Russell's Almost Daily Art

Mid America - Kansas - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

2012-01-30T10:50:00.000-08:00

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Mid America - Kansas - A new painting from another of my old photographs taken sometime in the 1980s. The location is somewhere near Minneapolis, Kansas according to the back of the original photo. Since my wife and I recently (August 2011) traveled very close to Minneapolis, KS on US Highway 81, I can testify the countryside hasn't changed much; still very peaceful with an air of stability and roots.

Years ago I had a good friend while in the mortgage business here in California who was originally from Minneapolis, KS. We spend many hours (some of those hours over cocktails of course) discussing the stability and fiscal and emotional dependability indigenous to the people of that area that is developed by generations of citizens with strong constitutions and good values. I am guessing it's still true today. There is something about the mid west that I still to this day miss very much. I guess that's why I paint memories from that area often. Your comments are welcome.

Posed Nude #1 -Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2012-01-22T10:22:00.000-08:00

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Posed Nude #1 - I've never painted a full body nude before. I've done partial nudes in past years, however was never quite satisfied with the results. This one I like better and I'll try more in the future.. Your comments are welcome.

At the Sea shore - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2012-01-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

At the Sea – Another painting from a photo I took in I think Hawaii. We haven’t been there in ten or so years as there are many other places in the world to experience so we haven’t yet returned to Hawaii. The boat was beached and looked abandoned and if you’ve noticed, I’ve been doing some boat paintings lately so when I ran across this old picture it was just a natural thing to paint it. Your comments are welcome.

Big Rock Lane - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2011-12-29T11:56:00.000-08:00

Big Rock Lane - I took a picture of this place in I think the mid west many years ago when I used to travel for a living, however now that I think about it possibly it was Oregon or Washington . You get tired of all the traveling after a few years and it all runs together, however you never tire of what is out there to see here in the US. We still like to travel by auto and earlier this year took a sixty five hundred mile driving trip back to the mid west part of the country. It took more than a month to complete and when we finally got back home to California we were tired, but very happy with the whole trip. Your comments are welcome.

Boat with Shadow - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2011-12-19T10:00:00.001-08:00

Boat With Shadow - Light and Shadows within my paintings have always fascinated me. The question is how do you invoke interest and character in a painting? Why not even discussion? I think deep shadows help. With that said I hope the lights and darks invite that discussion. Your comments are welcome.

Self Portrait - Oil on 11 x 14 Stretched Canvas

2011-12-06T16:43:00.001-08:00

Not for Sale

Well, what can I say, it's me and at age 60 (lets just say plus), the gray hair tells the story. Your comments are welcome

Past Prime - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2011-11-12T10:14:00.001-08:00

Past Prime - It appears that of late I've had and interest in painting water scenes with moody or more thought provoking images. At least I they provoke thought within me which I find important at this time. Possibly, subconsciously I'm moving on to a new painting process as I noticed I'm doing somethings differently, who knows???

Venice in Fog - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2011-11-07T08:15:00.001-08:00

Venice In Fog - Never having been to northern Italy this is my way of seeing or imagining it. We may get there in the next couple of years, health permitting. Possibly then I'll see how accurate I am.. Who knows? Your comments are welcome.

Russell Baker - Solitude - Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel

2011-11-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

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Solitude - I guess this reflects my mood for the day. I have several of these type of paintings planned, but who knows when I will get around to painting them. I've been doing other things with my time lately. Your comments are welcomed.

At Night - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2011-09-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

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At Night - I haven't been active of late. A combination of lost motivations and a little travel to hopefully increase the desire to put brush to canvas again.. I've wanted to do this painting for a long time so finally got around to it, actually I did it several months ago and then finished it today.. Your comments are welcome.

April Portrait Exercise - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2011-04-13T08:34:00.000-07:00

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April Portrait Exercise - I haven't done a portrait in a couple of years so I thought it was about time. This a book exercise I found in an old book I had here at the house. I like the way it came out. Your comments are welcome.

