Old Red Car With Trailer

I found this painting yesterday hidden in some other works. I painted it last year and this image is close to the painted original. (depending on your monitor's calibration) It has a bright wash under it and I think works well with the primer red car. It's a block from my studio and they usually have both covered to protect them. 8 x 10"

Tree Under Freeway

This was a hard painting to make work for me. It has many properties that had to designed to make it clear for the viewer to understand. First and foremost, the angle of the tree which was  planted without next to the house that had a freeway built over it. The tree is struggling to reach out to the sun. There also were perspective issues, ugly fence colors, etc. to deal with. I did some editing and a car came and parked in the shadow which was unexpected.

Eucalyptus Tree Study

I try to paint everyday and sometimes I don't feel like driving. I have a double basket on the back of my Schwinn bicycle and it enables me to pack my gear and get to locations  that may have problems with parking or access. This is a simple pass at a tree composition. 8x10"

Two Trees

A very popular landmark in Ventura are the "Two Trees" overlooking the city. I have resisted doing a painting of them for many reasons. I suppose this should be titled "Two Trees Plus One". I found a nice location; The Dudley House, where I set up my easel.

California Survey Trailer

I am always surprised by how easy it is to overlook good subjects to paint that are close to home. This old trailer is a mere block away, but it took me three years to discover it. I like the fact that it has weeds growing around it, old wooden steps to the doors and is situated on a big lot. I did have to paint it looking through a chain link fence, but I had a shade tree to set up under. 10 x 12" oil on board

FCD Surfboards

Fletcher Chouinard Surfboard Shop is a few blocks away from my loft. It is an old shop that makes some of the best surfboards in Ventura. It's a magnet for ambassadors from around the world for the many divisions of sporting and recreational clothing. 12" x12" I plan to touch this painting up a little to adjust a few things that are bothering me now that I see it as a photo on my computer.

The Volvo

One of the reasons I went to Art Center College of Design was their strong Automotive Design department. They would sculpt, draw, paint, and design futuristic versions of all types of vehicles. To this day, I critique the shapes, lines and colors of them. This is a friends wagon parked at the beach with the boot open and his favorite stick on the roof. 8x10"

This is another view of the volvo at the beach. i like the contrast better and the feel for the summer day I painted it. The owner had another view in mind, thus two versions of the same old car;)

Garden Street

It's my belief that you can make a good painting from simple, ordinary subjects. Sometimes, I step outside my door and set up the easel without any subject in mind. In this case, I walked fifty steps and set up looking down Garden street. I used an old credit card for the straight lines on the street and light poles. Don't leave home without it. 8x 10"

Hot Dog Stand

Here's a sketch of the local hot dog vendor at the paid parking lot at the point near C St.
I used some of my typical devises to compose the painting; diagonals, values, warm and cools, contrast, people. I used a palette knife quite a bit. 10 x12"