Dreams are like a mind map. Follow the dream and you will find that it leads to new dreams and links to other dreams. I find this to be true with oil painting. When the purpose of oil painting is to follow a dream rather than become an artist, for me it leads to more dreams. This statement is the antithesis to my functional goal oriented self.
This is a Retirement List and not a project list. Once the project is completed, then what. As I said on the Retirement Page, “What thing or project will provide lasting fulfillment”.
I did take an oil painting class and here are my first two paintings.
Classwork I | Classwork II |
Right after World War II, my father went to photography school. KodaColor film was first manufactured in 1942 but it was not until 1956 that it was daylight balanced. When my father went to school, he was taught to paint in the color. Reflecting on that, I decided to paint black and white photographs. Today, this can be done digitally. I wanted to retain the joy of mixing colors, determining what to paint and what not to paint, and to compose through the camera lens.
Maybe one day I will take more painting classes but for now, I just want to enjoy myself.
Indian River Burgman | Merritt Island Trees | Miss Hattie's Crib |
Last Chop Up North | Grand Floridian Staircase | Polynesian Lounge |
Key West Sunset | Cocoa Beach Pier | Paradise Island Marina |
Biltmore Orchids | Nantucket | Hyannis Hollyhocks |
Capri Street Scene | Santorini | Useppa Island FL |
Bottles in the Sand | Maryland Steamed Crabs | Alafaya Tomatoes |
Queen's Starcase Nassau | View from Mucky Ducks Sanibel | View from the Panama City Window |
Cable Beach Nassau | Off the Pink Path Useppa Island | Cocoa Beach Pier Tiki Hut |
Port Canaveral | Fox Lake | Brant Point Lighthouse Nantucket |
Los Tres Amigos | Shrimp Boat at Port Canaveral | Costa Maya Mexico Coastline |
1929 Ford at Saint Augustine | Islamorada Fish Company | Burgman at Bethune Beach |
Ann's Beach Islamorada | Harvey Garmage Amelia Island | Tween Waters Inn Captiva Island |
Calle Luna San Juan | Bella | Lake Talquin Sunset |
Kayaking at Coco Cay | View from Prospect Plantation | Seafarer's Resort Key Largo from a Kayak |
View from Mucky Ducks | Fox Lake Fishermen | Indian River Drive |
French Pastry Marseille France | 1952 Chevy in Havana Cuba | 1953 Chevy in Fusterlandia Havana |
Pineapple in the waves | Avenue de la Bourdonnais Paris France | Key Lime Bistro Captiva |
I tried my hand a using a palette knife as a painting tool. For my taste, it was difficult to paint detail. I used a brush to paint in some detail but I had to wait three weeks for the original paint to dry.
Squirrel Fish at Night | Kelly's Inn at Edgartown | Jamaica Drive Palm Tree |
Pine Island in Full Bloom |
BURGMAN IN PARADISE
This is a stretch goal. I wanted to paint Baby Burgman (A grownup Burgman is 650cc's) during a sunset. Sunsets are on the west coast. I took the photograph on Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, while keeping an eye out for alligators, overlooking the Indian River. This is the East Coast facing north. In addition to adding sunset colors and reflections, I had to move the side lighting and shadows to the other side of the subject.
A Work in Progress | Original Photograph | Painting in The Details |
TWO MORE SUNSETS
Sunrise at Cocoa Beach Pier 09192012 |
Sanibel Causeway 10052012 |
ON DISPLAY
Last year I visited Domenico's Italian Restaurant in Rockledge Florida. It reminded me so much of Italy, especially of Capri, that I decided to paint the Faraglioni Rocks for them
ANOTHER SUNSET, still practicing
TWO MORE SUNSETS JUNE 2014
Captiva Sunset June 2014 |
Islamorada Sunset April 2014 |
MIXED MEDIA
This is another stretch goal. The sand on the Hanauma Bay painting is from Playa Linda Beach Florida. The white caps are sprinkled with white glitter. The trees in the background are painted through a window screen. The tree in the foreground is painted with a palette knife. The sand in the Faanui Bay painting is from Playa Linda Beach and the trees in the foreground are painted with a palette knife. There is a breaker along the shore line in the left corner. It is painted with a palette knife and sprinkled with white glitter. The white caps on the Arahoho Beach painting are sprinkled with white glitter. The lava rock is sprinkled with black glitter. The trees in the background are painted through a window screen and the the tree to the right is painted with a palette knife.