Sunrise on Field - Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel

2011-03-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

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Sunrise on Field – Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel – Another oil painting based on my memories of now almost five decades ago growing up in rural northern Minnesota. Sometimes the sunrises were spectacular as the air was crisp and crystal clear. Moisture or you could call it evening dew had turned to mist and lazily meandered in the fields refracting the morning sunlight into waves of color. I’m sure I’ve taken a little creative license here, but if you think of it, aren’t all old memories composed somewhat of enhancements? Your comments are welcome.

Tulip Tree Floral – Oil on 12 x 12 Canvas Panel

2011-03-06T12:08:00.001-08:00

Tulip Tree Floral – Oil on 12 x 12 Canvas Panel – I haven’t had much painting motivation as of late, however as we are getting more into spring here in California I noticed a Tulip Tree just down the street the other day. The blossoms are very large, maybe six or so inches in diameter and are very colorful almost overpowering the tree itself. I didn’t take any pictures so just started putting color on canvas to see how it came out. I think it came out OK. Your comments are welcome.

Five Mallards - Oil on 18 x 24 Stretched Canvas

2011-01-19T11:22:00.000-08:00

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Five Mallards - Some of us have memories of times gone by. This one is from growing up in northern Minnesota, the Grand Rapids area, and enjoying the outside activities of which duck hunting was just one. I have several other wild life paintings planned for the future and they will probably be larger scale canvases like this. They take a lot more work and provide the opportunity to be more detailed than smaller canvases will allow. So keep an eye out for them in the future. Your comments are welcome.

Shetland Pony - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

2011-01-14T12:15:00.000-08:00

Shetland Pony - First one of 2011. Your comments are welcome.

Copper Ladle, Pot and Pepper - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2010-12-21T05:43:00.000-08:00

Copper Ladle, Pot and Pepper - If you normally follow this blog you no doubt have noticed the often use of these warm tones combined with accented light and shadows. I can't stay far away from it for some reason. Your comments are welcome.

In addendum, I'm considering some definite changes for 2011; however loosing the warm tones is not one of them. Now that I've done almost four hundred paintings, most of them fairly small, I want to move to larger more complicated projects and that will probably mean a smaller total number of completed paintings for 2011. Initially nothing much will change as I still have a number of small format canvas panels in inventory. In conclusion as the year goes by I will be working in larger pieces and hopefully I will stay as interested in the painting process with the change. One of the things I presently like is completing most paintings in a couple of hours, some in less than thirty minutes. That seems to be my comfort zone. With larger canvases I can see much more project planning, prep work and under painting, extended drying times between new layers and Etc., Etc. This will be a challenge for me as I'm not necessarily wired that way. Time will tell....

Ripe Peaches - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2010-12-19T13:24:00.000-08:00

Ripe Peaches - For many years I experienced fresh ripe peaches in the back yard. The tree is no longer producing for some reason and I miss the wonderful fresh fruit it produced. Now I am forced to buy our July peaches in the store like most everyone else. Your comments are welcome.

Chapel on the Hill - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2010-12-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

Reflection in Blue - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2010-12-16T05:42:00.000-08:00

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Woman Fetching Water - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2010-12-15T10:31:00.000-08:00

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Distant Valley - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2010-12-14T07:52:00.000-08:00

Mt. Shasta Thunderhead - Oil on - 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2010-12-12T07:30:00.000-08:00

Mt. Shasta Thunderhead - I don't know about you, but I just love the way this one finished out. Your comments are welcome.

The Canyon - Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel

2010-12-02T08:04:00.000-08:00

The Canyon - I wanted to paint light from low in the sky reflecting off the majestic views of the Grand Canyon and the clouds above as if viewing the canyon early in the morning. Your comments are welcome.

Pot and Fresh Fruit - Oil on 5 x 7 Canvas Panel

2010-11-28T21:18:00.001-08:00

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Sea Palms - Oil on 5 x 7 Canvas Panel

2010-11-27T14:56:00.000-08:00

Sea Palms - I've vacationed in places like this on several occasions. I woke up this morning with this one on my mind. In addition, I haven't used a knife to paint with in some time so it was a nice changeup for me. Your comments are welcome.

