Michael David Sorensen's Art Blog - Watercolor Painting. Seagulls. Banter.

Hidden Falls

2011-01-24T07:24:00.001-08:00

"Hidden Falls" - 18" x 30 - Watercolor.

So I finally updated my website:
www.michaeldavidsorensen.com

I also managed to finally get my Facebook art page up here .

The Explorers

2011-01-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

The Explorers 22"x30" Watercolor

I've been updating my art website. You can see a bunch of new originals that I put on my website here.

Fall Colors

2010-11-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Fall Color 15"x22" Watercolor.

Upcoming Painting Demonstration and Show:

Vancouver, WA - November 20, 2010. 11am to 5pm at Heritage Gallery. heritagefineart.com/
16020 SE Mill Plain Blvd, Vancouver, WA. 360-576-7558.
I will be doing a painting demonstration and chatting with people all day. Stop by and say hi.

Show Off

2008-11-16T10:48:00.001-08:00

I've been having fun trying some T-Shirt style art lately. With T-Shirt art you are limited to only a few colors and you cannot mix those colors unless you use half-tones (the process that newspapers use by putting little dots of different colors next to each other to simulate a mixed color). You also have to really simplify a design in order for it to work on a shirt. As I tend to be overly detailed it has been fun trying to simplify my designs and compositions.

"Show Off" is one of my first tries at the art of T-Shirt design. I plan to submit this (and the other designs I come up with) to Threadless.com. It is a T-Shirt printing company that allows anyone to compete with their designs to have them printed. Their is also a good online community of other artists who will critique your designs. Here is the link to my Threadless page: Here

A Rag Top Bug in Wine Country

2008-10-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

15 x 20 inches - Watercolor and watercolor crayon on 300lb. Arches watercolor paper.

A 23 Window VW Bus at Rest

2008-08-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

15" x 20" Watercolor (In progress)

When driving through rural America I notice that the coolest cars (and vans in this case) are always parked out in a field behind a barn or under a tree and have obviously been there a while. After driving a vehicle for upwards of 20 or 30 years any car needs a certain amount of attention and maintenance. Most guys just don't have the heart to get rid of a classic if they don't have the time or inclination to do the required work to make it run and look like a true classic should. And so out to the back field, behind the barn or under the tree the once beautiful piece of art on wheels goes to take up residence for the next decade or two until its owner gets around to giving the beloved automobile the attention it deserves.

Every now and again some other guy will catch a glimpse of this once glorious ride in its current state of neglect, sitting under a tree, and long to have it for his own. Sure it is now rather dirty, somewhat rusty and over-grown by weeds. Three of the windows have been broken by young boys practicing their fastball with rocks and the sheet metal under the battery has rusted through to the point that the battery is now sitting on the ground, yet this guy still sees the potential of restoring this car to its original form. The current owner, however, still dreams of one day restoring it himself and turns down any offer of selling it. And so the classic remains under the tree for the next decade, an unattainable prize of rusting metal of rotting seat cushions to all passerbys.

Watching the Surf and Seagulls

2008-04-30T20:07:00.000-07:00

"Pacific Tides" 28" x 40" - Watercolor.

I did and painting demonstration at Champagne Cove in La Conner, Washington last weekend and as always had a great time (it was 65 degrees and sunny on Saturday so it was pretty hard not to have a great time). Pacific Tides is the largest watercolor I've completed so far and the original (it is unpublished so there are no prints) is now on display at Champagne Cove.

I also go to do some camping while I was up in La Conner. Camping this time of year is the best because not only did I get a camp spot at Deception Pass on a Saturday night without reservations (Which I've heard is Washington state's busiest campground), but I also got the state park campground near Gig Harbor almost completely to myself. That campground has to be about the creepiest campground I've been to. I always get there way late at night night when it's dark and foggy, it's always deserted, it's way out in the boonies, is situated in the midst of a dense rain forest with towering trees and thick underbrush and invariably all sorts of wild creatures decide to start howling/growling/hooting/barking loudly in the middle of the night. (it's the kind of place that you would expect to see Bigfoot) This time some owls decided to get in a brawl directly above my tent at about 1am and did some hooting at the top of their lungs (they can be pretty loud). Overall I thoroughly enjoy the creepy camping experience. :-)

Silver Falls

2008-04-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

"Silver Falls" 15" x 22" Watercolor

I actually started this painting a few years back, but just recently decided to work on it again. It is now finished, framed and will be on it's way to Champagne Cove in La Conner, Washington soon.

I believe this is Lower North Falls at Silver Falls State Park near Silverton, Oregon.

"Distant Waterfalls Far from the Land of Email and Offices"

2008-03-11T22:53:00.001-07:00

I did a painting demonstration in a Portland Wine shop last Friday night. I needed something to paint while I was there so I found this painting that I started a few years back to work on. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to do any wine drinking, but I did have a good time finishing this painting and chatting with the folks there for a wine tasting (it was a busy place on a Friday night!).

Also I'm moving my website to a different web hosting company this week, so it should be unavailable and off line for the rest of the week.

