Waterfalls

8"x10" oil on linen panel

Plein Air

Ok, waterfalls are hard to paint plein air! This is at the end of one of my bike rides. I took this week off and painted this Wednesday afternoon. There is actually a bridge over the falls that I felt was distracting and I had painted in on another outing. A challenge I felt was worth the effort.

Fall Colors Mid-December



8"x10" oil on linen panel

It seems the trees turned overnight here. I was afraid with the drought there would be no color this year. What a wonderful surprise!

Shades of Orange

8"x10" oil on linen panel

I painted this last weekend. As I painted, it was getting colder, but the light was growing warmer.

Giving Thanks

9x12 oil on linen panel

This was how I spent my T-giving. It was nice to have a park all to myself. The sun was in my face and moving pretty quickly, so I had to work off memory in spots. It was such a beautiful day!

My patient companion.

Lost Maples

9"x12"

oil on linen panel

Stella, my pup, and I walked up a mile on the East Trail at Lost Maples with my gear and I painted this in a field on the way back. It was still shorts and t-shirt weather.

Creekside

9"x12"

oil on linen panel

I painted this below the cabin I rented outside of Lost Maples State Natural Area just before sunset. The cypress trees were on their last legs before winter.





Fire Tree

8"x10" oil on panel

Boulders

8"x10" oil on linen panel

This is on the other side of the road from the wagon tracks area. The limestone has tumbled into the creek and seems to have caused the limestone bed to scoop out a cliff where the water backs up and pounds the rock. I painted this on my lunch break yesterday.

Wagon Tracks

8"x10" oil on linen panel

I painted this on a Wednesday during my lunch break. I loved how the old wagon tracks were fossilized in the lime stone. Normally, this would be under water, but the drought has exposed the tracks.

Upstream

8"x10" oil on linen panel

Sunset Crape Myrtles

6"x8" oil on panel

I was a little disappointed in myself for not painting on this day, so I grabbed my small pochade box and while enjoying a nice Octoberfest beer, I caught the sunset on the Crape Myrtles in my back yard.

Fall, Bull Creek

6"x8" oil on linen panel
One of my business partners, Frank, has gotten into oil painting and he found this wonderful park on 360 Highway. We took a long lunch on Friday and painted.

McNeil Post Office

9"x12" oil on linen panel.

                                                                      

This is the post office by the White Lime Company kilns I painted a couple of weeks ago. The trains come by every 30 minutes and blow their loud horns. I was worried about my dog Stella, but she just barked out her warning.

Steck Creek Bed

6"x8" oil on linen panel
I painted this dry bed close to my office one lunch break.

Turning Fall

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

This was painted at Brushy Creek near the rock that gave Round Rock it's name. I've been on a "staycation" this week. Took a trip to Fredericksburg on Tuesday to check out Whistle Pik and Insight Galleries. The paintings were very inspiring. The weather is perfect. Finally in the 70's and 80's.

White Lime Kiln

8"x10" oil on linen panel

This is one of the old lime kilns from the Austin White Lime Company, built around 1857. The company is still going strong. I've been wanting to paint here for some time. There's also an old Post Office I hope to capture soon.

Zilker Park

8"x10" oil on linen canvas panel

Powerhouse Animation gave our employees a half day on Friday to hang out at Zilker Park. A cold front had moved in the night before and temps were in the low 90's!

While the crew was eating pizza and playing flag football, I found a nice spot by a rock outcropping to paint. I lost count of the number of times friendly, wet noses touched my legs, as there seemed to be as many dogs as people in the park. 

Cedar Posts

8"x10" oil on linen canvas panel

Second day of Fall, still in the 100's, but that will change. Regardless, I've painted here before, but this time there were some wonderful colors on the trees and the Prickly Pear was bearing fruit.

Two Sheds

8"x10" oil plein air

Salt Lick Vineyards

8"x10" oil on canvas board

Finally had a chance of rain on Saturday. I headed down south towards Driftwood and got this painting finished just before it poured.

Water Tank

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

With the wild fires burning in the distance, I painted this at Old Settlers Park on Monday, Labor Day. It was a cool 92 degrees, much better than the 100's we've been having!
Sure hope they contain the fires soon. So far, 34,000 acres and 785 homes have been claimed.

Below The Dam

8"x10" oil on canvas board
I took advantage of the breezy Saturday and went to my favorite haunt to paint. This is below one of the small dams in the park. The dam is under construction, hence the brown "dirt" in the background.

Waning Light

12"x20" oil on linen canvas

With the days in the 100's, this weekend I decided to devote my time to the studio. I wanted to paint a scene that reminded me of the coming fall, my favorite time of year. Luckily, I have a lot of reference material.

