The Hazards of Texas Wildfire

So many folks have asked me about the wildfires that continue to plague firefighters here in central Texas that I thought it might be good to provide a little info about it here. I happened to catch a Google satellite image of our area (about 30 miles northwest of Austin) at just the right time that really highlights our problem. Of course I have no idea when the images were taken but it's obvious that the part on the left, the green part, was taken some time ago and the part on the right is more recent. That would be the not-quite-so-green part.

We've set a new record for days without rainfall in central Texas, but here in our little community it's been even longer. Where we live it seems like we're always the last in our area to get rain. The grass here is so dry that it actually crunches under your feet if you walk on it. When I go out to play ball with my dog Rascal as he runs after the ball he leaves a cloud of dust and swirling beige grasses behind him. The burn ban has been heightened to the point where we're not even allowed to barbecue outside, which as you can imagine is a really big deal for Texans. With so many showing signs of being in "barbecue withdrawal" there's been talk of setting up clinics to help counsel them through these rough times. (Just kidding.)

Fires, as many of you know, have wiped out whole communities. Believe it or not, one has even been attributed to arson when four teenagers were seen leaving a woods just before a fire broke out. Well known artist Carol Marine lost her home and the new studio that her husband David worked for a year to build, escaping just in time with their camping trailer. They won't be rebuilding, but instead will move to Oregon. You can read more from Carol herself at her blog, http://carolmarine.blogspot.com and from David's point of view at http://dpwnews.blogspot.com

We're pretty much a tinder box here in Texas and there's flooding in the eastern states. That all makes me wonder: "If we can build pipelines that will move oil, why can't we build pipelines that will move water?" I guess it's because there's more profit in oil. At least until water becomes more precious.
The most likely saving grace for us here in central Texas would be rain from a hurricane that passes through, but that won't be very welcomed by the Texans who live along the Gulf of Mexico. OH! But there's no "global climate change", is there?

So ... are we in imminent danger? No, but we have created a prioritized "Bug Out" list.
Is the threat everpresent? You betcha.
One careless smoker, or even a hot shell casing from a rifle shot could set it off. And it's dove season right now. And deer season is coming. I'm just glad I don't smoke and I don't hunt, so I can't be blamed if it happens.

In closing, I just want to say.....
GOD BLESS THE FIREFIGHTERS.

Morning Fog - landscape by Kirk Witmer

Daily painting for 9/12/11 - 6 x 8" - Oil on archival panel
I titled this "Morning Fog" but as you can see it doesn't have anything to do with needing a second cup of coffee. The effort here was to convey a mood without the use of color, but instead only using values. The first step in this procedure was to create what I call "eco-gray". I do that by taking all the leftover paint on my palette from the last painting I did and mixing it until it's a uniform shade all the way through. Depending on what the last painting was, the gray may be tinted differently in each batch, so if it's too far from neutral, I'll add a touch of whatever's on the opposite side of the color wheel to pull it back toward neutral, then mix until well blended.
From there, I pulled out some white and black and started mixing a series of values. For this one I found I needed almost no black.

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The Barley Harvest, landscape w/ figures by Kirk Witmer

18 x 24" - oil on stretched canvas
This is the third in my Dorchester series. Like the first two, I've relied on lighting to set the mood and figures to tell a story. This one is obviously in bright sunlight across the landscape, which explains why, before the days of sunblocking lotions, the ladies are wearing clothes that will protect them from the sun as they work.

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Steampunk Jeff, pencil portrait by Kirk Witmer

Pencil portrait - 9 x 12"
I did this portrait in response to a challenge for artists on one of the many websites in which I participate. It was an interesting effort for me. Not because of this particular subject, but because of the "challenges" it presented. Most importantly the reflections on all the hardware. I hadn't had a subject that has presented that challenge so far, so I couldn't resist the temptation to jump in on this one.
For the purists who want to see just how close I got the the original, the challenge photo is inset into the upper right corner here.

