Hello all. This painting was a fun project for me at the request of a dear friend who wanted to see me create some more paintings with the amber tones especially in the sky. I decided to focus mainly on a more simple look with 3 palm trees on a tropical beach at sunset. I used primarily oil paints that are water soluble(easier to clean up brushes and better on the environment) to do this nostalgic look. Many sunset paintings  have these bright amber colors but  decided to make the painting look a bit on the surreal side.  Hope you enjoy it... until next time

This weeks blog introduces my latest painting which kind of ran with the idea of the black sand beach moonlight theme from my last blog and added a very private lagoon with tropical island mountains, a waterfall and many palm trees. I started the creation of this painting with a black and blue back ground not having any idea what the painting had in mind for me. When talking with one of the artists at the Art-a-fair in Laguna Beach Ca, I discussed how he came up with his ideas for paintings. He said something that I absolutely relate and agree to. All the years he took art in school  and with art lessons, the emphasis had always  focused on the technique.. What colors mixed together creates a color, Which brush to use creates which look... etc.. make things look like what the subject is.  Copy the teacher's work, copy the nude subject, copy the still life.   The emphasis on being creative was rarely experienced, the inner creativity which ultimately  could distinguish  the true artist  .  When I  go to a street art fair, I can recognize who takes classes from a particular art teacher as many paintings  look like duplicates of the teacher's art, not artist selling their own  original work in their booth.  After further talking with the artist at the show in LA, I discovered that he and I create our paintings quite similarly , allowing the painting to take shape and come to life using creativity rather than duplication.   My technique allows the painting to come from my mind and inner vision. I would love to actually come across this same view shown in this painting someday.  Sometimes when I paint, I totally feel like I am painting from a memory.  Hope some of you can relate to this.. until next time ... enjoy

Hello all. I recently traveled to Laguna Beach Ca, to see the annual art festivals there as well as catch up with some friends. After being one of 8 artists chosen to be in the lagunaart.com ad in the Laguna Beach Magazine for the June/July issue, I found it important to see the area and experience some of what Laguna Beach has to offer an artist like myself. I attended theSawdust Festival, the Art-a-fair, the Festival of the Arts, and the Pageant of the Masters. These events occur annually for part of July and August(approximately 6 weeks daily).  All events feature great works of art, sculpture and jewelry and the Pageant of the Masters is a must see for all ages featuring giant canvas reproduction(we're talking say 50' wide by 25' high) on an outdoor amphitheater stage with a full string incredible "John Williams" level orchestra. All the original masters works have been replicated into a mural life size and the human figures in the paintings have been replaced with actually live people , volunteers local to the area. Giant dragons and life size statues that have real folks in full make up and costume, make this an event beyond belief .  I also hung out with friends and family on top of the Casa Del Camino hotel at the Roof top Cafe, experiencing the fun social side of the area and got to chat with the Aunt of Wyland at the Wyland gallery on the Pacific coast Hwy there in town overlooking the ocean.  I am going back soon as I loved the creative people there and the amazing atmosphere.. check it out when you can.  I came back to work on another canvas inspired by a wave I saw come into the beach.  Until next time..... enjoy