Mad House Moon, St. Elizabeth's.

I left Robert Eringer at the Georgetown Inn, and set out to paint the moonrise madness. I found it, lurking over the haunted Mental Asylum called St. Elizabeth's Mental Hospital.

Problem was, there was only one view of the hospital for which I could get a glimpse.

I had the driver pull up so I could get a better view.

I felt like a voyeur; peering through the giant Iron Gates. The Moon rising behind the hospital in the hazy DC sky. The Silence; deafening.

My driver asked me why I wanted to stop here. He'd never ever stopped here before, in his life!

I got out and grabbed my camera and tripod.

There were some lights on inside the hospital. I wondered who was home? Who knew what activity was taking place inside?

Strange thoughts entered my mind, and then exited. (fortunately).

The only thing I heard outside was from critters in the bushes, and a strange chattering sound which turned out to be the knocking knees of my driver, who nervously awaited for me beside his big black Lincoln Town Car.

He just kept sayin', "Man, you must be crazy coming out here like this". I ignored him. But he kept on exclaiming about how dangerous this neighborhood is--especially at night! in his nice Town Car.

We was foolish!

I asked him if he'd mind waiting for me while I hopped the fence and took a look around. He yelped, "Don you go in there, they's rattlesnakes roamin' 'round.

I glanced back at him and said jokingly, "But I'm Mad! Besides, it looks kinda homey!

"Man!", he said, "the only homey ya gonna see around here, will steel your camera, your money, and your life"....

--but I'm just worried about ma car!

Convinced of the intelligence he imparted, I quickly gathered up my gear and got the hell outta there!

Full Moon Over St. Elizabeths
16x12 oil/board
Collection of Robert Eringer

For more >Motional Blur, see the Surreal Bounce Blog: http://surrealbounce.blogspot.com/

Night of Depature July 7, 2010

Robert Eringer and his family were here and gone.

I'd never met anyone like him before. (At that time, I had no clue what Eringer did for a living, his spy stuff and all, and I wouldn't learn for another three years).

Our organized trip to Iceland seemed quite esoteric--like a fantasy! It was just what a nocturnal artist needed. Lucky me-- I'd attracted a patron who saw in me my ability as an artist. Eringer also had the means and interest to help make something extraordinary happen for me and my art career. Mixing my art with his writings, how cool was that? It was a meeting of the minds.

Our friendship: alchemical, syncronistic, serendipitous.

I didn't know if the Eringer's would ever be back. I thought, who in their right mind would ever want to leave sunny Santa Barbara-- especially to live in loony London?

All I knew was that I was feeling bummed.

So, I did what I felt was the best thing for an artist to do; I needed to create...

I went down to Butterfly beach, to the place where I'd painted the 4th of July sketch, and all I saw when I was there, was darkness. There was no moon, and except for a few lights, it was a somber scene. It was perfect, devoid of meaning!

I painted away with detachment, and purged myself of sadness.

That night, I left it all on the beach, yet I sensed something out there--just out of reach.

As far as Robert Eringer and his family was concerned, I decided I would send them one post card per week, depicting beautiful, sunny Santa Barbara in a, "Wish you were here" idealism. My motive was to tease them, and to get them to realize they'd made a big mistake by moving back to London.

What else could I do? A year later, my conspiracy plans paid off; they moved back!!

Night of Departure
8x8 oil on board
Collection of Robert Eringer

For more Motional Blur, see the Surreal Bounce Blog: http://surrealbounce.blogspot.com/

Afternoon Light, Butterfly Beach

I have only so much time to paint before I have to pick up my boys and be Mr. Mom.

I have my paints, I have my easel and accouterments. I have the light, and Inspiration before me.

Even though it is a blustery day, I set my easel up in the lee side of a low hedge to block the wind. The light is changing, and so I begin.

I paint briskly, starting with a violet under painting, knowing the highlights would be represented by the complimentary color of Naples Yellow. I work dark masses to light masses, like a mad man. I paint like my house is burning down.

