It"s January and it"s pretty cold out there, so needless to say I am not painting outside although I know there are some hardy plein air painters who do. 

    Instead I have been focusing on studies of the nude and trying to make compositional  studies involving the figure in nature. Also I have been working on some gouache on an interesting board that really lends a feeling of oil. Above is the first painting I did on this board made by Davinci- its called a dual sided board.. I have been enjoying working with it.

here is a little oil done on the same board. I need to tinker with this one a little bit more but I like the effects I am getting.

As for the nude studies- I am trying some compositional things with the figure studies. Here is a pastel study of one I am now doing in oil

I basically focussed on the figure here but my oil has a rocky landscape since the figure will be spear fishing. I will post it when I am closer to finishing.

Finally over Christmas I had an interesting commission . One of my former students wanted a pastel of my studio for her future studio.

  

    That is all for now. I will talk to you again next time