Now that I have been painting for a long time, I look back at some of my works and wondered how in the world did I do what I did! I came across these two paintings with photos of the actual scene that I painted from and am amazed how I did so well with my interpretation. Of course, there was the influence of the teacher’s work and the particular method to engage. I sold these two paintings back in the 70’s to Gayle Brandt in New Orleans area.
I am so glad I have a photograph of them to cherish.
Living in Louisiana and exploring the different scenery after being born and raised in Southern California was a real trip! Being out on the bayou area and seeing the different fishing camps was a totally different experience for me. 
You can tell that it was winter time in these scenes, feeling the cool crisp atmosphere was a whole lot more comfortable than the sweaty summer time in the swamps. And, in fact, about the only time of the year to see a blue color in the water was in February, as the sky reflected in the water, making it look blue when actually it was muddy brown! While I lived in the swamp area I missed the Pacific Ocean and the California scenes, but made good use of the bayou scenes as I learned to paint them and later discovered I could make them up without even looking at what was out there. That was one thing I couldn’t do when I was new to the area, I could only make up California scenes at that time. I guess one can present in art what one is most familiar with. But, on the other hand, some artists do “absent minded stuff” and create what no one else has ever seen before. Ha, without Startrek an artist can really go where no one has ever gone before!
These two paintings are in oil, 16 x 20 inches on masonite board. Please note, the photos of the actual scenes that I was looking at are of old photograph film and has been scanned. I find it interesting that when I paint in plein air I have a way of zooming in on the subject and cropping out what isn’t necessary for my composition. It is fun to look back at some of my old works.
