Old Windmill

An abandoned grain mill in the rural countryside of Portugal.

"Old Portuguese Windmill"    16" x 20"   Oil

Abandoned Windmill

Traveling through the rural countryside of Portugal, I came upon this abandoned windmill -- a relic from another age.  Many of these old windmills are now being renovated and used as homes or holiday accommodations.  The interest in organic and natural foods has also led to some of them being refurbished and used once again to grind corn into meal.

"Abandoned Windmill"   10" x 14"   Watercolor

Occasionally I have a studio visitor (grandson) who makes good use of my watercolor setup and shows me how it's done.

Time-Lapse Video - "Terracotta Flower Pot #12"

Time-lapse of a typical Portuguese subject --  accompanied by traditional music on the Portuguese guitar.

Video by Justin Tennison

"Portuguese Terracotta Flower Pot #12"   21" x 14"   Watercolor

Number Twelve

Portuguese terra-cotta flower pot #12.  I think I'll stop at a dozen -- for now.

"Portuguese Terracotta Flower Pot #12"   21" x 14"   Watercolor

Number Eleven

Portuguese terra-cotta flower pot number eleven.  (I can't stop painting them.)

"Terracotta Flower Pot #11"   21" x 14"   Watercolor

Terracotta Pots in Portugal

A recent addition to my ongoing series of terracotta pots and flowers in Portugal.

"Wall Flowers"   12" x 9"   Oil

And some older ones...

"Colonnade"   20" x 30"   Oil

"Geranium Pot"   12" x 9"   Oil

"Geraniums"   16" x 12"   Oil

"Pink and White Geraniums"   36" x 36"   Oil

"Pink Hydrangeas"   16" x 12"   Oil

"Red Geraniums"   36" x 24"

"Hydrangeas in Portugal"   30" x 20"   Oil

"Geraniums in Portugal"   14" x 11"   Oil

"Pot of Geraniums"   20" x 14"   Watercolor

Geraniums in Portugal

A pot of geraniums in the town of Óbidos, Portugal.

"Geraniums in Portugal"   14" x 11"   Oil

Detail

Saudades

"Saudades" is a Portuguese word that has no direct translation in English.  It describes a deep emotional state and a melancholic longing for an absent something or someone.  It is "a recollection of feelings, places, experiences and events that once brought excitement, pleasure, well-being which now triggers the senses and makes one live again.  It brings sad and happy feelings all together, sadness for missing and happiness for having experienced the feeling."

I grew up in the beautiful country of Portugal.  It's been over forty years since I left there to come to the United States to live and yet I still find some of my greatest pleasure in painting Portuguese subjects.  I suppose you could say I have "saudades".

A window in the quaint Portuguese town of Óbidos.

"Lace Curtain"   29" x 21"   Watercolor

Óbidos, Portugal - View From The Wall

White washed walls + red-tiled roofs + sunny day = fun to paint.

This Portuguese medieval village of Óbidos has been around "since forever", as the local brochure states.

"View From The Wall"   9" x 12"   Oil

Portugal - Geraniums (Part Two)

A few more geranium pots in Óbidos, Portugal.

"Study for The Colonnade"   9" x 12"   Oil

"Pot of Geraniums"   21" x 14"   Watercolor

"Pink and White Geraniums"   36" x 36"   Oil

Portugal - Geraniums (Part One)

Another subject to which I have often returned - Geranium pots in Portugal

"Red Geraniums"   36" x 24"  Oil

"Geraniums"   18" x 14"   Oil

"Geranium Pot"   12" x 9"   Oil

Óbidos, Portugal - Chapel

Another in my series of paintings of the medieval town of Óbidos, Portugal.

"Chapel of Our Lady of Montserrat"   12" x 9"   Oil

The chapel is located just down the cobble-stoned street from the hotel where my wife and I stayed.

Portugal - Doors

Over the years I've returned to this subject many times.  Here are a few of my paintings of rustic doors in Portugal.

"Portuguese Door #88"   18" x 12"   Watercolor

"Green Door - Óbidos"   21" x 14"   Watercolor

"Portuguese Door (#21)"   18" x 12"   Oil

"The Green Door"   15" x 10"   Watercolor

"The Blue Door (#7)"   36" x 24"   Oil

Óbidos, Portugal - The Colonnade

Óbidos is a quaint village in Portugal dating back to the 1100's.  It is entirely encircled by the walls of a 12th century castle and within those walls is enough subject matter for a lifetime of painting.  Here's one of many paintings I've done there.

"The Colonnade"   20" x 30"   Oil

Oil Versus Watercolor (Lamppost)

I sometimes get the urge to paint the same subject in both oils and watercolors.  Each medium has its strengths and challenges and I find it refreshing (and sometimes frustrating) to switch back and forth between the two.  The subject here is a street light in Portugal - the country where I grew up and for which I still have great fondness.

OIL

"Lamppost - Southern Portugal"   16" x 20"   

WATERCOLOR

"Lamppost - Southern Portugal"   14" x 19"   

I did these smaller versions before beginning the larger paintings above.  (I got to know this lamppost quite well!)

OIL

"Study for Lamppost"   12" x 9"   

WATERCOLOR

"Study for Lamppost"   14" x 10"

Salmagundi Annual Member's Exhibition

I've shipped this painting off to New York to the Salmagundi Art Club's Annual Members Exhibition.  Due to Tropical Cyclone Sandy, the Salmagundi is currently without power but hopefully things will be back to normal for the show November 14 - November 30.

This church on a hill in Arraiolos, Portugal is one I've painted several times and I always enjoy trying to capture the feeling of sunlight on its whitewashed walls and the reflected light in the shadows.

"Portuguese Church - Late Morning"   12" x 24"   Oil

Below is the original composition.  When I placed a long, narrow frame over the painting I discovered that I liked the composition much better that way, so I cut off the excess canvas on the top and bottom and re-stretched it to its current panoramic format.