The Oregon Coast

2008-02-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

Where Land and Sea Meet - 15" x 22" Watercolor

I'm working on some more Oregon Coast paintings at the moment. Here is the first of them. (More to come)

Winter Dreams of Summer Time Camping

2008-02-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

An 80's vintage Volkswagen Vanagon at Trillium Lake with Mount Hood in the background - Computer illustration.

I can't wait for some good old fashioned nice camping weather. Sure I'm a true Northwesterner and will camp in high winds and sideways rain with a smile on my face, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't like some nice camping weather now and again. Especially since it's been raining for a good 4 months straight, it seems like we're due for some sun.

First Light at Mount Rainier

2008-01-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

22" x 30" Watercolor -

I've been wanting to paint this scene since I saw a great sunrise over Mount Rainier when I was up near Gig Harbor, Washington. The body of water is an inlet of Puget Sound.

Christmas Bug

2008-01-21T23:39:00.000-08:00

This is the Christmas card I made this year (although I'm a tad late at posting it here). It's a computer illustration (drawn with a mouse of course).

I know what you are all thinking: "Those bugs don't have very good heaters! The hearty souls driving the classy little Bug must be either freezing or wearing a lot of clothes!"

I'll have you know that old-style VW drivers are resourceful folk! Heck, I used to have a cigarette-lighter-powered electric blanket in my VW bus, not to mention a wide assortment or gloves, stocking caps, blankets and fuzzy animal slippers that I kept in the closet (including matching pink garb for any females brave enough to ride around in the V-Dub during the height of winter).

Fish 'n Chips

2007-11-17T21:07:00.000-08:00

"Fish 'n Chips" 11" x 15" watercolor-

In my series of paintings on the life and times of Seagulls, this is my new favorite. I finished this painting while doing a painting demonstration at Haystack Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon. The couple that bought the painting were watching me work on it and gave some "ideas" of how to finish the painting and give it some more "realism" (specifically to the deck railing directly below the seagulls). :-)

Falls in the Fall

2007-11-01T08:01:00.000-07:00

15 x 22 inch watercolor -

I got a chance to do a painting demonstration last weekend at Heritage Gallery here in Vancouver. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet everyone that came by. There really was a fun group of people there last weekend. And thanks to Dann at Heritage Gallery for having me.

This weekend in Cannon Beach, Oregon is the Stormy Weather Arts Festival, which is always a great time. I will be painting in Haystack gallery during the day this Saturday, so make sure to stop by and say hi.

We may end up with a milder Stormy Weather Arts Festival than last year by the looks of the weather, but whether it's raining sideways or sunny and 65 degrees the festival is always quite entertaining.

Sailing in the Puget Sound

2007-10-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

"Called in 'Sick of Work' and Went Sailing in the Puget Sound"
30 x 36 inches- Watercolor

[Note: the colors are a bit off on this photo. I'll post another photo of this painting with more accurate color adjustments when I finish the piece).

I'm working on painting larger pieces at the moment, this one is about three feet long and I've got another painting going that's 41 inches long. I actually like painting large, but I apparently need to invest in bigger brushes and a bigger easel before I do too many more large paintings.

This painting is about 80% done as you see it here. I'm currently deciding whether I want to add a few houses among the cliffs before I finish the background and the water.

Another Day at the Oregon Coast

2007-07-17T22:18:00.001-07:00

"A Day in the Life of the Oregon Coast" - Watercolor

I've been busy adjusting my website so I haven't had a chance to blog much lately, but you can check out my website at: www.michaeldavidsorensen.com

I'm working on finishing up this Oregon Coast cartoon. I've pretty much had a blast working on it.

Have a great week!

Bike Riding and Dreams of Amazingly Good Donuts

2007-06-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

"Exercising to Counteract the Ill Effects of Custard-Filled Donuts" - Sketch

I went rollerblading down at Portland's Willamette Waterfront a few nights ago and did some sketching while I was at it. The paths there are chalk full of people riding bicycles, walking, running, rollerblading, skate boarding or scooter-riding.

An interesting bunch of people gather there to perform their exercise of choice and its fun to observe the different types of characters you find there. Some are obvious fitness junkies who eat, sleep and dream exercise. Then there are characters who I can relate with like this fellow that I sketched. He appears to be there merely to burn the exact amount of calories that one will find in two chocolate, custard-filled donuts and a chocolate milk. And you know he's figured out precisely how much further he needs to ride in order to burn the calories in an extra tall chocolate milk.

A Dog and His Kid

2007-06-14T20:54:00.001-07:00

"A Dog and His Kid" 11 x 15 inches - Watercolor

I've been busy working on making changes to my website lately so I haven't gotten a chance to do much blogging.

You all have a great weekend! Go do something fun outside!

Seagulls and Stovepipes

2007-05-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

"Seagulls and Stovepipes"
11 x 15 inches - Watercolor

I painted this scene while doing a painting demonstration at Dancing Coyote Gallery in Depoe Bay, Oregon. I had been walking on the Lincoln City beach (at Roads End) and was noticing all of the cool chimneys that the beach-side houses sport. And of course while I was checking out the neat chimneys I was also noticing the many seagulls hanging out on the housetops (causing trouble no doubt).

The Life and Times of Seagulls in a Sleepy Coastal Town

2007-05-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

Person: So do you as an artist ever worry that you are having way too much fun painting a particular picture?

