30 in 30 Challenge

Well, I have decided to hit the ground running in 2015 with Leslie Saeta's 30 in 30 Challenge. It's a 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. See the link above to read more about it, she has done this several times and has it streamlined. She answers all possible questions!

I have been kicking around the idea of doing my own 30 in 30 again, but it's so much fun to do it with more people! The best thing about this particular challenge is that we are all in it together. On Leslie's blog you can see all of the paintings EVERYONE posts there everyday and you can also see an interactive map that shows all of the other poor souls who have accepted the challenge all across the US and the world.

I challenged a few of my painter friends locally (The Society of Seven) and I guess I will see who steps up! So far I think I have 2 nibbles. Once I know for sure I will post links to their websites and blogs so you can see what they are doing as well.

I narrowed down a few themes for the challenge (basically things that I want to improve upon in my own work... interiors and plein air... maybe some found still lifes to break the monotony). I have ordered a ton of 5x7 linen panels and some additional white paint... I am ready to go! There is nothing better for learning than 30 starts. That's a lot of experience in a short time. Nothing better for the painting game!

I will be posting the pieces on this blog daily and they will be available by auction in my Daily Paintworks Gallery (which has currently been emptied of all artwork). I am toying with the idea of holding all sales until the end of the challenge, I may want to keep some as inspiration for larger works! I guess I will need to make up my mind very soon!

I hope you check back often to see how I am doing or better yet, challenge yourself!

Riverside

This painting was inspired by some of the shrimp docks located here in the southeast.

Autumns End

Painted this one afternoon in my mother in laws lawn. The lake is so beautiful and blue and I love the contrast between this blues and the oranges in those last leaves of fall. This painting will be used for s larger studio piece.

Beach Access

Beach Access, painted en plein air on Amelia Island. Not much breeze in between the dunes, but I saw a great opportunity to use one of these great 8x16 panels.

Beach Access, 8x16, oil on linen, plein air, framed, BUY HERE

Autumn Light

I love the coolness of the morning light in autumn. Love this time of year.

Autumn Light, framed, oil on linen, 11x14, $700, BUY HERE

Gray Day at the Surf Shop

Spent some time on Amelia Island, FL with our senior class. While they were playing on the beach I was painting away.

This was done on Centurion OPDx linen that cam in a pad, so its floppy. Saves space and rolls up when dry. Tape it to a boar and you are ready to paint!

Gray Day at the Surf Shop, 12x16, oil on linen, framed, $800, Buy Here

Untitled

Untitled, 24x30, oil on InnerGlow panel

Another piece for the barnstorming show at Huff Harrington later this fall...

The Lean and Tucked Away in Progress

Thought you might enjoy seeing how these pieces started.

The Lean

A favorite subject if mine here in Newnan. This was done from a smaller plein air piece. These barns will be available at Huff Harrington Fine Art later this fall!

Tucked Away

Olive Road, Tennessee

More plein air work just outside Paris, TN. Not too many places in the farmland to pull over, but I found a nice quit spot.

Creeping

Got to spend some quality time in front of one of my favorite southern monuments in Paris, TN

Summer Study and Studio Sale

Starting Friday, June 27, 8am

The studio is overflowing with beautiful studies and sketches that need a new home. I have assembled the strongest studies and sketches available for purchase online only this weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  Pieces are sold without frames and at study and sketch prices.

A preview of pieces will be available on my site Thursday from 8am until 8pm, but BUY NOW buttons will not be available until Friday, Morning at 8AM sharp.

To preview pieces Thursday from 8am until 8pm, visit my site at www.davidboydjr.com, click on Works, and then click on Study and Sketch Preview.

To purchase starting Friday morning at 8am sharp, visit my site at www.davidboydjr.com. Click on Works, and then click on Study and Sketch Sale.  The sale link will remain up until Sunday at 5pm; however, this is first come, first serve so make your selection early.

* All sales will be through PayPal, so make sure you are set up and ready to go! 

* Shipping will be available at 10% of purchase price.

* Hours for pick up from the studio will be monday from 9am until 1pm.  Please do not select shipping at check out if you want to pick your piece up.  Email me with any questions.

View From Mt. Battie

A quick sketch looking down on Camden, ME from atop Mt. Battie

A Stream Runs Through It

Did this piece at our RV campground near Bennington VT during OPA Nationals... I was late for the opening.

For Sale

A few days ago we hit Owls Head, Maine on our way to Port Clyde... We didn't make it to Port Clyde. Had a great burger at the Genersl Dyore and painted all day!!

Vermont Stream

During OPA Nationals, I carved out some painting time between events to paint. This little stream was the subject of a couple of paintings. 

In Between

Experimenting with the beautiful simplicity of a limited palette of yellow ochre, napthol red and cobalt blue. Love the colors and the harmony you get with a limited palette. Mine has gotten out of control with all of the earths grays and halftones I use.

Rust in Peace SOLD

Leon and I stopped along the way to Apalachicola in Crawfordville, FL where there is a super cool Ford truck graveyard. Legend has it that a guy who owned a Ford dealership would drive a truck for a while and then stick it in the woods, get another one and do the same. There were at least 15 truck there from the late 30's to the early 60's.

Rust in Peace, 11x14, plein air, transportation, oil on linen, $800, SOLD

Poncho and Lefty Hit the Forgotten Coast

Two weeks ago I loaded my car with all the painting gear a had plus an Aussie artist I had never met and headed to the Forgotten Coast Invitational Paint out for a little adventure.

