“We do not want merely to see beauty... we want something else which can hardly be put into words- to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it. That is why we have peopled air and earth and water with gods and goddesses, and nymphs and elves.”

-C. S. Lewis

"We must not be content to memorize the beautiful formulas of our illustrious predecessors. Let us go out and study beautiful nature." 

- Paul Cezanne

These are some more paintings from the last two weeks.  They are all 8 x 10 oil on panel, done in the field.

“It was when I was happiest that I longed most...The sweetest thing in all my life has been the longing...to find the place where all the beauty came from.” 

-C.S. Lewis,  "Till We have Faces"

It's been a while since my last post!  Here are a few recent paintings.  The first was done in the studio, 14 x 18 oil on canvas.  The other four were done in the field and are all 8 x 10 oil on panel.

"The value of a work of art depends simply and solely on the height of inspiration, on the greatness of soul of the man who produced it."

-William Merritt Chase



I came across this quote a couple of days ago, and I find that I keep coming back to it.  I love the idea that the quality of our work doesn't come merely from our ideas, tastes, and abilities, but from an authentic and humble response to the inspiration we are given.

These are a couple of recent paintings, 24x24 and 18x18 oil on canvas.

"The dignity of the artist lies in his duty of keeping awake the sense of wonder in the world.  In this long vigil he often has to vary his methods of stimulation, but in this long vigil he is also striving against a continual desire to sleep."

- Marc Chagall

These are some paintings I did this week.  The middle one, with the view downtown, I did at home based on a photo that I took on a hike with my son last summer.  The other two were done in the field, as most of these small paintings are, awake to the wonder all around. 

It's funny but it seems like every time I'm done painting, and I'm driving home, the hills are lit up so amazingly, bursting with life and color I could never hope to imitate.  And so the pursuit continues!

These are all 8x10 done in oil.

"The painter must enclose himself within his work; he must respond not with words, but with paintings." 

- Paul Cezanne


I've been doing a lot of small oil paintings after work lately (or sometimes before).  These are all 8x10.

"Spend a lifetime in hard work with a humble mind.  Get into the habit of doing what you see, not what you know."

Charles Hawthrone


This is a painting I did at home last night.  It's based on a photo I took at Morro Bay more than ten years ago.  This is a special place to me.  24 x 30 oil on canvas.

Responding

"Just do the steps that you've been shown
          By Everyone you've ever known
                   Until the dance becomes your very own"

-Jackson Browne, "For a Dancer"


One thing I love about landscape painting, especially painting outdoors, is the idea of responding to the world around you.  There's something immediate, direct, and visceral about it.  Not slavishly copying what you observe but almost more of a compulsory and expressive response like a dancer to music.

I'm a bit of a wall flower, but sometimes I get up the courage to sway to the music a bit.  This painting was from yesterday after work.  16 x 20 done in Acryrlic.

Verdugo Hillside

"Always, at the back of your soul, there is something that says to you, "Mortal, drawn from eternal life for a short time, think how precious these moments are." 

- Eugene Delacroix


Today after work I went up in the hills and tired out a new watercolor block that I got.  It gives me a little more room to work (7 x 10) than I normally have when doing these sketches in my moleskin sketchbook.  I really like the hot pressed paper too, it's smooth but holds up to washes and scrubbing.

A Morning in the Hills

I was blessed with a day off of work this last friday so I decided to make the most of it.  I got up early and went to the hills with two canvases, a thermos of coffee and more than a few butterflies in my stomach.  I always get so nervous when I go out to paint but once I get started I always enjoy it.


"What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?" 

-Vincent van Gogh