Artist: Yes, yes I do.

I painted this picture while at "Spring Unveiling" in Cannon Beach a few weeks ago. I did "research" early Saturday morning by wandering around town seeing what kind of mischief seagulls were getting into to give me ideas for my picture.

"The Life and Times of Seagulls in a Sleepy Coastal Town" 11" x 15" Watercolor

Painting La Conner

2007-04-12T10:07:00.000-07:00

"La Conner Waterfront" 22" x 30" Watercolor

This is a painting I did for Champagne Cove gallery in La Conner, Washington. Champagne Cove is in the red building on the left and I generally paint on the deck/dock out front when I'm there. The second building from the right has the Boardwalk Cafe where I generally go for Fish n Chips or Clam Chowder. And of course that's Mount Baker in the background.

Cartoons at the Coast

2007-03-26T23:31:00.000-07:00

These characters are also part of the initial sketch for "At Play on the Oregon Coast".

Oregon Coast Wedding Photos

2007-03-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

Part of the initial sketch for "At Play on the Oregon Coast".

Its seems like every time I'm at the beach people are getting married and/or getting wedding photos on the beach. It also always tends to be raining sideways while I'm at the beach. . .

Waterfalls and Farmhouses

2007-03-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

"Waterfalls and Farmhouses" Watercolor 11" x 15"

OK, so this picture may be a bit of a fantasy. In reality you probably couldn't have your farm this close to that substantial of a waterfall as no doubt the area would be zoned as a scenic area or national forest of some sort, thus limiting any sort of rural or residential building.

Oregon Ducks

2007-03-19T23:00:00.000-07:00

"Oregon Ducks" 22 x 30 inch watercolor

This is a scene of Clear Lake, Oregon and true to it's name Clear Lake is amazingly clear for some reason. On a side note there seem to be way too many lakes named Clear Lake in this country. You would think that people that get to name lakes would be slightly more creative with their names . . .

I started this picture a while back after visiting Clear Lake for the first time and recently have been working on finishing it and am currently trying to decide if its done or not.

Note: Yes the guy fishing is wearing an Oregon Ducks hat. Its anyone's guess as to whether he's a Duck football or basketball fan. =)

You Want Me to Paint What?!?!

2007-03-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

"Dolphin Meets Lion" Watercolor 8 x 10 inches

A friend of mine asked me to paint him a picture he could give to his girlfriend and his idea was, um, so different that I decided to go for it. It was quite entertaining trying to figure out how to put a creature that usually hangs out on the African savannas along with a animal that lives in the ocean in the same scene.
At any rate my friend and his girlfriend seemed to really enjoy it. =)

Building Canals and Fortresses on Cannon Beach

2007-03-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

"At Play on Cannon Beach" 22 x 30 inch Watercolor on Lanaquarelle 300 lb. hot press paper

I spent endless hours constructing castles and dams to divert streams on Oregon beaches as a kid. It was great fun. The kids in this scene still appear to be in the planning stages of their monumental project and no doubt will have the stream diverted a good 10 feet to the north by the time the tide comes in.

This is my second piece painting on 300 lb. Lanaquarelle hot press paper. I like it so far, but it's definitely a lot different than the 300 lb. Arches cold press paper I usually use. This paper seems to work better with layering some how. I seem to be able to put several layers over each other without disturbing the lower layers.

When Meatloaf Inspires a Painting

2007-03-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

"Mount Hood Through the Tree Tops" 18 x 30 inches. Watercolor.

I painting this on some hot press paper (which means its rather smooth) that had been given to me. I was quite happy with the results I could get from smooth paper. I almost always paint on heavy cold press or rough paper that has lots of texture.

I painted at Haystack Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon over the weekend and got talking to another artist only to find that he keeps track of which music he listens to while painting a picture (mostly classy jazz or classical musicians). As it turns out my favorite picture of his was painted to the driving melodies of Meatloaf. I should have known! I'll have to start keeping track of the "music that inspires my artwork". (No doubt it will be an odd compilation of cheesy pop tunes, punk rock and the occasional Louie Armstrong).

You Want Me to Paint Something on What?!?!

2007-03-08T23:39:00.000-08:00

"My lunch" Acrylic on satin of some sort roughly 8 x 8 inches

I was asked to paint something on a chef's hat for this weekend's Culinary Escape taking place in Cannon Beach, Oregon. It was interesting trying to figure out just how to paint/draw on a chef’s hat. Of course I only had one chef's hat so I had no overs in case things went awry. I bought some satin that was similar to the hat to experiment on. This is one such experiment. The interesting thing about painting on this type of material is that you can't move the paint around once you put it down and you certainly can't lift any of the paint up. But at any rate I had a good time and got to eat my still life after I was done. =)

A Split Window Volkswagen in Tuscany

2007-03-06T22:20:00.000-08:00

The first Volkswagen vans were introduced in 1950 and have since been known for being underpowered (the first VW vans came with a whopping 25 horsepower engine . . . I’ve used a riding lawnmower with 25 horsepower . . .), temperamental and shaped like a toaster. Yet millions of us still adore them and wish we still owned one. There is something oddly endearing about the ridiculously-shaped automobiles.

