Dear Alexandra and Mikael,

My kingdom for your thoughts.

I have often seen something, not knowing what is was, and thought that it looked interesting because of some structures or colors and then when I realized what the motive really was, I almost got disappointed.

This garden painting was started in 1975 and I have hit it now and then ever since with some paint. The garden has changed, but I actually liked that old jungle.

I will add two still life

Allan, thanks for posting the entire garden painting. I'm not at all disappointed! Your still lifes are wonderful, too. I think it takes a certain amount of daring to apply paint thickly and let it stay there. Of all the things I have worked on in my own work, the hardest thing for me is to apply more paint. So I admire your sufraces very much.

I'm atttaching a landscape. The quality of the image isn't great, especially in the light areas, but when I get a new batch of slides made I will take some details. I really loosened up and put on a lot of paint here, especially in the areas around the sun in the sky and reflected in the ocean, but unfortunately this image doesn't show the color in those areas. It is an aerial view, 36" x 60", of Maine. It is looking from Schoodic Peninsula towards Mount Desert Island and the Porcupine Islands.

Alex

Nice work, Allan and Alexandra. Makes me want to step away from doing portraits for a bit, (but then there are those pesky deadlines....!) I think doing landscapes and still lifes would improve my portrait backgrounds though.

Allan, I particularly like your painting of the bottles. Reminds me that a still life can be of just about anything. Painting it elevates the subject matter to art.

And Alexandra, I really like your aerial landscape. There's a mountain around here that has a similar view. I'm looking forward to seeing the detail images!

Alexandra, are you a pilot / painter? Very fascinating view. I can see the colors you have used in the sun reflection area. If you look at that area for too long you will see the contrasting colors and if you blink once you see the contrast of the contrast, right?

Michele, I will add some structures from the still life. Chutney, Mustard and Ketchup, is served.

Allan

Very luscious paint!

Michele, I just noticed you are in Washington. I'm not surprised that the topography there is similar to that of Maine. Someday I hope to get out there and paint some mountaintop panoramas and aerial views.

Great close-ups, Allan! To answer your question, I am not a pilot. It would be a real trick to paint and not crash the plane. I have to hire pilots to take me in either a single-engine plane or a helicopter, while I take pictures like crazy from the windows. I decide which views I want to paint, at which times of day, and then map out a route for the pilot. Very often there are surprises, like wonderful cloud formations, views on the way to something else, and light-shadow effects.

Alex

I'll be doing some plein-air now that we're in our new home. This is one I did last spring. The colors blew me away when I saw this little area.

I really enjoy seeing everyones landscapes and still life. It is important to be able to do both and even an abstract once in a while. It kind of loosens up the mind.

Jean

Lovely, Jean! I especially like the way you did the leaves against the water.

Hi Jean,

Lovely water colors.

Landscapes are perfect to practice the abstract qualities on.

My old garden have provided me with many motives and never complained that "there is something wrong about the mouth".
This painting is from 1974 and the same place as the other. This was done in one sitting.

Allan

This is a very interesting thread.
I too do better with figures and still life, but fail miserably at landscape.
I noticed that somebody said that the composition of a landscape rather escapes them, but what I have noticed day after day as I drink my coffee on the deck that over looks the hills rolling towards the horizon, is that no matter what the clouds are doing in the sky, they blend perfectly with the shapes I am seeing in the greenery of the hills & valleys. I marvel at this on a daily basis. It is like Nature, has it all down pat and has everything perfect.

I am interested in developing my ability in landscapes and stills, not only for their own sake, but also to be able to easily incorporate this into my figure & portrait painting.

I would like to post this "violin" which is currently on the easel, and hope to receive some comments on how to improve it.
I am quite happy with the violin itself, but in the surround, I was trying to put a reign on my usual tendency of "too much unnecessary information" and so was trying to push much into the background.
However, i do not think it is working well.