"Three Whites and a Red" - DOLLAR FEATURED AUCTION - Starts 6 PM PDT

"Three Whites and a Red"    6" x 8"     Oil

"I wonder how many times I have painted that apple. I have a variety of the most realistic artificial fruit I can find in my collection of still life objects. I can throw together a large still life for a class or for my own use in minutes. Looking back at my paintings over 35 years, I see my old, faithful 'friends'."  --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS: Small, daily paintings are now the rage. Once the standard rite of passage of the beginning artist, these are still a wonderful exercise. Just watch the growth of the daily painters who show their work online and you will confirm their value.

"Late Blaze"

"Late Blaze" - Oil on Canvas on Panel - 6" x 8"

"California's coastal residents are recipients of a light show each evening, especially if the sky has clouds to provide variety and contrast.  One becomes aware of the stages of the sunset when the sky transitions from green to gold to orange to red. This is the gold stage." --- SFG

NOW ON AUCTION -- Starting bid $55

NOTE TO ARTISTS:

Small paintings are more direct and less encumbered with detail, as is this small seascape. Making many starts, especially if you use a brush larger than you would normally choose, focuses the painter's attention on the essentials of composition, values, and color.

Ocean Fire

"Ocean Fire" - Oil - 6" x 8"

"This marvelous display warmed the evening even though the effect was temporal. Remembering and capturing such shows are an irresistible challenge." --- SFG."

NOTE TO ARTISTS:

Fleeting subjects like this are unpredictable, changing and passing within minutes. Have your canvas, palette, and several small panels ready and work like a madman. For insurance, keep your camera handy, too.

"My Imaginary Friend"

"My Imaginary Friend" - Oil - 9" x 12"

"This wisteria trellis is in full bloom and I hoped to have a model to paint. The subject just called for a lady in a sunhat ... or one with a basket... or one sitting in a wicker chair with mint julep waiting nearby. Unfortunately, the plan didn't work out. This figure is imagined." --- SFG

"Autumn Evening"

"Autumn Evening" - Oil - 24" x 30"

"This is a new work, now showing at Art & Soul Gallery in Ashland, Oregon. The show will be up from now to May 1, 2010. This is a richly painted canvas (thick paint) and is a highlight of the show." --- SFG

"Fruit and Silver"

"Fruit and Silver" - Oil - 6" x 8"

"Our crop of mission figs was down a bit this year, but I had enough to paint, if not enough to fill my yen for them." --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS: This was done simply and fast. The smaller the painting, the better simple shapes work.

"Variation on a Theme #5"

"Variation on a Theme #5" - Oil - 11" x 14"

"I selected the round vase from the previous setup and gave it a classic light-against-dark treatment. The value contrast makes a strong painting and the round vase, a pleasant contrast to the complex blooms." --- SFG

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"Variation on a Theme #3"

"Variation on a Theme #3" - Oil - 8" x 6"

"My third painting (see previous posts) was a small 8" x 6" version. I laid the paint on thickly and concentrated on lively, abstract forms." --- SFG

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"Variation on a Theme #2"

"Variation on a Theme #2" - Oil - 11" x 14"

"For this second painting in the series, I chose a smaller canvas, 11" x 14", and used a more abstract close-up composition. The hues within the roses always stimulate my passion for color." --- SFG

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"Shed at Carter Cabin"

"Shed at Carter Cabin" - Oil - 8" x 10"

"These quick little paintings are such a joy to do. Catching the quality of light and shadow is the goal and the subject matter is the icing on the cake. This small building is located on the only privately owned property within a wilderness area in the United States. The owners graciously invite my family from time to time. It is certainly one of the most beautiful areas in California." --- SFG

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"Backyard Jumble, McCloud, California"

"Backyard Jumble, McCloud, California" - Oil - 24" x 24"

"This rickety shed is set among the litter so typical of the charmingly trashy-chic community of McCloud, California. The small-town atmosphere and spectacular views of Mt. Shasta nullify any need for conformity to standards applied elsewhere. Once a rough-and-ready lumber town, it is now a get-away community for those from the Bay area or southern California. Artists who visit are grateful that it maintains this character for it is infinitely more interesting than planned and rigidly supervised resorts." --- SFG

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"Open Gate"

"Open Gate" - Oil - 8" x 10"

"My plein air paintings are a diary of my life. A few weeks ago, when we were visiting our son and daughter-in-law, the guys wanted to attend an RC model competition. Having experienced two generations of contests, I went down the road and set up my easel in this picturesque rural setting. I did two small paintings while my husband and son enjoyed the event. I enjoyed myself as much as they did!" --- SFG

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"Springtime in the Vineyard"

"Springtime in the Vineyard" - Oil - 11" x 14"

"This vineyard, perched on the hills above Cambria, California, defied the image of a slick winery and had rustic appeal of its own. The old barn harkened back to the days when it was a cattle ranch." --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS:

Yesterday, I started to write this blog, first showing the work as it was when I stopped work on it in the field. Then I had another shot of the "finished" work. When I had both images on the screen, I realized that the painting was better in the "before" view than in the "after".

Before:

After:

I had lost the simple shadows on the barn and overdone the lines around the barn doors. Today, I reworked it and am happier with the result. Sometimes we loose sight of the big things when we begin to "noodle"!

"Nursery Near Hubbard"

"Nursery Near Hubbard" - Oil - 8" x 10"

"The area south of Portland, Oregon, is where much of the landscaping plants for the west coast are raised. The beautiful patterns such nurseries make as they drape the hillsides and fine landscape painting material. This one is in view of Lenhart Air Park." -- SFG

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"Near the Shed"

"Near the Shed" - Oil - 8" x 10"

"While visiting our son and daughter-in-law, I painted the farms within walking distance. This one, across the road, had sheds, a small vineyard, and roses at the end of the driveway. The light was just right to enjoy the blooms." --- SFG

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NOTE TO ARTISTS:

These small paintings that I've been posting lately are not masterpieces, but are part of the ongoing discipline of painting. Many are done while traveling with family or friends.

An artist must maintain his skills. Bill Reese, a wonderful teacher, said (often), "If you paint every day, you get better. If you paint every-other-day, you stay the same. And if you paint every third day, you get worse."

"Sky's Color Dance"

"Sky's Color Dance" - Oil - 6" x 8" - $150

"In this series of cloud paintings, this is my favorite. It catches the drama, structure, and color of the subject and has an effective composition. I also enjoyed the texture of the paint itself." --- SFG

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