Shamrock Lake, MN - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2010-11-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

Artist Daily

This month's Artist Daily Facebook Painting of the Month caught my eye immediately when I was looking through the posts on the Member's Gallery. The water in Shamrock Lake, MN, is as smooth as glass, and water itself seems to be half cloud or mist and half water. I especially love that the artist, Russell Baker, got so atmospheric and bold with the color in the sky and, therefore, the reflections on the surface of the lake. Check out our Facebook page to see the winning painting, and join me in congratulating Russell!--Courtney

March 2011 winner--Shamrock Lake, MN, by Russell Baker.

Shamrock Lake, MN - Looking back to my childhood in northern Minnesota, specifically the Grand Rapids area, I have fond memories of Shamrock Lake. There are three lakes interconnected by narrow waterways in the chain, Shamrock, Oreilly and Island Lake. At that time I believe all the shoreline on Shamrock Lake was privately owned and may still be. My cousins and their family owned a lot of that shoreline and summers we all would swim in front of their home. Some of us would swim out to a submerged sandbar out in the middle of the lake and then back. I fished there more times than I can remember. In winter the lake would freeze over and we would ice skate and dark house fish directly in front of the house. It was and still is a beautiful setting and is still in the family. When the lake was still the reflections were unbelievable. I painted this one from memory as it's been a good number of years since I've seen it. Your comments are welcome.

Above the Clouds - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

2010-11-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

Above the Clouds - I've had this one planned for some time and finally got that far down on the list. Many years ago before I started piloting I had a neighbor who was pilot and worked exclusively for Bill Lear's company, Learjet. At that time he delivered unfinished Lear jets to Lear's upholstery shop or contractor, I don't remember which, located at that time in Tucson, AZ.

When the airplane was complete with inside decor he would deliver it back home to Kansas where we both lived at that time. I was lucky enough to take one of those round trips with him and if you've never sat second seat in a Lear you've missed a real experience. It was like riding in a very hot "Hotrod", but with no wheels and no stoplights. The aircraft I've depicted in this painting however is not a Lear. It's much larger and more modern than the one I experienced.. Your comments are welcome.

Flying NW over the "West Slope Sierra Nevadas" - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2010-11-15T17:46:00.000-08:00

"West Slope Sierra Nevadas" Flying NW - I started flying private aircraft in the mid 1970s and have always enjoyed the virtual freedom of it. I've been up over the Sierra Nevadas on many occasions, many of them taking off early in the morning, getting to altitude and trimming out the aircraft and then listing to the engine drone and enjoying the views. On this particular day we were up high and headed northwest. The bright sun was from the east and glistened off the snow capped mountains. There was a slight haze in the air that almost obscured the horizon and the cumulos were magnificent. Your comments are welcome.

Going Home - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

2010-11-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

Going Home - When I was doing the initial sketch for this painting it really spoke to me. I wanted it to be a cold winter scene, however warmed by the sun shining through a beautiful colorful old western sky. Your comments are welcome.

Storm on Western Prairie - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2010-10-28T12:33:00.001-07:00

Storm on Western Prairie - I've painted several of these modern western prairie type paintings using oils. All of them are reminiscent of my days traveling a sales territory in western Kansas. Storms would come up very fast, they would move fast and there would always be pockets of bright sunshine. In those days the scenery didn't mean much to me, however now at this stage of my life the memories of those days are coming back with vivid detail. Luckily, in those days I also took some pictures. Your comments are welcome.

Paint Horse Canyon - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

2010-10-21T10:32:00.001-07:00

Paint Horse Canyon - Your comments are welcome.

Light and Shadows - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

2010-10-14T09:36:00.001-07:00

Light and Shadows - I don't know if anyone else finds these type of studies interesting to do, but I do. Bright light can produce mood and drama in a painting and promotes thought. I really like to experiment with it. Your comments are welcomed.

The Wagon Train - Oil on 16 x 20 Stretched Canvas

2010-10-05T09:53:00.000-07:00

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The Wagon Train - I'm sure the old west was a very hard place or time depending on how you perceive it. These pioneers traveled to unknown places surviving all perils with nothing to rely on but themselves. They represented the spirit of our country; adventurous, strong, confident and self reliant. Traits you don't see much of any more. Your comments are welcomed.

