Forsythia

This bush refused to stay within the confines of the fence.
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Watercolor, 7x5", Fabriano paper

Tennesse Farm

While on the subject of farms, here is another scene born from photos taken along one of our long car trips to New Jersey. I believe this is somewhere in Eastern Tennessee.
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Watercolor, 12x6", Strathmore paper

The Farm House

I drove through this scene about a dozen times and my wife -at my request- did her best to get a picture on the fly. But the trees always seemed to get in the way. Then it hit me...maybe if I stopped the car... yeah, it worked!
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Watercolor 12 x 9", Fabriano paper, rough

Blues Hall, Memphis

I like night scenes, especially -of course- when depicted in watercolor. For me at least, they are a little bit more challenging to paint than daylight scenes. Once in a while I overcome my fear and go for it. I know...the trumpet player looks like he only has one arm, but that's the way he looked...he had his right hand in his pocket...don't blame me.
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Watercolor, 20 x 16"

Rusty!

Rusty is our little two year old Lhasa-Poo. He is very friendly and sweet except when he becomes ferocious to protect his owners. He also becomes terrified during thunderstorms and shakes like a leaf for about an hour after it's over. And, he likes to eat anything except dog food.
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Pen and Ink, 4 x 6"

Friendship Churches

Village Church, by William Renzulli
Friendship Church, by Julio Rodrigues

Dr. William Renzulli is the best friend that I have not yet met personally. He has been a regular visitor to this humble blog and he has been very generous with his comments and encouragement. His artistic talent and versatility are in plain sight here at http://williamfrenzullimd.blogspot.com/.
We recently completed an interesting project: We both like old architecture as painting subjects. So Bill sent me some photos for me to pick one and paint. And I sent him photos for him to paint. We both gave each other complete artistic license and no deadlines. Today we are displaying the results of that friendly challenge. I have to say…I was unusually nervous painting my picture…but in the end I was happy with the result.
And Bill painted the church in my original hometown in Portugal in a way that I never would have thought, evoking an elevation/architectural drawing. I loved the concept and I think I came out on the winning end of this trade!

So Bill…a big THANKS.

The Silver Caboose

If you are hungry, you can’t go wrong here, on the north side of the Collierville Town Square. The lingering snow that fell a few weeks ago made this place look even more inviting.
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Watercolor, 12x9", Fabriano Paper

Happy Easter

With this beautiful Easter image, painted by my dear wife Maria, we wish everyone a Happy and Healthy Easter.

Freeport, Bahamas

This is the second piece from my trip there a few years ago. This outdoor market teemed with people looking for bargains.

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Watercolor 14x11", Strathmore cold pressed paper.

Late Snow, Collierville

Last week we had a winter storm that left about six inches of snow on the ground. Here, this happens maybe once every ten years, especially this late in the season. I knew it would not last long, so I got up Saturday morning and promptly drove to our old Town Square with my camera.
The snow covered several blooming trees, one of which helped frame this view of the old Train Depot.
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Watercolor, 12x9", on Fabriano Paper, rough.

Firenze, Italia

Back in 1989, I had to complete a work assignment in Florence, Italy. Yes, I know...it's a tough job.
Well, I courageously volunteered for the task.
This is Pallazzo Vecchio, one of countless architectural wonders in this fantastic city.

Princeton University, Nassau Hall

This is the second piece from my visit to the campus of Princeton University last Fall.
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Watercolor, 12 x 9", Fabriano Paper

Clematis

Ok, just to mix it up a little bit, there is no arquitecture here.
Just a very quick study of a humble Clematis flower in my
backyard.
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Watercolor, 2.5 x 3.5 ", Fabriano Paper

Lambertville Station

Lambertville, New Jersey is a wonderland of victorian architecture, quaint shops, galleries and other visual delights. It is located on the left side of the Delaware River across from another beautiful small town, New Hope, Pennsylvania. The old Train Station is of course, no more. On the other hand, the building is well maintained and it is now a popular restaurant.
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Watercolor, 12x9", Fabriano Paper

Bahamas Market

This was one in a row of souvenir stalls near our hotel in the Island of Grand Bahama back in 2001.
The gentleman on the chair was putting the last touches on a wood carving.
I sprinkled a little table salt on the wet paint to try to get a mottled effect on the tin roof.

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Watercolor, 12 x 12", Arches paper

Memphis, South Third

Downtown Memphis has changed quite a bit -for the better-since I arrived here 16 years ago. A lot of old decrepit buildings have been transformed into modern apartments overlooking the Mississippi River sunset. The area exudes new life and my wife and I enjoy frequent visits there on weekends.
I recommend the extraordinary Peabody Place Museum where incredible treasures of Chinese Art are displayed . I was in awe at the intricate - and very large - oriental carvings in semi-precious stone and ivory. This is one of my favorite places to visit here and I don't think it gets the recognition it deserves.
This view is from the skywalk to the venerable Peabody Hotel, the Grand Hotel of the South. We went there to check out their Sunday Brunch. And, we were definitely not disappointed.
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Watercolor, 7x5", Fabriano Paper

Old Train Depot, Elizabeth, New Jersey

Train Depots are slowly disappearing, and whenever I run into one, I make sure I put my camera to work. Later, the camera delegates to the brush for the next step.

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Watercolor, 12x9", Fabriano Paper

Church, Asheville

This sketch resulted from a trip to Asheville, last year. It is a very picturesque town in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina.
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Watercolor, 7x5", Fabriano Paper

Pennsylvania Farm House

Rural Pennsylvania is a treasure trove for those of us who like farms, barns and country scenes. As I was driving by I noticed the bright sun against the storm clouds and that always gets my attention.
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Watercolor, 16x12", Arches cold pressed paper

Church, Collierville

Churches are always favorites for me to paint, especially the white steeples that almost always stand out from their surroundings.
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Watercolor, 12 x 9", Fabriano Paper, cold pressed.