BEACH BUNGALOWS FOREVER

Beach Bungalow for Water Lovers, 9 x 12 oil

As I write this, it's pouring down rain.  The bananas in my kitchen are mainland bananas.  The only thing to do is retreat to my studio.

I put lots of water toys in this yard.   See if you can find them all.

BEACH BUNGALOW AND HAMMOCK

Beach Bungalow and Hammock, 9 x 12 oil

I could totally walk out this house and pick bananas, not to mention plunging into the water.  I think these people maybe should move the hammock off the pathway to the beach.  Just saying.

BEACH BUNGALOW AND TROPICAL GREENS

Beach Bungalow and Tropical Greens, 9 x 12 oil

I am smuggling bananas into my bungalow paintings.  There's nothing I love more than apple bananas.  Unless maybe raspberries.  Both fruits only available in certain times or places.  Surfing, anyone?

KE'E BEACH WALK

Ke'e Beach Walk, 9 x 12 oil

Oregon spring rains are keeping me indoors, so I am revisiting Kauai in my studio.

On Ke'e beach, at the end of the road, huge trees overhang the sands.  After I lay out the trees, I see that we will need some figures to appreciate these beachside giants.

PAINTING LARGE

Aspen Light, 60 x 48 oil 

In the basement, there are two large canvases, that I bought in a crazy moment of wishing to paint larger.  After my summer of plein air painting, I have one image that I would like to paint really big.

My studio is in what the builders designed as a bedroom.  It has a closet, useful for storing stuff, and normal bedroom height ceilings.  This means that an easel mast can only go so high, and large paintings, even if they fit on the easel, won't fit in the room.  So this painting will have to be done hanging on the wall.

I wire the back of the canvas, and set up nails at different levels, about 3 inches apart.  This way, I can reach the top of the canvas, or the bottom of the canvas, but not both.  I will have to raise it up and down the nails when I want to reach other parts.  This, of course, means that the painting gets finished bottom to top, instead of my painting all over it.  No worries.  It works this way too.

When the painting is done, I realize that my studio is too small to give me enough room to photograph it.  I wait for a sunny day, sneak outside with my camera and painting, and quickly photograph before it clouds over again.

This is fun.  I think I'll do more of them.

BANANAS AT THE FOOT OF TIKI

Bananas at the Foot of Tiki, 12 x 12 oil

A day in the studio, looking at blues and yellows.  Bananas are an iconic fruit for me. Tiki is looking toward Hawaii, where I'll be holding a class in August.  More info to come.

ORIGINAL ART IN YOUR HOME: ART SOUVENIRS

Willow Shadows and Aspen, oil on panel 16 x 12, SOLD as a memento

My neighbors came back from the south of France with a unique souvenir: a painting of the castle fort in the town where they were staying.  Walking around their picturesque village, they noticed a painter working every day in the plaza.  They looked at his work, and watched as he meticulously painted the scene in front of him.  Then they bought the painting.  It's the only souvenir they brought back, other than their own photos, and it's one that will last a lifetime, as a valued piece of art, and as a memory.

How to collect an art souvenir or memento:

1.  Look for signs that it's an original work of art, not a reproduction.  Watching an artist at work is great evidence.  Assertions of a street vendor, not so much.  Look at the art closely.  If it's oil or acrylic, are there visible brush marks?  Do the brush marks begin and end with the color mark, or do they carry through color marks as if they were put on later? Is it on canvas or panel that shows signs of a bit of extra paint on the back or edges?  Does it smell like oil?  Does a pastel or charcoal painting have a little bit of dust on surrounding materials?  Can you see the thickness of the pastel marks when you look closely? These may be signs of an original.  

Watercolor paint films have almost no thickness, so they are a little more tricky.  Look at the edges of the painting.  If they're razor straight, it may be a reproduction.  Originals will usually be on watercolor paper, usually with a slight texture.  Giclee reproductions can now be printed on watercolor paper, so this isn't a sure sign.  But any paper texture patterns in the paint should match the bumps on the paper, not be superimposed on them. The finish of a watercolor is generally matte, but there may be a slight sheen over selected colors.  You may be able to detect pigment particles in blue areas. The colors should have a clean, vivid appearance.

2.  Choose art that you love.  Don't worry about whether it fits your color scheme, or whether you have a place for it.  You can always find a place for it, even if it means rotating some artwork.

3.  Landscapes of the area make great mementos, but almost any kind of art will do.  Florals, abstracts, pottery, textiles, all carry the flavor of the area and the artists who live and work there.

4.  If you're buying from the artist, ask for the story of how it was painted.  Write it down, and store it on the back of the art to add to the memory of the trip.

Now, where will you travel next?