Ring Top Vase & Fruit

Yo my blog buddies,

Well, after washing some more of the RV yesterday, I looked in the back of our car.  We use this for extra storage for stuff that won't fit into or under the RV.  We have our Q-100 grill back there, our laundry basket, our 2 beach chairs, assorted warm clothing and blankets in case we need them - jackets, sweaters.  I also carry my Plein air painting stuff.  Under the beach chairs there is a plastic tub with a cover and inside that I found some 11 x 14 canvas panels!!!!!!!!!!  WOO-HOO!!!!

Soooooo I roughed in a sketch/drawing of a vase and some fruit - applied some grey to the vase as the white of the canvas was blinding me - and I threw on the initial color for the fruit.  Tomorrow either before or after i wash some more of the RV I will see what I might do with what I've started.  My brain tells me I want to do it loose - VERY LOOSE!!!!!  We'll see if my hand wants to follow my brain - sometimes they do not work in harmony and the hand takes over!!!!!!

Beginning of Ring Top Vase & Fruit
14 x 11 on canvas panel

DETAIL

This will also be an exercise in complimentary color as I'm pretty sure I want a blue vase.  So my friends - Time will tell----------------------------

JR     :>)

YO DUDES

Good Morning,

OK-OK-OK so I don't always tell the truth!!!!!  Yesterday I said I was going to take a rest from landscapes and do a few still life pieces but needed to find a bigger painting surface so I could get

 "DOWN & SLOPPY!!!!!"

Well that did not happen - as the sky got kind of stormy off in the distance and my sick little mind conjured up a STORM SCENE!!!!!   :>)  

Living on the ocean for as long as we did in Maine, we've seen a lot of storms roll in so I have my ideas as to what they looked like - additionally as a friend of mine says "I'm the artist - it's my painting so I can do anything I want!" :>)  

My paintings of late have been what I call HIGH CHROMA - deep dark intense colors which is all part of the "Quebec Painter" style that I so love.  The sun being so intense down here to my eyes brings out the intensity of color - so I even beef that up a bit in my work.

Soooo enough of the Blah-Blah-Blah Jibber/Jabber!!

"STORM ON THE HORIZON"

9 X 12

Painted quickly wet into wet on heavy linen paper with lots of gusto - flair in stroke, color and style.

DETAIL

Well, today I have a few errands to do - get gas for the car - pick up my Rx's at Walgreen's and then depending on the level of humidity and the temperature I most likely will continue with my washing of the RV.

Or as my good friend Dale (artist extraordinaire) calls it "THE BEAST" 

LATER DUDES

JR         :>)

GOOD EVENING BUDS

YO,

Well - did some painting this morning while marking time for my Dr. appointment.

"Gasprilla Island To The South"

Gasprilla is a barrier island off the coast Punta Gorda and the town of Boca Grande is out there.  Very, very beautiful area.

9 X 12 on heavy linen paper done wet into wet with gusto and freedom of strokes.

DETAIL

I think I'll take a break from landscapes for a couple of days and switch to still life - I need to see if I have some bigger canvas or linen paper as it is hard to be real loose when painting on a small surface - small being anything less than 16 x 20.  I love to paint on large 36 x 48 gallery wrapped canvas but alas no room in the RV for something that size!!!!

Most everything I paint these days is for fun and in many ways an adventure in loosening up and just plain having fun.  Perhaps when we settle into the condo I will look for outlets to try and sell my paintings - however that said and I just said it ----- trying to sell art in a bad economy almost borders on stupidity - or wishful thinking.  It only tends to wear you down and get you more discouraged than before you started trying to sell.

I now paint-paint-paint and then I purge and throw away - throw away - throw away - as I say it is mostly for fun now and painting and my DW Melissa keeps me out of bar rooms.   :>)

Well, went to the new Dr. today and he seems nice enough - we talked for a while and I gave him a copy of some medical records my Dr. in Santa Fe had given me to pass onto my next Dr.
They drew 6 vials of blood - ( I felt like a donor!!!)  He renewed my Rx's for me and I have a followup visit in three weeks so he can go over the results of the blood test with me

My BP was a tad higher than normal -I attribute that to our "FREE DIET" over the past 8 months and I'm sure now that we are some what settled down I can bring that back into a good range.  So i hope our "FREE DIET" has not done any damage to my frail little body!!!!!  I weighed in at 156 so that was good!!!!    :>)

Have a nice evening and day tomorrow - I'm going to try and do some more washing of the RV so it will be about 1/2 done and then finish it this weekend.

