Castelo S. Jorge da Mina

About 99% of my paintings are done using my own photos, with a small number using specifically licensed photos from someone else. In exceptions such as this one, I find especially appealing scenes from parts of the world I will never be able to visit. In these cases, I do my best to use multiple photo references and change a number of things like the sky, lighting and other details and omissions. This old castle was built by Portuguese explorers centuries ago on the African coast, current-day Ghana.

Watercolor 28x38cm, Strathmore paper, cold-pressed

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A vasta maioria das minhas pinturas são baseadas nas minhas próprias fotos ou fotos aprovadas pelos seus autores. Em exceções como esta, eu encontro cenas que me encantam de lugares longínquos que muito provávelmente nunca poderei visitar. Nestes casos, tento usar referências múltiplas, e deliberadamente mudo muitos detalhes, céu, luz, etc. Este castelo foi construído por exploradores Portugueses há vários séculos na costa Africana, o atual país do Ghana.

Ilidio Rodrigues

Stabilo pen 88/22 on smooth Bristol Board, 9x12"

Cathedral of Santa Maria, Ciudad Rodrigo, Spain

It stood strong against Napoleonic artillery during the Peninsular war in the 18th century although some visible scars remain. In my opinion, these scars only add to the beauty of this old cathedral.

Stabilo 88/22, Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 67

Christ United Methodist Church, Easton South Side

Watercolor, 9x12" (23x31cm) Arches paper, rough

Sebec Lake, Maine

This was a commission, and it was based on two separate photos, one of the lake and the other of the kayaker. As with every commission, it took more time, planning, and effort than usual.

Watercolor, 9 X 12 inches (23x31cm)

Cabanas de Viriato, Rua 5 de Outubro

Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N paper (old), rough

Largo Mouzinho de Albuquerque, Viseu

Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N paper, rough

In my teenage years I walked through here every day heading to my high school classes, always wishing I was back in my tiny hometown.

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Nos anos setenta, eu descia a Rua de São Lázaro até passar por aqui todos os dias a caminho da escola, e sempre a sonhar estar de volta na minha pequenina aldeia.

Paço dos Cunhas, Santar

Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N (old), rough

The Old Waterfront - A Ribeira, Viseu

Watercolor 30x40cm, W&N paper (old) cp

Bell Tower, Castle of Leiria

Since June my sketchbook has been collecting dust, so it was time to fill page 66.

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Desde Junho que o meu caderno de desenhos ficou às moscas, então foi tempo de encher a página 66.

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Bell Tower - Torre dos Sinos, Castle of Leiria

Stabilo pen 88/45

Welcome to Óbidos

Watercolor, 12x16" (30x40cm), W&N paper (old) cp

Vale Furado Beach

Watercolor 23x31cm, Winsor&Newton paper (old) cp

Old Walls, Leiria Castle

Watercolor 23x31cm on Bockingford paper, CP. I struggle a bit with this paper as it does not seem to be very absorbent. This is the first painting done after I moved my studio to the basement.

School Days

A escola primária de Póvoa da Pégada, Beira Alta

Watercolor 30x40cm, W&N paper cp 

The Old Bridge, Ciudad Rodrigo

Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N (new) paper cp

 

Leiria Castle

Not the most recognizable part of the castle, but it was the first I saw when we visited it in August for the first time.
Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N paper rough
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Esta não é a face mais conhecida do Castelo de Leiria mas foi a primeira que eu vi quando pela primeira vez o visitei em Agosto.

Grey Day, Sangemil

Based on a photograph expertly taken by my sunshine Maria de Fatima Rodrigues

Watercolor 12x16" (30x40cm) on W&N paper CP

The walled city of Almeida

The first painting from my recent visit to Portugal. Not to be the last.
A primeira aguarela saída da minha recente visita a Portugal. Não será a última.
Watercolor 12x16" (30x40cm), Winsor & Newton paper (old), CP

Waterloo Village on the Morris Canal, New Jersey

Smith General Store

Watercolor, 12x16" (30x40cm), W&N paper, rough

Curtis Island Light, Maine

Once in a while I use Strathmore paper which, not being very absorbent, presents a few more challenges for me. Nevertheless, I like the change of pace and the extra sparkle I sometimes get.