My old ’78 VW’s heater was so close to worthless that I used to use an electric blanket that I plugged into the cigarette lighter, I stored spare gloves and stocking caps in the glove compartment as well as blankets in the closet for any passengers and had to use the ol’ “arm out the window with an ice scraper” to “defrost” my windshield. I had my sliding door fall off onto the ground one day when I went to open it and my embarrassingly wimpy-sounding horn decided to turn on and stay on and I drove home through the suburbs late one night. My rear view mirror flew off on the freeway one day and my side window tried to fall off another (luckily the sink and a few other objects kept it from falling to the floor and shattering long enough for me to save it).

Despite all of the inherent weird problems associated with owning a VW I thoroughly enjoyed it and got way more than my money’s worth out of it. I went camping in it no end and put its couch-like backseat and bed to good use even while in town if I wanted a nap or a cozy place to read during lunch.

So for whatever reason millions of us still love VW vans and no doubt you or someone you know (or several people you know) have owned a VW van at some point and surely have plenty of stories to tell about the crazy old bus.

"A Split Window in Tuscany" Watercolor 18 x 30 inches

A Hungry Watercolorist Enjoys La Conner

2007-02-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

“Rainbow Bridge” 11 x 30 Inches

La Conner, Washington is located about 60 Miles north of Seattle on the Swinomish Channel. It is tucked away in the beautiful Skagit Valley famous for its yearly Tulip Festival that runs between April 1-30. (You can find more information about the Tulip Festival at: www.laconner.net )

The town is a great place for a hungry watercolor artist who can generally be found eating fish and chips at the Boardwalk Fish and Chips (conveniently located in the building next to Champagne Cove Gallery, on the North side of town). The said artist is often seen enjoying a hearty bowl of their fine clam chowder or Halibut ‘n Chips as he works diligently drafting elaborate painting ideas in his sketch book. However to the untrained eye it may appear that he is in fact spending his time hassling the wait staff trying to make them laugh while he doodles seagulls on napkins with a Sharpie™, I assure you he is actually working hard (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it!).

At other times one may see this watercolor artist wandering down to the Calico Cupboard (thanks to Jason for telling me about the Calico Cupboard) for one of their remarkable Snicker Doodles or stopping off at the La Conner Brewery for one of their award winning brews. If you find yourself heading to La Conner looking for a relaxing, fun time of enjoying galleries, shops and restaurants you’re heading for the right place.

Oh, and look for the bald eagles hanging out at the tops of trees on your way into town.

The Moon and Deception Pass

2007-02-15T07:24:00.000-08:00

"The Moon and Deception Pass" 11 x 30 inches

The original for this piece is now available at Champagne Cove in La Conner, Washington. 360-466-0202

This is the last in my series of Deception Pass and La Conner paintings that I have painted over the winter. (No doubt I'll do other paintings inspired by the area at a later date, but for now I'm working on some other subjects)

A Series on La Conner, Washington

2007-02-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the originals that I recently delivered to Champagne Cove in La Conner, Washington. (I haven't quite figured out the best way to photograph framed work with glass to avoid glare).

Yaquina Head Lighthouse at Low Tide

2007-01-24T18:37:00.000-08:00

"Exploring the Vast Sea Life Below an Oregon Lighthouse" 22 x 30 inch Painting in progess. Watercolor and pastel

There are a gazillion little and some rather large creatures that live near Yaquina head (near Newport, Oregon). My favorite time to be there is first thing in the morning, before anyone else is awake, during low tides.

The tide pools there are great - chalk full of all sorts of strange and interesting sea life. Sea lions vie for a good spot in the sun on the rock islands nearby. Inevitably there is always one sea lion pushing another off the rocks into the ocean. Plus there are three or four different types of birds nesting on the rocks and if one is lucky they will see a whale spouting in the distance.

Reflections of La Conner

2007-01-16T08:02:00.000-08:00

"La Conner Evening Looking South"
22" x 30"

I've been working on a series of paintings for the La Conner, Deception Pass area. I've enjoyed the fact that there is a lot water at both locations as water is about my favorite thing to paint. . . well, other than seagulls I mean.

An Oldie: A Porsche, a Barn and a Goose

2007-01-15T00:08:00.000-08:00

"Just Another Saturday Afternoon Cruising Around the Countryside" 22" x 30"

I painted this picture quite a while back, probably when I was in Junior High. I have no idea where I came up with the composition idea and why I decided to have a goose standing right in the road. I kinda like this picture though and wish I would have finished it, but by the looks of it I must have gotten stuck trying to figure out how to paint the goose's feet or the shadows or something. Either way this is still my favorite painting depicting a German sports car with wild fowl in a rural setting. =)

The Wind, The Sea and My Little Boat

2007-01-11T21:32:00.000-08:00

"Sailing Towards Deception Pass" Watercolor

My experience sailing is quite limited at this point in my life. (I’ve mostly been power boating) So limited in fact that the one time I went “sailing” on the Lady Washington (a square rigger) there was so little wind that we merely floated down the Columbia River for a while until we finally powered back to port.