Old West Deer Hunter - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

2010-09-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

Old West Deer Hunter - I guess I painted this because of the warm fall colors and also I'd like to start painting more “Old West Scenes”. Every one I've seen seems to tell a story, something a still life cannot do. So in the future look for more story telling scenes along with the still life paintings. Your comments are welcome.

Baby

2010-09-17T18:49:00.001-07:00

Just a note to advise those of you who know us that our 20 year old Tuxedo cat "Baby" was put to sleep today. She suffered from Chronic Renal Failure and we could no longer watch her suffer. Twenty years is a good long life for a cat and as Lois says "She was the most pampered cat in the universe".

I painted a impressionistic work of her on March 3, 2008 and if you care to look at it, here is the link to that painting. It should take you there if you just click on the link. Thanks for looking.

http://russbaker.blogspot.com/2008/03/baby-oil-on-8-x-10-canvas-panel.html

email
russells.studio@pacbell.net
.

Night Floral - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

2010-09-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

Night Floral - Light and shadows create the drama of this 8 x 10. The petals catch the light, create shadows to add to the three dimensional appearance as do the one flower within the depth of field and two beyond. Your comments are welcome.

Yellow Pansy - Oil on 11 x14 Canvas Panel

2010-08-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Yellow Pansy - The light from above and behind creates shadows on the satin background and illuminates the delicate flowers to create real contrast. This reminiscent of something old fashioned, but then I'm old fashioned so I guess it fits. To me, it's pleasing to the eye. Your comments are welcome.

Russell's Almost Daily Art

Mid America - Kansas - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

Posed Nude #1 -Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

At the Sea shore - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Big Rock Lane - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Boat with Shadow - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Self Portrait - Oil on 11 x 14 Stretched Canvas

Past Prime - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Venice in Fog - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Russell Baker - Solitude - Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel

At Night - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

April Portrait Exercise - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Sunrise on Field - Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel

Tulip Tree Floral – Oil on 12 x 12 Canvas Panel

Five Mallards - Oil on 18 x 24 Stretched Canvas

Shetland Pony - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

Copper Ladle, Pot and Pepper - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Ripe Peaches - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Chapel on the Hill - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Reflection in Blue - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Woman Fetching Water - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Distant Valley - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Mt. Shasta Thunderhead - Oil on - 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

The Canyon - Oil on 14 x 18 Canvas Panel

Pot and Fresh Fruit - Oil on 5 x 7 Canvas Panel

Sea Palms - Oil on 5 x 7 Canvas Panel

Shamrock Lake, MN - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Above the Clouds - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

Flying NW over the "West Slope Sierra Nevadas" - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Going Home - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

Storm on Western Prairie - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Paint Horse Canyon - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

Light and Shadows - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

The Wagon Train - Oil on 16 x 20 Stretched Canvas

Old West Deer Hunter - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

Baby

Night Floral - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Yellow Pansy - Oil on 11 x14 Canvas Panel

Grapes, Orange and Old Pot - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Spotlight, Apples and Flowers - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Green Glass Vase - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Flowers and Brass - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Wine Flute - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Pot and Bowl - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Two Pear - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

The Meadow Stream - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

The Prairie Steamer - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

The Red Box Car - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Old Abandoned Boat - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

The Morning Train - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Rocks and Surf - Oil on 11 x 14 Stretched Canvas

Waves on Rocky Shore - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel.

Coastline - Oil on 11 x 14 Stretched Canvas

Wind and Surf - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Lighthouse Point - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Russell Baker - The Old Windmill - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Crappie Fishing - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Russell Baker - My Vacation- Oil on 16 x 20 Stretched Canvas

Sea Squall Approaching - Oil on 16 x 20 Stretched Canvas

The Ninnescah Sand bar - Oil on 11 x 14 Canvas Panel

The Ninnescah River - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Sunlit Sail - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

A Pot to Pear In - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

Western Kansas - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

California Wild Flowers - Oil on 9 x 12 Canvas Panel

View from the Cockpit - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel

Morning Meadow - Oil on 5 x 7 Canvas Panel

California Coast Range - Oil on 5 x 7 Canvas Panel

Big Sky Montana - Oil on 8 x 10 Canvas Panel