Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Tower Beach Monday



Yesterday Echo, myself and a few friends drove down to Tower Beach in Delaware and spent the day. It was just an awesome day, about 80, slight breeze and it was just perfect. Now I'm not a big beach guy, I like the water in the carribean better, where you can see stuff, not the brimey atlantic, so I didn't frolic in the waves, I painted some watercolors and relaxed, people watched. I hadn't been to a beach in 12 years.

here are some of the watercolors I did. One I gave away to a family visiting from Montreal. I was painting the father and his wife noticed and asked for the painting, so I signed it and gave it to them, I had a very nice chat with them. The daughter who had cystic fibrosis had just had a lung transplant and had been down to this beach before her operation a few years back, so they were returning as a celebration along with the two Chinese girls she had adopted.

Watercolor can be a challenge, it's also a challenge to paint in the wind and the sand, as sand gets everywhere hahaha. but it was fun, I haven't messed with watercolors in a bit, since the last time I was out west I think.

I think Echo and I will go back, make a few more day trips down that way before summer is over.


8 comments:

Urban Barbarian said...

I love them all but that top one is outta the park!!!! So fugg'n good!

Yvon Doubey said...

Very nice.
I have to take paper and colors too, for holidays...

Kelly said...

These are so nice and loose! Don't have much of a choice because of the medium and setting I guess, but it's really nice to see you doing things where you just let it happen. Not that I have anything against any of your other work, you know I love it all--I just know you have been working hard at loosening up and I feel you've done that here.
And quite well too, I might add.

Mike Manley said...

Thanks Kelly. Yeah, watercolor in the out doors is a much looser thing and I have been trying to work a bit looser too, maybe next time we do a painting day we can try watercolors instead?

Echo and I want to go back to the beach a few wmore times before the summer is over so come along one time for a day trip, we can sit and paint and let Echo step on the fish :-)

OV! said...

M,
sure thing, just send them to my work:

ovi nedelcu
1400 NW 22nd Ave
Portland, OR 97210-2614
United States


as far as pigtale, i think that series or mini is done. ive moved
onto to other projects which i hope to have done by next years con. more
in the lines of childrens books/picture books. God willing.

whats new on your side?

>oVi

ps. im posting this here because i kept getting a returned fail email.

J Gilpin said...

Mike,
Great watercolors! You have a great sense for color - these are very rich and intense for watercolors. You definately seem to be on artistic walkabout lately. You are a good role model for the rest of us to do just do it! I'm still a little shy to work in public.
Thanks,
Jonathan Gilpin

Mike Manley said...

JP, Aw man, don't be shy. Just grab a pad and go. people may notice, may not, the fact is you get the hang of it after a while and learn to pick the targets :-)

Really I can't recommend it enough. And...all the really great artists did it, drawing from observation is essential. Wish I did it more when I was younger.

billgaeckle48 @yahoo.com said...

Pretty cool stuff - Have just started watercolor painting and find it fun but difficult at times starting with the lighter colors and working to dark. - enjoy you stuff - hope I can be as good as you some day...thannks. for posting/tower beach