Acrylic Texture

When my acrylic paintings are being admired by art lovers, they usually mistake them for oils. The number one reason for my paintings looking like oils is because of the way I mix my paints, the colors I use and the additives I use. I for one do not use any retarders/extenders with my acrylics to try to slow down the drying. I simply use water and I add a gel to my paints. The water keeps the paints from drying too fast and the gel adds extra body to the paints to achieve texture in my paintings. I add about 1 part paint to 1/2 part gel ratio to the paint being used. If I want extra texture then I just add more gel. Now let's paint!

Acrylic Gloss Gel on Acrylic Paint

Close up of a corner of one of my pantings

Happy New Year!

What better way to start off my 2012 blogs than to show a video clip of the Ocala Plein Air Painters in the trenches. Actually, it is a compilation of pictures from our past paint outs. The Ocala Plein Air Painters get together the first saturday of the month for a morning paint out at different locations throughout Central Florida and paint from life. After our morning painting session we get together for lunch and have good conversation. Anyone wanting to paint with our group is more than welcome to come along. Simply visit Ocala Plein Air Painters website and visit our paint outs page. Hope you enjoy watching this video as we sling paint on our canvases. Now Let's Paint!

Original Art for the Holidays

Give the gift of art by buying original paintings from renowned artists of The International Plein Air Painters. What better way to express your love to someone than by giving them a gift that lasts for a lifetime? Visit the online painting exhibit of various styles and mediums from professional artists.

Click Here to visit the Exhibit.

The Art of Healing

Local Plein Air Painters and myself were mentoring a few nurses of the Munroe Regional Medical Center of Ocala in a project called The Art of Healing. This is the second time I participated in this event which took place at Sholom Park. It was a beautiful sunny but cool November day. The day started out with breakfast, then painting and ended with a scrumptious lunch. I had a good time sharing what I know about plein air painting. The nurses seem to have a good time as well with the hands on instruction. Jessica S. W. McCune an R.N. of the Hospital is the person that put this whole thing together. Among the professional painters that participated were Peggy Watts, Carole Lopez, John Breen, Nancy Moskovitz, Milly Sheffer and Diana Crow just to mention a few. The nurses walked away with beautiful landscape paintings and a better understanding of what Plein Air Painting is. I was glad to participate in this event once again, and am looking forward to the next one. Now Let's Paint!

Here I am with Linda.

John Breen giving instructions.