Later my buddies.


JR    :>)
.

Yo my friends

Hello blog buddies,

Well, yesterday I did another painting:

"Florida West Coast Sand Dunes"

9 x 12 on canvas sheet

DETAIL

Not much going on today - I have a Dr. appt. this afternoon - I don't like Dr's!!!!!!  All I really want is someone to give me new annual Rx's for my stupid maintenance drugs - an annual exam and "See ya In a Year!!!!!!"

New Dr's are especially pain full as you need to fill out your history from exiting the womb forward to present day - my memory goes back about 5 years!!!!  I just check off all the good stuff and leave out the bad!!!  As soon as you are honest with a DR. they see a cash cow and start with all kinds of tests and poking and touching.  I'm on medicare and they never pay a Dr the amount that is submitted - sooooooo this makes the Dr. feel the need to do more tests and more things to you so he can make back some of the money that he feels medicare screwed them out of!!!  When the Dr. asks how I'm feeling my standard answer is "I feel wonderful - I should not even be here today!"  The longer you stay in their presence, the more they think they can find wrong.  :>)  

The same thing with dentists!!!  Did you ever notice that dentists love to critique the work of other dentists.  I've heard things like "I don't know who your last dentist was but some of this work is pretty shoddy!!!"  Or "I wonder why this type of material was used in a front filling!"

EGO runs wild in the medical community has been my experience.

So my philosophy is say the very least you have to and if something is bothering you - look it up on line and self-diagnose!!!!  If that fails put some anti-biotic ointment on it - I call that "Magic Cream!!!"

I think I will do another painting this morning and some small chores around the RV while I'm marking time to go see the new DR.

Take care my friends - brush your teeth 3 times a day, floss twice a day and take lots of vitamins - it will make life so much simpler!

Enjoy the day!

JR   :>)

Wednesday 11/28/12

YO DUDES,

Did another painting yesterday afternoon:

BOCA GRANDE - SOUTH No. IV

12 x 9 on canvas sheet done wet into wet very quickly with loose strokes and gusto.

DETAIL

Having fun with beach scenes - trying to make them loose and free flowing with the colors of the west coast of Florida - the sun is so bright, the colors seen are just amazing!!!

Got about 1/4 of the RV washed yesterday - lots of work!!!!!!  My hands are cramping up after that so I doubt if I'll paint tomorrow - DAMN ARTHRITIS --- GETTING OLD SUCKS!!

They say it's the GOLDEN YEARS - I think it is more like the RUSTY YEARS!!!!

I think that is a phrase my cousin Marjorie used recently. 

Well, enjoy your day - and live lightly and happily!!!

JR    :>) 

TUESDAY 11/27/12

Hello my friends,

Well, this morning I did the laundry and then a painting.

This is 12 x 9 on a canvas sheet

"RING TOP VASE & FRUIT No. II"

This is not quite as loose as I had planned - my hand took over and decided to put more detail into in then I had envisioned!!

A partly cloudy day today with a touch higher humidity then normal so I think this afternoon I will start to wash portions of the RV - this should keep me cooled off as I'm sure to get sprayed with the water from the hose.

Not sure if you guys watch THE VOICE on TV but we really enjoy that show and I have to say I'm hard pressed to pick a winner - tonight 2 more get eliminated so I'll pick my choice out of the 4 remaining.

A quick sandwich B4 starting the washing of the RV - take care my friends and enjoy your day.

JR     :>)

HOME AGAIN

Yo Blog Buddies,

Well, just got back home from Miami after taking Melissa down there on Sunday, staying overnight near the airport and bring her to the airport this morning.  A 3 hour drive back home and it feels good to be back in Punta Gorda.

