Dave Dayton - Artist

Veiled Woman

2011-11-29T05:34:00.000-08:00

I saw this image on the web and fell in love with the eyes. They were mezmerizing. And, I loved the color of the veil. Some folks tell me that this is similar to a photo of a blue eyed Muslim woman in National Geographic, but this one is different.

While this work is different for me, I decided to try it.

I'm very happy at the way it came out. The color harmony and features came out well. And, those eyes !!!

Kenny Loggins Glass

2011-11-09T08:32:00.000-08:00

The Naples International

Film Festival is held each year in Naples, FL, our winter hometown. As a fundraiser, they solicit various celebrities to sign a martini glass, which is then embelished by an artist or designer, and ultimately auctioned off to raise funds for the festival

This year, 2011, I was asked to participate as an artist in the project. My celebrity was Kenny Loggins, the famous singer/songwriter of Footloose, Top Gun, and Winner the Pooh fame. I decided to pick several of his albums, Footloose, his first single album, Vox Humana, and Winnie the Pooh as the main design elements, along with several Grammys and some musical score elements. I'm excited about how it came out and anxious to see who bids on it in November.

Ellie and the Bubbles

2011-11-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, I started a project to paint all of our grand daughters. The theme was to paint them all at the same age, two years old, and in the same genre. The first one, of Madison, set the style as it showed her running up a lane to a friend's house, all legs, clothes, and hair. This set the stage for paintings of Johanna and Quinlin last year. All three of these pieces are in previous posts.

This painting, on the left, is the last in the series. It is Eleanor (Ellie) at her second birthday party in June 2011. She loves chasing after bubbles in the backyard of her Denver home, so this was an obvious "keeper". She's wearing her favorite dress, too.

Snow Horses

2011-05-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

When I saw this image, it really interested me. I'm not a big horse guy, but having lived for a long time in Colorado, the idea of a herd of horses running through the snow was compelling. The big problem is that each horse is a portrait, with different characteristics and differences. This made capturing these features, as well as conveying motion as the herd races through the snow, a lot of fun.

I love the snow exploding upward as the horses tromp through it, as well as the snow on the horses' backs. They must have been out there in the storm..

2011-04-30T19:10:00.000-07:00

This is another image that I found online. It reminded me of the Florida sunsets, but also of several of my friends who like duck hunting. Although I've never done it - duck hunting - this is what I would expect it to look like early in the morning. This was validated as my friends Dave M. and Bob B., who have been hunters in the past, wanted to have the painting. Now both of them have it through the magic of giclee' prints.

Love the colors !!!

Goldfish

2011-02-28T15:00:00.001-08:00

I painted this guy as "lark". Saw the image online and really liked the look of this fancy, little goldfish just checking you out. I painted it in oil, as usual , but did it on a clay board, rather than canvas. It was hard to do, as the clay board is porous and absorbs the paint. I was kind of unhappy with it until I "oiled" it with linseed oil. All of a sudden, the background popped out looking just like water. It makes it look real.

Since we are preparing for our annual art show at our development here in Naples, Florida, I used this painting to advertise the show, not really thinking that it would get much attention. Wrong !! I get comments every day on this little guy. People really like it. And, so do I!

Forest In Fall

2011-02-05T13:24:00.001-08:00

I found this image on the Internet, from a number of "paths" in a collection of photos of various pathways. The misty background gives it an eerie feeling. One viewer said that they expected to see the Headless Horseman coming down the pathway.

I also really like the Fall colors of red, orange, and yellow. They add to the impression one feels looking at this. The oranges play really well off of the purple in the walkway and the mist.

Japanese Garden

2011-02-05T13:19:00.001-08:00

Last summer, we spent a fun day with Karen, Andy and the grand daughters at the Denver Botanical Gardens. It is a beautiful place and, along the way, I saw this little Japanese lantern along a pond. The lantern and the surrounding trees made for a nice composition. So, after taking a picture, I painted it.

Kind of peaceful, I think !

Santorini

2010-11-28T13:49:00.001-08:00

This image was captured by our good friends', the Nicholas', daughter Janell. Janell and her husband, Jonathon, were vacationing in Europe some time ago and Janell took numerous photos of places that they visited. This one, of Santorini, Greece was especially important because her father, Tony, was born in Greece. She was also kind enough to give me this image, as well as numerous others, for possible art pieces.