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De vez em quando eu uso o papel Strathmore que, não sendo tão absorvente, apresenta um pouco mais dificuldade para mim. No entanto eu gosto de variar e gosto do aspeto mais solto e informal que por vezes resulta.

Curtis Island Light, Maine

Watercolor 10x15" (25x38cm)

Strathmore paper cp

Indian Island Light, Maine

Watercolor 9x12" (23x31cm), Winsor & Newton paper, rough

Watson Hall, Lafayette College

Watercolor 12x18" (30x45cm) on Fabriano paper, cp

Guia Light - Farol da Guia

Micron 01 and 003 sepia pens on Crazy Ideas Sketchbook, page 65

Rooftops, Easton Pennsylvania

Watercolor, 12 x 16 in (30x40cm) W&N paper, cp

Tude

Watercolor 9x12"

W&N paper (new) cp
 

Tude and Hutch, 1944

When we relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, many years ago, I feared being isolated from friends and family back in New Jersey. That of course turned out to be true for nineteen years. Nevertheless, we made many excellent new friends and Lamar “Hutch” Hutchison and his dear wife Tude were among the best. Hutch, originally from Ohio, served in the military in Brazil, where he met his wife-to-be who did not speak a word of English at the time. But love is love, and they were married within a few weeks. Hutch also served in World War II as an Air Force pilot hunting German submarines in the North Atlantic. He had other talents such as playing the piano and being a master at his pottery hobby. His wife Tude was one of the kindest people I ever met. I feel very privileged to have known this fantastic couple. Thank you, Lina Hutch for the photograph of your parents, and I am sorry it took so long.

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 Quando nós mudámos de residência para Memphis, Tennessee há muitos anos, eu temia o isolamento de família e amigos que deixámos em New Jersey. Esse isolamento foi realmente sentido por dezanove anos. No entanto acabámos por conhecer vários e excelentes novos amigos lá no Sul.  Lamar Hutchison “Hutch” e a sua esposa Tude foram parte do nosso melhor círculo de amigos. Hutch nasceu e cresceu em Ohio mas serviu nas forças armadas dos EUA no Brasil e foi lá que ele conheceu a sua noiva Brasileira que não falava Inglês na altura. Mas amor é amor, e casaram-se poucas semanas depois. Hutch foi também um piloto na Força Aérea Americana na Segunda Guerra Mundial, que passava o seu tempo a caçar submarinos Alemães no Atlântico Norte. Tinha também outros talentos como o piano e a mestria pela cerâmica artesanal. A sua esposa Tude era das pessoas mais gentis que eu conheci. Eu fui privilegiado por ter conhecido este casal fantástico. Obrigado Lina Hutch pela foto dos seus pais, e peço desculpa pela longa demora.

Tude and Hutch, watercolor 9x11”

The Phoenix - A Casa do Passal III

Watercolor, 9x12" (23x31cm) on W&N (old) paper, rough

Torre do Anto - Coimbra

Micron 01 and 005 pens, Crazy Ideas Sketchbook, page 64

Timeless Monsaraz

Geez, yet another watercolor of Monsaraz. It will not be the last either.

Ainda mais outra aguarela de Monsaraz. E não deve ser a última.

30x40cm, W&N paper cp

Out of Madeira

Memories from a trip to Madeira Island, Summer of 2000

Watercolor 18x25cm, Stonehenge paper, cp

Hotel Astória, Coimbra

Extra effort today to loosen up and limit detail, which is always a challenge.

Esforço extra hoje para simplificar e limitar detalhes, o que é sempre um desafio.

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Hotel Astória, Coimbra

Watercolor 18x25cm, Stonehenge paper, cp

Granite Village - O Terreiro

Micron 01 pen, Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 63

The Phoenix - A Casa do Passal II

The first one is gone, so this is the second watercolor I make of this scene, after this house was reborn in recent years. Thankfully it’s becoming a museum in honor of its once and forever owner, the late Aristides de Sousa Mendes who lost everything for his humanity during WW2. 

