In the Works

I've been staring at photos of two flying swallows for at least a year. Finally have put pencil to paper, (not brush to board), and will see how it evolves.

Every gray day this past year, I have taking pictures of clouds. Must have about a million photos by now.

So my composition is the two Cliff Swallows against the clouds--birds suspended in the air. The Swallows are only roughly drawn in now. I can see that the success of the drawing will be determined by the balance between the tone of the sky and the deeper value of the swallows. "Between conception and creation lies The Shadow" T.S. Elliot.

I just came back from the opening of the Society of Animal Artists 50th Annual Exhibition in San Diego. The show is on display at the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. A wonderful museum to host the show.

An extinct great white shark, three times the size of the big ones we have today, swims through space in the main exhibition hall and prehistoric dinosaurs greet you on the ground floor . It seemed a perfect setting for all the animal art. The exhibit covers the walls on three floors--the top elevation covered in glass--beautiful lighting and a wonderful exhibit.

Worth seeing if you are in the area. My painting, Winter is in the show. More information is at the Society website, www.societyofanimalartists.com.

New Owl

My focus the past few months has been owls. I've been working on two, one a Spotted Owl, still in progress.

But one is finished, a Great Horned Owl. I took the reference many years ago at Wildcare, and chose to focus on this wonderful bird's face, and paint his portrait.

A couple new pieces. I finished the Duckhorn wine label, but my photo images are not the best.

And a new painting, "Go". A Peregrine Falcon I have been working on for a long time.

Duckhorn Vineyards

Good News! Both of my pieces sold at the Bolinas Museum Holiday Mini show. Maybe an indication that things are looking up in the art world.

I have a new commission, and commissions are unusual for me. I will be painting the 2008 Artist's label for Duckhorn Vineyards Paraduxx winery. Paraduxx winery has commissioned an artist every vintage since 1994 to create an original painting depicting a "pair of ducks", and the paintings become duck stamp labels for their proprietary blend bottling. They do a limited edition print of the image as well. I went up this week to visit the winery--a completely beautiful place, and what a perfect time to visit Napa Valley. All the vines yellow like Autumn leaves.

Bolinas Museum Mini Show

I took a break from my Peregrine to complete two small pieces--both only 4 inches square--for the Bolinas Museum Holiday Miniature Show. Since most of my paintings take three months, you can imagine how satisfying it has been to finish two pieces in one week.

One painting is a Brown Pelican against clouds. I took my camera when the Blue Angels were flying above San Francisco Bay this fall. The Pelicans were up there too. By chance, I got a good shot that worked with some clouds I had saved last year.

The other is a drawing of a Red-breasted Nuthatch from my own backyard. I took the photo years ago, and believe it or not, I have begun and almost completed three different paintings of this guy and his mate; two in gouache, and one, my only attempt, at oil painting. I was never completely happy with any of them, but I do like this little drawing.

The opening of the exhibition is November 21st, and the show runs through January 3, 2010. Please check the Museum website for hours. The Museum is only open on the weekends.

So now I am back to my Peregrine.

A Peregrine Falcon

A while back I was lucky enough to run into Mary Pounder at WildCare, and take some photos of the Peregrine Falcon, Peli, that now lives there. I am finally getting around to painting this beautiful bird. I'm creating the bird from a mix of many photos, but mainly the two above, one for the bottom wing, one for the top. No photo I take ever seems quite perfect, and I get used to piecing together what I need.

And now I can incorporate my love of sky and clouds with the bird. A long vertical compostion with the bird at the bottom and clouds filling up the rest.

I'll keep you posted.