For the reasons above, her parents and I decided to do this piece and give it to Janell as a present. Kind of like my "surprise art". It worked to a tee and we were able to surprise them with this piece this Thanksgiving. I hope that it continues to remind them of a special trip to their Dad's homeland.

Quinlin In Motion

2010-09-18T17:06:00.001-07:00

This is the third of a series of paintings of my four grand daughters. I painted all of these with the idea of catching the girls "in motion" rather than in tranditional "portraiture". Each of these paintings (see the past ones in the blog as "Madie in Motion" and "JoJo's First Ocean") are of the girls in their second year. This one caught Quinlin running at a museum in San Francisco on a visit with her Dad, Brian, and me.

There is one grand daughter left to paint, Ellie. She will be two in 2011. Better get the camera ready !!!

New England Harbor

2010-09-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

This was another image that got my attention when I saw it. So tranquil !!! I love the serene nature of this image as it reminds me of the time Janiel and I spent sailing along the New England coast. In my painting style, I always like the reflections that show themselves in a water scene, like this. This image allows a lot of reflections with the boat, the house, and the rising moon.

The Beach House

2010-09-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

This one shows the beach house in Myrtle Beach that is the "respite" for Barbara and Fred. Last summer, they let our Naples dinner club enjoy the house with them. We all had a great time and, to recognize the event, I painted the house. If you look closely, you'll also see one of the fluffy dogs who live in Barb and Fred's life. Thanks, Princess Foo-Foo!

Sundown Boat

2010-05-07T14:05:00.000-07:00

This image from an Internet slide show of great photos spoke to me about serenity, the ocean, and a great sundown. It is so simple, yet makes a great statement. I'm starting to really like water reflections.

More Tubac Pots

2010-05-07T14:01:00.001-07:00

Tubac Pots

2010-05-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

During a golfing trip to Tubac, Arizona last Fall, we stayed with good friends at the Tubac Resort. They had some wonderful pots outside their home. Another friend from Tubac loves to have friends paint a pot for a wall in her Tubac home. It just fits!! This post and the next one are my interpretations of those pots. I hope that they like them !!

The Door

2010-05-07T13:50:00.001-07:00

I started out naming this the "French Door", as I guessed that the photo image that I saw was from France. But, at an art show in Florida, many people envivioned it as somewhere else, like Ireland or another European country. The Irish won out as they pointed to the Irish linen in the window. In any case, it was a hit, and now hangs in a home in Naples.

Jo Jo's First Ocean

2010-05-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

"Jo Jo" is Johanna, our two year old grand daughter. During Thanksgiving, 2009, the whole faimly got together at Stinson Beach, just north of the Golden Gate Bridge in northern California. A great time !!! One of the highlites was seeing Johanna experience the ocean, first hand. The waves. The birds. Everything!! This painting is the second in a series of my four grand daughters. All showing them "in motion". Stay tuned!

Evening Sky and Snow (2010)

2010-01-12T07:06:00.000-08:00

I found an image similar to this on the Internet. It showed a road and snowfence covered in snow, with amazing reflections of the late day sunset behind clouds. I felt that changing the road to a creek, as well as adding a more traditional fence and some small buildings would add to the effect.

I usually don't paint snow scenes, so this one was new. Given our cold winter this season, this fit right in.

Lily Pads and Sprinkles (2009)

2010-01-12T07:02:00.001-08:00

This is a larger piece where I fell in love with the reflections and water droplets on the Lilypads. Arturo helped me with the droplet technique, and I am very happy with the result. This one is a "keeper"

Ellie's Room (2009)

2010-01-12T06:56:00.000-08:00

This small piece is from a painting that was in the room where my daughter was staying while she was preparing to have our fourth granddaughter, Ellie, last June. On the wall was a painting of this cute European town. I couldn't help but do a quick sketch and then paint it later. It is in acrylic, which is new for me.

Adventure In Abstraction (2009)

2009-08-24T11:20:00.000-07:00

I had an interesting adventure this summer. I went to Taos to take a seminar with Gwen Fox, an artist from Colorado Springs - and Taos. Gwen is a great artist who has done some very nice abstracts. She also is a fun art instructor with lots of ideas - and a passion for letting you make mistakes. I like that!

The workshop was really fun, with three other artists, all ladies, and I had a super time trying to paint in a "non literal" style. It was very hard, but I ended up with two pieces that I liked enough to show. Having to think in a completely different way will help my work, in any style.

