As Sandra painted the Dalton (GA) depot, this white van parked directly between her and her subject. He smiled, acknowledged us, and pulled into this particular (one of 15) parking space. It was too incredibly funny to be upsetting. What are people thinking???? 
Its oil, 8 x 10, from life or plein air. I painted it today at lovely Heathcote Botanical Gardens here in Fort Pierce. I have started our paintouts for the season today, next tuesday morning we will be painting here again. You are welcome to come join us or just watch. It was perfect today, not too hot or cold with a nice breeze. $300.
10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima on September 20th 2009 (completed at 1:05pm)...$85 including shipping...The annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment weekend was rainy, muddy and overcast. But that didn't dampen the spirits of the artists who painted onsite both days. Contact me for purchase at beejw@charter.net. 
"On the Double"
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on September 8th (completed at 10:30am)...$85 including shipping....This was a rather interesting painting being somewhat of an experiment. I had pre-toned the panel using random areas of ultramarine blue, yellow ochre with alizarine crimson designating the focal point which was the stand of trees in the upper left. In the actual painting, my palette consisted of yellow ochre, indian red, prussian blue and white. I may have used a touch of ivory black in the greens. Using a limited palette in the toning process, then using another limited palette in the final painting is something I'll explore further. 
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"Orchid Study"
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 26th (completed at 10:30am)...$35 including shipping...Bethlehem Gardens in Varnell, GA, is 7 acres of growing things, lovingly planted by the hand of Ms. Ruby. She cares for her gardens and 39 cats (yes, 39) with the thought that all living things are by the hand of God. She graciously invited us to paint among the potted plants and flowing fountains. And after about two hours, she surprised us with freshly sliced cold watermelon. Ms. Ruby is a Southern lady indeed. 
Painting en plein air is like bowling...there are hundreds of things to think about (all at the same time). In bowling, the object is to knock down all the pins. In painting, the object is to ---- well, there's the kick. Does the artist render the painting as an identical twin of the object being painted? The artist may chose to do that, but there are hundreds, thousands, millions of other possibilities. Changing the background, the foreground, the colors, the shapes, adding or omitting items, moving things around a bit (or a lot) - there's just so much to consider when doing a painting.
10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 25th (completed at 10:00am)...$85 including shipping...Falling water has such a soothing sound, like a continuous and never ending song. We painted at Prater's Mill, near Varnell (GA) this morning. I've never seen this water blue, even under the bluest sky. The uneven dam allows the flowing water to make unusual waterfalls. 
6"x6"x1 1/4" oil on gallery wrap canvas, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 18th (completed at 10:30am)...$50 including shipping....The historic tunnel that gave Tunnel Hill (GA) its name is a breathtaking monument to the determination of the human spirit. There will be a two day paintout here during the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment on September 19th & 20th. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 13th (completed at 11:00am)...$95 including shipping....This was painted at the historic Varnell House, built in 1847, in Varnell, GA. For awhile it served as Federal headquarters during the Civil War and was struck by "minnie balls" during several skirmishes in the area. As I stood at my easel on the old path leading up to the house, I could imagine the history taking place here over 150 years ago. 
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 11th (completed at 11:00am)...$35 including shipping...The trellis has been there, sitting as it is, for years. It has been taken down, straightened, and repositioned. Yet it still leans. It is its habit to lean. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 1st during the annual "Cherokee Days of Recognition" at Red Clay State Park near Cleveland, TN.... $85 including shipping.... 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 1st while early fog obscured the mountain and nearby meadow. This small garden is part of the replica Cherokee village at Red Clay State Park near Cleveland, TN. Its vegetables are the "three sisters" - corn, beans and squash. Sunflowers were an added treasure. Purchase this original painting for $85 including shipping. 
10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 1st (completed at 10:25am)...$85 including shipping...This was the second plein air of the day at the "Cherokee Days of Recognition" held at Red Clay State Park near Clevenland, TN. This sunflower stood in a small garden near the replica settlement. 
I painted at Red Clay State (TN) Park today during the annual "Cherokee Days of Recognition". These were shot in (bad) indoor lighting, but at least you can see that three paintings made their way home with me. I'll get better images and post them soon with the accompanying explanations/stories/thoughts. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 28th (completed at 1:20pm as lightning started flashing)....$95 including shipping...I recall a science teacher once saying that water finds the path of least resistance, not unlike some of us. We had started painting around 8:30am at Barnsley Gardens near Adairsville, GA, when the sun was perfectly seeking out corners in the ruins. As we ate lunch, the clouds began to bank and we knew we wouldn't have much time before the rains came. Being overcast, the colors were muted and subtle, yet still wondrous. 
Tami, Liv, and I are enjoying a week in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. The weather has been clear and cool... almost an enigma for July in the south. Between hiking, horseback riding, plein air painting, picnicking, and just relaxing... the three of us have manged to visit three of the Ben Long fresco locations on the Fresco Trail.