I suppose I was about 13 or 14 the only other time I’ve been “sailing” where my aunt and uncle dropped me off into Puget Sound on an inflatable sailboat and told me to learn how to sail. After determining that my rudder was the better part of useless and I was pure rubbish at tacking I decided to stick my sail (such as it was) into the wind and see how fast I could go. I had a swell time cruising with the wind out into the middle of the Sound for about the first half hour until I started to consider how I was supposed to get back to where my Aunt and Uncle were anchored. As I recall the return “voyage” was a tad harder and I ended up swimming while dragging my sailboat part of the way (meanwhile the sail was still up and catching lots of wind going the wrong direction). After pondering whether or not the current and wind would truly wash me out to sea I was able to make it back (with a little help from a rope that my uncle tossed out to me to drag me the final leg of the trip). Overall it was great fun!

2006 Christmas Card

2007-01-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Wow, December sure was a busy month! I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Years!

This is the watercolor I did for a Christmas Card (and had way too much fun doing). Special Thanks to Jason a photographer and all around classy guy from Seattle who let me use his pug Lucy to model for me in this painting.

You can see Jason's photo's on his Flickr account Here.

Deception Pass

2006-11-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

I got a chance to go through Deception Pass in a boat last time I was up there just in time to see an amazing sunset. This is one of the paintings I did from that trip.

Old Art Class Work Vol. 1

2006-11-09T19:29:00.000-08:00

I was going through old artwork today and found this old art class project from a while back. The teacher had just introduced a new medium to us: Gouache (which is basically opaque watercolor) and the assignment was to “paint something with gouache to get familiar with it.” The other students very diligently painted things like apples or their Starbucks cup that was sitting near by. I, on the other hand, apparently felt the need to paint something in the style of Film Noir, a scene from a drab apartment building where something very mysterious and sinister had just taken place. From the long shadow of the form coming through the doorway we can tell that the phantom villain will finally reveal himself as he walks through the door in this dark place we call . . . Chinatown. . . . . or so I was thinking as I happily painted away next to my classmate who was slurping her mocha and painting an apple.

Chinatown, by the way, is a classic Film Noir movie staring Jack Nicholson. I would highly recommend it.

Discussing the Meaning of Life on a Cannon Beach Roof Top

2006-11-07T21:40:00.000-08:00

Seagulls gather on Cannon Beach roof tops to gossip about Oregon Coast politics and whether the recent storm caused the “10 year flood” or the “100 year flood”.

I painted this picture while giving painting demonstrations at Haystack Gallery during the Stormy Weather Arts Festival. It’s always enjoyable painting a “fun” picture in front of people because they then feel at liberty to offer ideas for what to put in a picture. If you’re painting a “serious” picture, people don’t tend to offer suggestions.

My thanks to the person that suggested adding Haystack Rock, the trademark giant monolith protruding out of the beach indicating that this picture is in fact of Cannon Beach. Also thanks to the youngster that pointed out where I should add a chimney that subsequently became a great item for a seagull to sit on. My apologies to the gentleman that suggested I add someone doing the “Saturday Night Fever” dance in the window of one of the houses. I couldn’t quite pull off a John Travolta impersonator through one of the little windows on this piece in such a way that one understood what kind of dance he was doing. Maybe next time. I do appreciate the gentleman’s willingness to pose the dance move for me, even though he only held the pose for 10 seconds. Next time someone suggests such a thing I’ll insist that I need them to hold the ridiculous dance pose for me for at least a half hour in the middle of the gallery in order for me to complete my piece of art. ;)

Stormy Weather in Oregon

2006-11-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

This last weekend was the Stormy Weather Arts Festival in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Thanks to those of you that stopped by Haystack Gallery to say hi during the event.

True to the festival's name, it proved to be quite a stormy weekend complete with our signature Oregon "sideways falling" rain. The turbulent Pacific was quite entertaining to watch and no doubt would have been even more entertaining to watch through a window while one was eating clam chowder. There were lots of artists and festival-goers in town and overall it was a great weekend! =)

Pictured: Me participating in the Quick Draw event Friday night to kick off the festival.

Dogs and the Beach

2006-11-01T14:08:00.000-08:00

Speaking of dogs chasing off seagulls. . .

"Chasing Away the Seagulls" 8" x 10" watercolor

Tyee Lodge from Agate Beach

2006-10-29T17:57:00.000-08:00

This is a commissioned painting I just finished of Tyee Lodge Bed and Breakfast in Newport, Oregon. The bed and breakfast is right above Agate Beach, a popular Oregon surfing destination and even more popular dog walking beach. I've botched more attempted photos of seagulls on this beach than any other from happy dogs chasing the seagulls off before I could snap my picture. And of course these dogs always have great, ridiculously happy doggy grins on their face after chasing off a flock of seagulls. Between getting to watch the surfers, the dogs and birds interact and the often amazing sunsets complete with historic Yaquina Head Lighthouse perched to the north, this is a very enjoyable beach in Newport, Oregon.