Italian Column (2009)

2009-04-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

This is the result of a commisssion from our friend, Terri. She had a specific place in mind, by her wet bar, and it required a custom size, 2o" by 44". Pretty big. She also wanted the focus on a large column in the foreground, to fit in with columns in the room.

This one turned out pretty cool, as I was able to play with the reflections, the clouds, as well as add a vase with some flowers to balance the painting.

I'm always leery of commissions because of the possibility that the person might not think that I met their expectations. This one did, I think.

Madison In Study

2009-03-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

During the September trip to Mill Valley, we also had some time to "chill out" at Julie and Brian's house. During that time, the light was just right to capture a pensive Madison, completely enveloped in the big red chair, as she was watching something on tv.

I don't think that I'm too good at portraits, as they are very hard, and my sense of detail makes me crazy trying to get it perfect, especially with a subject that I know, like Madison. But, I had to do it. I like the way it came out.

Arturo helped me a lot on this one, as he is a super figurative artist.

Madie In Motion

2009-03-03T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is a painting of our first granddaughter, Madison, at two years old. We were in California for her birthday party and went to see Fritz, Joan, and Lily, their friends in Mill Valley. They had just returned from Viet Nam, where they picked up their second child.

Anyhow, Madison was so anxious to see the new baby in the family, Quinn, that she was really motoring up the lane to their house. It struck me immediately that I couldn't wait to paint "Madie In Motion" as it captured her frenetic energy and Madie-style clothing. I even included the package of raisins that she had in her hand.

Go Madie !!!

Mystery Canoe (2009)

2009-01-28T14:09:00.000-08:00

This one was an exercise in colors, as I got the idea from a black and white advertisement in the "Journal". The composition spoke to me, as it askes a lot of questions about "who?" and "why?" It was really fun to create my own mood through color selection.

Another aspect of this piece is the glow from the lantern. It adds a mysterious aspect to the whole painting. Getting the glow right was a lot of fun.

Hawaiian Vase (2008)

2009-01-28T14:03:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, we went on a trip to Hawaii with several couples. During checkin one night - the Big Island, I think - I saw a vase with some beautiful orchids, as well as some other Hawaiian flowers. When I got back, I put it on canvas.

Barbara, aka "Princess Foo Foo", one of the fabulous ladies who went with us on the trip said that she wanted the painting to remember the times there. This photo was taken in her home where the painting has a distinguished position.

Corsican Cafe (2009)

2009-01-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

Another stop on our cruise was Corsica. Saint Bonificio, I believe, was the town that we toured. We stopped early in the morning and when we toured the walled city, many of the shops and restaurants were closed and waiting to open. This cafe is an example, with its closed umbrellas, etc.

In spite of this, the early morning light made for a dramatic slash, both in the photo, as well as on the canvas.

Amalfi Door (2009)

2009-01-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

During July, 2008, we went on a cruise around various places in the Mediteranian, including Corsica, Sicily, Montenegro, as well as numerous stops in Italy.

On one day ashore in Amalfi, a wonderous place, we went on a walk to an overlook to look down on the ship. Along the way, we passed through this doorway on the path. As a lover of open doors, with their mysteries, I had to photograph and paint this doorway.

I love the pots!!!!

Gerbera Daisys (2009)

2009-01-28T13:14:00.000-08:00

As a "thank you", a friend of Janiel's sent her some beautiful Gerbera Daisys. They were so beautiful that I had to take some photos for a future painting. And, here it is.

Arturo Samaniego, my art teacher in Naples really helped me with the colors for this one. And, without bragging too much, I think they came out great!

Sunflower Table (2009)

2009-01-28T13:04:00.000-08:00

Saw this great sunflower photo online and felt that the flower, with its associated reflections in the table, would make a great composition. It's pretty big at 20 by 30 inches.

I have to credit Arturo Samaniego, an artist in Naples, FL for helping me on this one. He added a lot with his comments and help in color mixing.

Woody, a friend from Kansas really liked this one since the sunflower is the state flower in Kansas. He now gets to see this one every day in his home.

So do the Tony and Pam Nicholas. They liked it too, so I did one for them. I must like this one, as it is on my new art business card.

Janice at the Beach (2008)

2009-01-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

A Canadian friend of ours saw a "doorway piece" that I had done in in 2007, liked it, but wanted more of a Florida theme. So, I went out to the beach in Naples, got some ideas, and merged the beach scenes with the open doorway concept from before.

