We recently returned from a couple of weeks of painting in the Algarve region of Portugal. It’s a stunning area, with fascinating geological elements all along the southern coast. Here are some of the paintings:
Praia de Dona Ana #2. 25 x 35 cm, oil on panel.
Praia de Dona Ana #3. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Praia do Camilo. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
The Tunnel at Praia do Camilo. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Ponta da Piedade Cliffs. 35 x 25 cm, oil on panel.
Afternoon Light, Ponta da Piedade. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Rocks at Ponte da Piedade. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Sunset, Ponte da Piedade. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
At the same time, the western coast has a wildness and a grandeur to it that feels a lot like the best parts of the California Central Coast.
Cabo de São Vicente from Praia do Beliche. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Praia do Beliche. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Fisherman, Praia da Barriga. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
The Port in Sagres. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Boats in the Harbor, Sagres. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Praia da Zimbreirinha. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
We were staying just west of Lagos, but we painted around the town a bunch of times as well. It was especially great to be outside as we’ve been in lockdown more or less since September. This was our first foray out to paint plein air landscapes in months.
The Harbor in Lagos. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Boat on Blocks. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Sailing Club, Lagos. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Sago Palm and Bougainvillea. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
I’ve uploaded a video on my winter gear for plein air painting in snow. I realize it’s a bit late for the season, but now is a good time to buy winter clothes on sale. My apologies for the poor video quality, but it was filmed quickly on my phone after we returned from painting in Vermont last winter.
This is an update from my previous post on painting in extreme cold. The two major improvements I’ve made are switching to yak wool, as it’s warmer than merino, and getting a waterproof down jacket. In the video, I mention my strategy for layering a thin waterproof shell over an insulation layer and I think this strategy is great for a number of reasons, a couple of which I forgot to mention:
You can get better quality gear by purchasing the layers separately.
You can quickly dry the gear out if it gets wet by separating the layers.
You can use the shells in other seasons for painting in rain, and you can use the insulation alone if there is no wind or precipitation.
That said, I think that the jacket is the only place where separating the shell and the insulation is a bad idea as it restricts mobility too much. I was using a Jottnar Fjorm jacket before and when I had to put a shell on it for freezing rain or snow I lost too much dexterity in my arms. I’ve since switched to a waterproof Crux ‘expedition’ jacket and it works much better. I barely feel it when I’m painting, and it’s fantastically warm.
2022 update: Don’t buy Crux. My new one leaks badly in the rain and they don’t reply to emails regarding their warranty.
Here are links to the manufacturers in the video: Overshoes. Cabelas Trans Alaska boots: (I use the Harkila Inuit. They stopped making them, but you can find them on Ebay). Khunu: Yak wool socks and sweater. Kora: Yak wool long underwear. Arc’teryx: Pants and gloves, both insulated layer and shell. Atom is their line of insulation, for the shell I get whatever is lightest. Goosefeet Gear: Down Hibbard mitten. You have to write to him, but he can make anything for you. Mountain Equipment Concordia Fleece (Polartec Thermal Pro is the heavy fleece fabric). Crux: Waterproof down jackets, I have the Magma. Rapha: Deep Winter Collar (balaclava). Millet: Primaloft hat.
My wife and I will be having an exhibition in Château de la Treyne on the Dordogne river, in the Lot region of France this coming July.
All of the small paintings were painted on site last summer, when we had an opening in the lockdowns here in Europe. The larger paintings were painted in the studio this winter, either finished from plein air starts, or enlarged from sketches done in the field.
Bend in the Dordogne. 100 x 140 cm, oil on linen.
It’s a stunningly beautiful area, and this is the second summer we have spent painting there. We are normally based near Domme, as we work with the V&A Gallery in Sarlat-la-Canéda, but for this trip we worked much more to the east, to try to paint areas closer to the Chateau.
The castle itself is a spectacular property and we received a very warm welcome from the wonderful owners.
Afternoon Light, Château de la Treyne. 80 x 100 cm, oil on linen.
