Hi everybody

I am furiously getting ready for Easton in two weeks! With so many excellent painters I have found that my work needs to have a special spark. Not exactly a gimmick, but rather, a clever twist that separates it on the wall from the other paintings. In the past, I have experimented with odd sizes and compositions and this years work will also have some interesting twists. Stay tuned! I will try to post as I paint the week of July 14 at Easton.

I also wanted to show you this sketch done in a new kind of sketch book. It is made by a new company called Cottonwood Arts and it contains a series of hot press-like  illustration panels bound into a sketch book. When you are finished painting, the board can just be peeled right out and is ready for display. They also make a canvas panel book and several other interesting products. This stuff is high quality, seriously cool and reasonably priced! Go figure..!

Check them out at www.cottonwoodarts.com

Sketches

I love to work in sketch books and do small sketches of my work in all kinds of media. In many ways they are superior to my finished work as they capture the essence of the subject I'm painting more closely . These are all little paintings pulled directly from my sketch books.

Plein air season is here!

My first Plein air painting of the season!

Painted in main park, mt Lebanon Pennsylvania on March 28. Watercolor , unlike oils is difficult to do when the weather is cold ....

Plein Air Easton 2013

As promised, here are some of the paintings from last years competition.

Hi

I must be the worlds worst blogger. Problem is that I would rather. Spend my my time painting and drawing than becoming a web master!

I have once again made the cut for Plein Air Easton 2014! This will be my 5th consecutive year. I love this competition because it really is a true test of your skill and preparation as a painter. You need to deal with the extreme heat( sometimes up to 100 degrees) and humidity, the bugs and ticks, lack of sleep and fierce competition from the best Plein air painters on the planet. I remember my first year feeling like I had been dropped into the Hunger Games for painting. While all of the artists are very congenial, make no mistake that they are there to compete and this is no "make yourself feel good" workshop environment. As you work your way though the week, you always feel the clock ticking in the background as you hope to create your best work in the most awkward conditions. Although it is not for everyone, I love the opportunity to plan and execute my steps through this artistic mine field.

Shortly, I will post a whole new crop of paintings for you to see including my work from last years stop back and take a look,

Thanks

Dave