Now I've got to line up some projects and some chores so the 10 days will go by quickly!
I've got inside and outside projects to do as well on the RV and some painting and a Dr's appt. on Thursday afternoon.  I'm overdue for my annual checkup and I don't like to miss those plus I need some prescriptions renewed.  I found a Dr who was taking new patients and there was a 3 week wait for an appointment!!!!   Next we need to find a dentist!

Time for a nap as the 3 hour drive pooped me out!!!

JR    :>)

SUNDAY 11/25/12

Yo my friends,

Well, we are heading off to Miami today to take Melissa to the airport for her flight back to New England. She has several school readings to middle grades scheduled as well as a book signing on Cape Cod.

It's a good 3 hour drive to Miami so we will stay overnight - Melissa flies out on Monday and I will return to Punta Gorda.  She will be gone for 10 days, which is a long time so I shall keep busy painting.  I also have to wash the RV which is a big job!!!!  I'll most likely do it over two - three days.  The roof first and also the front and back - the next day side one and the third day side two.
I don't have a power washer so it will be done by hand!!!!!!

Most places charge $3 - $4 a foot!!!!  that would be $93 - $120 - NO WAY - I'll do it myself and just take it slow.

I also have a few odds and ends to do inside and outside the RV to get it ready to be delivered to Elkhart Indiana - soooooo before I know it I'll be on my way back to Miami to pickup Melissa!!!

:>)

Well my friends have a great Sunday!!!

JR    :>)

HAPPY SATURDAY

Yo my friends,

Well, today we went to a consignment shop to look at furniture for the condo - found some nice stuff so we will keep our eyes open as move in day of 1/1/13 gets closer.

On Sunday we have to drive down to Miami ( about 3 hours south ) and stay overnight as Melissa flies out on Monday for a 10 day book tour in Massachusetts and NH.  I'll stay here and paint and of course enjoy the beach on the sunny days.  I will also check the consignment shop to see if any new items have arrived and if the ones we like are still there.  We could buy stuff now, but we have no placer to keep it - so if some real good buys are available, we may rent a small storage bunker for one month.

Bought 2 lottery tickets today - trying to find a way to keep our RV for summer travels :>)

 Well my friends, enjoy the weekend with your family.

JR     :>)

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

Yo my blog buddies,

 Well my friends as we indicated at the beginning of our journey 8 months ago, along the way we would be looking for a place to settle.  A nice quiet place with nice warm winter weather and a place we felt we could and would belong.

Who knew it would happen this quickly!!!!!  Well, it has happened and we are going to settle in Punta Gorda Florida.  We have signed a lease for a one year rental on a very nice condo in sort of a "resort" like place with lots of wonderful amenities.  We move in January 1, 2013

Punta Gorda is a place that we took to upon first arrival and felt completely comfortable from the git go!!
We had hoped that it would  be possible to also keep the RV and use that for summer travel.   Life being a "box of chocolates - you never know what you are going to get," so we now doubt that keeping the RV will be possible.

Our initial plan was to full time RV for 1 - 2 years and then settle down and RV about 3 months during the summer.  The best laid plans of men and mice often......................................................

It has been a wonderful 8 month journey covering over 10,000 miles and many, many states, with lots of wonderful memories gathered along the way.  A journey we shall never forget!

Will we miss RV-ing???  Yes - on a daily basis - but soon the absence of RV-ing will be replaced by other types of adventures that we will  take.

We now have some very large tasks ahead  - making a final decision as to keeping or selling the RV -- setting up the condo and at some time returning to NM to clean out our storage bunker.  Lots of planning to do and lots and lots of co-ordination.  So we will take one thing at a time and complete the necessary tasks.

I will continue to update my blog buddies but eventually the RV writings in my blog will go by the wayside and I hope replaced with more paintings and other adventures.
.

JR     :>)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY

Yo my friends,

Melissa and I want to wish you each a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.  We hope your day is fill with family and good times.

We are going over to Nancy & Wayne's house for dinner and good conversation - we really enjoy them.

Looked at some condos today and we think we have found one that we like very much and most likely will  sign a 1 year lease - more to follow on this in a day or two.