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Walt Whitman, pencil drawing by Kirk Witmer

Pencil portrait - 9x12" on 100lb Bristol vellum
American poet Walt Whitman (1819–92) Author of "Leaves of Grass"
This is my fourth pencil portrait. The source photo is known to be one of several taken of Whitman at the time, but he chose this pose as his favorite.

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Country Lane, landscape by Kirk Witmer

18x24" - oil on stretched canvas

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There is a 6x8" artist's "study" done before this painting was started,
that will be included at no additional cost as part of the purchase of this work.

This is the second in my Dorchester series. It shows us a young lady on the road, going from the sunlight into the darkness of an uncertain future.
Here's the screen capture that became my source photo for this painting. It's easy to see I've made a lot of changes, starting with the widesecreen format! But overall I think the changes have improved the composition and provided for more excitement in the finished work.

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Harrison Ford as Woodrow Dolarhyde

Pencil drawing - 9x12"
This piece is not for sale (I'm sure my source photo is copyrighted!) I just did this for practice. Unless of course Mr Ford happens to stop by my blog (not bloody likely!) and decides he'd like to buy it. But he'll have to figure out how we can get around the copyright restriction.
This Harrison Ford, as he appears in the movie "Cowboys and Aliens" that was just released to theatres yesterday, looks a bit different than most of us might remember him. I only hope I'll look this good when I'm 69.

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Weaterbeaten, pencil portrait by Kirk Witmer

Pencil portrait, 9x12

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Well, it's been a rough week at the easel. Four days worth of painting did not produce a single "survivor"; meaning I didn't think there was even one that was worthy of posting here without being an embarassment. Maybe my standards for my work are getting higher. Or maybe I'm just burned out on landscapes and I should go back to still lifes again for a time.
Anyway, I took a day and did another pencil portrait from a photo. Probably about eight hours in this one. I'm rather pleased with how it turned out, but it's "only close" to the cowhand in the original photo, so in that way it's a bit of a disappointment to me, because it tells me I'm not quite ready to be hiring out for portrait work yet. ....yet. But as this developed, I began to think "Hmmm, this is kinda lookin' like [insert name of famous person here], only older." I won't say for awhile yet who I was thinking of, just to see if any of you might see a resemblance too.

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A Day at the Beach, landscape by Kirk Witmer

Daily painting for July 11 - 6x8" - oil on archival panel

I thought a summertime theme would be a good thing to paint in the summer.
What says "summer" more than a day at the beach?

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Study for Space Art #1

Daily painting for July 7th - 6x8" - oil on archival panel
This one was elusive. Not the painting, but photographing it! I took more than twenty photos trying to capture the glow on this celestial body and this seems to be the best of the lot. I'm still not sure this does it justice. If you like this image, you should see it in person.
But again, this is another study in preparation for a larger painting.

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The Architect, pencil portrait by Kirk Witmer

9x12" - Pencils on 50lb paper

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Six months ago I bought a box of pencils thinking I'd try my hand at drawing with just pencils. Yesterday I finally got around to opening the box, so here's my first serious attempt at a portrait done with pencils. Did this all on one day, in about 8 hours. Since this is something new for me, your critique is welcome.
Who is he? I hear you ask..... Frederick Law Olmstead toured through Texas in 1853 with his brother, a horse, a pack mule and a Colt Navy revolver. He ended up writing a book entitled "A Journey through Texas", but some years later he went on to become the landscape architect that designed New York City's Central Park. Imagine that!

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Sunset on the Old Mill, landscape by Kirk Witmer

Daily painting for June 29 - 6x8" - oil on archival panel
This was done in response to one of the weekly challenges on Daily Paint Works. I decided to make my version that magic hour of evening sunset lighting.

