Early Work 1980-1987

 Perhaps it 's because I turned 60 nine months ago that I've painted six self-portraits during that time and find myself also looking back at some of my earlier work. The earliest I'm posting is 1980 with a few from 84-87. All the paintings from 1980 were painted in one sitting and most are 24x30. I had been painting full time for five years in 1980 but didn't start going out on location on a daily bases until 1979. At that point I had met George Van Hook, James B. Moore and Curtiss Otto and started painting with them each, mostly with George. It was a great learning and growth period. We were painting at least three 24x30's each day. The energy and enthusiasm was addicting. I think the smallest size we worked was 16x20. My work was rough and not always drawn well, but it was fearless. I'm not sure I could pull off a 24x30 in one shot today. I had a naive passion in the early work. The passion is still there except with a much more formed and critical eye. I thought it would be interesting to post these works showing where I've come from. I've also included a couple of portraits. Thanks for taking a look. Some of the paintings are in storage and others I copied to jpeg from old slides. You'll be able to tell the difference.

1980 24x30
Auto shop, Arcata, Ca.

1980 30x36
Auto shop, Arcata, Ca.

1980 24x30
Arcata, Ca.

1980 24x30
Outdoor portrait, Arcata, Ca.

1981 24x36 This is the house I where I grew up in Ontario Ca. I think of this
 as a self-portrait, I'm reflected in the sliding glass door

1984 20x30
I've started working on paintings more than one sitting by the time
I painted this work at the dry dock.

1981 24x30
This is Justin on my pickup truck. He is the son of a friend

1981  24x30
Justin again on his front porch

1982  36x48
Painting of a friend Suk Cho Kim

1982  30x36
This was a commission of Paul Ricards grandfather. He was in his 90's and
I painted this at their home.

1985  12x36
Eureka Ca.

1984 12x24
Tanker and Tug Eureka, Ca.

1980 30x24
Eureka Alley

1980  24x36
Holt and Euclid Ontario, Ca.

1980  30x24
Arcata, Ca.

1980  24x30
Eureka Street

1980  30x24
Claremont College

1981  30x36
Claremont College

1987  40x48
Mt. Lassen
I spent two weeks camping and painting in Mt. Lassen park in the fall
of 1987.

1986  34x50
San Gabriel Mountains, Southern Ca. While visiting my folks in Ontario I have
painted many works throughout the area. I recently took this out of storage and
spent a couple hours reworking some areas. I'm pleased with this piece.

1987  40x60
San Antionio Dam Spillway, S. Ca.
 The grey part of the sky is the valley smog.

1980  30x24
Rouge River, Oregon 

1980  24x30
Above the smog filled valley in Southern Ca.

Self-Portrait 1980  30x30 oil on canvas

Recent Landscape Paintings

Loleta, February Morning oil on panel 12x9

I'm posting several landscapes I've painted over the past six months. Humboldt County
had a very dry and sunny December, January and February. I was outside painting most
of those stunning days. I find the color and tones in the winter months very beautiful as
well as a great contrast to all the greens. This time of year we are swimming in green. I'm
currently working on paintings of our garden, with a few outings to paint other locations.
I hope to get up to Trinidad to paint the ocean and rocks later this summer. All of the work
was painted on site. My photos of the paintings are not the best. I hope to soon buy a better
camera and figure out how to deal with the glare. Thanks for viewing the work. I have also
been working on some still life and portrait paintings over the past eight months and plan
to post those later this summer.

Singley Valley Pond 24x40 oil on linen

Late Light, Winter 12x24 oil on linen

Blue Lake, Late Spring 10x14 oil on paper

View From Manila Dunes 24x40 oil on linen

First Light, January 18x20 oil on linen

December Morning, 10am 12x16 oil on linen

December Morning, 9am  oil on panel

Ferndale Ranch 10x14 oil on paper

Ferndale Field, Spring 6 1/2x9 1/2 oil on paper

Hawks Hill, Morning Light  11x15 oil on paper

Late Afternoon, Hawks Hill 8x10 oil on panel

December Morning, Lake Loleta 18x30 oil on linen

Loleta Bottoms  12x16 oil on panel

Loleta  10x14 oil on paper

Fall, Loleta Hills  16x40 oil on linen

Mad River, June  9x12 oil on panel

Our View, May  18x30 oil on linen

Mad River Poppies  9x13 oil on paper

Barn and Eucalyptus  11x15 oil on paper

Singley Valley, Spring 20x24 oil on linen

Windy Afternoon  8x10 oil on panel

Late Afternoon, May  13x20  oil on paper

Winter Pond  12x16 oil on panel

Southern California Paintings

 24x36 oil on linen

This painting was a commission by the owner of this home.

Terry and I spent three weeks in Ontario Ca. It's in southern 

California and the area I was raised. For two weeks  I 

painted on this piece as well as several other paintings in this 

beautiful neighborhood. We both had a grand time painting in

the warm sunshine of Southern Calif., while the winds blew and 

the rain fell up here in Humboldt County. This home was 

built in 1926, the year my Father was born. A good year.

12x9 oil on panel

I had to paint some palm trees.

16x12 oil on panel

Terry and I painted in a park in Claremont Ca, just a

few miles from Ontario and my favorite town in the area.

A stunningly beautiful college town. We had met Richard Scott,

another painter and the son of a long time friend of my Dad's.

He suggested we get together to paint at the park. It was a great

afternoon and wonderful to meet and paint with another artist.

 I painted this view of a couple of homes across from the park.

12x9 oil on panel

While we were in Ontario a storm dropped some snow in the

mountains. We drove up three different afternoons to Mt. Baldy

and I painted three snow studies. It was exhilarating each time.

 24x30 oil on linen

Palm and Armsley

This is the view looking east on Armsley Square in the morning

light. It is truly a beautiful tree lined street. I loved working with

all the different shapes of trees and plants, shadows and light, and

a variety of greens.

9x12 oil on panel

Another view from the park in Claremont. I was struck by

the glowing house and the stop lights. I also love adding 

figures as they walk the streets.

 16x12 oil on panel 

Light and Shadow

 12x16 oil on panel

Looking west along Armsley Square, morning light

16x12 oil on panel

Snow and Light

Laughing Self

Laughing Self   36x36 oil on canvas

I painted this self portrait in January 2012. This canvas

sat in my studio for a couple of months as I kept adding

palette scrapings intending to paint my portrait surrounded

 by all the paint. I thought I would paint my frustration

  with the many things in life that just don't make any sense

 and the insanity that is so much a part of our human existence.

 I looked in the mirror for the expression to convey those feelings.

 Laughter is what came to me. All the bird shapes just seemed to

appear as the painting evolved. I had a great time working on this

piece. I'm so thankful for the Arts, Love and all the 

stunning Beauty on this planet and beyond.

If you don't laugh, you'll cry.

Detail

 

I liked this photo with the sepia tones. It's interesting
to see all that color as values and to see how it sits behind
the figure. The form really shows against the flat shapes.

 

Portrait of Roland and Self Portrait at 60

                                                                

                                                              

Roland

18x14 oil on linen

This is a portrait I just completed of my friend

Roland. It was painted in my studio this

December 2011, with three afternoon sittings.

Self Portrait at 60
24x18 oil on canvas
I had my 60th birthday earlier this month, November, and could not
resist painting another self image. The painting evolved
over a period of several days as I stood in front of the mirror
observing myself. Life and Painting are a great adventure. I
hope to get another 30 good years.