I like this one as it makes you think of who the umbrella is waiting for. I know the answer......... Janice!

Make Way For Ducklings (2008)

2008-04-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our daughter, Karen, is due to deliver a grand daughter in late May. When she called with "the news", she asked me to paint a painting of a sculpture that is resident in the Boston Common Garden. It commorates the book "Make Way for Ducklings", written by Robert McCloskey. It is a famous children's story and is based on a real event when the Boston Police shut down traffic while a mother and her ducklings made their way from the Charles River to Boston Common.

I showed this at an art show in Florida and had many requests for giclee' prints from New Enganders. The original is now in the nursery at Karen's home. What fun !!!!

"Surprise Art" 2008

2008-04-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

One of the really fun things I have been able to do with my art is to surprise people with

something they didn't expect. This has taken several forms, but the most common has been painting a bride's bouquet or other flowers and then giving the result to them later, months after the wedding. The reactions have made it more than worthwile !

Here are three of these from the last nine months. Veronica, Kate, and Flo were really happy.

Barb's Purple Iris (2008)

2008-02-27T14:27:00.000-08:00

Our friend Barb LOVES the color purple. And she also loves Iris flowers. So, when she asked me to do something for her, it didn't take long to come up with a purple Iris. I learned this flower from the "wall of flowers" that I did previously. I love its nooks and crannys.

The challenge in this one was picking a background color. I took a risk and made it more of a salmon color. As usual, it made the flower "pop". Barb like it, too.

Blue Hulled Boat (2007)

2008-02-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

On a sailing trip in New England, my friend Craig took numerous photos. He asked me to pick one or two for a painting. One was a door on Nantuckett, which now lives in his home.

The other, shown on the right, is a blue hulled Herreshoff sail boat, at anchor on The Cape. I loved the lines and REALLY love blue hulled sailing vessels. My friend Bob helped me with the rigging, as it is a gaffed rigged sail boat. It turns out that he has a white version of this same boat. So, we made him a white version, too.

The Trippletts (2007) & Karen (2005)

2008-02-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

These two paintings were done to show children related to several of our friends. The "Trippletts" was a "surprise painting" for Marie, who acts as a Godmother for these eight (when this was done) year old cuties. This was done from a photograph at their birthday party, where they all selected new, colorful dresses. The painting is all about their dresses, hair, and personality. I LOVED surprising Marie with this.

The second painting was planned but came from a trip Mary Bethe' made to the UK with her daughter, Karen. Karen, a very independent young woman, like to "go her own way". That is depicted in this piece as she goes on alng the pathway of life.

Colorado Aspens (2005)

2008-02-27T13:54:00.000-08:00

While in Colorado in the summer, we made a trip to the town of Telluride. While playing golf one day in a local tournament, I happened on a beautiful Aspen grove. I was taken by the beauty of the trees, their scars and colors, and the wild flowers that seem to congregate below them.

I attempted to show the depth and roundness of the trees in the foreground by using values. I think it came out just fine.

Argentina Tree (2006)

2008-02-27T13:48:00.000-08:00

This painting was inspired by our son, Brian and daughter in law, Julie when they went to Argentina for their honeymoon. They stayed with some friends there for some of the time and had great fun riding the horses pictured, as well as the little dog in the painting (I dare you to find it!)

This work hangs proudly in Brian and Julie's home, bringing back memories of their great trip.

Salmon Rose (2006)

2008-02-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

This flower was finished in the last several years. The rose is salmon in color and followed a pink version, which ended up at a beast cancer golf tournament raffle. A fitting color for that cause ! I used a black background format and approach that I learned from my friend Donna, who is a great artist in her own right. Makes the rose kind of "pop".

Iris (2008)

2008-02-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

This Iris is all about complexity.

Day Lily (2008)

2008-02-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

A Day Lily. From Mo's dining room. All action and movement !!!

Calla Lily (2008)

2008-02-11T12:44:00.000-08:00

A Calla Lily. This one is so peaceful !!!

Nine White Flowers

2008-02-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

This is the biggest project so far. Mo wanted nine white flowers with similar back grounds, that could be mounted as a collage. She picked the flowers and we agreed on the size and background.

If I do say so myself, it is VERY cool !!!!

Next are some individual pieces of the collage.

