Most of the Southwest landscape paintings I've done in the past have been vistas of mesas and big skies. Lately I have enjoyed smaller, closer studies of some of the scenes around where I live. such as images of a place called Razorback Trail, just minutes away from my home. The surrounding area has hills with geologic formations of alternating pink and white rock, making really crazy striped patterns. Down here in Southern Utah you can't escape the reds, oranges and pinks on the hills and mountains.
Another favorite place to paint is Snow Canyon outside of St. George in Southern Utah. It has red rock formations mingled with a lot of lava outcroppings. (And definitely not named for its snow).
Why do I paint huge apple still-lifes? First, the size works especially well with these compositions. And I have painted so many very large landscapes over the years that it just came naturally.
Second, I am fascinated by the relationships between the apples, their shadows and the reflections that all seem to vibrate throughout the painting. Also, because of their shiny skins, the apples pick-up the color and reflection of whatever is around them.
Third, they are fun to paint, and I think they are awesome on the walls in dining rooms or wherever. These photos show actual scale when in place.
I have done a lot of aspen paintings over the years (and a few of maples). The way I paint them is the same way I enjoy them most; by being right inside a thicket of trees. It creates a very intimate way to experience the scene. Very personal. Aspens, because of their white bark, will absorb the atmospheric light from the area and the conditions of the day. I love the late evening golden glow, or the early morning pinks, and the reflections of reds or greens from the surrounding foliage. I also like to include smatterings of wild flowers or berries done in very simple bits of color.
An assortment of Southwest Paintings from over the years.
An older painting, also of Heber Valley, done in a more realistic style. An attempt to portray the feeling of the cool morning by the river.
Here is a scene painted of Heber Valley, Utah. I like the quick Plein-air style with rough brushstrokes.
Another scene from Massachusetts, this one of Westport Point and more lobster boats, on a misty mourning. This was one of my first oil paintings many years ago. If I painted this scene today it would likely be in a much looser, more gestural style.
This painting is of a lobster boat in Fairhaven harbor by New Bedford, Massachusetts where I worked for several years. Often overcast, but a favorite place to paint. I also did many ink drawings of these harbor scenes when I was living there.
Here are four examples of painting in oils with only a palette knife. I see artists who use this palette knife technique and can create beautiful paintings. It is not easy, and i'm rather clumsy painting like this.
This was a some fun with apples, These were apples that were green with patches of red. It makes a somewhat odd image, compounded by the hard edges from the palette knife. (12"x16").
A self-portrait with knife. An experiment with highlight, shadow and color. Again, very rough, though more sensitive and refined than the apples. This one is 18"x16"
I have done several of these Southwest landscapes with knife. It gives an interesting effect, although the small scale (8" x10") comes out very choppy.
This is a larger painting (12"x60"), and is still rough, but has, I think, a better overall effect.