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We had a cool visit with my cousin Pam (Aunt Pammie) who lives in Morganton. She took us on a tour of the town... what a beautiful town too. The highlight of our tour was the The City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium.. (CoMMA) for short. The crowning jewel of the CoMMA was the ceiling fresco by Ben Long titled... "Sacred Dance & The Muses". We actually sat on recliners on a revolving floor to view the awesome work... how cool is that! You can see Liv enjoying the fresco in this photo. 
4"x6" oil on sanded panel, painted on July 14th around 10:00am ... Just before time to pack up after a morning of painting, I picked up this little sanded panel and put down some paint. The rough surface slurped up the paint and I could feel it wearing down my brush. It's an interesting surface...don't know if I'll use it again...but interesting.+010-+1+signed.jpg)
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 14th (completed at 9:35)...$35 including shipping...While painting at Crown Gardens and Archives, an artist can find inspiration everywhere. This willow caught my eye as the sunlight filtered through its flowing branches. 
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 9th (completed 9:35am)....$35 including shipping...I let the shapes of the tree and grasses dictate the direction of this little painting. Upon closer investigation, the reflected light at lower right/center appeared as the center of a breaking ocean wave. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 10:30am)...$85 including shipping...The morning began soft and dream-like. As the sun rose over the mountain, shadows deepened and colors popped. I saw the gravel road as a stream, so I painted it as such. 
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 8:18am)...$35 including shipping...The clouds were changing colors faster than I could mix the paint and put brush to canvas. Nature painted the sky and this mere mortal painted a canvas. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 8:00am)...$95 including shipping....The clouds were banked in a myriad of colors as the sun struggled over the mountain. Photography of this particular painting was difficult. The yellows are much softer and purples are more muted in the original. Apparently I'm entering the 'purple period' of my painting career...it seems to emerge in my more recent works. 
I did 3 plein air pieces this morning, but photographic conditions were terrible after I got them home. I set them into frames and shot them with indoor lighting...bad indoor lighting. The next best thing was to render the image into black and white, and hope for better photographic lighting soon. 
11"x14" oil, painted en plein air (about 95% completed) here. Sandra's geraniums brightened the table just outside the shuttered window of the old general store. 
7"x5" oil done while playing around with blues, yellows and reds. The morning sunlight was absolutely orange when it hit the hay bales and crib corner. Beyond the distant misty field, the mountain was blue/purple. The tree bark was shining almost red. This was a fun little piddly, cartoony way to spend time listening to the birds. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 3rd (completed at 8:25am).....$100 including shipping...What a wonderful morning to be a plein air painter! It was perfect, perfect. I chose to include just a few hay bales which were scattered across the meadow. The sun hit the red foliage just as I was adding the final touches. 
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 25th (completed at 8:15am)...$30 including shipping...The early morning sunlight cast a wonderful yellow/orange glow...but it was gone in a flash. Just enough time for a small one. 
. This small addition to the main structure was set deep in shadows and as the sun crept in, I began painting using only yellow ochre, alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue (and of course white). I had challenged myself to use a very limited palette. Next time I think the mixing will go faster. 
7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 24th (completed at 8:20am)...$35 including shipping...The historic Tunnel Hill railroad tunnel is hidden in this plein air study, but is somewhere beyond the darkness on the lower left side. The sun had cleared Chetogeeta Mountain, turning the sky almost instantly from a golden haze to a clear blue. Taking the road to the left carries the viewer to the mouth of the tunnel. Contact me at beejw@charter.net for purchase. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 24th (completed 8:00am)...$85 including shipping...Getting outside to paint in 95+ degree heat is nuts...so I get out really early to miss the heat. The early sun quickly rose to show its orange light on the recently baled hay. It's hard to believe this was just 3 days into early Summer. 
8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 18th (completed at 9:10am)...$85 for painting only, $120 framed (as shown)...The hay was freshly cut and the meadow lay golden in the morning sun. Crickets and birds were the only sounds heard, except for the westbound freight train. .jpg)
t 9:30am...$85 including shipping. The house hidden behind the trees is the Clisby Austin House, located in Tunnel Hill GA. The adjoining property hosts the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment in September. As shown in the painting, the hay was ready for mowing. I'll return soon to capture the bales. 
We were there before 7am to begin painting the first cutting of Summer hay. Getting an early start to beat the heat is a must. It was 97 degrees later in the day. This is an 8"x10" oil on RayMar panel painted en plein air. At the time of the photo, it was still progressing but was finished alla prima. I just haven't taken the finished photo yet. Since this area seems to be famous for its "North Georgia green green", I often push colors into their blue or yellow zones. 
9"x12" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on 4-24-09 (completed at 8:10pm) showing part of Lake Lanier near Buford GA. - $118 for the painting only (including shipping), but if you'd like it framed (as is, $140 including shipping). Usually I prefer my comfort zone of painting during morning light, but I liked this challenge of late afternoon. The breeze was refreshing after a long day of plein air work. 
I did this a couple of months ago, I forgot to post it, it was really busy then. I did it as a demo at Heathcote Botanical Gardens, its 12 x 16, oil, plein air alla prima. $400.
. Gonna work on that. 