Within 30 minutes, I am finished. I captured the light, the gist and gestures, the immediacy of the moment, alla prima. Voila!

Therapy was good today!

Afternoon Light, Butterfly Beach
6x9 oil/canvas 2010
Collection of the Artist

4th of July, Butterfly Beach

It's been nearly ten years since I painted this painting; my first plein air nocturne of fireworks!!

I wanted to capture the vitality and vibrancy of the life on Butterfly beach in Santa Barbara, so knowing the fireworks would start at 9pm, and where they would be set off, I staked out a place resting above the sand, overlooking the masses of jovial celebrants.

I painted one, then two, small sketches in the afternoon. (Both paintings now in private collections. Then, after sunset, I lined in my composition after toning my board a light shade of green.

Once lined in I awaited the barrage. While people were busy lighting off their own fireworks on the beach, I busily painted in their patterns, silhouetted against the illuminated background of the ocean/waves. Then when the main show began, I sketched in the sky and corona(glow) of main bursts. I had to make a decision on what the colors were I would choose to paint.

During this painting, I had distinct company. I was visited by my new friend and patron, Robert Eringer. He popped out of the bushes holding a glass of wine, and observed me sketching away in the darkness.

Eringer had just purchased a couple of my smaller nocturnes from the Bottoms Art Gallery at the Biltmore Hotel, and I welcomed him to come and watch me paint this evening.

I knew I had only twenty minutes to complete this painting before the grand finale so I couldn't talk during the painting's evolution, but when I had completed the painting, Eringer commented on my ability to paint the night. He mentioned that he'd read about Iceland; that they have the purest of night time skies. He then asked me if I would be interested in going there to paint and capture this purity in paint.

In Seven Months, we would be flying Upper class on Virgin Airlines, in route to Berserkness and what would be the beginning of our seven year Odyssey in search of creativity and madness. The seed for Surreal Bounce had been planted.

4th of July, Butterfly Beach
10x14 oil/board 2001
Collection of Robert Eringer

For more Motional Blur, see the Surreal Bounce Blog: http://surrealbounce.blogspot.com/

Sunset, Santa Barbara. July 3, 2010

Every now and then, there's a good one. (A Sunset that is...)

Every now and then I find myself in the right place at the right time, with the time to paint. I have all my gear and most of my faculties,

It is incredibly enjoyable for me; to quickly set up my easel and palette, and paint the sun as it is setting. It is even more enjoyable if the painting process is effortless, and I can pull off a half decent work of art with minimal effort alla prima (painted in one sitting). Hopefully it is acceptable enough for my gallery: (the Bottoms Art Gallery), to exhibit, and sell.

Yes, it is a, "Pretty Picture", but it's exciting and challenging for me to paint something I've never witnessed, and created it in a way I've never painted before.

Some Artists, (Landscape Painters) frown, and look down their noses at paintings of sunsets-- considering them, "Low Art". I, however paint them out of love and appreciation for the day; daylight, the patient sun.

Knowing that no two Sunsets are alike, EVER! I strive to capture the uniqueness. I have immortalized this sunset in paint, yet I am clear that is some ways, it is a vain attempt on my part, to halt the passage of time.

Santa Barbara Sunset
10x20 oil/linen 2010

www.thomasvanstein.net

Hot Night at Club Nasa June 23, 2010

This was a challenging painting mostly because I was dealing with a subject that was constantly moving; The disco Ball was moving, the different colored lights were moving, the blond headed bobbing crowd was moving; undulating on the dance floor, there were even dancers on stage in front of a large movie screen showing old black and white silent films.

I had to pick and choose what was important; work from memory throughout the whole paintings' evolution, remembering that it was an impression of what I was experiencing, not a photographic representation of the moment.

I remember the blond vixen speaking Icelandic in my ear, doing her best to shake my resolve, and my co-hards working to be my body guards up against curious berserkers. Last of all, me, lighting a cigar and walking through the grinding throngs on the dance floor after i'd finished. I was feeling quite cocky after that day's adventures.

From what I was told, the next day would be even more unique, and, ahem, memorable.

