6.5 x 7.25 inches, oil paint on paper Copyright 2012 all rights reserved, John A. Brecht An oil sketch on primed paper looking west on Old Bull Lane at Little Compton, Rhode Island. The Sakonnet River is in the distance. Continue reading

9 x 12 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright, 2012, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Variation on a theme. This stand of trees next to this dirt road resonated with me. As I painted this, from out of nowhere, a lone bicyclist came meandering up behind me. He stopped and looked over my shoulder momentarily and meandered on, his tracks snaking away behind him. Continue reading

12 x 9 inches, oil paint on panel John A. Brecht, Copyright 2012, all rights reserved This was painted on a clear day along the Savannah River Continue reading

12 x 9 inches, oil paint on panel Copyright 2012, John A. Brecht, All Rights Reservd I was taken with the light and simplicity at this location. Continue reading

10 x 8 inches, charcoal and turpentine Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved This is the under-drawing of the painting below. By itself, I enjoy the drawing. Continue reading

10 x 8 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Less than a mile from where we stay in Rhode Island every year, there is a curious piece of property that has a maze of crisscrossing paths, seemingly leading nowhere. Just through a small break in the bramble of ragosa rose that line the shore opens up into this network of trails. Every year I return to discretely explore. This year I did this painting of what I like to call the magic garden. Continue reading

10 x 8 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Continue reading

8 x 8 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Painted at Little Compton, Rhode Island facing west in afternoon light. Continue reading

8 x 8 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved A forsythia bush at Little Compton, RI. A singular, very large plant that played with the light all day. Continue reading

8 x 8 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011 John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Facing west along Old Bull Lane at Little Compton, RI. In the distance is the mouth of the Sakonnet River at the Atlantic Ocean. The recent hurricane had defoliated many trees along the coast. Continue reading

5.5 x 8.5 inches, graphite on paper Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Little Compton, RI Continue reading

8 X 10 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Little Compton, RI Continue reading

9 x 7 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Field at West Road and Montmorenci Road near Aiken, SC. Continue reading

7 X 9 inches, oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Continue reading

8 x 8 inches, oil paint on canvas panel copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved This painting was done on January 30, 2011 in a newly-harvested cotton field. In South Carolina there are scrub trees often found on the edge of fields (I wish I knew the name of the tree). When all else is in various winter shades, these evergreen trees stand out with their green leathery leaves in low, golden winter light. Continue reading

10 x 8 inches, oil paint on primed Somerset paper Copyright 2010, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Continue reading

9 x 7 inches. Oil paint on canvas panel Copyright 2011, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Continue reading

24 x 18 inches, graphite on paper Copyright 2010, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Continue reading

24 x 18 inches, compressed charcoal on paper Copyright, 2010, John A. Brecht, al rights reserved I very much enjoy the quality and variety of mark in this drawing. Continue reading

24x18 inches, graphite on paper Copyright 2010, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved While not always anatomically correct, the gesture is what it's about -- also the mark. Continue reading

24x18 inches, graphite on paper Copyright 2010, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved Continue reading

24 x 18 inches, graphite on paper Copyright 2010, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved From the point of the graphite stick to it's side, this drawing utilizes a nice variety of marks. Here, the model was going through a battery of thirty-second poses. She leaned forward with her left arm over her head. Even though you don't see the arm, the gesture suggests it. The other marks, I believe, are from the previous pose that I drew on top of. Sometimes I don't bother changing the page. In rapidly changing drawing situations, I occasionally feel it takes too much... Continue reading

24x18 inches, graphite on paper Copyright 2010, john A. Brecht, all rights reserved The gesture drawing is a quick study completed in a very short period of time. This drawing was executed in under 30 seconds. Often, artists use such rapid-fire drawings as a way to warm up at the beginning of a session. The technique is also helpful in situations where one needs to capture the essence of a scene in a short period of time or where there is movement or a constantly changing scene. Gesture drawings lack the detail that is in more finished drawings. Drawing in... Continue reading

12 x 8 inches, pastel on paper Copyright 2010, John A. Brecht, all rights reserved This is a pastel study of my painting, "On Chafee Lane." I did three versions. With each variation the key elements became more evident. The drawing guided me. Continue reading