August and September. It’s hot. You do the physical work in the early morning or late afternoon.
9X12 oil on linen
Sometimes you have no choice- the works’ got to get done. I was taken with the contrasted colors of his red t-shirt, the cool, blue pool ( not mine…..), and the white hot concrete around the edges. Like an iced, frosty cola, the shadows showed me where the cool spots were. August Sun– seemed appropriate.
Noel Coward does a very saucy, perky rendition of Mad Dogs and Englishmen , here:
And then you can add to those two species who don’t know enough to stay out of the midday sun, this extraordinary creature that popped out of one of my plants when I hosed some in the backyard. I don’t know who was more shocked! I’d never seen anything this, well, GREEN!
Learn more about Green Iguanas here:
She’s a juvenile, already about 12″ long, was serenely checking me out, waited for me to come back out with my camera, and then ( the best part ), she took a piece of pink guava from my outstretched hand and ate it!
Now I may have to spend more time out in the midday sun….
Tags: August Heat, Iguanas, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Noel Coward, oil painting, Painting shadows, St. Croix outdoors
Asheville: The North West of The South East 
September 1, 2008 at 9:17 pm |
Well haven’t you just become the most prolific blogger around?! And painter too! Another beauty! I wish I could see the face though! As a portraitist, I need a face! The shadow gives a clue, but leaves me curious. I don’t know why (because I’m not a painter and I have no idea what I’m talking about) but I really like the corner of the swimming pool with the tiles.
If I lived in St. Croix, I bet I would have plenty of Iguanas. Love them. That one looks as if you gave it a whole guava! Can you tame the wild ones? If you feed them, will they stay around? My mom has four foxes. It’s really funny. She feeds them every night. The other day, she gave them some rest of potatoes with their dinner. They took the potatoes, put them on the side and peed on them. She got the message. No more potatoes!
September 1, 2008 at 9:41 pm |
What a great painting. Makes me feel glad I’m in my living room with the a/c on. (and with my feet up, NOT Not hot and NO IGUANAS!
September 1, 2008 at 9:42 pm |
damn, I mean to say NOT PAINTING and the damn thing just went and posted. Oh well, Bonnie you can fix it if you want. Or leave it.
My computer has been not working for awhile. Now it’s all crazy. Time for a cosmo. Keep up the good work Bonnie.
September 2, 2008 at 11:12 am |
This ipost is charming all on its shadowy, iguana own without Noel Coward, but with? Sweeeeeet.
There is poetry in the shadows showed me where the cool place were. That really is the subject of your painting, no? If not, it was what I shall take away from it, along with a desire to buy a long red T-shirt and to one day have a pool of my own.
And, Mr. 12 footer who waited patiently for you to get your camera? (Oh, that is a trait I’d like to clone!) If I understand your comment on another post, you would not like to paint him because he’s GREEN.
Oh, so green.
This was, in addition to charming and sweet, was a lovely way to begin the day after Labor Day.
September 2, 2008 at 11:23 am |
Hey, it’s not easy being green! Love the melting shadows and the hot, hot, hot feeling. But I really like Carol’s cosmo idea….Jo-Ann
September 2, 2008 at 1:18 pm |
This painting is wonderful. It really has the feel of hot sun. I like the corner of the pool which further enhances the feel of summer sun.
September 2, 2008 at 1:33 pm |
nathalie- funny, but I liked the corner of the pool too. The emphasis is really on the anonymity of the man working in the sun, and leads us to wonder what he’s thinking about.
I’ve heard that if you keep leaving food out, the iguanas will stick around. Hopefully without the thumbs down thing on the menu. If they don’t like my guava, they’re welcome to pick dead bugs out of the dirt.
Foxes would be interesting creatures to feed. Have you captured any of those images?
September 2, 2008 at 1:35 pm |
Oh Carol- anything you write is funny and to edit you would be like editing Robin Williams. Why would I deprive us all of humorous content.
Think you build your fan base this way- Jo-Ann is ready to join you for some cosmos.
September 2, 2008 at 1:38 pm |
Pat- you could be tested for recall of contents! I was thinking of retracting my feelings about greens but in truth, I really like them ( my studio is painted Granny Smith Apple green ) but I just don’t like or maybe don’t understand how to, paint them.
Please let me correct that this iguana was not 12 feet – it said 12 inches. Would I be running outside with extended fingertips to something that looks like it starred in a B rated Japanese horror flick from the 50’s?
September 2, 2008 at 1:40 pm |
Jo-Ann, we’re getting the rains now from Hannah and what a perfect day to stay in. Thunder, rain and the whole island is drinking it in after a very dry summer.
September 2, 2008 at 1:42 pm |
wr- some artists like to select their favorite inch of their painting. That pool corner was one of mine too.
Thanks for the compliment-it means a lot to me. I’m still learning so much about this oil process.
September 2, 2008 at 1:58 pm |
I like the colours in your painting, particularly in the shadows.
Old Noel must’ve been the life of any party he ever went to. Every time I see him in something, I think to myself that I must try his favourite cocktail, the “bullshot”, one day.
September 2, 2008 at 5:44 pm |
Nice painting Bonnie. I like the corner of the pool, to let me know where he is and it mirrors the angle of his right shoulder. Good design.
I like the reflected red in the shadow. Nothing like warm light/ warm shadows to break the rules and let people know how hot it really is. I love doing that and getting away with it : )
September 2, 2008 at 11:36 pm |
What a poetic cadence you set up in the luscious brushwork that always inspires me. Pulling the red into the shadow that gets jerked back inward by the pool angle that gets hauled overhead by the shadow of the ochre pole (?) that points back to the turban. Clever. Round and round we go.