Hot Night at Club Nasa
8x6 oil/board

Collection of Robert Eringer

For More of the story visit: http://surrealbounce.blogspot.com/

Frozen Falls, Godfoss Iceland. June 11, 2010

While my traveling companions, Robert Eringer and Frank Martin caroused Rekyivik, Eric the Red and I traveled into the frozen moonscape of Iceland to catch a glympse of the geyser, the all thing, and the drowning pool. On the way we stopped by the frozen falls called Godfoss.

It was too bloody cold outside that I chose to sketch this painting of the falls from within the warmth of our van.

Believe me, after getting kissed by the devil at geyser I was done being frozen to my palette.

I needed a break; warm food, and good wine awaited me before my journey out into the frigid air to paint the Northern Lights.

Frozen Falls, Godfoss, Iceland
5x7, oil,
Collection of Robert Eringer

http://surrealbounce.blogspot.com/

Geyser Licked June 10, 2010

Who could pass up an opportunity for a great story. I am linking this to my friend and patron Robert Eringer's Surreal Bounce Blog.

This photo shows me working in plein air in Geyser, Iceland, in 15 degree weather. I'd driven out to "Geyser" to paint the "Geyser" under the full moon. The Geyser would erupt every five minutes so it was relatively consistent and that made my job easier.

Also, because of the Northern Latitude the moon never set. It was up and full 24 hours a day. So the Moon was easy to capture. The only real challenge was that it was so cold that I had to add extra linseed oil to my paints in order to keep their viscosity.

Everything had been going along just fine throughout the painting, until the wind shifted. All of a sudden, the I found I was being sprayed by hot steamy water. Because I was so cold, the water instantly froze on my person, painting, palette, pride...

I still managed a smile.

Photo Credit
Erik (the Red) Russel

All Through the Night. June 14, 2010

I have a friend in the world who is a sultry country western singer who produce her latest album early this year. Her name is Annie Dahlgren. Most of the themes to her songs were dark and gritty, and she wanted to have my paintings grace her cover!!

She had contacted me last year to paint a portrait of Josh Townsend; the Green Beret from Solvang who mysteriously died in Afganistan

She chose from my archives, ten or so of my plein air nocturnes to use in the CD entitled, "All Through the Night".

This painting was from my first solo museum exhibition in 2004 at the Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard. It is of an old bus I found one night in the back roads of La Conchita California. When I saw it, it looked like an alien face, or a hockey mask.
It was so odd that I had to capture it.

One year after I painted this painting there was a tremendous landslide in the distance where the last two street lights are seen. They, along with about fourteen residents from La Conchita, perished in the slide.

Now the face on the Back of the Bus looks morose.

Coming events cast their shadows?

Back of the Bus Nocturne
28x28 oil/canvas 2003

Collection of Ann Sanders and Gerry Winnet.

Meridian Blue June 13, 2010

One never knows where or when the Universe will shower it's grace. When I paint a painting; when the painting is finished, framed, and (hopefully) sold, it takes on a life of its own. It has its day in the sun so to speak, immediately, or in time, or maybe never.

In the case of this painting, I painted it in the mid 1990's, en plein air, across the street from my house in Carpinteria. It depicts the full moon setting over Santa Barbara, and the tree is one of the trees my brothers and I use to climb in our youth.

My friend and fellow Artist, Loren Grean, contacted me after producing her musical album, "Meridian Blue". She wanted to have one of my paintings grace the cover.

Loren is a master at Celtic Harp, and writes all of her own music. After searching my entire slide inventory, she found this one painting, which to her spoke to the color expressed in the title.

I obliged. Now my painting is being seen by greater and greater numbers of the public via the internet, or in record stores. I know not its affect on each and every individual who may see it, but I am happy to know that at least one person may be influenced by my art, in some way, some day.

However, I must detach myself from this possibility as well.

Moon Over Santa Barbara
30x30 oil/canvas 1996

Private Collection

Moonset, Dawn's Early Light. June 12, 2010

I don't know why they call it the corn moon but the Moon set in May looks nothing like an ear of corn. It may resemble it's color...but...