So my friends enjoy Thanksgiving and your family!

JR    :>)

Tuesday 11/20/12

Yo my friends,

Well kind of chilly this morning - 52 degrees!!!!!  Brrrrrrrrr!!!   :>(

Today we are going to look at some rental condos to see what is out there.  Yesterday we viewed several condos for sale and found a couple of interesting ones - however we are not yet ready to make a commitment and need to look further.  Not being in any rush makes it easy and comfortable to wait for the right place to come along.

Well, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it will be nice to spend the day with friends that we really enjoy!  Our job is to provide the desert so we shall do some scouting today for pies.  Perhaps squash or pumpkin and I'm always a sucker for minced meat!!!!!

Well- today is recycle day so I've got to get that put out for pickup!

Later my friends.

JR    :>)

Monday 11/19/12

Ho my friends,

Well, here it is the beginning of a new week!  WOO-HOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday we went to the movies with our friends Nancy & Wayne - the new James Bond movie was good.  I liked the last one better - but all in all it was good entertainment.  I'd give it a 7 out of a possible 10.

Today we have to hang around and wait for the propane truck to arrive - our propane is getting quite low so we need a fill up.  After that we are going to meet a Realtor and look at 5 - 6 condos that are for sale.  Later this week we are meeting with another Realtor to look at 3 - 4 condos that are for rent.  Buy - Rent - that remains to be seen - if we find something we really like we may act on it - as I say - no rush - so we can take our time - when and if we find it - we'll know - maybe this year - maybe next year.

So it will be a busy week and Thanksgiving we have been invited over to Nancy & Wayne's house for dinner which will be lots of fun.

Well my friends a few things to do before we leave to meet the Realtor so I'll bid you good by - until next post.

JR      :>)

Sunday 11/18/12 - Afternoon

Good afternoon my friends,

Well this morning Melissa is writing and I'm painting - what's new EH??????

I sort of played around a little - just having fun and did these 2 this morning.

Moody Blues
8 x 10 on heavy linen paper - with lots and lots of GUSTO now this is what I talk about when I say I like to paint just this side of SLOPPY - I LOVE IT!!!!!!

Done wet into wet with no consideration of the rules of painting - JUST PAINT IT!!!!!

DETAIL

The next one is also on heavy linen paper and is anything but loose and I have to say it was an absolute chore to paint!!!!  Sometimes ya gotta do detail work so you don't forget how - but I gotta tell ya it was 

BORING!!!!!!!! 

Ring Top vase and fruit

DETAIL

Well, this afternoon we go see the new James Bod movie with our friends Nancy & Wayne.

Hope you enjoyed these 2 paintings.

JR     :>)

Sunday 11/18/12

Yo my blog buddies,

Yesterday we had planned to go to see the James Bond movie.  However the sun came out and it warmed up so we figured we'd go to the beach.  However on our way to the beach we decided to check out an area called Burnt Store which is on the way to the beach.  This is an area just outside of the downtown area of Punta Gorda and has lots of quite nice residential areas - both houses and condos.

We went to the Burnt Store Marina area as we love harbors and marinas.  Well one thing led to another and we ended up in the real state office of the Century 21 right at the marina. The housing market is picking up in Punta Gorda and it is no longer a "buyers market."  The condo market however has not yet started to come back and it is still a "buyers market."

We found some very nice condos at very reasonable prices and had the broker print out a list of all the condos on the market, with their addresses.  We spent the rest of the afternoon putting the addresses into the GPS and checking out the locations of about 6 condos.  Somewhat impressed, we went back to the Century 21 office - met with the broker and set up an appointment for Monday and perhaps Tuesday to view about 6 condos in the marina area.

Soooooo today we plan on going to see the James Bond movie - unless of course something else takes its place!

Being "footloose & fancy free" as I call our live style , we often change our minds and end up doing something completely different from what we had planned -this is one of the perks of this life style of retirement.

Well, I need to "clean the house" today which takes all  of 20 minutes - it's only about 225 square feet! :>)

Sooooo before I bore you good people I shall say goodbye and until next posting--------------------------

JR     :>)

Yo my friends

Well, today is starting out sunny - a tad cool but sunny none the less.