Chillin' at Playa Linda |
Faanui Bay Bora Bora |
Arahoho Beach Tahiti |
2015 Eastern Florida State College Art Show
I entered three painting in the 2015 EFSC Art Show and won third place
CAPTIVA ISLAND SUNSETS
This is another stretch goal. Using GMIP software, I have been experimenting Captiva Island sunsets overlaid with various settings.
Marigot, St. Maarten Sunset |
View from Playa Linda Beach |
Useppa Island Sunset |
Gulfview from Livingroom |
Captiva Sunset from Our Diningroom |
View from Front Street Lahaina Maui |
Fort El Morro San Juan |
Maui Palm Tree with Rainbow |
View from Puddin's Backyard Hilo |
Canvas
It has been 6 six years since I have drawn my own work and painted on canvas. See Classwork I and Classwork II at the top of the page. I did not take my first art lesson until I was 62 years old. This is another stretch goal after painting B&W photographs on linen paper. The underwater scenes are from imagination and memories from SCUBA diving. See Dream 28 .
Faanui Bay Bora Bora |
Leone Pago Pago Samoa |
Sea Fan Grand Cayman Island |
Parrotfish |
Humahumanukanuka apua'a |
Retired |
Sergeant Majors |
Blue Marlin |
Bora Bora Bungalow |
Volcano |
Anse La Rey |
Dolphin at Sunset |
One Life Don't Blow It |
Nu'uano Pali Lookout |
Tropical Waterfall |
Two Mast Schooner |
My Croton |
Catarmaran at Sunset |
Plumeria at Sunset |
Seaplane at Dusk |
Blue Heaven Restaurant Key West |
Sunset Cruise Key West |
Kilauea Lava Rocks |
Napoli Coast Kauai Hawaii |
Rainbow Falls Hilo Hawaii |
Kilohana Platation Hibiscus |
Las calles de la Habana Vieja |
Conferate Rose |
Tropical Santa |
Berkshire 2-8-4 |
Malecon Havana Cuba |
U.S.S. Roberts DE749 in a Storm |
Boco Grande Lighthouse |
Waimea Canyon Kauai Hawaii |
Cabbage Key |
Bruge Belgium Canal |
Tropical Starry Night |
McKenzie's Fresh Seafood & Conch Potter's Cay Nassau |
Tropical Christmas |
Paradise Found |
Blue Heaven Key Lime Pie |
Tahiti Nui |
Heliconia |
View of Mucky Ducks from the Gulf |
Wise Men Still Seek Him |
Indian Harbour Beach |
Schoonner at Sea |
Selfie |
Holland Walk Kensington London |
Wai Oli Hui Church Kauai |
Baby Burgman at Captiva |
Full English Breakfast |
Arthur Ave Cocoa Beach |
Bonaire Angelfish |
View from Max Brewer Bridge |
Southernmost Hotel Beach Key West |
Twin Yamaha 250's Up Sea |
View from Tween Waters Inn Balcony |
Baby Burgman in the Moonlight |
Tropical Christmas Tree | Saint Michael's Maryland |
Antique Christmas Truck |
1969 Pontiac Firebird |
Tropical Christmas Tree | San Andres |
Leaving St. Kitts |
Flower Bay Roatan Honduras |
Flower Bay Road Roatan Honduras |
34th Street Baltimore Christmas |
Galilean Semite Jesus |
Painting on Display in the Office of My Financial Advisor.
The painting is called "Retired". It is a hammock on Islamorada in the Florida Keys . I gave it to my financial advisor because he helped facilitate my retirement in paradise strategy. My financial advisor is Ameriprise Financial
2016 Eastern Florida State College Art Show
I entered three painting in the 2016 EFSC Art Show and won third place
Oil on Plywood
Tropical Sunset on Plywood | North Atlantic Moon on Plywood | Fox Lake Lagoon on Plywood |
Palm Trees on Plywood |
Two Kayaks on Plywood | Louie's Backyard on Plywood |
Playa Linda Beach on Plywood |
Island Sloop on Plywood | Captiva Drive on Plywood |
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