Stanford foothills and Hoover Tower

Hello, and a slightly belated Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!  I've been inactive on this blog for a little over a month now because I was doing a painting I'm not able to publish.  It's a Christmas present I was asked to do and can't spoil the surprise by posting it.  It's at the framer now, so after Christmas I'll put it on.  In the mean time I'm painting a local scene.  Hoover Tower at Stanford, photographed from the "Dish" trail.
Back shortly with progress report.  Happy shopping!  Mark

St. Andrews and the Swilcan Bridge

Well it took a little longer than I expected, but it's a wrap.  This was an exercise in patience and a steady hand.  Lots of delicate lines and a rock bridge that was the main attraction.  I'm going to have Giclee prints made of this painting.  I'll post the comparison when I get them back in a few weeks.

I'm off to the Federal Duck Stamp Competition judging at the end of this week.  I'll post the outcome next week.  Thanks for checking in.
Cheers!  Mark

St. Andrews, Scotland

Time for a golf painting.  In May 2010, I joined 23 fellow golfers for some golf competition at the home of golf.  Over the next 6 months I am going to do a series of paintings from that trip.  To kick things off I'm doing a painting of the 18th fairway at The Old Course, St. Andrews Links.  The following photos are 2 closeups from this painting.  Top photo is the Rusacks Hotel and street scene, the bottom photo is the Clubhouse of the R & A.  The foreground will have the most famous bridge in golf, "the Swilcan Bridge".  The finished work should be complete in about 7-10 days.  The size of the painting is approx. 20x30 inches.

Thanks for checking in - Mark

Amazonian Gem!

And there's your American Purple Gallinule...in my opinion, a serious contender for best in show!  The colors, the regal look.  What a joy to find this bird in the Ecuadorian Amazon.  Sweet.

Not sure what's next...I  head to Yosemite in another week...maybe a landscape.  See you in a couple of weeks.  Mark

Background just about complete

Tomorrow I'll finish the background and begin the Gallinule.  Back in a week or so with a finished painting!

American Purple Gallinule

Who knows what an American Purple Gallinule is?  Wait for it....a bird.  So yes, yet one more bird painting is underway.  From Elke's and my travels to Ecuador this summer we returned with some pictures of a pretty cool bird we saw up close in the Ecuadorean Amazon.  The APG is a bird that is found in southeast United States and as far south as Central and South America.  Neither of us had ever seen this bird before.  And what a great bird it is.  About the size of a chicken, the APG is found in swamps, ponds, and lagoons.  It's feet and legs oversized for its body and are perfect for standing on large lily pads and water vegetation.  Its feathers are a beautiful blue, green, aqua blend.  And its beak, well, its a big candy corn of striped white, orange, and yellow.
Today I layed out the painting, and blocked in the initial background colors.  I'll return in a few days with the background hopefully pretty much intact. 
Mark

Canal Complete

Venice canal is finished.  The Aquabord surface worked well - I'm going to continue using for future work.  The painting size is 24 x 18.  I'm not sure what is next - possibly a bird I photographed in Ecuador last month...stay tuned.  Happy late summer!