Lake Illawarra sunsets

I'm currently in Australia enjoying the wonderful weather! Here's a couple of paintings of Lake Illawarra.


Last Light, Lake Illawarra; oil on linen
First painting for 2009!




Day's End, Lake Illawarra; oil on linen
The light ran out before I had finished this one, but I don't think I'll do anything further to it, I'm kinda liking it the way it is.

Some from 2008... part 3 Oz

Last September I was in Australia and had the fortune of taking a plein air landscape class in Grafton with Clayton Beck, a wonderful artist and teacher who was vising Oz from the US. It was my first outdoor class, and first landscape class, and I absolutely loved it. Clayton's a great teacher, I learned a lot. Although I'm still pretty new to landscape painting, it's definitely where my heart and soul lie. There's nothing like being outdoors painting!

A couple done during the class:


Clarence River - afternoon, oil on linen




Cloud studies, oil on linen


I also managed to sneak up to Brisbane to do a couple of days of Clayton's Head Studies class. I'd love to do his 5 week summer class in Chicago one of these years. Here's one of my studies.
(This photo's pretty crappy, I'm travelling right now, but will take a better pic after I get back and replace this one. )


Contemplation, oil on linen



After my time in Grafton I headed north and hung out with some good friends near Byron Bay. This was painted on a friend's property where I was staying in Wooyong.


Malachai Morning, oil on linen



Below is a quick sketch painted one morning, at Lake Illawarra down on the NSW south coast, a hop, skip and jump away from my sister's place.


Lake Illawarra, morning; oil on linen

Some from 2008... part 2 Chiba area

The Dreaming Boat, oil on linen
Last July I started living part time in Chiba, on the coast. Summer out there was bliss.
This is the early morning view out my bedroom window. (apologies for the glare in the photo).






Oshibi Afternoon, oil on linen
Quick oil sketch at the end of the day of the 'back yard' view from the house of the rice fields. The smell of the rice growing is amazing - it hits you as soon as you go outside.






Mikado lotus, oil on linen
Had fun painting this, the first time I'd seen white lotuses.

Some from 2008... part 1 florals

Catchup from last year!


Bursting Forth, Sakura, oil on linen
This was painted in two sittings at Inokashira Koen last April.




Sakura, oil on linen
done one bleak windy afternoon near Kawasaki.




Iris, oil on linen
Korakuen's iris garden. Tripods and easels weren't allowed, so I sat on the path and painted with the canvas on my lap.