Memories of Water, Water, Water.

This will be an ongoing series in more traditional oils, probably abstracted bit as I go along.   These two come mostly from my Oregon memories.   My mothers family had a cabin at Pacific City on the Oregon Coast and those are coming, but these two are more about the rivers and streams.

   We spent a lot of time in Central Oregon and this is a memory of a spot on the Deschutes River.   I really had fun with this oil painting working with the light.  There is a trout fishing hole not far from here where my Dad loved to catch those delicious critters.   One of the many important things I learned as a child growing up and traveling with my family here and there and to fishing holes, is how to clean trout.   Such a talent.   At Little Cultus Lake near Bend, where we camped every summer, cleaning the daily catch was one of my jobs. Ick!  I can't believe I did that.    I painted this on a 25x25 gallery wrap canvas.   It is not easy to do a landscape on a square canvas, but by adding the angle of the river and the canyon wall on the left, it worked.     Water is fun!

second picture coming....coming...coming...

Working in Oils on a Large Canvas Again

    When you are lucky enough to live in the mountains of Colorado, there is that special moment just after the sun has set where the colors are so beautiful and subtle.  This is a more abstract version of that memory.  a 40x30 canvas in oil.  Not sure of title so I am calling it "Cool Evening" for now.  

Having So Much Fun with Landscapes....back to Oils

    I rearranged my studio, put away all my acrylics, got out my oils and went for it.  I haven't painted with oils for awhile and have rediscovered what a wonderful medium this is.  The perfect medium for landscapes in my opinion.  There is just something about how easy it is to blend the colors.   I didn't use any cold wax with these oil paintings, just returned to my painting origins.   I'm really enjoying it.   

    Both of these paintings, titled,   "San Juans 1"  and  "San Juans 2" are painted on 20x16 canvases.  One is early summer and the other later.  I sure you can figure out which is which.   That is if you know anything about Colorado color.  

And then on Hot Press W/C paper

    Same process, watercolor crayon on paper.  This time I did not need to use the fixative as these are on paper and will be framed under glass.  More aspen above is titled,  "Again September"  and is a Colorado memory.   We lived basically in an aspen grove.   There is nothing quite like being surrounded by all that color and shimmering leaves.  It is amazing.   12x16 on hot press w/c paper.   

     Heading back to Oregon in the lower one.  I think I spent nearly every week-end enjoying a million places that look just like this.   Rivers and streams are around every corner in that place.  Title  "Just a Creek"  10x12 on w/c paper.  

    I started with watercolor crayon on canvas.  Oh yes, it works.  With a little fixative and some finishing with oils, these were the beginnings of my fall work.    I grew up in Oregon and spent many years living in Breckenridge, Colorado, my love for the woods always appears in the heat of the Texas summers.   I decided that if I wasn't able to travel up north in the summer, well that's ok, I would paint out of my memory.       Some things are never forgotten.   And the images of the those amazing places, never leave my mind.  So Ok....I will just paint what I feel and care about and with that intention, the painting began again. 

 These paintings are both on 25x25  gallery wrap canvas. 1. is titled  "Just the Woods"  and 2.  "September"