Christopher Greco

Monday, February 21, 2011

One Last Swing in the South -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Tire Swing, Tree, Farmhouse, Alabama, Tennessee

12x16" oil on a canvas panel.
This has been one of the most hectic weeks I have ever had!
I have had work each day and freelance each evening and preparing for another move in between. I had a small break on my freelance assignment over the weekend and took a personal break from my packing to paint. This subject seemed to fit my mood perfectly. The nostalgia of an old tire swing and my very last painting in Tennessee/Alabama. I am bound for home in Ohio for awhile and then I am off to..................................................................my next adventure.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Hay 4 Sisyphus -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Hay Barrels, Hill, Tennessee Valley

8 x 10" oil on a canvas panel.
The task of rolling these hay barrels up the hill led me to the title, that and...
...the fact that I have past the 500th post on this blog, which means I have finally completed 500 daily plein air paintings. Not to pat myself on the back too much but, I am extremely proud of this achievement. Along with my plein air painting, I work full time and maintain a freelance illustration/animation business. Although it has often been exhausting, it has been a tremendous learning experience and loads of fun. One thing that I'm sure most of the daily painters have in common is family support. That is certainly the case for me, none of this would or could have happened without the loving support of Kathi and our 3 daughters who inspire everything.
Happy St. Valentines day to my family.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

End of the Snow -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Snow, Sun, Road, Red Bushes

8 x 8 oil on a linen panel.
The last bits of snow along the road in front of my apartment.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Passage to the Warm Side -
Daily Painting, Afternoon Sun, Apartment Complex

Friday, February 11, 2011

Down the Stairs -
Daily Painting, Stairs, Bushes, Sunlight and Shadow

One step out of my door and paint! I was struck by the light on these bushes with their red, yellow and green leaves and the remains of yesterdays snow.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

February Field -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Paint Rock Bird Sanctuary, Alabama

This morning at the Paint Rock Bird Sanctuary.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Harsh Light on the Wooden Man -
Daily Painting, Figurative Still Life, Wooden Man

Another sketch of the "wooden man". I enjoy these exercises very much.

A Simple Sunday Morning -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Corn Field, Alabama, Tennessee Valley

A simple picture of the stubble of last years corn. The simple pleasure of the light on a Sunday morning. This sketch is 8" x 8", oil on a canvas panel.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Running Before and After the Fall -
Daily Painting, wooden still life

Almost immediately after I "blocked" this picture in, the cardboard that I had clipped the background paper to...fell over. Everything was scattered, so this wooden man was running before he fell and then again after the fall.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Tree, House -
Daily Painting, Tree, White House, North Alabama

This painting is from Sunday when the weather was stunning, very unlike the gray, windy and wet weather we had today. Painting a white house on a bright sunny day is like skipping the meal and going right for the dessert.
This painting is 8" x 10", oil on a canvas panel.

Monday, January 31, 2011

The Barn Beyond the Fence -
Daily Painting, Barn, Fence, Vines

I find it a little confusing when I read the dimensions of a painting on the internet. I was taught that you start with the vertical measurement, followed by the horizontal measurement (this was long before computers and the internet). It seems in the digital world it is the other way around. When posting a digital image of a traditional oil painting, which way is the correct way?
I'll stick with my way!
This painting is 10" x 8", oil on a canvas panel.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

View From the Warm Hill -
Daily Painting, Landscape,Tennessee Hills, Snow, Field

The view of a distant hill covered in snow. I was fortunate to find a warm and sunny hill to paint from. This painting is 8" x 10", oil on a canvas panel.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

A Little Snow on the Barn -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Barn, Snow, Tennessee Hills

I have painted this barn before but, this is the first time with a little snow on it.
You can see an earlier painting of this barn here.
This painting is 6" x 8", oil on a canvas panel.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Hay in the Valley -
Daily Painting, Hay Barn, Barrel, Hill

I really expected this to be an easy picture to paint...it wasn't! When I looked into the shadow my eyes adjusted and everything in the light just washed out and I rushed to re-paint everything. When I looked at the background, my eyes re-adjusted and everything in shadow fell into blackness so, I rushed to re-paint everything again. Finally I squinted and re-painted it once again. This painting is 11 x 14, oil on a canvas panel.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Roadside Barn -
Daily Painting, Landscape, Barn, Dirt Road, Cedar Tree, Hedge Row

Better weather gave me a chance to get out and sketch. This is 6x8 oil on a canvas panel.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Blockhenge

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Red Block -
Daily Painting, wood blocks

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

The Optimist, The Pessimist and the Tea Bag -
Daily Painting,glass of milk, coffee mug, tea bag

Half full, half empty and two of my favorite drinks, tea and milk.
This painting is 6x8 oil on canvas.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Tuesday Sketch -
Daily Painting, sketch, misc. stuff, apple, can, jar, toilet paper

The weather was lousy today so I sketched indoors on my lunch break. Generally, I don't have much interest in composing a genre type set up. I much prefer to grab whats close by and get to paintin'!
BTW, I have finally resumed posting on my other blogs.

Receeding -
Daily Painting, Snow, Truck, Sidewalk, Sunlight, Shadow, Parking Lot

A word I become more familiar with everyday! The last two paintings are among my very favorites. Noticing something, you had previously passed thousands of times and ignored is a very magical feeling.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Obstacle Illusion -
Daily Painting, fence, snow, sun, shadow

It was a good day when the court ordered our crazy neighbor to erect this fence, it was a great day when it was finally built, but the everyday reality is that its an illusion. No wooden fence can keep out the crazies.