These are the other two paintings I did for the  hospital  in Central CA.  In my last post, I shared the first painting I did, so I thought I would share these as well.  I was so glad to finish these and turn them in.  They were all bigger than I usually paint, and were commissions.  Both those facts makes it hard for me.  I feel like I am aiming for a mark that someone else has when I am painting commissioned work.  If someone is paying for my work, I know they really like it.  But, if they pay me, and then I do the work, I am nervous they won't be happy with it when its done.  So, I want to please them, and instead of painting a good picture that I will like, I am constantly thinking if this is good enough.  I go back and forth in my mind about if I even want to do work on commission because of this very reason.  Sometimes I say I just won't do it anymore, but other times, I realize that I learn a lot, and get really far outside my comfort zone doing it.  Which is a good thing.  Mostly its when I am doing the painting, I think I won't take commissions anymore, and after, when I give them to the person who ordered them, and they love them, I think I would love to do more.  And since I just finished these, and am looking for something to paint now, I would love to do more paintings on commission.  So if anyone has something they would love to have painted, let me know!

New Painting

Every September, when the summer is over, I get my brushes out again, and get back to it.  This year I have a good reason to start painting again.  In May, I was commissioned to do three large paintings for a hospital in Central California.  They had a specific idea of what they wanted the images to look like, and I spent a lot of time this summer trying to get something like they wanted.  The instructions were multi cultural kids interacting, and playing at the beach.  That sounds easy, but it was kind of a challenge.  It took some time and arranging to get images like they described, but I finally did.  I submitted six ideas that would have all been good paintings, and they choose the three they liked best.  I was so glad, and super excited to get started.  Here it is, and September is almost over, and I finally finished the first painting - only five months later.  But, I am on a roll now, and the other two will go super smoothly (hopefully).  The first one looks just like something I'd paint, so I thought I'd share.

"The Race"
Watercolor 20 x 30"

Pre Stretch - part II

I think I have been painting at a rate of about 4 to 1 lately.  That is four bad paintings to one good one.  Those are pretty good odds when I think about it, but pretty bad when I am in the middle of the third bad painting, and I know that it just isn't working out.  So, after the fourth one this time, I went back to an image that I love.  I had already painted this one before, but it was one that wasn't as good as I wanted.   So, I took my time, did it slow, and liked it this time.  What a relief.  I hope that doesn't mean I have four bad paintings in my immediate future.  In any case, I like this one a lot.

"Pre Stretch"
Watercolor 12 x 17"

New Painting

A few weeks ago, I was asked by an old friend to do a painting.  I knew him when I was in high school, and missed him when he moved away.  It is always good to hear from him, and when he wanted me to do a painting for him, I was more than glad to.  But, he wanted something big.  And big for me is a little scary.  I never like to spend several days working on something, then have it get away from me in the end.  And for big paintings, that possibility is greatly increased.  I have spent a week or more on something, and have it end up being a waste of time and paper.  But, I was up for the challenge this time.  My friend has a brother who is a great photographer, and he chose an image from a shot his brother had taken to be the basis for the painting.  And I went to work.  Two weeks later, I finish the painting, and am so happy with the result.  I liked it so much, I started another painting the same size, because I liked the impact it had.  This may have sparked a whole new enthusiasm for large work.  Now I just need to find a good place for 30 x 40" frames.

Anyways, I want to thank Jon Petty for getting me out of my comfort zone with the size of the painting, and his brother Nathan Petty for supplying such a great image.  Please check out more of Nathan's photography work at nathanpetty.com

"Left"
Watercolor 22 x 30"

Empty Right

The surf has had some really good days this week, but for some reason, I felt like I needed to get some painting done.  I wish I had those feelings on windy blown out days when the surf stinks.  But for whatever reason, I painted.  And I finished something really good.  I like this painting.  It was from a shot taken by a good friend of mine who was nice enough to let me paint it.  

But even though I really like this painting, since it was done from a shot by someone else, I don't feel complete ownership of the painting.  Like its not all mine.  Charles Schultz never wanted to get ideas for his comic strip from anyone else.  Even when they were really good ideas, and they would have worked really well in his strip, he wanted the work to be all his own.  I didn't understand that when I read his biography, but now I do.  There is just something different about a piece of work that is all done by one person and is completely original.  

That being said, I still think this is a great painting, done from a great photo.  To see more photos from Will Sooter, check out sharpeyesonline.com.

"Empty Right"
Watercolor  - 15 x 22"

More Shorebreak

Last week I went out with my camera.  The morning started out really foggy and I was a little bummed, but decided to snap a few shots anyways.  The sun eventually came out and I was shooting for several more hours, but the shot I used for this painting ended up being my favorite one.  I was so excited when I saw the photo, and I got started painting right away.  But, after 4 days of painting, I was unsatisfied.  The progress was promising all the way through, but when I cleaned my brushes after signing my name, I was a little disappointed.  It just wasn't what I wanted.  But here it is, a few days have passed, and I look at it again, and I really like it.  Even more than I thought I would.  Funny how that happens.  The painting isn't what I started out intending to do, but even though the results are different, I am still really happy with it.  And the challenge is still there to do a watercolor painting and have it turn out the way I think it should.  I wonder if that ever happens with watercolor.  

"More Shorebreak"
Watercolor 16 x 24"

I love painting water.  It is such a challenge every time I do it.  I had this image for a while now, and it seemed so complicated with the muted colors mixed in with the colors of the setting sun.  I like how the painting turned out, but it leaves me knowing I want to further explore the way the water moves.  I love glassy water and watching the way it reflects the colors all around.   The colors from clouds or even an empty sky, or cliffs or other people in the water - whatever.  Just watching them dance around and move.  Its almost like meditating, watching it.  Pretty relaxing.  And if there are some great waves in between the time spent concentrating on the water, then that is an awesome experience.  

"Last set of the Day"
Watercolor 16 x 24"