Stable Door

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

I got a call from a friend to meet him somewhere near my house to paint. I chose Old Settlers Park, knowing he would enjoy the scenery. At first I resisted meeting him, other plans, but after about 5 minutes decided to paint. Glad I did!

Seen Better Days

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Painted this plein air early on Saturday. I was the main course for a marauding army of ants. Note to self, "Must not forget my bug spray." Otherwise, it was hard to stay true to the bend in the roof caused by the left side conceding to gravity and the three gates refusing to comply.

Hangin' On

16"x20" oil on canvas

Summer Clouds

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Hard to muster up the gumption to get out on these hot humid days to paint. The clouds were painted this morning while it was still in the 90's. I painted the brook last Sunday. It's similiar to working out. Once you really get into it, you need to keep fueling the fire.

Shady Brook

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Broke Down

16"x20"- oil on linen canvas

First studio painting in awhile. I've been enjoying painting outside so much that I've been neglecting the larger canvas.

Holding On

9x12-oil on canvas board

Looking for a place to catch the clouds yesterday evening, I almost didn't get to paint. So much barbed wire and "No Trespassing" signs, but I managed to find this spot just before sunset. I especially was drawn to the big red barn and buildings across the field. I had to work loose and fast. Started at 7 and packed up an hour later.

Hot June Morn

9"x12" oil on canvas panel

It's been in the 100's with about 80% humidity for the last month, with no rain. At least the clouds have been amazing. I kept having to stop and shoo off a deer that was curious about Stella. I was a little nervous that she might have been protecting her fawns. Stella pretty much just ignored her until she got too close. Forgot my camera!

Trumpet Vine

8"x10" oil on canvas panel.
I painted this in my backyard on Sunday afternoon as a storm was passing overhead. For a little rain, I would have gladly packed up and run into the house. Alas, not to be, but I'm happy I finally captured this old vine in bloom.

Brushy Creek Park

9"x12" oil on canvas panel

Stella's favorite place to play ball. This park is near my house and I wanted to paint some clouds. So, I painted in the afternoon on Saturday with the sun to my back, (in the shade of an oak), while Stella played in the mud holes that were a creek 2 weeks ago. It already feels like the dog days of summer!

Still Waiting

9"x12" oil on canvas panel

Memorial Day started with some wonderful clouds, so I grabbed my stuff around 10 a.m. and hit Old Settlers Park. This old barn and farm equipment caught my eye.

Wash In Summer

8"x10" oil on canvas panel.

Went out late Saturday to suffer the heat and get in a painting at my favorite spot on the greenbelt.

Had a friendly doe nearby keeping an eye on Stella.

Red Barn

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

I set out to capture this barn quickly, within an hour. Initially, I added too much detail to the barn and had to subtract. Not sure that's a bad thing, but I hope not to have to go through the process in the future!

Brown Water

9"x12" oil on canvas panel
Went for a 2 hour trail ride at Walnut Creek and took Stella back out later to paint.
It was hot and humid. Can you sense the sweat on this one?

Red Shed

8"x10" oil on panel

While patrolling for sites to paint, I came across a series of red buildings. It's hard to find a barn or shack that doesn't require permission to cross the fence. This was a rare occasion where I could actually drive my truck to the location. I plan to return and capture the other outbuildings and old barn soon.

Afternoon Chill

8"x10"

I went out around 2:00 in the afternoon in 90 degree weather and when I finished painting, it had dropped to 67 degrees.

I loved it!

Laguna Gloria

I painted this on the Laguna Gloria museum grounds on Friday at lunch.

It was very windy off the lake. 8"x10".

Fence Line

8"x10" oil on panel

Painting Fence Line

I chose to paint under a cedar and was constantly flicking off droppings as the tree rained down needles on me and the painting. Stella got to go for a swim afterwards, so she was happy.

Zilker Park

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Took off early Good Friday with Frank, my business partner, to paint. We decided to hit Zilker Park Botanical Gardens. It was a little hot and humid, but I really wanted to paint flowers.

I'm pleased with the outcome.

Quarry Park

Went out with some guys from the studio last Friday at lunch to a park near the studio. Had about 45 minutes to knock this out. It was really windy, but loads of fun! I think all had a good time.

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Brushy Creek

8"x10" oil on canvas panel (plein air)

April Green

8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Limestone Floor, McKinney Falls 8"x10" oil on canvas panel

Took Stella to McKinney Falls on Sat. March 26th. The heat was in the 90's with 75% humidity. Unfortunately for Stella, dogs were not allowed to swim and the falls were very inviting. Leading into the lower falls is this long stretch of flat limestone that drops off to 20 foot cliffs. I found this wonderful tree popping out below the edge and just getting it's spring foliage.

First Day Of Spring

8"x10" oil on panel