Today will be another lazy day - we'll hang around this morning - maybe painting for me and writing for Melissa and then this afternoon we are going to go see the new James Bond movie.  On our way out to a town called Englewood yesterday we found a cinema.  Have not read any reviews on the movie yet but I'm sure we will enjoy it.

Englewood had a nice beach, but the town itself was not our cup of tea - too "beachy" like and not really any kind of a town center.  We are also going to check out Bonita Springs and Naples - they are south of Punta Gorda and both sound like nice places.  The rental condo market seems to be more abundant in these two places as well as a tad cheaper for rent.  Time will tell - no rush.

Well, no more jibber/jabber.

Have a great weekend - enjoy yourself and your loved ones -

JR     :>).

Juan Ponce de Leon

Yo Buddies,

Well - yesterday afternoon we went to Juan Ponce de Leon park and spent a couple of hours enjoying the quiet and the beautiful scenery.

Panoramic views of the gulf of Mexico 

Covered picnic area 

My DW Melissa getting ready to read 

It takes us about 20 minutes to get to the park but the drive is well worth it - great views, very quiet, bathrooms, picnic facilities - what more could you ask for????  Well - maybe a TRUST FUND!!!!  :>)

We may do some more of the same thing today!!!

Last night we went downtown and listened to the music - it was great!!!!  Our friend Wayne (of Nancy & Wayne) plays in what I believe is called a "pick up group"  anyone can come and join in.  Most folks in this group come with a song to perform and then it is sort of a jam session with more songs and lots of jammin'.

Well my buddies - I've got things to do -places to go and people to see so I will not hold things up with senseless jibber-jabber with that said - and I just said it - I bid you farewell until our next encounter.

JR      :>)

GOOD AFTERNOON

Hello blog mates,

Well this morning started out some what foggy and very cloudy so we decided to paint and write.

This is 12 x 9 on a loose canvas sheet done wet into wet.

BOCA GRANDE - SOUTH

OK - we of course start with a blank sheet of canvas

We now throw in a sky very quickly - BAM

We then throw in an ocean very - very quickly and the sand very quickly BAM -BAM

(keep in mind that the sky is still wet paint)

OK - with the sky still wet paint and the ocean still wet paint, we throw in a couple of palm tree trunks very very quickly BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM

We next throw some fronds onto the trucks - again very quickly - the sky, ocean, sand are still wet

Now using upward strokes and a fan brush we throw in the grasses

The paint on the sky has just started to get semi-dry but the ocean and sand are still wet.

Painting wet into wet is fun as you pick up some of the already wet paint while putting in the new elements and this gives a "blending" of the colors as well as soften edges and improves the dimensional illusion. 

(Not happy with the shape of the cloud -it looks like a giant hawk -- so I'll go in and adjust that.) 

BUDDA-BING - BUDDA BOOM WE HAVE A PAINTING!!!  :>) 

DETAIL

Thursday 11/15/12

Yo my friends,

Well - today we are going to tour some of the surrounding communities and then if the day warrants we'll go to the beach for a while.  Tonight we'll go down to the park in Punta Gorda where our friend Wayne plays with a group every Thursday evening.  Some really - really good music!!!!

Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just a week from today!  Time certainly does go by quickly - almost too fast!

We've decided to take a break from looking at various properties to rent and see where things stand come about March 1st.  Time is on our side at this point.  We do know that Punta Gorda is our "kind of town" and is a place that we could settle down in.  So knowing that gives us the confidence to move slowly and see what comes our way.  Like our friend Wayne said "I like it here because it is summer all the time, I can fish whenever I want and there are no parking meters!!!!!"  That certainly hit home with me!!!!  :>)  

Not much else to report - we are sort of settling into a lazy life style here - not really lazy - just sort of laid back and taking things slowly - feels good.

Well no more jibber/jabber - have a great day and start resting up for the weekend!!!!!

JR     :>)

Tuesday 11/13/12

Yo my friends,

Well Tuesday was another quiet day with some painting for me and writing for Melissa.