Also thinking of you. Be safe as these storms line up like rude and impatient 747’s.
September 3, 2008 at 12:03 am |
Frank-I know shadows are supposed to be cool but this was too hot to be literal. It took several passes over the mauves with a light touch of diluted red and I knew I had it.
So much to consider while painting.
Thanks for your comments- they mean a lot to me.
September 3, 2008 at 12:08 am |
Sharon-you have such marvelous descriptive prose. This was one of the first paintings that I actually had fun with. Bold where it needed it, soft too, and it all seemed to work. Or play.
Sometimes I fight with my canvas but this time, we were good friends.
I’m looking for a few more good ones!
These systems are stacking like iHops’ menu and we watch and keep fingers crossed. Thank you for thinking of me here.
September 3, 2008 at 1:19 pm |
The midday sun is bad for your skin. (I’m blond haired, blue eyed)
Another amazing painting! Also like the iguana.
Take time to relax!
September 3, 2008 at 5:47 pm |
S.Le- I’m like you with the blue eyed thing… Unlike the iguana and the man in the painting, I’m like a shade seeking missile.
September 3, 2008 at 6:49 pm |
Wow. I felt the heat. Great design is what it’s all about. Great play of warm to cool color. Just kickin’!
Love the critter too.
September 4, 2008 at 12:34 am |
I DO love the colors in your painting and I love the comparison to that “iced, frosty cola”. I’m glad the shadows showed you were the cool spots were. 😉
That’s a very green iguana! That was cool she took an iguana from your hand.
Paz (who also likes guavas but hasn’t had it in years)
September 4, 2008 at 7:17 am |
That is one cool painting. I mean HOT painting! Uhm, both!!
Great composition, nice cropping of the scene to just suggest the surrounding – you seem to be on a roll!!!
September 4, 2008 at 10:52 am |
Are you painting tropical storm flags? Hope these storms give your bit of paradise a pass.
September 4, 2008 at 1:11 pm |
Paz- as a postscript- I left more fruit out, thinking she’d come back and as I checked on the remains, saw lots of seeds in a neat row which lead me to believe that what came back was a cane rat and not that lovely green girl!
Nava- yup, I loved that sharp cropping too. I really acts as a magnet to the eyes and keeps the painter ( moi, especially ) from getting to involved in ancillary objects. Simplifies a lot.
Thanks for your interested comments.
Pat, we seem to be getting only the much needed rains and lots of spirited wind gusts. So far.
Our local papers refer to the conditions now as ” the Atlantic is crawling with storms”. I really dislike most everything that crawls.
I appreciate your watching over me here.
September 4, 2008 at 4:50 pm |
Bonnie – could you please do a painting of someone pulling weeds. That is a summer association I love to forget.
September 4, 2008 at 5:57 pm |
wr- ok if you’ll do one of someone pulling legs.
I think you’d know how.
September 4, 2008 at 7:43 pm |
greeeeen!
September 5, 2008 at 3:34 pm |
once again late for the party: apologies. A very cool (inappropriate term) painting. My mother used to have a peacock that hung around her place: not indigenous on Vancouver Island. I don’t think she fed it, but she didn’t complain when it crapped on her veranda either.
September 5, 2008 at 5:09 pm |
planetross- if you’re late to the party, you have to stay longer.
Maybe if you didn’t post twelve thousand new posts to your blog, you’d have time to attend these fashionable soiree`s .
Your blog is too funny.
Sounds as though I ‘d like your mother.
September 7, 2008 at 5:26 am |
Nice and loose paint strokes and I love the hint of pool side…it all works composition wise.
September 7, 2008 at 4:07 pm |
One of my favorite paintings. Of course, on your next post, that will be a new favorite. I love your brushwork, very loose and yet communicates exactly the impression that is so pleasing to the viewer. I hope you are safe with all these storms.
September 8, 2008 at 12:25 am |
David- thanks for the compliment.
I was fearful that you shunned me for becoming a traitorous oil painter.
So glad you didn’t.
September 8, 2008 at 12:27 am |
Sue- oh, you’ve been missed. And thankfully, so far, so have we been by the weather systems.
Your thoughtful concern is appreciated and your praise is like a good dessert.
September 8, 2008 at 10:20 pm |
Have you checked out Collin Page’s works in oil. He is amazing! He may be conducting a wrkshp. on your island in Nov.! Send me your email address, and I will forward the info. he sent me.
September 10, 2008 at 1:29 pm |
Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie – I’m waiting for another painting.
September 10, 2008 at 2:01 pm |
Bill, so am I.
Right now, my new best friend and muse, seems to be the Gesso jar.
It’s the equivalent of ” Delete ” on a computer.
Urgh…!
I’m having a hard time with colors and they’re all too primary and sharp. I can’t seem to figure out how to tone down the colors without getting mud, or chalk.
Whaddya say to THAT?
September 11, 2008 at 11:15 pm |
What a wonderful painting and discussion. I can feel the heat from here. No, not the Southwest’s heat, but the kind of heat I imagine you have…humid, warm and with the perfume of ocean air!
Looking forward to more!
September 12, 2008 at 12:11 am |
Hi Melinda- thanks so much for dropping a note- it only encourages me, you know!
Had a nice look around your site – really liked the letters to kids in college. The best way to pontificate: disguise it! Very smart mom and artist.
Come back again.