Plein Air Oils

These oil paintings were done outdoors, on the spot, plein air, along with the wasps, mosquitoes, ticks, sunburn, curious onlookers, and all the other pleasures of working outdoors.  It's something every painter should do.  I think my own painting improved dramatically once I got over my fear of painting in public and stopped working from photographs.  I believe that working from photos is a perfectly valid method of painting, but it can't duplicate the results you get from painting outdoors.

Except for two of these paintings, they all depict the central New Jersey area centered around Mercer County.  One of my favorite painting spots is the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath.  Besides being a nice spot to work, I can find areas that are not too well traveled.  (I guess I'm not completely over my fear of painting in public after all!)

Some of these images are available as framed prints, calendars, coffee mugs, t-shirts and other products in the gift shop below.  Most of the original paintings are for sale, details are listed on each work.