Tuscan Doorway (2007)

2008-02-11T12:24:00.001-08:00

This was a really fun painting. The subject matter was interesting - another doorway with a lot of mystery. But, the most fun was doing the bricks with pallette knife. Not something that I do often. But, it was a natural for these clunky bricks.

Lavender Fields (2007)

2008-02-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

This is a feast of Lavender!! Again, the perspective aspect grabbed me and made me paint it.

White Door & English Garden (2007, 2007)

2008-02-11T12:08:00.000-08:00

These two pieces are also from the "door and window" phase. I really like this genre as it always creats a mystery in asking what is behind the door. A lot of people have commented on the "meaning" of the second painting. They see looking through to a "different life" or "the grass is greener". I just see an English Garden that our friend Mary Bethe" visited.

Tuscany Window (2006)

2008-02-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

This image is another in my architectural, "door and window" phase. I loved the colors and the three dimensional quality of the shelf holding the unusual pot. I was discovering "turning edges" at the time and this pot was really fun.

This is another one that has several owners. Our decorator owns the original, and several others have giclee' prints.

Argentine "Secret Door" (2006)

2008-02-11T11:47:00.001-08:00

This painting was done from a photo from my son Brian's honeymoon in Argentina. He and Julie call it the "secret door", because it is kind of mystical to many. It grabbed them as they were touring a small town.

I have sold prints of this numerous times, and it always gets a reaction at an art show. There must be something "secret" about it!

Ferrari & Dry Creek Vineyards - Sonoma (2006)

2008-02-11T11:30:00.000-08:00

Our son Brian married his wife Julie in Healdsburg, CA, right in the Sonoma County vineyard area. When we were there for the wedding, we were touring the vineyards, me with my trusty digital camera. When we visited several vineyards. These pieces are the result of that trip

The first of these is the Dry Creek Vineyard and the second is the Ferrari Vineyard. The perspective in the Ferrari work was really fun. If you have been there and didn't see the pots, they weren't there.

These paintings, as well as the previous Gordes piece, started me on a period of painting scenes of an architectural nature.

Gordes (2005)

2008-02-11T11:21:00.000-08:00

This painting has a lot of meaning to me. It work was inspired by Susan Kleinschmidt, a friend and fellow artist (before I was one) from Colorado. Susan took the original photo on her last trip to Europe, before she passed away. Her husband asked me to look at her photos and paint several. Painting it made me remember Susan even more.

Another interesting thing happened at an art show in Florida. An older lady asked me if I had painted this. When I said "yes", she pointed to one place on the canvas and said "they have the best roast chicken in the world right there". I must have gotten the likeness right.

This now hangs in the dining room of a friend.

Sunflowers In A Blue Pot (2007)

2008-02-11T11:15:00.000-08:00

This painting was done on commission from a family in Florida. Bonnie had the idea of melding a blue pot which she loved with an arrangement of sunflowers, which are one of her favorites. She also wanted this to fit into her "blue room", her family room in her Florida home.

Miss Astor (2005)

2008-02-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

This work was done for a breast cancer event in Florida. Although the original flower photo came from Colorado, Astors I'm told, the pink fit perfect in the breast cancer theme. A friend purchased it in an art auction and it now hangs proudly in his home.

Florida Magnolia (2004)

2008-02-11T11:03:00.000-08:00

This piece was done in the same sprit as the large hibiscus. I was looking for something dramatic to put above a mantlepiece. While walking one day, I came upon a magnolia tree which was just blooming. So, I took out my trusty digital camera and took a photo to use for the painting.

I have to credit my teacher, Barrett Edwards, for really making this one look great, using the purple shades to show shadows.

Large Hibiscus - 24X36" - Mantle (2004)

2008-02-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

This is another version of the hibiscus. This was created as a "mantlepiece" work to be the main artwork in a living room. The original lives above the mantle in our home in Florida. It may be my favorite piece and I can't think about selling it. A couple from Colorado asked me to paint another version for their home, where it now hangs.

I love the folds and wrinkles in this flower, and the extended stem adds more interest.

Hibiscus Pot (2004)

2008-02-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

This painting probably started my interest in flowers, in general, and the hibiscus, in particular. This pot was by the pool at our Florida home, and I loved the scene. So, I painted it as I saw it. Since that time, I painted it again, wth a yellow flower, and also created several other versions of the red hibiscus, such as those shown below.