Ancient history!

These commissioned watercolors  were painted about 30 years ago, when I had a sweet little wooden studio in Mendocino, CA.  A charming town, the opening credits for 'Murder, She Wrote' show its setting on the coast north of San Francisco.

Watercolor and bronze powders on embossed Fabriano 300 lb. cold press papers, if I recall correctly.

That's the young St. Francis above and Noah in his ark. The dove is painted with a background of Windsor blue. The silver is Speedball water-based block printing ink; I can smell it now!

Thanks Norman and Linda for sharing these.

Commission

Here's a dog on the beach Requested by a client who liked

a tiny (3 X 5 inches) painting called 'DOG AT DUSK.'

The big difference is the size: this is 40 inches square!

There was no set deadline; it is the couple's last-Christmas gift to themselves.

I'm grateful for that as I've tweeked it considerably.

The first image is the first attempt. I decided the hound was too big and I didn't find his place in the landscape was secure. I painted him out.

Now he is a real-dog size and sits on the beach BETWEEN

The stylized sea grape and the shoreline. 

Still, a big oil! I told 'N' that it's a little like painting 

on a trampoline. My new easel has helped a lot!

I hope they like it; my greyhounds influence the dog's shape.

Happiness: they love it! They'll pick up the rolled canvas and take it home to London...

Just added this detail image from the foliage.