Sketches from the Road, Occoquan, VA

Lunch

Sketches from the Road, Philadelphia, PA

Wayne on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Nautilus Tres

As a final comment on this piece, I'm not satisfied with the point of view for the right Nautilus. A better position would be looking at the shell from the back rather than the interior. Or, only 2. Also, I'm still not sure of the position of the middle shell. Initially, they were to float on a dark ground which would eliminate questions about the feasibility of placement, point of view, etc. But, the gallery wanted bright colors.

Nautilus

Some problems exist with the reflection of the center nautilus. Today's pictures shows how inconsistent the color can be if the photograph is not taken in exact circumstances each day.

Nautilus

There was a lot of tedious work today painting the segments of the center nautilus.

Nautilus

I quickly altered the background to submit this to the Judith Klein Gallery for a February Show. The Gallery wanted "bright" colors for a February Love theme show. This is about as bright as I could take it and maintain the integrity of the piece.

Nautilus

This painting is oil on board and 6"x15". At first I planned to paint in an illustrative manner mimicing scientific drawings and leaving the red background. Now I've decided to place the shells on a dark ground with reflections. I will also change the blue-gray shade of the left shell to a pink-ochre color. The nautilus has survived millions of years virtually unchanged. It is from the same family as the octopus; its shell is its skeleton. As Oliver Wnedell Holmes wrote,

Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul, As the swift seasons roll! Leave thy low-vaulted past! Let each new temple, nobler than the last, Shut thee from heaven with a dome more vast, Till thou at length art free, Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's unresting sea

!