf conditions and the prospect of a delectable morsel washing ashore.
The painting is on a simple 8 X 10 panel. I primed it a flat, light blue with the intent the gull would pop off the canvas as a result of the shadow on its body and cast by its body...which it did. I did add some light surf wash as it seemed to be missing something when I thought it was done.
Tree Swallow Waiting
After we first moved into our home in 1998 I put up several bird houses. I put up a blue bird house attached to a pole on the tool shed next to my garden thinking it would be nice insect control having a nest nearby. Quite quickly a pair of tree swallows moved it. The pair nested for many seasons. Initially, the male would circle whenever I was working in the garden. He got comfortable enough with me to land on a metal fence post at the opposite end of the garden and watch my labors for a minute or two.
The painting is on an 11 X 14 canvas primed with a light naples yellow; a strong complementary color of the bird. I did have trouble with this one...had to repaint the secondary wing coverts twice and I hope it doesn't show. I spent more time on the details than I probably should...got away a bit from the less detail ethos of the series.
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