Toot's Tavern

Toot's Tavern - 8x6"- oil on canvas panel

I really like this neon sign with the naked lady in a martini glass. So retro! So politically incorrect! (So hard to paint!) The only way to have it show up in a painting was to do it at night--and even then, it wasn't all that dark, because there was a street light in front of the building. You can see the shadow of the light pole on the left.

When I delivered my work to the gallery, one of the other artists asked if I had fun. I said, "Yes, but I sweat blood over them." He laughed, and said, "Yes, we all do!"

This is another painting for the Valona Paint-out in Crockett, CA. It can be seen at Epperson Gallery

Would You Paint a Blue Car?

Burlington Hotel
oil on canvas - 11" x 14"

There I was, at Port Costa, looking for something to paint. And this big old yellow clapboard building with the sun shining on it was practically screaming, "paint me." It's colors were sunny and wonderful: yellow with bright blue trim! All the window blinds were at the same position. It appeared to be closed, but the sign said Burlington Hotel. It stood at the end of the street, so there was plenty of parking.

Well, I consider myself a landscape painter: as in trees, rivers, skies, natural stuff. I try to avoid putting in power lines, liter, cars... So I was disappointed to see cars parked in front of the building. Then, I looked again. They were blue cars! They harmonized perfectly with the trim on the hotel. So, I had no excuse, I had to paint it! I almost titled it "Three Blue Cars."

I had a lot of trouble with the straight lines, and had to fix that somewhat at home. Plan to carry a small t-square in my backpack in the future.

This is my second painting for the Crockett Paint-out. One more to go...