(I know it's probably because it was high time to plant corn for the fall).

This was the last of five sketches I produced one morning down the street from my house. It was a productive morning indeed, but when you have a beautiful setting in your back yard, such as Carpinteria Beach, one can hardly go wrong; especially when there is a big beautiful moon as a guiding light.

Moonset, Dawns Early Light
8x8 oil/canvas 2010

Collection of the artist

Lesson on Perspective June 9, 2010

What a great day to be at the Mission in Santa Barbara.

Today's demonstration dealt with drawing in perspective; both one and two point.

After toning the canvas, the drawing begins. I started with seeing the parameters of the format (in this case, 22x28). I began by drawing the contour lines of the fountain, then moved to a perimeter outline of the cupolas of the church to make sure my relationships would allow them to fit on the page. (often times the top of the cupolas don't quite make it on the canvas).

Next comes all the lines in contour moving to two vanishing points on the horizon line. While I am drawing these in I am relating the shapes and angles and negative spaces to my original lines of the fountain.

I use my brush as a tool, to measure the angles, and distances of each line and/or intersection of shapes/points, etc. to all other angles, lines, shapes and points. Every mark has relevance.

Drawing this mission is itself a master class. A trained eye can tell which lines may or may not be off in relationship. It is unforgiving, which is why I choose to depict it as a subject. However I notice many of my students fall away from this particular class cause it is a monster to take on.

From this toned drawing, I will work in a limited palette and produce a mellow, antique feeling to the painting.

I won't be afraid to ruin it, so chances of survival are pretty high.

Art for Art's Sake June 8, 2010

I recommend to my students they should not focus on making money as an artist; although making money is fine, the intention behind creating their art should be pure. They need to strike a balance. Create both art for arts sake, and art for commerce sake.

They should paint and hope to sell, not merely paint to sell.

This was a little 9x12 oil painting I painted up at Ray Strong's Birthday celebration in 2009. It is on the top of East Camino Cielo. We'd gone to paint and celebrate Ray's life (Most OAK Group artists were present), and the brilliant day was soon fogged in.

I only had so much time to paint, so I quickly made a decision to paint a section of the mountain road, meandering behind Montecito Peak. The fog was looming like a monster; billowing up and over the ridge, allowing the sun to filter in only now and then.

It is a somber painting, but it says, "California Landscape" for sure. I never though I would sell it because it is so unusual a composition. None the less, it did sell to a very fine architect in town, and it looks great on his wall.

I guess in this case my art for art's sake blended to become my art for commerce sake.

I have no complaints.

Looming Fog, E. Camino Cielo.
9x12 oil/board 2009

Private collection

Moon Over the Moor, June 7, 2010

In 2004, I was granted my first solo museum exhibition at the Carnegie Art Museum, Oxnard, California.

As part of the exhibition I performed a slide presentation on the history of nocturne painting. After the show, while the lights were off I turned on my book lights and headlamp, and spent approximately forty minutes demonstrating the night painting techniques I use to paint out on location.

This painting, was purely from imagination: I designed it, first, from a small sketch. I gave the composition a low horizon line, showing the moonlit road (lead line) sweeping up to some Irish type cottages.

I left a few lights on in the structures to give it a sense that somebody may be home. (A human touch sometimes adds warmth and mystery to a painting). However I didn't want too many ambient light sources denoted, for they would distract from the painting's main focal point; the moon.

I began with a green under painting, which, when mixed with the cool blue gray tones of the night, offered an interesting contrast. It is an overall cool painting.

I am still intrigued by this painting; It gives me this desire to visit and paint in Ireland some day; to not only paint, but Howl at the Moon...

Night Shift. June 5, 2010

Just spent this last week finishing, framing, and hanging my paintings at the Santa Barbara Tennis Club. It is a group show called, "Night Shift". I am exhibiting my plein air (open air) nocturnes along with fellow noctural painters Cyndi Burt, Filberto Lomeli, Doreen White, and Paul Cumes.

