Ice Blue - most recently completed painting

Here's a 12x16 oil on canvas painting I recently completed entitled "Ice Blue."  This was a very challenging piece, especially the mid-ground water.  I had to re-do it a few times, but I love how the zig-zag, winding path leads the viewers eye from the foreground to background, or likewise from the background to foreground...

Monet's Water Lilies on display @ The Legion of Honor in San Francisco

Monet's Water Lilies on display @ The Legion of Honor in San Francisco - if you can, go check it out - AMAZING!!!

http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/blog/monets-water-lilies-returns-legion-honor

Mile Rock Beach Sunset - 50% complete....

Most recent painting ("Mile Rock Beach Sunset") in progress, about 50% complete...

How to Varnish an Oil Painting

If you're like me, varnishing an oil painting (especially one that you've spent HOURS and HOURS on), can be a frightening and worrisome proposition!  Knowing that a foggy finish, or a few misplaced varnish streaks here and there could ruin all your hard work is enough to prevent one from varnishing altogether!  Thankfully I was super relieved to come upon a product, and a technique that helps to greatly reduce and eliminate varnishing issues  - Gamblin's GamVar varnish - the key is to use very thin layers of varnish.  Watch the following video for a great demo:

http://www.gamblincolors.com/oil.painting.techniques/varnishes.html 

I hope this helps you be more confident with your varnishing, allowing you to produce flawless finishes!

New Mile Rock Beach painting!

Hi all - hope the New Year is treating everyone well so far! Here's a drawing of an upcoming painting I'll be working on. The scene is Mile Rock Beach in San Francisco. I'm going to do something different with this painting, and that is to paint in the 'Old Master' style, applying numerous (dozens!) layers of paint (referred to as glazing). Not sure how long this will take since I haven't painted this way before!

Albrecht Dürer exhibit

Wonderful Albrecht Dürer exhibit on display now at the Legion of Honor in San Francisco....

https://www.facebook.com/LegionofHonor

Crocker Art Museum Art Classes!

For anyone in the Sacramento California area, here are some wonderful art classes being offered at the Crocker Art Museum. If classes aren't your thing, the Crocker is a beautiful historic place to visit with some amazing art - Normal Rockwell's art is currently on display until February.

Register now for Winter Studio Art Classes! http://bit.ly/yILUJn