Keolu Awaits

Date: 7/22/2011

Location: Hualalai Resort

Size:

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: The private golf clubhouse at Hualalai resort is perched at the top of the property to offer the most impressive panoramas within the project. The slopes of the volcano reach down from Hualalai's summit to the shoreline offering a gentle incline that allow you to view sweeping views. The Clubhouse was named Ke'olu which in essence conveys the feeling of enjoying the welcoming ocean breezes that frequent the upper elevated areas of the island. The facility is particularly stunning featuring a pod-style arrangement of buildings and surrounded by lush tropical landscaping. A large swimming pool is lined with a row of umbrellas to enjoy these stunning views from shaded comfort. Below the clubhouse the driving range of the golf course slopes every more gently towards the sea. Here rich greens shimmer in the sunlight as fingers of natural lava were preserved to further blend nature within this resort. This day there were pockets of clouds that cast variated shadows on the land. I tried to capture the rays of sunshine that made it through the clouds leaving the rest of the area in shadow.

To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.

Morning Stroll

Date: 7/11/2011

Location: Mauna Kea Beach

Size: 12" x 9"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: Another sketch in my Mauna Kea series. Here I was joined by my friend and teacher Lori Hight. We decided to attempt to capture the vast expanse of the white sand shoreline fronting the Mauna Kea hotel and decided the only way to make this a recongnizable scene was to not only capture the scale of the beach but to also correctly reference some of the iconic symbols. The small restaurant and beach-boy bungalows, the row of tall palm trees, the shaded hotel structure and Hualalai Mountain in the distance. It took me a few times working the initial sketch before I felt I captured the correct scale for all these important items. Initially, I was overwhelmed with the scene and didn't want to try to capture the droves of beach goers enjoying the water. But when I returned home and was finalizing the piece I realized that the people would provide an important scale to help convey the vastness of the beach. So I whipped out my smallest of brushes and attempted to squish and squiggle my little people. I really got into it and tried to imagine little stories of each of my figures. I particularity enjoy how I was able to capture the correct value of the hotel building so that it is barely visible as if emerging from the shade of the surrounding landscape. The warm tones in the recending foliage along the hillside were a nice surprise which I worked very hard not to “erase”. The original pink tones from my sketch emerge randomly and bring warmth and energy.


To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.

Nestled in Pu'uanahulu

Date: 7/04/2011

Location: Puuanahulu

Size: 14" x 18"

Medium: Oil on stretched canvas

Artist's Comments: Kohala Coast Fine Art is hosting a special exhibit focused on the Jacaranda tree. Visitors to the gallery will be able to vote for their favorite painting over the entire month of July. In advance of this exhibit, I wandered the Mauka roadways in search of the perfect composition. There is a particular area of the island that is wonderful during the Jacaranda season. The small town of Pu'uanahulu not only has wonderful specimen trees but it offers such an impressive backdrop of mountains. And who doesn't think about building their home on the very top of the Pu'uanahulu Pu'u? I drove up on an early morning to capture the rising sun as it cast it rays on the small church. I wanted a nice composition that wasn't centered on the tree itself but rather offered many other subjects to enjoy. I decided to paint with the pallet knife with the exception of the church. I wanted a rustic feeling to capture the manicured feel of these wild uplands. The small church nestled amongst the foliage with Hualalai mountain receding in the distance provided me with a safe feeling; as if this is the best place on the island to be. And in the middle of all this - there was my Jacaranda tree in bloom!

If you happen to be up at the King's Shops at Waikoloa in July, swing by Kohala Coast Fine Art and vote for this painting!


To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.

Lesson with Lori Hight

Date: 7/01/2011

Artist's Comments: This week's session with Lori focused on applying thick paint with a large flat brush while using a limited number of brush strokes. When painting with a smaller brush, we rely on heavy blending effects to create round shapes. By limiting ourselves to a large flat brush we were forced to be attentive to each stroke ensuring it carried the right value and was applied in the correct manner. The goal was to provide the sense of perspective and 3D shape using values instead of blending techniques. We started by mixed 3 shades of each of the main colors remembering to make large piles to allow us to work with big globs in each stroke. It was difficult to stop myself from wanting to over-blend each stoke into the rest of the painting and as I continued to lay more and more paint, I enjoyed seeing the shapes come to life. Although still life's are not my favorite, I am slowly appreciating how they allow us to focus on capturing the subtle value changes in a color while provide us with the opportunity to practice applying this discovery. The next time I'm outdoors, I hope to be able to put this lesson to practice without getting distracted by all the elements in plein air painting. I finished the lesson quite quickly and have to admit it is easy to "put the brush down" on subjects you aren't 100% thrilled about.

I then decided to sketch a small shoreline vignette. Recently I have been intrigued by abstract art particularly those where there is a sense of a horizon or other landmark but the viewer is able to make that interpretation. I wanted to try to explore finding a middle ground between plein air painting and abstract art and this is my first attempt. Not a seller but I think I will keep it as inspiration for me to continue my thoughts on developing this as a new style.


To view other paintings in my collection, click on the section labeled "View all SitaScapes" located at the top right of my blog. I have categorized my paintings by the month as I complete them.