One thing I really love about the Dordogne is how clean the water is. The areas where we were painting were full of water crowfoot, with bees pollinating the flowers that sit just out of the water. And it’s great to see such a large river so teeming with fish and frogs.
Passing Cloud, Château de la Treyne. 100 x 80 cm, oil on linen.
Walnut Grove. 90 x 120 cm, oil on linen.
Above are all the larger pieces fresh from the studio. Below are all of the smaller, plein air work from the summer. The first group are the ones I used as reference for the studio paintings.
The Dordogne from above Pinsac. 25 x 35 cm, oil on panel.Afternoon Light, Château de la Treyne. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Passing Cloud. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Walnut Grove. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Banana Tree, Martel. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Canoe Rental, Pinsac. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.Reilhaguet. 25 x 35 cm, oil on panel.Château de Belcastel. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Milling Stone, Moulin de Cougnaguet. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel
Reflections, Pinsac. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.Castelnaud-la-Chapelle Castle. 20 x 30 cm, oil on panel.
Gardens at Château de la Treyne #1. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Gardens at Château de la Treyne #2. 30 x 20 cm, oil on panel.
Gardens at Château de la Treyne #3. 25 x 35 cm, oil on panel.Cutting Garden. 25 x 35 cm, oil on panel.
I have an exhibition on at the moment with Plieux Arts in the Gers region of France. The paintings were done last year, and I wrote a blog post at the time about the beauty of the area, including images of the work.
This year, we had to be here for the exhibition opening in July, and then again for a plein air course in early September. Therefore we decided to stay the month in France rather than drive back and forth from Portugal. We rented an apartment in the village of La Sauvetat, at the southern end of the area where we love painting (around Lectoure). These are some of the images from this year’s crop of plein air landscapes of the Gers.
Passing Cloud, La Sauvetat. Oil on panel, 25 x 35 cmLectoure #1. Oil on panel, 25 x 35 cmLectoure #2. Oil on panel, 20 x 30 cmOleander bushes. Oil on panel, 20 x 30 cm
Brocante, La Sauvetat. Oil on panel, 30 x 20 cm
It’s worrying traveling in these times of Covid. Our town in Portugal still hasn’t had any cases, so for us it was concerning to leave the safety of our controlled environment to drive halfway across Europe. So far, so good though. And the French seem to be taking it pretty seriously.
Tina Painting in the Shade. Oil on panel, 20 x 30 cmLavardens. Oil on panel, 20 x 30 cm
Queen Anne’s Lace. Oil on panel, 30 x 20 cm
Rolling Hills, Gers. Oil on panel, 20 x 30 cmChickpea Field, Gers. Oil on panel, 20 x 30 cmFarmhouse, Gers. Oil on panel, 25 x 35 cm
I only had time for one larger plein air piece. The following one was painted over the course of three days:
The Side of a Sunflower Field. 85 x 110 cm (34 x 44 inches)
As I mentioned last time, the Gers is a really stunning area for landscape painting and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a picturesque region for plein air work.
I have a number of works in a new exhibit at the Grenning Gallery in Sag Harbor, NY. Check it out if you’re in the area. There is no opening due to COVID, but the gallery is open normally.
The paintings were all done either en plein air in California, or later in my studio from studies.
Here are some photos of the paintings, for those of you who can’t make it:
Heisler Park, Laguna Beach. Oil on linen, 8 x 12 in.
Big Sur. Oil on linen, 8 x 12 in.
San Benancio Road. Oil on linen, 11 x 14 in.
Norton Ave, Windsor Square. Oil on Linen, 11 x 14 in.
Farm near Watsonville. Oil on linen, 8 x 12 in.
Monastery Beach, Carmel-by-the-Sea. Oil on linen. 8 x 12 in.
Palo Corona. Oil on linen, 8 x 12 in.
San Carpoforo. Oil on linen, 11 x 14 in.
Rye Grass. Oil on linen, 39 x 31.5 in.
Garrapata. Oil on linen, 31 x 39 in.
Hope Valley. Oil on linen, 35 x 47 in.Big Dome, Point Lobos. Oil on linen, 43 x 54 in.North Point, Point Lobos. Oil on linen, 35 x 42 in.
