I am having so much fun doing oils again. I'm doing them on paper, which is more immediate than canvas. It's a firm surface you can leave bare, draw on, wipe back down to white. Elizabeth Alley said Saturday at our Memphis Urban Sketchers group that it's more like drawing, which is exactly right. After all the deep patience printmaking requires, it's fun to just be able to play with paint again and not worry about technical issues.

Above is Deception Pass in Washington State, from my favorite journal sketch of the trip out there before Christmas.

The self portraits have me thinking about both Hopper and Wyeth. I pulled out my books on both of them and did a quick sketch of the book in my lap and Mr. Darcy on my feet. I think I'll call it "Self Portrait under Book and Dog."

The last is from an old journal sketch I really like and that keeps calling my name to do something with. It's from a special place I go and paint sometimes over in North Carolina.