View from the Fifteenth Floor
Ink John Wells Ink John Wells

View from the Fifteenth Floor

Last week I had to have a tooth extracted in preparation for an implant. I took some medicine that was prescribed to reduce anxiety durning the procedure, which worked really well. A side effect was that I might experience some short term memory loss for a few hours. I don’t really remember much of anything from the procedure, and it was almost like I walked and talked but wasn’t making any memories at all. A couple of days later I was looking at the photos on my phone and found this photo which I took right after the procedure was over, but I have absolutely no memory of taking it. This is the view from the window of the operating room in downtown Seattle.

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Castle of the Counts
Ink John Wells Ink John Wells

Castle of the Counts

This the “Castle of the Counts” in Ghent, Belgium. Beth and I took a tour of this 12th century castle, which had an entertaining audio tour to guide us through its rooms. Supposedly, this is the castle where the modern fireplace was invented.

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Randy in Red Pants
Ink, Watercolor John Wells Ink, Watercolor John Wells

Randy in Red Pants

Randy in Red Pants. 6 x 9in. Ink and watercolor on paper.

Randy is a banking and investment advisor and is a fixture at all the best parties in town. He has a wonderful collection of art prints and watercolor paintings.

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Cafe de Flore, Paris
Oil Painting John Wells Oil Painting John Wells

Cafe de Flore, Paris

Cafe Flore, Paris. This is an 18x24in oil painting on canvas. I loved sitting at the cafe thinking about all the fabulous people that have sat at these tables. It can’t get more Parisian than this.

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Old Birch Trees on Tenth Avenue East
Oil Painting John Wells Oil Painting John Wells

Old Birch Trees on Tenth Avenue East

Unfortunately, Birch trees in the area are slowly going away as a “birch blight” makes it’s way from tree to tree. Many have already died, many more have dead branches and will soon be gone. This stretch of 10th Ave E. on Capitol Hill still has some beautiful old birches lining the sidewalk, and so far they have escaped the blight. Hopefully they will be spared for a long time to come because they add such an amazing atmosphere to the street.

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Rocks at Cannon Beach , OR
Gouache John Wells Gouache John Wells

Rocks at Cannon Beach , OR

“Rocks at Cannon Beach, OR in Gouache” is a 6 x 9in. gouache painting on Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper. I painted this from a photo I took last time Beth and I were there. It was breathtakingly beautiful walking on the beach there at sunset, and the photo doesn't even come close to capturing the feeling. With this painting I tried to get a little bit of the sense of magic that I felt. I’m continuing to learn how to use gouache, and with this one I feel like I’m starting to get a handle on it. My goal with this was to start experimenting with using more drawing with the paint.

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Boats at Le Conner, WA
Gouache John Wells Gouache John Wells

Boats at Le Conner, WA

“Boats at Le Conor, WA in Gouache” is a 6 x 9in. gouache painting. I painted this from a photo I took last time Beth and I were there. Le Conner, WA sit along the Swinish Channel, which connects Skagit Bay to the south and Padilla Bay to the north. It’s one of only three outlets from Skagit Bay to the greater Puget Sound. It’s a smallest of the three, and because of that it has a pretty substantial current. Beth and I took a long weekend and stayed in Le Conner, and the reference photo was from a nice walk we took at sunset along the waterfront where there are a lot of boats docked.

This is more practice as I learn and get more familiar with using gouache.

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Samish Bay
Gouache John Wells Gouache John Wells

Samish Bay

“Samish Bay in Gouache” is a 6 x 9in. gouache. I painted this from a photo I took last time Beth and I were there.This is a view from a lagoon along Chuckanut Drive, a beautiful scenic drive just south of Bellingham, WA. I’m pretty happy with how this one turned out. The colors are vibrant and the brushwork is clean and impressionistic.

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