Tyee Lodge Bed and Breakfast, Newport, Oregon

2006-10-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

Who is she and what is her story? She drives a cherry-red ’57 Chevy that matches her dress and she stays at the Tyee Lodge Bed and Breakfast on the beautiful Oregon Coast, but why is she alone? As she looks longingly across Agate Beach towards Yaquina Head one wonders if maybe her true love is overseas fighting a war in a far off land? Could she have been recently engaged and is driving the Pacific Coast highway to visit her friend Mandy in Astoria to tell her the news in person? Or is her husband merely up in their room making them each a cup of coffee to enjoy as they set out for a morning walk on the beach?

More importantly, however, who is the neighbor with the green Volkswagen van and is that truly a ’78? Does he have the Westfalia camping kit option complete with a stove and fridge? Has he invested in a high quality stereo that produces truer sound than the original speakers that beautifully covers the noisy VW engine sound?

Top: Detail of "A Yet Unnamed Painting of Tyee Lodge Bed and Breakfast" 22" x 30" Watercolor

Below: "A Yet Unnamed Painting of Tyee Lodge Bed and Breakfast"

Seagulls

2006-10-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

"Seagulls in Repose" 7" x 10 3/4" Watercolor

Seagulls are characters. Living near a major river and not far from the ocean, seagulls are commonly seen creatures in my world. Despite the fact that they eat trash, they give every impression of being very intelligent and always appear to be “up to something.”

In this scene we find our feisty, feathered friends hanging out in what appears to be an urban setting not too far from the coast. Here they act as though every bit of human handiwork was contrived solely for their benefit. It is anyone’s guess in what employment of mischief and mayhem these seagulls plan for the remainder of this otherwise peaceful late afternoon.

Basset hounds in fine art

2006-10-21T11:25:00.000-07:00

"Wally"

Flowers and sunlight

2006-10-18T22:50:00.000-07:00

"Roses Along Amelia's Fence " 11" x 30" Watercolor. (Which is also titled "Hey Look I Painted Flowers!")

Its been a long time since I painted flowers. I've painted a few pictures with flowers in them, but haven't just painted flowers for a long time. My guess is the last time I painted or drew such a subject was in high school when no doubt the motivation was to win the heart of a fair young female that I fancied. At any rate I was yet again experimenting for the Quick Draw™ and decided to give roses a shot.

Yesterday's Quick Draw

2006-10-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

"Volkswagon Impressionism in Deep Red" 22" x 22" Watercolor on paper.

Produced with the influence of French Impressionism as applied to Volkswagon busses, the distinct toaster-shape of the volkswagons are hinted at by areas of pure color freely mixing together on wet paper accompanied by strong brush strokes allowing your eyes to render the impression of Volkswagons.

Ok, ok, so maybe I just made that last part up and was merely having fun painting one of my favorite subjects with a 2 inch brush while doing a one hour painting practice for the upcoming "quick draw " event I'm taking part in. Either way, I'm still going to consider that "high Art". =)

Paintings in Progress

2006-10-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

This is a watercolor that I'm currently working on. I started it on location in La Conner, Washington and am hoping to finish it shortly.

It's amazing how very little one can paint in an hour. I'm getting ready for the "Quick Draw" at Cannon Beach next month during the Stormy Weather Arts Festival™. At the Quick Draw we artists have one hour to produce a finished piece of art (in front of a couple hundred people).

The picture above is today's experiment with what exactly I can paint in one hour. Naturally I had planned to paint in more trees, a pathway, a small cottage in the background, a kid and his dog walking down the path and a staircase going down to the ocean below, but I ran out of time after partially painting a couple trees.

It would, of course, save time during the quick draw if I were to sketch a subject on my paper ahead of time, but there's no challenge in that! It's fun to go to the Quick Draw™ to watch artists pull out the biggest piece of blank paper or canvas they can find and produce a masterpiece in an hour, all the while making it look easy. Luckily for me I've already got the "make it look easy" part down. You just have to swing the brush around like you mean it and try not to say the words "whoops" or "shoot!" very often and people will say "Wow, he's making it look easy". So now all I have to learn is how to paint a masterpiece on the biggest piece of blank paper I can find in an hour in front of a couple hundred people by next month. Easy!

The Stormy Weather Arts Festival is in Cannon Beach, Oregon November 3, 4 &5. (The Quick Draw is the 3rd and you have to get tickets ahead of time) For more information go here.

Accordian Art

2006-10-06T08:43:00.003-07:00

I title this piece: "The Lonely Heart of a True Rock Accordionist: An Accordion Ballad in D Minor" 9"x12" Watercolor on paper.

This is one of the characters I came up with when working on ideas for the Stormy Weather Arts Festival poster. I had originally thought to put a few musicians in my poster as well seeing that there are always lots of musicians playing at the festival, but sadly I ran out of room.

I'm heading to Gig Harbor, Washington later today so I can do a painting demonstration there tomorrow. I should be there between about 11 AM and 4 PM (Saturday October 7) so if you're in the area stop by and say hi. My Apologies in advance for the cloudy weather that we will no doubt have up there tomorrow. Without fail, when ever I go to Gig Harbor it always turns out cloudy and my guess is its because I'm dying to see a Gig Harbor sunrise where I can actually see Mount Rainier, but I always seem to bring the clouds instead. Ah, well. Regardless of one's ability to see a Mount Rainier sunrise reflecting amazingly on the harbor, its always a lot of fun to go up there to paint and chat with everyone.

