reflections, goals, insights

I'm not a person who makes New Year's resolutions, but I do take time to redefine myself and look through fresh eyes occasionally. Working outside my comfort zone and painting with more insight, I hope to become a better painter. I've been self-limiting this year, but reflections on the past only serve to cast more light upon the future.

The subject of this plein air painting is an old oak tree situated on a knoll which overlooks a nearby Civil War battlefield. The tree has become a fixture in many of my paintings. It seems I'm captivated by Nature's light and how it plays across the area. Studying the tree has helped me 'see' rather than just 'look'. I'm always amazed at God's palette and how we mortals struggle to capture His works on canvas.
BJ Wright http://beejw.blogspot.com/

A Holiday message from Bernie

Snowy Path in the Blue Ridge... 6x8" Oil on panel, alla prima, 2008. Click on image to enlarge...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all my friends at SPAP... Thank you for being a big part of my journey... May your journey bring you Peace, Hope, and Joy in the New Year.

Bernie

A "Blast from the Past"... Me and Santa, Christmas 1962.

Plein Air exhibit by the West Coast Plein Air painters of Florida

Click on the picture for an announcement about upcoming plein air show at Brooker Creek Nature Preserve in Tarpon Springs, FL.

determined plein air painter

This summer Sandra was working on a large acrylic painting of the pre-Civil War Clisby Austin House. But she had forgotten her water container...and her water. But there's no stopping a determined plein air painter. She remembered a punch bowl left in her car after a recent art reception. She dipped water at the spring house, filled the punch bowl, set it on the hood of her car...and she was all set to paint.

Daily Painting 755 Clouds in the Savannas

Plein Air, Alla Prima, 8 x 10, oil. There are a few specks in the sky, they are insects, I will remove them when the painting is dry. $200.

Daily Painting 754 Pickerel Weed in the Savannas

Its plein air, alla prima. It was a very cloudy day with a few showers, I got out there, found a nice spot and sat down to paint and it started to rain. So I got up and went under a pavillion. It stopped raining again and I did this one. It was nice out even with the rain, pretty and silvery. Not too hot or cold. I painted it at the Savanna's Preserve State Park off of Walton Road. Its oil, 5 x 7 $100.

The Tree in Bob's Yard by BJ Wright

I came across this plein air sketch today. I had been working on a series of tree paintings...some featuring a full moon. It's interesting to note that the sketch is Bic pen on a paper napkin. We work with what we have when the opportunity strikes.

Saturday sketch book

Had to go out to Bell Buckle on Saturday and cruised through Christiana on the way home. This scene is near it so I stopped the car and sketched enough info for a future watercolor. This area is Kevin Menck's stomping ground. Go visit his painting blog and give him the business. http://www.kevinmenck.blogspot.com/

The Roof is Red I Say (5x7 acrylic) $70

Yes, this roof is red on this shed and it is in Christiana Tennessee. I test drove the new Golden Open acrylic paints on this and I like them a lot. Going to try a portrait with them sometime.

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Price: $70
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Daily Painting 748 Fatal Embrace Plein Air Alla Prima

I painted this today out at the Fort Pierce Inlet State Park, I have been wanting to paint this strangler fig for a few years now. Its big, one of my fellow painters was standing behind it and I couldn't even see him. Its 8 x 10 oil,

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Price: $300 USD
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My One Woman Show

Here is what I have been doing lately instead of painting! I had just under 60 paintings, above is a collage of a lot of them and my self portrait. Below is me dressed up, I crocheted the purse its out of fun fur yarn. Next two are me when we set up the show yesterday.

The show was put on by Mainstreet Fort Pierce, Inc. http://mainstreetfortpierce.org/
They put on a lovely reception for me, nice music and lots of super food. We had a pretty good turn out, I am guessing 60 people came. I have sold a couple of paintings there so far and maybe a third. It runs till Saturday. Its in the old Beanie Backus home. Beanie was a Florida artist who did beautiful landscapes, I had a few lessons from him.