En Plein Air: Boats in Storage (oil, 9 x 13)

I went to Owl Creek Boat Works this morning. There were a lot of boats to be fixed there and prepared for sale. Some of them were still in storage.

En Plein Air: The Fence (Oil, 12 x 14)

I meant to paint the young carpenter Jose at the Artful Gardens because his brother told me that he usually came on Saturday. Unfortunately it happened that he was assigned to do something else today, so I simply walked around looking for something to paint. When I walked out of the fence door, I noticed the uneven fence was partially in the sun and its curves piqued my interest. I guess after the bridge passion, now I am having a passion for fences.

En Plein Air: Lakes Park Farmers Market (Oil, 11 x 14)

I went with Lee Plein Air Group this morning to the Lakes Park and made this sketch. If I am going to do it again, I might focus on some individual vendor.

Alla Prima Portrait: John (Oil, 20 x 16)

It was VAC's Portrait Studio Day. In this season we usually had two models. When I got there, there was already a female model named Marcy there. And quite a few of my fellow artists had already set up around her chair. The other model had not shown up yet. Only Sumi and Trudy had set up around the empty chair. Shortly after, John came. He was new to VAC. According to what he told me, John was a retired salesperson. I believe my portrait did him justice in terms of likeness.

En Plein Air: Morning on Wheeler Road (Oil, 8 x 11)

It was a fine morning, but the weather lady declared that there was going to be a rain storm this afternoon. Therefore, I went out pretty early to Wheeler Road. There was almost no traffic. The morning sun tinted everything a faint layer of light orange. I finished the sketch in an hour.

Alla Prima Portrait: Hector (Oil, 20 x 16)

Winkler Court Nursing Home resident Hector.

En Plein Air: Lane and Debbie's Stable (Oil, 9 x 12)

Haven't been to Lane and Debbie's stable for some time. When I got there this morning, Debbie's friend Helen was working at the stable and told me that Debbie just had an appendicitis surgery and she was there to help take care of the horses. As I was painting there, Helen offered to pose for me next time when she was washing the horses in the sun. i was so glad to hear that.

En Plein Air: Artful Flowerbed at the Artful Gardens (Oil, 12 x 9)

I went to the Artful Gardens again this morning. I may keep going there till I exhaust all the things and people I want to paint. I meant to paint the other carpenter Jose but he wasn't there today. So I need to paint something else. As I was walking, I immediately noticed the interesting flowerbed.

En Plein Air: Jaycee Park (Oil, 11 x 14)

I went with Lee Plein Air Group to Jaycee Park, Cape Coral this morning. It was my first time there. The park is beautiful for its size on the Caloosahatchee River. Toward noon, it became so windy that it almost blew my picture off of the easel.

Alla Prima Portrait: Liz (Oil, 20 x 16)

It is VAC Portrait Studio Day today. We had two models. I set up for a new model Liz. When I finished, Liz came to see my painting and said, "It looks like me, unfortunately." Then she explained with a smile, "I thought you might have flattered me a little." Well, I painted for myself not for anyone else. It reminded me why John Singer Sargent was always angry at his commissioners.

En Plein Air: Tracks Across a Puddle (Oil, 11 x 14)

En Plein Air: Peace Road (Oil, 12 x 9)

It was almost the same place as yesterday -- at the entrance to the Hickory Marsh Preserves, only in a different direction. At first I was on my way to the Artful Gardens again because I remembered another carpenter there would like me to paint him, too. However, half way there, I realized that it must be muddy and full of puddles there after the rain storm early this morning. Therefore, I changed my mind and painted the road.

En Plein Air: White Cow (Oil, 9 x 12)

I went to Hickory Swamp Preserves this morning and saw the white cow quietly lying in the sun. After I set up, a State Park worker drove up an 18-wheeler carrying a huge lawn mower. When he saw me painting, he was very nice and said he would try to stay away from the cow as far as possible when he drove into the preserves. Fortunately, the cow was not disturbed and lay there long enough for me to finish the painting.

Alla Prima Figure Sketch: Carpenter Jesus Raphael (Oil, 14 x 11)

This morning I went to the Artful Gardens again. People there were all very friendly, especially their director Mr. Mark Tracy, whose smiles always made you feel comfortable to mingle with people there. After I arrived there, I saw two young Mexican carpenters who were busy working in the sun, making something like picnic tables. I set up to paint Jesus who mainly focused on sawing wood and was comparatively the less mobile one. Both Jesus and his co-worker seemed to be interested in my painting. Jesus himself had a special passion for art and kept asking me about how to purchase art supplies. It is fun to paint people in their natural environment.

Alla Prima Portrait: Captain Harold (Oil, 20 x 16)

I went to Winkler Court Nursing Home this afternoon. My model today was resident Captain Harold. I have no idea whether he was really a captain or not. Everyone called him that. Possibly it was because of his hat.

En Plein Ar: Wooden Bridge (oil, 11 x 14)

It is the same bridge at the Hut. I painted before. This morning I went to Peace Rd. and the farm gate happened to be open, so I sneaked in and painted from a different angle.

En Plein Air: Dave's Pickup in the Field (Oil, 9 x 12)

I went to Meloy Hay Company this morning and saw Dave's pickup in the field.

En Plein Air: The Artful Gardens' Fence (Oil, 9 x 12)

I went this morning with Lee Plein Air Group to the Artful Gardens which has some very good programs for children with special needs, a respectable non-profit organization. Since I was there to check it out last Wednesday, I knew what I was going to paint when I got there. The natural different sizes and even shapes of the boards that formed the fence presented an interesting view with a vibrating rhythm. The cut down dead trees or stumps also goes with it and, at the same time, provide some kind of variety. I wished the fence face the sun at a small angle, that way it could be more fun to paint.

Alla Prima Portrait: Foon (oil, 20 x 16)

Thursday, it is VAC Portrait Studio Day. We were supposed to have two models this morning. However, the model at the site where I set up didn't show up. Fortunately, our fellow artist Foon offered to sit for us to paint. Foon is a Chinese American, but she could not speak Chinese because when she came to this country she was only four-year-old.

En Plein Air: Palm Tree Grove (Oil, 12 x 12)

I went this morning to check out the Artful Gardens which I would go with the Lee Plein Air Group again on Friday. I noticed the palm tree grove on my way there. I believed it could make a good painting with its rhythm and variety vs uniformity. Therefore, I stopped on Peace Road on my way back home and made the picture.

En Plein Air: E 12 Street on A Foggy Morning (Oil, 8 x 14)

I meant to go to Artful Gardens this morning. I took E 12 street and planned to get there by way of Gunnery. However, before I hit Sunshine Blvd., the scene in the heavily foggy weather attracted me, especially when i saw a lone tree standing on a road curve. There was not much traffic, so I made a U-turn and pulled over on road shoulder. My experience told me I got to hurry 'cause the fog would lift quickly. It took less than an hour.

I;ve never been to the Artful Gardens. I received an E-mail from Denny telling me the Lee Plein Air Group will go there on Friday. Since it was not far from my home, I thought of checking it out today. Anyway, I will still go to the Artful Gardens on Friday with the group.

En Plein Air: Claus's Pine Trees