The address of the Preuit Collection Gallery where I will be is:
3115 Harborview Drive,
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335
253-851-3792
So stop by and blame me for the clouds. ;)

Painting and travelling

2006-09-18T21:08:00.000-07:00

"The Delicate Interconnection of Seagulls and Laundry" 4"x 6" seagulls on watercolor paper

My brother and I went to Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton National Park in Alberta, Canada two weekends ago. The picture above is St. Mary Lake in Glacier at Sunrise. That was certainly the clearest lake water I’ve ever seen. A few minutes before this photo was taken a bald eagle buzzed by us carrying a fish that was easily half his size. With water this clear it doesn’t seem like there would be any sport for an Eagle fishing here.

You can see more pictures of our trip and various other outings hiking, camping and exploring at my brother’s Flickr™ photo site.

Atop Mount Erie in Northern Washington near Deception Pass. Thanks to TheGraceGirl for telling me about Mount Erie. The view was well worth it. =)

As it turned out, I was the only kayaker that day paddling around Gig Harbor, Washington doing more picture taking than kayaking. I couldn’t figure out how to balance my watercolor painting easel on the kayak I rented, so I ended up just buying a disposable camera and taking some pictures with it. Next time I intend to at least take my sketch pad out kayaking.

Stormy Weather Arts Festival Poster

2006-09-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Here is my newly finished poster for the Stormy Weather Arts Festival November 3-5 in Cannon Beach, Oregon. This is my third year to participate in the festival. Friday night we'll start the event off with (an always sold out) Quick Draw where several of us artists are given an hour to produce a piece of artwork and frame it, then immediately afterwards there will be an auction to auction off our newly finished work. If you think that an hour is WAY too little time for a normal human to produce a finished piece of art, I'd tend to agree with you. However watching artists produce work in that ridiculously short amount of time is very enjoyable to watch. I'm always amazed at what some of those artists can do in so little time.

Saturday and Sunday there will be many artists around town painting, sketching and chatting with people or given half the chance, napping on the beach. Note: "napping on the beach" is sometimes referred to by us artists as "studying our subject matter". Although to the untrained eye it may appear that an artist is merely sitting in a lounge chair by the beach with sunglasses and an iced tea, the reality is that this is an important function of art, wherein an artist can take in a scene and "study their subject matter". ;)

A variety of musicians play live music throughout the weekend and all over town. Hors d’oeuvres are often served by many of the shops in the evenings and overall it’s quite a fun and festive weekend. I would, however, recommend that you get reservations for lodging ahead of time.

Dancing the Argentine Tango to the Light of a '78 Volkswagen

2006-08-21T12:34:00.000-07:00

I painted this picture in the middle of the night several years ago. This is still one of my favorite paintings that I've done. =)

Painting in Cannon Beach

2006-08-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

I will be painting at Haystack Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon this weekend (August 19-20). I will paint between about 11-6 both Saturday and Sunday. If you’re in the area feel free to stop by the gallery and say hi. Although, if you happen to stop by between 11 and 6 and I’m not there you can bet that I had to make a quick trip to the Cannon Beach Bakery where I’m making one of life’s tough decisions: which type of chocolate cream-filled donut to get. ;) I hear it’s supposed to be in the mid 90’s in the Portland area this weekend so the weather should be about perfect at the beach. =)

2 1/2 weeks ago at soccer I managed to sprain my ankle pretty badly and haven’t been able to walk without crutches or drive since. Today is the first day since then that I’ve been able to start putting weight on my injured foot, so hopefully I’ll be able to walk without crutches by the weekend. I’ve always stood while painting so it’s been a bit tricky learning how to sit and paint the last couple weeks.

The Columbia River Gorge

2006-08-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

This last weekend I went hiking with a couple friends up Dog Mountain, a 2850 foot peak jetting out of the Columbia River Gorge. I was impressed with how steep the trail actually is all the way up. The panoramic view from the top is well worth the effort to get up there though.

Waterfalls can be seen in the hills across the river, trains traveling up river look like toys nearly 3000 feet below and the fact the little hill next to us is called "Wind Mountain" should have clued me into the fact that I needed to bring a coat to the top. =P (It was quite windy up there. Dog mountain is located right by Hood River, Oregon- the wind surfing capital of the Northwest)

I'm trying to figure out how to drag my easel and watercolors to top of the mountain to do some painting on location, but I'm afraid that may require a pack animal.

Above (from left): Me, Adam and Seth

The Bridges of Deception Pass

2006-07-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

This is a new watercolor called "The Bridges of Deception Pass" that I just finished. Deception Pass is located about 40 miles south of Bellingham, Washington or 80 miles north of Seattle. The two bridges connect Whidbey Island to the mainland of Washington. The image is 22" x 30" on Arches 300 lb. Cold Press paper.

Above: Detail of Deception Pass

Above: Me posing for the camera while out hiking near Deception Pass.

Painting at Haystack Gallery July 8-9

2006-07-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from my trip to Cannon Beach a few weekends ago. The weather was perfect there. I managed to do some exploring in the mornings before painting in Haystack Gallery during the day Saturday and Sunday. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the gallery to say hi. =)

Below: Mount Neahkahnie from Cape Falcon in Oswald West State Park.