This particular morning I set up on a rock pad in the James. It rained most of the session so rain water became one of my mixing mediums. A side benefit, water mixed with oil will tack up quickly. It might work for under painting in small amounts. A photographer, who started following me around a few days earlier was also there to get a silhouette shot of me painting. I, on the other hand was waiting for a dramatic sun break in the cloud cover....neither got our wish.
Its oil, 5 x 7 Plein Air Alla Prima, I painted it at Pepper Park in Fort Pierce.
of this photo. 
, so Mr. Coker's chimney and the oak tree's old and new foliage had to relent. 
Another painting I did at Edenlawn Plantation. I had to sit under my umbrella it was raining when I painted this. Its 8 x 10 oil, $200.
I did this at Round Island Park, it was a lovely day cool out but nice in the sun. Its 8 x 10 oil, $200.
This looks a bit different than my usual style because I took a workshop this weekend that fellow artist George Love put on. She was teaching about glazing and so we just used brushes. We started out with a black and white acrylic painting and then when that dried we added the oil paints in colors. It was super to try a different technique. We were outside so I did the three palms I could see in the park next to the museum.
I did this as a demo painting at Heathcote Botanical Gardens the other day, I think I got a few people interested in using a painting knife. Its plein air, alla prima and oil. I did change the bird, Heathcote has a wooden heron there and I made him look like a live one. Its 8 x 10 $300.
I did this at Heathcote Botanical Gardens here in Fort Pierce at their wonderful paintout the other day. They fed us a lovely breakfast and lunch and it was lots of fun meeting some different artists and seeing old friends too. This area is a bit hidden in a nice warm spot, it was a little chilly when I got there and this is always cozy here. Its oil, 8 x 10 $200.
"Little Jim's Shore"
About This Painting:
This is the first painting I did last Tuesday, in Fort Pierce. I had painted in some of the sea grapes while I was there, and then decided to add more when I got home. I may have over done it!!!! But I like it. I also added the pelicans, as they were everywhere!
Enjoy!
To see more originals, please click here to see my gallery page.
Ready to frame.
Media: acrylic on hardboard
Size: 8 in X 10 in (20.3 cm X 25.4 cm)
Price: $175 USD
How to Purchase:
I am naming the painting "Its Me or Marty" or "Little Jim's Bait and Tackle" The guy by the truck was walking towards us so I painted him in, thinking that spot in the painting needed something. He came over to look and I asked him who he thought it was and he said "its me or Marty." Below is the man and the truck and above is the whole painting. Its plein air, alla prima, it was a beautiful, breezy day. My group of painters, the Plein Air Painters of the Treasure Coast will be painting there again this tuesday. Its a fun place to paint with lots of things going on, boats and birds and interesting people. The painting is 8 x 10, oil, $200.
"SeaGrapes, Study"
About This Painting:
Went to Fort Pierce today and painted with Lori McNamara's plein air group. This is the second of two I did. It was alla prima, fast, loose and all palette knife. Too much fun. Fresh air, cool breeze, and warm sun, It was a perfect day!
Ready to frame.
Media: acrylic on hardboard
Size: 6 in X 6 in (15.2 cm X 15.2 cm)
Price: $85 USD
To see more originals, please click here to see my gallery page.
How to Purchase:
Its oil plein air alla prima. It was a perfect day not too hot or cold. Its in White City Park. Its 8 x 10 inches. $200.
Its 8 x 10, oil, lots of texture in this one, its mostly the painting knife. I painted it at White City Park. Very chilly out but I sat in the sun so it was pretty nice. $200.
Plein Air, Alla Prima, it was a perfect day. 8 x 10 inches, oil, $200.
Its 8 x 10, oil, $200. Painted it at Oxbow EcoCenter
I would like to know what this plant is before I name the painting. I saw it at Oxbow Ecocenter Park today. There is a photo of the plant below. It has no leaves, those are some tree leaves in the photo. Its 6 x 8 inches, $150.
"Winter Blooms"
Media: acrylic on hardboard
Its oil, I painted it today at Mckee's Botanical Gardens in Vero Beach. I was almost finished and the wind came up and dumped the painting into my lap. It smeared the bottom half of the painting but I was able to fix it up. $200.
This plein air painting is one in my series of paintings done for the show at Brooker Creek Preserve in Tarpon Springs, FL. The exhibit will run from January 2 through March 1, 2009 at the Gallery in the Preserve. This painting was done with pastels on site. It took two days for me to complete. All paintings in the exhibit were done in plein air over several months at Brooker Creek Preserve, located off Keystone Rd. in Tarpon Springs. We are very proud to be able to put on this exhibit as the paintings demonstrate our love of natural Florida. The show is titled: VANISHING FLORIDA - PRESERVATION THROUGH ART, BROOKER CREEK by the WEST COAST PLEIN AIR PAINTERS. If you are in the area, please stop by to see the work by me and fellow artists of West Coast Plein Air.
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This original oil painting by American Artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. is available for purchase... email Bernie with the title in the subject line... click HERE... for price and details.
Its 8 x 10, oil, it was a perfect day, not too hot or cold.
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