"Chestnut"

 

The first "sketch" paintings I've done in a while. I found this flowering branch of a chestnut tree on the sidewalk, so I decided to paint it. The color was hard to figure. It was sort of a creamy pink, if that makes any sense. I think I came close, but maybe I'll have to give it another whirl down the road. 

"Gerbera-Orange & Yellow"

 

Though I'd loosen up a little with this one. It's a Gerbera Daisy from Trader Joe's--thanks for providing with with lots of great images! 

""Mack Avenue Sunset 5/13/22"

 

Another dramatic sunset. Not sure if it's obvious, but in the upper left hand part of the painting is a small bird. It flew into the scene, just as I was snapping the photo. I originally wasn't going to include it, but after thinking about it, I thought it added a bit of character. 

"Oh the Redbuds!"

 

Our dining room window with a great view of the Redbud tree. Spring is indeed the most beautiful time of year around here!

"Redbud + Pear Tree"

 

Such an incredible view out our dining room window. The redbud trees were just beginning to flower bot the pear tree behind it was in full bloom. Just a glorious display of color! 

"Creepy Lawn" Two versions

 

I recently did a little experiment. I painted the same scene in acrylics and watercolors. Not sure which one I like better, They both have their merits. What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment!

"St. Michael's Church-Kyiv, Ukraine"

 

I'm new to the world of watercolor so don't be too harsh on me. This is another Ukrainian Orthodox church. I have to admit I cheated--I used an image I fund on the interwebs for reference. I normally only paint from pix I've taken. And even though I have a ton of photos from our trip to Ukraine, I don't have many good ones of the churches there. So this'll have to do. 

"St. Andrew's Church-Kyiv, Ukraine"

 

Another attempt at water colors. 

"Roseate Spoonbill"

 

One more in my "For the Birds" series. I started with the background, and it looked similar to the other ones I did. So I though I'd try something different. I painted some dabs of white on the canvas with a thick brush. Then I took some cardboard and smeared it, to give it a windy look. I like the way it turned out. 

"Pelican Brief"

 

Another in the bird series. Haven't done one in a bit, so I thought I'd take a stab at a silhouette of a pelican. For some extra drama, I did the background with just a palette knife. 

"St. Sophia's Kyiv, Ukraine"

 

This was my second foray into the world of watercolors. It's from a photo I took a few years ago when we visited Ukraine. The churches were all beautiful. Look for more of these images in the near future. 

"What a View!"

 

While hiking in one of the Detroit area MetroParks, I came across this unusual scene. A park bench overlooking one of the ugliest views imaginable. I have no idea what the planners had in mind here, but it was absolutely ridiculous. 

"A Well Deserved Caning"

 

This is the corner of our dining room. I set the caned chair in front of the window so our cat has a good view of the action on our front lawn. One morning I noticed the way the leaded glass windows cast a shadow on the chair, and the way it was mirrored in the window behind it. I thought it'd make an interesting painting. You be the judge!

"Charlevoix Sunrise 4-19-22"

 

Another interesting sunrise. My wife commented that she thought the clouds looked like floating Cheetos! Not sure I see that, but that's the beauty of clouds. Everyone sees something different. 

"Eggcellent Idea"

 

I found this unusual scene at a local park. It has a surreal feel to it, so I thought I'd commit it to canvas. 

"Floral WC"

 

This is my first attempt at watercolors. I did a sketch with a pen, then filled it in with paint. Interesting process. You really have to plan out what you're going to do n advance. Unlike acrylic painting, you can't really go over a mistake. This should be fun--looking forward to moving forward with this medium!

"Christ Church Detroit"

 

This is one of the oldest churches in Detroit. I attended a funeral service there last weekend and took a few reference pix of it. Here's the resulting painting.