I was really inspired by the Napali Coast on Kauai, Hawaii. I actually hiked that coast but never made it to the beach. It rained, it poured, we had to go across a river that was chest high and walk on narrow wet slippery paths, sleep in a recluse's cabin huddled together as it got cold. It was traumatic to my knees. I could not turn over in my bed without picking my knees up and moving them that way. One of a great adventure I loved.

The second picture is a path in Montana, where I lived for quite a few years. I actually spent a day with Clyde Aspevig learning Plein Air in the 80's when it wasn't called Plein Air. I studied with a number of artists in Montana, Jessica Zemsky who does beautiful children's portraits in pastel and gouache. Her husband, Jack Hines, Don Marvine, Jerry Inman and a couple who I can't remember their names!

I am really working on seascapes after taking Johannes Vloothaus's online class.  The second one I expecially like. It was done with 99 percent palette knife and was a challenge for sure. I really wanted to paint more like this...I need to learn to be more painterly and use more paint.

My two homework paintings for the Seascapes Course of Johannes Vloothaus. I love this man's teachings and have bought his series. I recommend Johannes courses and teach his principles in my classes.

 This is the Pavilion at Lakeside. I began this painting last year and it was not working. After looking at it for a long time, I realized that it was too bland, so I went in and started the sky. I am happy with how it came out. I really darkened the trees bringing out the sunlight behind them. I worked on the foreground and made it very loose. Then the water and darkened the areas around the Pavilion.

 Finished this but thinking it could use some smaller branches..I overworked the dark areas. It is very hard to get a good dark and keeping it transparent.

This is an oil I began. I am so excited about doing the agility with Tosca and thought I would paint her jumping through the hoop.I have a lot more to do to on her and then tackling the hoop.

Finally finished it. Looks too dark here but will photo better on  a sunny day. I think I may have overworked it but accomplished the look and color I wanted. Had to improvise with a lot of pines to get the effect. I do like my big tree and the bark. Need lots more work on tree limbs. But the inspiration did get a neat effect.

I have been studying Alyson B. Stanfield's book "I'd rather be in the studio. One of the first things she wants you to do is make an Artist statement in two sentences. So I need to figure out what in two sentences I can say about my work. I know I like my work to be impressionistic, to have vivid color and much contrast. I would like it to have some mystery so the viewer stays with it for a while. I want the viewer to see my brush marks, my use of color whether watercolor or oil. So I am working on that statement.

So I am working on a painting of my own in the style of Feng. I hope to finish it today. It is a photo of a river I had in my collection. It may be from Montana but I have changed a few things.