Ed Cahill, a fellow plein air painter and Georgia introduced me to the Australian via Munich plein air painter Leon Holmes. Leon needed a ride to the coast and I had a big SUV and itch for adventure. Australians are know to fit that bill well. It was nothing short of an adventure.

Up before the sun everyday and home after dark... painting with the best in the country. What more could a painter want. Images of my paintings to come, but here are a few of the highlights along the way.

Leon gets credit for all of the pictures of me.

Leon gets his sea legs back at the Honey Hole in Crawfordville, FL

Leon paints an old car at the Honey Hole

I paint my favorite old truck with a few additions

Leon wins the Quickdraw

We celebrate Leon's victory with some bubbly and his hosts, Pidge and Bill

Tornado Alley

Crusty's Place

My demo, Coming Together

Leon flirts with Morgan Samuel Price

The day before this beauty was bulldozed

Shrimps

Student Day, my favorite day, with my student, Hayley

Hanging out with Greg Barnes, James Richards, Mitch Kolbe and Leon

Hot Spot

Painted this the morning we found the bulldozed boats... I couldn't paint there, so I drove up the road to find a better view.

We make a mess wherever we go.

Leon gets a great picture of my mustache

Painting at sunrise

Down by the River

Experimenting on a wider surface than I am used to AND a new surface... Shellacked mohagany. I think I liked it... Trying some new Rosemary brushes to boot... SER 278

Sunset Dancer

I love to paint plein air because it is so relaxing, especially when I am out and there are no people around. That is my favorite. It can't always be like that, and usually when it is not... that's where the best painting stories come from.

This painting for example was painted within 10 minutes. The sun was setting rapidly in Costa Rica so I set up and was slashing color down when this American girl came up to me. She was working at the Adventure Camp and had served us the night before... but she did not recognize me. She had obviously been indulging in some of the native plants (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

We talked for just a minute as she realized I was with the group that had been there for a while, she thought we departed already. She told me she would love to be able to paint and thought she could pull it off. Good luck, I thought... it ain't as easy as it looks.

As we ended our conversation, which was basically her talking and me painting, she excused herself from the conversation stating that she did not want to disturb me any more. "How nice," I thought. I wish all onlookers were like that. I usually get stories about their aunt that was a painter or that they have a dog and would I like to paint said dog. I was impressed with her ability to recognize the importance of the moment and to excuse herself. We exchange pleasantries and she excused herself. What happened next was so funny that I could hardly contain myself and only wished I had witnesses. She literally stood right next to me in my peripheral vision, facing the same sunset I was and DANCED her weird Grateful Dead, Widespread panic, Phish dance. All I could think was, "didn't want to disturb me?" Luckily for me it started to rain, which chased the Sunset Dancer away and gave me a few more undisturbed moments to finish my last stokes with the knife.

Plein air is always interesting and I know that 10 days painting at the Forgotten Coast paint out next week will yield some great stories!

Sunset Dancer, 8x10, plein air, landscape, sunset, palette knife, $600, framed

Sunset Over the Rocks

Painted this little gem when we got home. I love the sky just to either side of the sunset. I love those colors.

Corcovado Beach

Drake Bay, Costa Rica, 8x10, oil sketch, plein air, landscape, palette knife

This is the first piece I did upon arrival at the Corcovado Adventure Tent Camp on Drake Bay in Costa Rica. It was hot... super hot and sticky and I did not have everything I needed. I had shipped tubes of extra color and OMS from Dick Blick to Costa Rica and they had not passed through customs at this point. I had to improvise with think paint and no thinner!

On the Road, in the Air, on a Boat...

The last 2 weeks have been a blur around here.

Week before last I was with the 7th grade from my school. We have interim every spring, each class has an educational trip. It is a great opportunity to get out of the classroom.

We always go to the Georgia coast, usually to to sea kayak and learn about our unique coastline. This year we went to the UGA Marine Extension on Skidaway Island and did labs and traveled to Ossobaw Island, an uninhabited barrier island. I got a few paintings done here and there... I just have to find them.

As soon as I got back, we flew off to Costa Rica with the Outdoor Club from school for a REAL adventure. I did a ton of painting there as we snorkeled, hiked the jungle floor on the coast, spotted monkeys and snakes, zip lined, rafted and relaxed.

In the weeks to come I have to finish (start and finish!) a HUGE commission piece for Piedmont Newnan Hospital to be delivered before I leave for the Forgotten Coast Paint Out... 10 days of plein air pleasure.

Over the next 2 weeks I will be posting paintings done on the trips mentioned above as well as some tidbits about traveling with oil painting gear.

Best,

DB

The Path

Just finished this commission for some of my collectors. It has been so long since I have done a landscape this large with a palette knife. I am very happy with the outcome!

Rise

Rise, oil on linen, framed, 8x10, $500

Daybreak at St. Mary's

Trapped in my classroom studio most days keeps me combing through old photos to paint from. This image was from a photo I took while out on a run last October in St. Mary's, GA. There is a great spot east of town where a paper mill used to be. Lots of good views.

Sunset on Lamar Potts Road

Daybreak

Playing with some new colors. I have always made my own violet, but started inserting dioxazine purple into my palette.  Makes a great green when you add lemon yellow... The more I paint the more I've found that you rarely use a mixed color out of the tube like dioxazine for purple, but for other mixtures.