I did these two this morning:

Autumn - Sangre de Christos - NM

11 x 8 on canvas panel done wet into wet with brush and palette knife.  Living in Santa Fe NM for 5 years I did a lot of plein air paintings at about 9,700 feet above sea level in these very beautiful mountains.

DETAIL

Rambunctious Roses

12 x 9 on sheet canvas wet into wet - done with gusto and loose freedom of stroke.  I had a lot of fun with this one - just applying paint with what

I call "WILD ABANDONMENT."

Roses are "built" from the inside to the outside which is sort of like painting backwards - sooooo

much fun!!!!!

Later in the evening we went to an " Empty Bowls" charity function with our friends Nancy & Wayne. This event raises money for homeless children.  $12 to get in and you got to choose a bowl as well as some nice soup and rolls.  They had live music and it was really a nice time.

Well - this morning we are having our propane tank filled - a truck comes into the campground every Wednesday.  We then have some grocery shopping to do and perhaps some more scouting around for condos to rent.

Soooo until next post - take care and enjoy life my friends.

JR      :>)

A quiet day Monday 11/12

Yo buddies,

Well, today was a quiet day - started painting outside and then it got windy and the clouds moved in so I did not get as much done as I had wanted.

The first one is an exercise in direction of brush strokes.  That is to say brush strokes can guide the eyes of the viewer through the painting.  In this one, the downward strokes of the palm fronds direct the eyes to the sand - the upward strokes of the grasses direct the eyes to the ocean and the sky.  One thing I need to fix is the right side of the larger cloud on the right is too close to the edge and it guides the viewer eye off the paper.  MY BAD!!!!!!
My intention was that the cloud would direct the viewer eye back to the palm tree - thus creating a "viewer circle" never letting the eye wonder but instead be led around the painting in a circular movement.

The object is to keep the eyes of the viewer on the painting as long as possible in order to develop interest in the painting.  If the eyes of the viewer are directed off the paper or if the eyes are not kept moving around the painting, the viewer goes onto the next painting.

DETAIL

This 2nd painting will be an autumn scene in the Sangre de Christo mountains in New Mexico.

Just got it started before the winds came.  This is sort of a practice piece getting back into the use of my palette knife which I love to use.

DETAIL of knife stroke texture 

Aspen trees are my very favorite tree - very similar to the birch tree but not quite as white in color - more of a muted white.

Take care my friends.

JR       :>)

Good Morning

Yo my friends,

Well yesterday - Sunday 11/11/12 we went out to lunch with our friends Nancy & Wayne.  It was a very nice seafood restaurant at fisherman's Village in Punta Gorda - I of course has the "Fish & Chips" which was one of the better ones I've had.

Of course the ever present splash of color

After lunch they took us out to Juan Ponce de Leon park at which location it is claimed that herein lies the actual Fountain of Youth discovered by Ponce. 

A great blue heron!!!!!

Melissa and Ponce became friends!!!

DREAMCATCHER all snug in her spot for the next 2 months

Well, the beginning of another week and the sky is blue and the sun is out - what more could one ask for?  Well------perhaps a TRUST FUND!!!!!!

JR    :>)

Good morning my friends

Yo,

Well - yesterday - Saturday 11/10 we went out to Boca Grande and what a very beautiful beach.  The beach goes for miles in both directions with all sort of places you can pull into - park the car and stay for the day.  We chose a place to stop that cost $3 for the day but it had bathrooms and covered shelters with picnic tables.   Did you ever notice as soon as you get to the beach you have to go to the bathroom!!  So the $3 was well worth the price.

Some photos:

Once again beautiful emerald water

YES!!!  This was my view for the day - Ya I know GREAT KNEES!!!

My DW Melissa just got her feet wet and reported the water was a bit cold

I could live here!!!

Ahhhhh peace & quiet!!!

I think I see a painting below

The area we were in has beautiful multi million dollar homes both ocean front and back from the water - lots of homes with that "KEY WEST" look to them

We'll go back next week with a nice picnic lunch and stay for the day - I think this will be come a ritual that we do a few times each week we are here!!!

Have a great Sunday my friends!

JR       :>)