Watercolor/Aguarela 12x16in (30x41cm), on W&N paper, cold-press

Guarda Cathedral - Se' da Guarda

Stabilo pen point 88/65 on Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 62

Ruins of Marialva

Stabilo pen, point 88/45 on Crazy Ideas Sketchbook, page 61

Forks United Church of Christ

Watercolor 9x12" on W&N paper, rough - Forks Township, Pennsylvania

Star of Bethlehem (Pennsylvania)

Night scenes are always a big challenge for me, it’s always an experiment. This was done for a friend, and it shows the city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with its Christmas star up on the hill. Watercolor 23x31cm, W&N paper, cp

Lagos, Portugal – São Gonçalo Gate – Porta de São Gonçalo

Stabilo pen 88/22 on Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 60

Medieval Bridge - Vilar de Mouros

Stabilo pen point 88/63 (dark green) on Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 59.

Casa Do Passal - The Original

A original Casa do Passal em Cabanas de Viriato na Beira Alta terá sido construída no Século 19. Segundo Elvira Tavares, Aristides de Sousa Mendes herdou a casa de uma das suas tias. Depois de regressar do Brasil por volta de 1920, ASM levou a cabo a reconstrução e ampliação da casa em uma mansão ao estilo Francês. Esta aguarela é vagamente baseada numa foto antiga que foi divulgada por Leonor Oliveira no grupo do Facebook “Cabanas de Viriato”. Os meus agradecimentos. Como os detalhes da foto são limitados, eu permiti-me um pouco de imaginação e liberdade artística para esta pintura.

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This is the original Casa do Passal, which belonged to Aristides de Sousa Mendes. He was the Portuguese Consul in Bordeaux who saved thousands of people during WW2 from the claws of the Nazis by issuing visas against direct orders and eventually losing everything because of it. The house was rebuilt into a much larger French-style mansion around 1920. This watercolor is loosely based on an old photograph I found on the web.

Watercolor 23x31cm, Bockinford paper cp

St John's United Church, East Bethlehem Pennsylvania

St. John’s Church, East Bethlehem Pennsylvania

Watercolor 9x12” (23x31cm) Bockingford paper cp

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I tried a new paper today (Bockingford) and it is definitely different from my usual (Fabriano, Arches, Saunders). It is cold-pressed but it seems less absorbent, so it acts a little closer to smooth hot-press paper. I like that I get a more transparent look, but I have to get more used to it because I struggled with hard edges. Next time I will pre-wet the paper more.

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Tentei um papel novo (Bockingford) e é claramente diferente do meu normal (Fabriano, Arches ou Saunders). É de textura média (cold-pressed), mas como é menos absorvente, ele atua mais como papel liso. Gosto do aspeto mais transparente, mas preciso praticar e pre-molhar mais para obter transições mais suaves.

Phillipsburg, New Jersey and the Delaware River

Watercolor, 12x18in (30x45cm) on Fabriano paper, cold-pressed

Aldeia Da Beira, Rua do Outeiro

Micron pens 01, 02, on Crazy Ideas Sketchbook, page 58

Dolmen Da Orca - Beira Alta

Watercolor 12x16in (30x40cm), on Winsor & Newton paper (old), cold-pressed

House & Garden

This is a commissioned house portrait. Commissions are always a bit stressful and they take me twice as long to complete as normal paintings. That does not mean they come out better, but I always put in extra effort.

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Este trabalho foi uma comissão (encomenda) para um “retrato” de uma casa de habitação. Comissões sempre acarretam um pouco mais de ansiedade e levam-me o dobro do tempo a completar. Não quer dizer que fiquem melhores, mas sempre aplico mais empenho e cuidado.

House and Garden

Watercolor 12x16”, Winsor & Newton paper (old), cold press

Pencil value study

For a commissioned house portrait. Fingers crossed.

Palácio Castro Guimarães, Cascais

Stabilo Pen, point 88/63 (dark green)

Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 57

Tower of Belém

Stabilo pen 88/22 on Crazy Ideas sketchbook, page 56

More Pen & Ink drawings lately because I want to eventually fill all the pages in this sketchbook that Fatima gave me. It's slow going.

Village Street Portugal

Recanto, Póvoa de Santo António, Beira Alta

Stabilo pen 88/45 on Crazy Ideas Sketchbook, page 55

The Old Chapel (Nossa Senhora do Amparo), Beira Alta

Stabilo pen point 88/22 on Crazy Ideas Sketchbook page 54

I thank Pedro Abranches Mateus for the photo which inspired this drawing.

Agradeço a Pedro Abranches Mateus por ter publicado a fotografia que inspirou e serviu de referência a este desenho. Obrigado.