The show is up, it looks good. Come to the opening if you can on Friday June 11 from 530 to 730. The show will be up until July 6, 2010.

I'm pleased to say I have sold two of the four paintings sold thus far, in the pre sale hours before the event.

This is one of my paintings sold, and it is a fine thing to know people are willing to buy art in this Economy.

It is a great neighborhood in which to exhibit.

Moonset, Carpinteria Bluffs
6x9, oil/canvas, 2010
Private collection

East Beach, Windy day. June 3, 2010

In the likes of Eugene Boudin, I painted this painting as a demonstration, for my Summer class 2007. The first day of class is always a challenge as there are sometimes up to forty students crowded around watching the demo, asking questions throughout the process.

My Thoughts during the painting:

I am stimulated mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally as I figuratively dance with a brush in my hand; coming up with answers to my students' questions. I try to remain focused, adhering to my original motif; hoping I don't screw up the painting.

Most of the time I am lucky to get a good start, but finishing is another story. That may take weeks, or years to do depending upon many variables. Every painting will hopefully find a home some day.

If I don't sell a painting, I look at it as an opportunity to improve it until it does sell. I paint and hope to sell, not paint to sell. This way I stay pure to my craft.

This painting did sell, eventually, and to whom I know not.

It's all about detachment, through and through.

East Beach, Windy Day
12x16 oil 2007

Private collection

Angels Flight. June 2, 2010

June Gloom has arrived here in Santa Barbara, and it seems like the entire day is Gray with no change in temperature; I might as well be living in Denmark!

As a pilot, I remember days when the clouds were so low I couldn't fly under Visual Flight Rules (VFR Conditions), however with the aid of an instructor I could get a 'special' to, "get on top" of the clouds to fly around. It always seemed like I'd arrived in heaven when I eventually broke through the cloud cover.

Twelve years ago, when I was in the midst of getting my Master's Degree in Art, the Moon was coming up full, and I needed to capture it, or try to anyway. But the clouds were low and in the way. Then I got the idea to try and drive up to E. Camino Cielo, (3000ft. agl) and paint the effect of moonlight above the clouds.

Up on the top of La Cumbre Peak, I set up to paint this painting. It took me almost four hours to complete, then another eight hours glazing it in my studio. During this time I was amazed to witness the thinning of the ocean of fog over the city of Goleta. As the fog would thin, the light would come bubbling up like a glowing soup in a cauldron.

With the Green underpainting tone of the canvas, and blues of the moonlight cast upon the clouds and mountains, it truly gave me the inspiration of what it may be like to be an angel; above the fray, free to play.

Angel's Flight
22"x44", oil/canvas 1998
Private Collection

www.thomasvanstein.net

Everything's Coming Up Roses. June 1, 2010

I tell my students: it's not what the rose looks like, it's what it smells like.

This gets them considering their subject in a multidimensional way, which, hopefully will translate on to canvas.

Warms and Cools juxtaposed will give greater vibration than complimentary colors adjacent to each other.

I am still trying to evoke an emotional response from my viewers. If I can do that, I know what I have expressed has been clearly communicated.

Summer Roses
11x14 oil/board 2010

Collection of the Artist

They Gathered ar Sunset. May 29, 2010

Ah, Tombstones at sunset. Such ironic solace.

Back from France, staying with Eringer's family in St. John's Wood, London. I had just enough time to squeeze out this painting before the sun set on us all.

They Gathered at Sunset.
10x8 oil/panel 2003
Collection of Mary Henson

Starry Night Painter. May 27, 2010

Here's my homage to Van Gogh.

Even though he wasn't allowed outside the walls of the Asylum at night, nor allowed to paint with candles during his internment, I chose to picture him from my experience; painting freely, his fascination of the nocturnal world.

I guess you could say we became kindred spirits of sorts.

I have one or two more paintings of him as a subject which I would like to do some day when I become a better, more mature artist. Until then, I will keep communing with the past masters, and listening to the silence.

"Starry Night Painter"
22x18 oil/canvas
2008

Collection of Mary Henson
www.surrealbounce.blogspot.com