Acrylic Paintings on Canvas or Gesso Board
Way back when I first began painting with acrylic I found the medium distressing for the lack of time to blend well before it dries, as well as it typically drying a few shades darker, making it hard to go back in and rework areas.
Well into my painting career, in 2012 while painting a mural in a backyard in the winter when the moist air kept the paint “open” for a really long time… I finally found myself no longer afraid of paint.
I have a fondness for all sorts of styles and subject matter; my recent favorite is scenes of nature with fantastic light-filled skies as well as spiritual icons and images.
Red Poppies on Gesso board
Vanishing Grasses
Fabulous Sunset Hill
Cyndi's Beach w/Feathered Sky -commission
Stanford Dish Walk
Phil's Spring Sunrise - commission
Carleen Bilger California Beach Scene - Commission
Close up detail of a painting in progress
John's freeform Botanical - Commission - full image
Detail of the border of my Mermaid painting
Detail of John's Botanical
Detail of John's Botanical
Detail of one of my freeform botanical paintings
Artichoke Half
Marin Headlands Wave
Irises Against a Fence
WolfWave Sorcerer - commission
FreeForm peach-colored Botanical 12" x12
Evva Larson's California Coast - Commission
Turmoil
Higher Power
The Art of Love & Fear
Joe's Trout
Joe's Trout - detail
Pallet Knife Grasses
James' Personalized California Naga Buddha Thangka - commission
Credits and Image References
Red Poppies - 2023 - photo reference by Robert Watson used with permission
Vanishing Grasses - mock-up for painting was digitally altered from my own photo of drive along Hwy 20 from Grass Valley, 2019
Fabulous Sunset Hill - Initial photo of ground - Brad Beldner use with permission, digitally blended with a stock photo beach sunset.
Cyndi’s Beach - repainted from my own oil painting and photo reference with her selected feathered sky added
Stanford Dish Walk - my photo as reference, of a local paved trail I used to walk daily. This is a painting I propped by my computer as visual relief while on zoom in classes and meetings a lot through so many isolated days.
Phil’s Spring Sunrise - a reproduction of a section of a bathroom panoramic mural I designed and painted.
Carleen’s Customized California beach Scene - commission – reference photos were mine, hers and improvised details to create the scene.
Mermaid boarder detail section - completely from my imagination (the rest of the painting not shown)
WolfWave Sorcerer – Commission 2014. Designed and created intricately with clients preferences and check ins along the way. A few internet photo references - and verbally communicated ideas concepts and feelings.
Marin Headlands Wave - Photo reference was my dad’s; Robert J O’Donnell, an avid photographer of Marin.
Iris - photo reference was my own of my garden
Art of Love & Fear – original image design from my own sketch
Joe’s Trout - painted for my brother cause he loves fishing - my composition and design - stock photo of fish
Palette Knife Grases - spontaneous freeform original image
Naga Buddha - Custom designed commission for clients particular request of setting it in California themed image with Rattlesnakes instead of Cobras and California flowers and landscapes and no clouds