Vestige of Summer; Painting Outside

The sun was just starting to dip beyond the treeline casting deep golden beams across our back lawn. A slightly confused cricket was already chirping away. The vestiges of summer.

I had to paint outside.

I knew I didn't have an abundance of daylight left, so I gathered what I could quickly. A dropcloth pinned down by a plant, a few basic paints and what was left from last night's mixings, and the first brushes I could get my hands on.

I love working in the backyard of our rental home (moving into the new place in October!). The squirrels are super vocal, birds gather in all the trees overhead and it's impossible for me not to feel at least the slightest bit at peace.

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Also, 80% of the 'lawn' in our backyard is mostly very tiny strawberries. If that doesn't put you in a mood to create, well, nothing will.

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Even managed to catch a bit of lens flare.

There's something so wonderful about being outside and working; soaking up the birdsong and scent of green growing things and translating that to paper is magical.

Vestige of Summer will be up in the shop for the next update, planned for Friday, Aug 25th. 

We'll be on the road for the weekend - heading out to California to visit friends and take some time off. Well, sort of 'off'... I'll still be painting, but not answering as many emails :)

Color Studies at Miami Madness 2016

One of the many great parts about living in Miami is our local access to some seriously world class craft beer. J.Wakefield’s has been a favorite of ours since they opened their doors, and this Saturday was the annual Miami Madness event - a limited edition release at noon.

So of course we were there, in line at 7 am.

We have a blast at these things; we get to meet other people excited about the Miami beer scene, Dan gets to share his latest homebrew and get some valuable feedback, and I get to post up in a corner and paint until the line starts moving.

Luckily this year our spot in line came with a handy-dandy discarded pallet, so I had a place to set the little paintings as they dried that wasn’t dirty sidewalk.  (Maybe someday we'll bring chairs... but today is not that day.)

We met so. many. great people and had so much fun hanging out in line before the release. On top of that, I worked through a few color palettes that I had been considering playing with all week.

<<And of course after we had our beer-quarry we went home and straight to bed.>>

Successful Saturday <3

Sunrise Runs and Painting Clouds

If you follow me on Instagram, then you know how my morning went. Here's a quick synoposis if you don't (but you should!) ::

Woke up two hours before my alarm. Not unusual, as I generally *think* myself back to sleep. I'll imagine colors, palettes, forms I want to create when I wake at the correct time - and the gentle undulation of pigments and hues lulls me back into dreams. This particular morning, I knew it wasn't possible.

Too many things on my plate, too many ideas to think through.

So I threw on my shoes and popped outside for a run. I was just crossing the bridge to the beach as the pink sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the sky with fiery reds and oranges. Sure the traffic can be rough, but the sky in Miami is unlike no other.

After stopping periodically to take about a bajillion photos (I certainly wasn't aiming for a PR on this run!) and to breathe in the cool (ish) morning ocean air, I returned home full of inspiration and pretty much drenched in sweat.

It was wonderful.

Once in the studio, I decided to make a few quick cloud-inspired studies, then set work to a new linen canvas with my liquid acrylics.

I'm really enjoying playing with the sample set of liquid acrylics I purchased... will definitely have to pick up a few more colors (and an industrial sized bottle of indigo!)

And now, it's time for a nap.

<3

 

New Work :: Stratum

Stratum is a new abstract, blending acrylic and watercolor on a 18 x 24 inch canvas.

Inspired by land, water and winter breeze here in Miami, it was a slow process of addition and subtraction, painting and repainting until I felt the form represented the feeling I wanted to portray.

Stratum will be available in the shop and as a print shortly!

New Work : Currents - 8 x 10 Abstract Watercolor

I finished this new edition to the Water Series last week; Currents -- painted on an 8 x 10 primed canvas. 

Inspired by the gentle churn of the water, waves lapping at the shore, and the rhythmic inhale and exhale of the tides, this painting was a meditation on the raw strength and serene beauty of ocean.

Prints will be available shortly and the original will be posted for sale on Chairish.

Have a wonderful weekend friends!