Home Sweet Home show at Heritage Oaks G&CC

   The new set up at Heritage Oaks G&CC is now up and running. It's theme is Home Sweet Home - paintings and photos of where we spent most of our lives. Included is my latest painting Massanutten Memories which is a compilation of memories and feelings spent living in the Front Royal / Winchester area of Va.

 Prints of this and other paintings are available at Fine Art America. Click button in right column.

Leave My Rose Alone!

Just finished this small 9x12 painting of a favorite rose that was in our garden when we lived in Va. I decided to add the bee for interest and I always like some form of life in my paintings.It always takes longer to finish even a small painting than I think it will. Oh well, nothing else to do. I guess it keeps me going.

Watching The Boats Sail By

I guess I'm going to call this one finished for now. Still on the easel in case I change my mind. Going to take a painting break for a spell. Just sick of it for now. Have plenty of other things to catch up on.

16x20 acrylics on board. Bigger image on my web.

Nearly Done

Just about finished with my latest painting. This one has been a real pain to get finished. Trying to get the right compliment of sky and water to the pelican which is the main subject. I am either over working it or trying too hard to get the right feeling in the painting. Too much work for too little reward. Oh well, life goes on.

Prison of Our Love

This is a pencil drawing (above) I did many years ago when there was a serious problem with starvation in Africa - drought, tribal wars, stupidity, etc. I have never shown it before, except to friends. I believe similar problems are again (or still) happening there.

The title "The Prison Of Our Love" has the four bars which represent the ungodly amount of money that is wasted by governments and religions for unnecessary stupid things. Paying to not grow food, government waste, building fancy churches, useless benevolences, etc. each bar ends with " Yet People Starve". Sell the Churches - sell the Parks - stop government waste - a million things could be done but NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO STARVE.

Painting feathers

Working on a painting with the main subject a pelican. A water scene for background with a couple of sailboats. The tediousness of painting feathers on a bird is incredible. The trick is to first get the form of the bird, which is most important, and then detail the feathers without losing the form. I am using an early sunset background with splashes of color and light which further adds to the tediousness of this painting. I WILL FINISH IT. I f I don't die first.

Great Web Site

Just discovered a GREAT web site for artists. It is called Wet Canvas and is full of blogs and post of all kinds. You can publish your paintings and get comments and critiques from all level of artists. From the very best to beginners. There is also a complete gamut of educational and instructional blogs. If you get "stuck" in the middle of a painting, just start a thread and you will get all kinds of advice - all good. I suggest all you artist visit this site and you will benefit from it.

Painting water

Doing another painting with water and sky. Trying to master the reflective qualities of the water from a multi colored sky can be a real problem (PIA). I know the water is supposed to be a shade or so darker than the sky, but that does not always hold true. the complication arises because a single small wave or ripple will reflect light and color that is both on and off the canvass. This is also complicated by the color of the water (I know water is clear but algae, mud, runoff particles, etc can also influence reflection) that further complicates the situation. Sometimes I wonder why I ever do water scenes. I guess because I like to paint waterfowl - and guess what - they hang out around water;-) Don't forget to visit my web page.

Caylee

Many folks are very upset over the jury's decision on Caylee Anthony. This has nothing to do with art but if you go to Facebook's event "Porch lights on for Caylee Marie Anthony" you will find a bazillion pictures that have been posted. Some could strike emotional reactions and are very artistic. It is probably worth your time to check it out if you have interest in this sort of thing. https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=237189926299700

Published

Finally got my latest painting published on my web page - be sure to visit it at  http://jimziemerart.com.
The ship is entering the south fork of the Savannah River in Ga. on a calm, foggy morning. Two of the crew are watching for hazards at the front.

Finished

Finally calling "Tall Ship" painting done. Just have to coat it, post it to web (http://jimziemerart.com), frame it and hang it. I can think about next painting. I think it will be another boat or ship or something.

Tall ship painting

Just about finished a painting of a Tall Ship entering the Savannah river in Ga. I have it on a windless morning with a low lying fog. This required detailed work being fogged out but I feel that it helped bring the picture together. Three pelicans flying near the water added a little life to the painting. Just can't decide if it is done yet!

Perspective

Perspective, Perspective, Perspective. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to learn and understand the proper use of perspective when drawing or painting a picture. Even if you paint loosely or semi-impressionistic, good perspective will add tremendously to the quality of your work. A good example is when drawing a building or even a little shed. If the front wall base line is parallel to the horizon (eye) line it is impossible to see any other side of the object.You will see this in many paintings and say to yourself "it just doesn't look right". Well, it isn't right and that is why it doesn't look right. Correct perspective is easy to learn and is super important in creating good paintings.

Pic hanging at Heritage Oaks

We did the new pic hanging at Heritage Oaks yesterday. Many nice photos and paintings, but the importance of knowing and using proper perspective in a painting was made apparent in several works. The wrong perspective can make a good painting poor.

Tall Ships

Presently working on a painting of a "Tall Ship" entering Savannah River on a foggy morning. After researching them and viewing many photos, one (Peacemaker) docked at the Brunswick port and I was blown away by the size of this ship when I stood next to it. This will help getting proper perspective in the painting. Experiencing something live can add so much to the quality of a painting - even if it is not the exact same subject.

Starting blog - first post

This is one of my favorite paintings and I have sold the original and many prints. It was done from a blueprint of the original "Rebecca Ann" plans that was built in the late 1930's and used on the Chesapeake bay in Va. My painting "They Just Fade Away" was painted shortly be her complete demise in a field in Matthews Va. These paintings can also be seen on my web page http://jimziemerart.com