Above: Early morning sunrays at Hug Point, just South of Cannon Beach.

Above: Me very intensely painting seagulls in Haystack Gallery. Picture of me courtesy of Jill Slansky. Thanks for stopping by and chatting Jill. =)

My 1st Watercolor Canvas Painting

2006-07-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at painting on the new watercolor canvas from Fredrix. Its kind of weird painting watercolor on canvas and the canvas acts a lot different than normal watercolor paper. Yet I must say I was quite pleased with how nicely it worked. It was a lot more like painting with oil than with watercolor actually.

This, so far unnamed, painting is 9" x 12". I wanted to try a small canvas to see if I liked it before getting a big one. Now I'm dying to see how a very large canvas would work. Over all I highly recommend this product. It's a lot of fun to use, but it does take a little getting used to.

Pictures from Mount Hebo, Oregon

2006-07-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

The last three weekends I've been busy painting in galleries, hiking, camping, exploring and getting new ideas for paintings. Here are some photos from my trip to Dancing Coyote Gallery in Depoe Bay, Oregon a couple of weeks ago. While there I camped on top of Mount Hebo which is about 50 miles northeast of Depoe Bay. These photos are from Sunrise on top of the 3300 foot mountain which was conveniently above the low coastal clouds that weekend.

(Above) Tillimoook is below the clouds to the left.

Painting at the beach

2006-06-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

I just got back from painting at Dancing Coyote Gallery in Depoe Bay, Oregon over the weekend. I forgot to take pictures while there this weekend, but I will post a few pictures taken on past trips to Dancing Coyote that I just found.

Above: Roberto and I in the gallery.

Painting in progress: Latourell Falls

2006-06-05T12:57:00.000-07:00

Currently I’m working on a painting of Latourell Falls, a waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge. The falls is about 30 miles East of Portland on the old Columbia River Highway. Here is a photo of the falls as well as my preliminary sketch followed by two photos of the painting in progress. I’ll try to post the finished painting when I complete it.

Exploring Oregon

2006-06-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

I’ve been doing some exploring, hiking and sketching in Oregon this month getting ideas for paintings that I’m working on. I will try to post pictures of the paintings in progress here shortly. I really enjoyed camping and hiking in the central Oregon Cascades near Bend, Oregon. It is an especially scenic area of the Northwest and I am looking forward to painting scenes inspired by the area.

Here are a few photos from my recent exploration of Oregon:

Above: Detroit Lake, central Oregon at about 5:15 AM. This was a great place to camp. I camped right next to the lake and had half of the campground to myself. Ducks desided to wake me up by walking right by my tent at 5 AM quacking at the top of their lungs.

Below: Mt Hood from Larch Mountain, Oregon. I did some sketching of Mount Hood from the top of this dormant volcano and currently have a painting in progress from the sketches I did here.

Below: Sahalie Falls in central Oregon drops 120 feet from a ledge created by a lava flow a few thousand years ago.

Trail Review: Multnomah Falls Lodge to Angel’s Rest loop.

2006-05-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

Overview: This trail takes you through lush evergreen groves passing several waterfalls and cascades offering the occasional view of the Columbia River Gorge as you get to the top. The route I took was roughly 8 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 1500 feet.

Highlights:
• Aside from the large collection of waterfalls along this trail, I really enjoy just how green the area is. Moss seems to carpet just about everything that’s not already thriving greenery.

• The Wahkeena Spring gushes out of the side of the hill near the top of the trail.

• The view from the Angel’s Rest looks west towards Troutdale and Washougal and to the North the hills on the opposite side of the Columbia River can be seen including Silverstar Mountain which remained snowcapped into late April. The view to the East is somewhat obstructed by a bend in the river and adjacent hills blocking the view.

• The last time I was on this trail I ran into what turned out to be a Mountain Beaver, which does not look like a normal beaver. Mountain Beavers look something like a bowling ball with fur, probably weigh 5 pounds and appear to have in inherent bad disposition. I turned a corner on the trail only to find this little guy a few paces away in the middle of the trail starring up at me as though he thought I was in his way. Before I could react or really figure out what he was, he decided to slowly but deliberately charge my left shin. At the last moment I lifted my leg up and he walked right under my foot straight to a plant that was behind me and he proceeded to gnaw on the plant. I’m convinced that had I not lifted my leg up he would have run right into my leg.

Comments: When I started this hike I didn’t intend on going the entire 8 miles, thus I failed to bring food or water with me, a big mistake when going on most any hike. Luckily it wasn’t an overly hot day and there was an abundance of fresh mountain spring water nearby had I been desperate for water, but I still suggest bringing ample water for the trip.

Trail Rating: (score from 0-10) 8

Verdict: This is one of my favorite hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. I would highly recommend it, although, I would probably recommend taking the Multnomah Falls to Wahkeena Falls loop trail first (the same hike, minus the extra couple miles up to Angel’s Rest).

Location: Multnomah Falls (which is Oregon's tallest waterfall) is located in the scenic Columbia River Gorge East of Portland, Oregon at Exit 31 on I-84.

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2005-09-13T23:35:00.000-07:00