Southport Botanical

Really wishing spring would hurry up and get here. Painting flowers and buildings a lot these days.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1401647/southport-botanical

Southport Botanical
11" x 14", oil

Churchtown Garden

Having lots of fun painting these small ones lately.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1400857/churchtown-garden

Churchtown Garden
11" x 14", oil

Manor

Manor
14" x 11", oil

http://bnguffey.com/works/1399778/manor

Nightstand

My nightstand as of this morning.

Nightstand
14" x 11", oil

Flower Garden and Shed

Flower Garden and Shed
11" x 14", oil

http://bnguffey.com/works/1397966/flower-garden-and-shed

Owsley Young House

Owsley Young House
22" x 28", oil, plein air

Creek in Winter Light

Painted at the golf course today. Actually I walked a good piece up into the woods following a little stream. There are many spots to paint but I kept going until one really spoke to me, and a place where I could actually stand to paint without being in the water.

Not the best pic, and I'll probably touch it up in a few places, but here it is straight out of the woods.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1396846/creek-in-winter-light

Creek in Winter Light
24" x 18", oil, plein air

Within the Rocks and Woods

As many of you that follow my blog or Facebook page know, I have been experimenting lately with starting paintings upside-down. I'm basically painting from a photo reference, flipping it over in photoshop, and painting from the inverted image. The last couple of days I have taken that exercise a step farther. I have been breaking that inverted image into quarters and painting each quarter separately. Sort of a large grid.

I remember seeing some C.W. Mundy paintings about a year ago that were accomplished upside-down. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting C.W., but do have a DVD of his, and follow him on Facebook to try to glean any info about painting that I can. Hopefully I'll get to meet him at First Brush of Spring this year and discuss this process. I hadn't thought about those paintings of his until I recently flipped one over and had a go at it. C.W. was definitely on to something there.

When I tell people that I did a particular painting upside-down I usually get a smirk or smile and a "really?", or a look of complete disconnect. Most folks think it's a gimmick, I do believe. But for me it is far from that. For me, the ability to paint a picture, to create art, is all about seeing as an artist. I don't want to see the symbol of a bunch of flowers, a tree, a rock, house, etc. By symbol I mean that automatic picture in your mind that comes forth when someone mentions an object. Like the little house you first remember drawing as a child. The single gabled roof with chimney, maybe some smoke coming out of it, the tree next to the house with large round shape on top, and the sun with rays sticking out from around it. The sidewalk leading from the door.

I want to see things as shapes and lines. Spots of color and value. And having my reference flipped upside-down helps me to see that. It confuses the left side of my brain and kicks the right side into action. I don't consider myself stupid, I know that the light blue at the bottom of the pic is sky. I know the green things are trees or bunches of grass. But I try to paint only what I see and not what I think it should look like. It's always an exciting process and usually turns out to be a interesting painting. Sometimes good, sometimes not so much so. But always a learning experience.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1395135/within-the-rocks-and-woods

Within the Rocks and Woods
14" x 11", oil

Thermal

I've been experimenting with starting paintings upside-down recently. This morning I took that a step further by blurring my reference pic a bit, flipping it upside-down, and then focusing in on one quarter of the painting at a time. I did 99% with the painting flipped on its top and the turned it over for a couple of finishing touches. This one is very loose, which I like. I'm posting some step by step shots below.

Thermal
11" x 14", oil

Garden of the Midday Sun

There are times when each brushstroke feels right. I like those times.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1393314/garden-of-the-midday-sun

Garden of the Midday Sun

11" x 14", oil

Late Winter Lake

Painted this one yesterday at Dale Hollow Lake in Cumberland County, Kentucky. A wonderful, almost warm day (no jacket).

http://bnguffey.com/works/1391815/late-winter-lake

Late Winter Lake
16" x 20", oil

Norman's Place

Did this one fairly quickly today. Playing with the back of a 30" x 40" wooden panel I had painted a marine scene on about 5 years ago.  I think I'll let it dry and abstract it a bit.

Norman's Place
30" x 40", oil on wood

Featured Artist for Blick Ad

I'm proud to be the Featured Artist for the April 2014 Blick ad on the inside cover of The Artist's Magazine.

Barn with Tree

Barn with Tree
11" x 14", oil

Daybreak

Yep. We'll leave the light on for you. Had fun painting this one.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1389069/daybreak

Daybreak
11" x 14", oil

Boat Sketch

Did this one very quickly this morning.

Boat Sketch
11" x 14", oil

Very Quick Sketch from Life

Did this one holding the small canvas in my hand with my palette during class tonight.

Sketch from Life
10" x 8", oil

DC House ~ Another Upside-Down Painting

I'm really digging doing these upside-down starts and paintings lately. Gives a fresh impressionistic, almost abstract, feeling to the painting.

Here's a link if you'd like to purchase this one.

House with Gate
11" x 14", oil

Park with Snow V2.0

I brought this painting back to the easel this morning. It has been a couple of weeks since I painted it at the local town park. There were areas I thought could use some touch up, and while I was at it I added a few snowflakes. I like it better at this point, and will probably touch up a couple of other places that need it.

Park with Snow (Version 2.0)
16" x 20", oil

House Sketch 2-9-14

It was chilly out today and I wore the wrong socks. That means I didn't get a finished painting from my session. Once my feet get cold all I think about is, "My feet are cold." But I like the sketch and may take it further.

House Sketch
16" x 20", oil, plein air

DC Truck

Here's another upside-down painting. I like how I go more abstract when looking at the reference flipped on its head. This is also my second painting for this month's Virtual Paintout.

DC Truck
18" x 24", oil

Upside Down Exercise

Painted this one upside down this morning. I used a recent plein air painting as reference, turned it upside down and painted quickly, just the shapes and lines I saw. Trying to keep detail to a minimum. When I felt it was done I flipped it over and left it as is. This exercise will be executed by the students in class tonight. Not the same reference, but a landscape nonetheless.

Upside Down Exercise 2-6-14
11" x 14", oil

SP 2-6-14

Experimenting this morning. Always fun and interesting to see what comes out when it doesn't matter.

Self Portrait 2-6-14
6" x 6", oil

Head Study

Quick 45 minute head study before work this morning.

14" x 11", oil

Oak in Winter Sun

What a nice, warm day today! Taped some loose canvas on a piece of masonite and painted an old oak tree.

Oak in Winter Sun
Approximately 32" x 25", oil on canvas, plein air