The Beach

Coming up on the ocean after crossing the dunes is just magic...there is never NEVER anyone on the beach on the other side. We cross the bay in the Kayaks, hike the dunes and have it all to ourselves. For me, Heaven! jb

Another Cove

I walk to this cove, Spooner's Cove, quite a lot. The cobbles on the beach are soft, smooth, chalky stones in every pastel shade and some beautiful ochers and pinks. They are comforting to hold and roll about in the palm of your hand.

Old Road 2

I had a great day painting all day. I finished up the old road piece I had started. Tomorrow, a new hike, a new painting subject. jb

Small Cove

Here, the coastal ranges abruptly stop and fall into the sea. Left to the sea to wear themselves out, small coves shelter the sea's secrets.
I find water hard to capture, but I'm always drawn to it. jb

Old Road and Woods Across the Bay

Sometimes the sun hits the tops of the trees and sets everything glowing gold. I am so taken with this little piece. This one I declare finished. I love it. jb

I started four paintings and made a good first pass, but not finished any: Preview. I so enjoyed not only capturing these images in sketches and washes on the trail, but painting them has proved to be a true lesson also. I think I'm getting it with oil paint, working easy, but not quite loose yet. jb

The Pallet

This is the piece of kraft paper that covers my work counter when I'm painting. I wipe my brush on it, remove paint from the brush before cleaning in the faux turp. Example: I use so much paint that somehow doesn't end up on the actual panel. I insist on over-painting and making a dull meld. I'm trying to break that habit.

I love the abstract random wipes though. I'm keeping all my wipe-papers now. jb

Across the Bay

Every morning we walk the dogs a mile or so to the beach along the point of Baywood Park. It curves around the bay and at the end, one faces a view across the bay that always vibrates to me no matter what the light. It is my morning meditation; I love to paint it.

I was working with a small round brush and felt easy about it... more importantly, I quit before I added to much, keeping some of the nuances of stroke, color, medium, random luck. jb

On the Dunes, Early

The fog was nowhere. One could see all the way to the far point early this morning. We walked the beach with the dogs to cool off before the sun was high. I was supposed to be proofreading depositions; I painted instead. The colors on the beach kept calling me. I had to go. jb

Green Fields,Early

Third day of oppressive heat and relentless sun. I'm about as cranky as it gets. But I did work through it all. Sometimes I like to paint the same view over; the weather is always changing and the absence or presence of the marine layer changes everything. I end up seeing something that wasn't there the day before. I have to say painting everyday in oil is really a learning experience for me. It's tough. I make quite the mess. jb

Haze Today

Everything is a haze because of the fires burning to the east and south. It's impossible to be outside today. When you get used to a constant 65 degrees, 108 is way too uncomfortable for me. My paint turned stickey and matted. I quit with only getting this far with acrylics. jb

Green Fields

Anywhere you look from my house is open space. The hills are all gone gold now. No rain until late winter. The colors of California stun me into submission. I must paint. This painting just fell into place today...the sun was so brilliant I was insane with peace and pleasure. jb

Back Over the Dunes

I can hardly believe I live where I do. I get everywhere I want to go on foot, with the dogs, including this walk over the ancient dunes that separate the ocean from the estuary, the small bay, where I take a daily hike. jb

Vine Bud & Leaf

I always found the smallest of flowers or vines to be most interesting subjects and some of my best designs in the past were drawn from the tiniest detail of vine. I worked on this and two others over the weekend, one of which is so messed up... well, it needs to be wiped.

Rocks

I worked on this for a very short amount of time...I think under an hour or maybe just and hour. I've painted this view several times because the weather is always different here, day by day, so I always get a new perspective. I like it. I'm painting another version in mixed media, so we'll compare the two. I'm working on getting e-bay up for this work...bear with me. jb

Back in the Day...Needlepoint Designs

I used to paint needlepoint canvas skrimm, designing mostly for huge projects in churches and cathederals, temples of worship all over the United States, some to Europe, the Carribian, South America. The designs were then covered in tapestry stitching, blending threads of fiber to achieve the colors in the canvas. I'm just starting to upload theses designs on my web site. Check them out if you are a needlepointer. jb

Random Thought

I'm beginning to wonder if I should even be working in oils, being a blender and shader for so long. I'll post one of my needlepoint designs for one of the churches I designed for ...you'll see what I mean about the blending of colors so they meld with each other. No "tile-ing" here.

Nasturtium

I'm so far away from painting loose and free with oil. I get way too detail oriented. I mix and blend until there is only grey left to paint with. I'm posting what I'm working on, but I'm sure I'll rework them...again. jb

Storm Coming, Again

Worked on this a little more...no, I can't just leave well enough alone with the oil work...just one more brush stroke...somehow it's never the right one and I have another go at it. I'm working on four paintings at a time as I'm playing with dry brush strokes. jb

Storm Coming 2

I worked on three different paintings over the weekend, none of which turned out the way I saw them in my mind when I started. At one point I questioned whether I even liked working in oils. But after a while I bucked up and painted something every day all of which I need to finish or rework! talk about discouraged at the moment.

Puppy

I gave my self two hours to paint one of my dogs, Puppy...yesterday. Around three hours into it, I had it finished...BUT...just had to add one more thing. And then I ruined it and painted another four hours. MUD. I finished up today after getting it, losing it, wiping it.
Note to self: put one stroke down and leave it.
Tomorrow I tackle my other dog, SillyGirl. jb

June Dunes 1

I worked on a picture of my dog for the last two days...ended up wiping it. I gave myself two hours. At two hours I had a great painting, then I did one more thing and I lost it, worked another two hours today, then called it a night. Took a walk and painted a quick evening dunescape. jb

Two Pods

I completely lost my loose quick strokes and fell into realism somewhere along the way working on this piece. I was losing the light....note to self: remember not to paint in the glooming. jb