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Lighthouse at Harry's Cove, landscape, seascape painting by Kirk Witmer

Daily Painting for June 27 - 6x8" - oil on archival panel
Many years ago an artist uncle of mine gave me a miniature (about 3x4") painting that he'd done and I've treasured it ever since. We've lost touch in recent years, but I thought of him when I had no idea this morning what I would paint for my daily and decided to let him inspire me. This painting is quite different than his but it's a spin off from his lighthouse on the bluff scene. I wonder if he's still alive. I'll have to try to reconnect. Thanks for your help, Harry.

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Solitude, landscape painting by Kirk Witmer

6x8" - oil on archival panel
Inspired by a photo taken in the Grand Tetons National Park

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Madonna and Child, figures painting by Kirk Witmer

Daily painting for June 20 - 6x8 - oil on archival panelThis was almost a daily painting. I was interrupted by a visitor so had to stop before it was finished and so it spilled over into the next day. The main reason I painted this work is because it's definitely outside my comfort zone. Faces! Skin tones! Whew! But if we don't do that when we can, we never grow as artists.

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Sycamore Ranch, Sunset - landscape painting by Kirk Witmer

6x8 - oil on archival panelAs I've said before, painting small works on a daily basis gives me more opportunities to experiment and here are three that are all part of one experiment. I wanted to see how much interest I could bring to the same scene at three different times of day, so these three are part of a trilogy. This is the sunset version.

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Sycamore Ranch, Midday - landscape painting by Kirk Witmer

6x8 - oil on archival panel
As I've said before, painting small works on a daily basis gives me more opportunities to experiment and here are three that are all part of one experiment. I wanted to see how much interest I could bring to the same scene at three different times of day, so these three are part of a trilogy. This is the middle of the day version.

SOLD!
(3/14/15)
Going to a new home in Meteetse Wyoming.

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Sycamore Ranch, Sunrise - landscape painting by Kirk Witmer

6x8 - oil on archival panelAs I've said before, painting small works on a daily basis gives me more opportunities to experiment and here are three that are all part of one experiment. I wanted to see how much interest I could bring to the same scene at three different times of day, so these three are part of a trilogy. This is the sunrise version.

Click the button to buy - US$39 + $5 s&h

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Buy the set of three from Sycamore Ranch for $78 ... That's a "buy 2 get one free" offer!

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The Dorchester Series

After posting "The Turnip Harvesters", (below at 6-7-11) the first in this series, I've had some inquiries about what can be expected for the rest of them. Here's some little screen captures to give everyone an idea of what's coming. Just to sort of whet your appetites.

Click the image for a larger view.
Imagine the countryside around Dorchester, England during what came to be known as “The Long Depression” of the late 1800's. This series of nine paintings are inspired by a movie set in that time and place. The scenery in the movie was quite eye catching and I found many scenes that I would want to paint. As in the first one I'll be making changes from the movie view to improve the composition, strengthen the focal points and make them uniquely "mine".
After a couple of years of painting landscapes, I’m coming to realize that they will more easily tell a story, which is important to me, if the landscapes have some figures in them, doing something …
(Duh! It took me awhile to figure that out. I was behind the door when they passed out the Brilliant Pills. )
... everyday life kind of things most likely, but something. Maybe with a bit of historical significance. That could make them even more interesting.
All this, and of course trying to keep up with my daily paintings at the same time. So cut me some slack if I fall down ... I'm going to be a busy fellow for awhile!

Study for Country Lane, impressionistic landscape by Kirk Witmer

Daily Painting for June 6 - 6x8" - Oil on archival panel
This is a quick study (quick? almost two bloody hours!!) in preparation for what I've decided to call my "Dorchester Series" of landscapes. It seems very impressionistic to me, which is why I can't ever consider it a "finished" painting. That's just not my style. But the effort here was to determine what impact primarily values, and to some extent color, have on a composition. From this study I can now tell that when I begin the larger work, I will have to pay particular attention to the interplay of light and dark to maintain the best composition. And from this I know that I will have to increase the contrasts between light and dark to maximize the drama and help tell the story.
I've decided not to sell this study, but instead to give it at no additional cost to the collector who purchases the larger painting for which this was part of the preparation. Click here to go to that painting.

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