There are places I remember...

....all my life though some have changed....I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life I love you more. It makes me smile to wonder why Beatles lyrics and music is still relevant and simply profound after all this time?

Welcome.

I have cherished memories of my friends. Some are long standing and some are recent. In the relationships with both men and women friends we were often warriors together in sports, quests and fishing expeditions and as artists trying to make sense of our unique talent, skill and intuition in a world that often expected conformity. Personally, triumphs for me are far more enjoyable when the creating, work and effort and the win are shared.

I attended a small private school in New Hampshire during my high school years. The winters were powewrful and drifts would often flow from the top of the dorm roof to the ground. Make no mistake I loved it. But the thing is; when spring would emerge from it's slumber and the first warm days began to frequent our mountainside my tribe and I relished the idea of heading to the lake to sit shirtless on the rocks and dream of the future. I could not have imagined at that time how much I would embrace life, art and joy on my journey, the friends I would be lucky enough to have and in my life love you more.

This is a watercolor on board. 18x24 inches. $2,000.00 US plus shipping and handling.

If you like my watercolor art be sure to check out Zazzle.com under the shop called sunnybeachman and you will find a full range of products with my art on them.

When reviewing past blogs if you see a work you are interested in please contact me here at alanlovesart@gmail.com  with your inquiry.

More to come....

All art and images copyright Alan Phillips 2014

Sunday Morning at Speakers Corner......



Welcome.

Picture in your mind a beautiful fall morning. You are in London. You are scouting   Hyde Park for oils and watercolors. I mean I am. What I mean by scouting is that most of my art comes from observation in the real world reality that we both can see and touch, certainly a journalistic narrative when it comes to street tribes.

On this day though I am thinking perhaps some wildlife; believe it or not as I saw some white pelicans in the pond and those cool blue dorries, well, you know how I feel about boats, small boats, wooden boats.. I go out hunting for scenes or ideas to paint. Stumble upon might have been invented by me if I was paying attention!

What was and is delightful is I did stumble upon a festival of characters. Are you kidding? People in jesters hats, heck jesters pants! Colors are rippling across the green lawn, stripes, polka dots, reds, blues, greens, yellows, orange, pink and that's just folks hair! Man I was in image heaven.

I did listen to a few of the didactic diatribes. I shrugged my shoulders and went in search of more visual conversations.

One of those that I discovered was this couple shown in this watercolor painting. It has hung in my home or studio where I see it every day for a couple of decades. You see they seemed to be a magnet for people. Friends approached them and you could almost see a warm vibe eminating from them (brings to mind Carlos Castanada and the energy projections he discussed in The Teachings of Don Juan) the interactions were smiles and hugs and they had a stroller with a young child. I loved the guy's skull cap. When they saw me taking photos they just smiled and went on with their day. These days I would have introduced myself but I did not have the presence of mind to do so back then and so they will forever remain a happy mystery and an idea.

Occasionally I will step outside my coastal genre if it seems appropriate in sharing my art. Hope this brings you a smile.

This one is not for sale.

More to come.....

All art and images copyright Alan Phillips 2014

Slippery Fish!

Welcome. 

Frankly, more to the point, welcome back if you checked in yesterday and were looking at these fine Beeliner Snapper, Vermilion Snapper and then discovered they had slipped away. I was foolin with the page late last night and lost the image even though the post and the image were available on Google Plus.

Still have lots to learn about blogging, art, food, science, photography, social media....need I go on? Fish too, as I was researching varies species this morning and got into aquaculture and bio science before I finished my first cup of coffee. So, you really really think you would like to have an insatiably curious mind, huh? 

This is a watercolor on watercolor board. 15x20 inches and $1,000.00 US plus shipping.

More to come......

All images and art copyright Alan Phillips 2014

Memories of Polo at Conyers Farm.

Welcome.

I have not been back to Greenwich Connecticut in a while. Traveling the back roads in the enclave of the glamorous, powerful and famous, it is a town or was when I was roaming around; one of discerning taste about the sitelines and natural beauty. There were many areas where I really felt the country, woodland vibe, authentic, protected and revered and I had not expected that. Finding Conyers Farm and The Greenwich Polo Club matches was like opening a present for me.

Sunday afternoons I got to experience an elegant bastion of civilization with matches on the beautiful polo field and the picnic grounds and was warmly welcomed. Again unexpected because I was not powerful, glamorous or famous. Tommy Glynn the Harvard Grad,  Greenwich resident 'polo guru' once said to me, "Polo is the most democratic of sports." Creme fraiche anyone? Perhaps with some strawberries bluesberries and a flute of champagne offered by a new friend?

I had been attending for 3 years or so and decided it would be a fun subject to paint. The club featured me in their magazine one year and I believe I did 6 or 7 in the series that they published and among them this was not only a favorite of mine but of equestrian fans in general whether polo followers or not. It is a rather tender moment between two warriors resting up until the next chukker.

This was an oasis for me. I loved the open space. Can you dig that the clubhouse was that stone building in the background, originally used for storing apples?  I always left those matches, played for worthy charities mind you, feeling exhilarated, renewed and ready for Monday! Thank you Peter.

This is an oil on canvas, 30x40 inches. I might show some of the remaining pieces from time to time in 'the favorite hits' category, they are all 30x40 inches oil on canvas and are for sale at $6,000.00 each US. Plus shipping. Simply send me an email if you are interested at alanlovesart@gmail.com

A reminder: You can purchase fun items, caps, mugs, t shirts with my watercolor art on them over at Zazzle.com just look under sunnybeachman.

More to come.....

All art and images copyright Alan Phillips 2014

Soup for the Soul, Soup for the Body....

Welcome.

Last night I bought some fresh Mayport shrimp. I had a busy day and in the unfolding tasks to be accomplished I did not get hungry and so, did not eat lunch which I make and bring with me each day. Lunch is always salad and in this instance spinach, avacado, tomato, mushrooms seasoned with a touch of extra vigin olive oil and salt and pepper. What I decide to do was make the shrimp and put it in the salad.

Here's the thing. I have a particular way of making the shrimp and as I was dicing and chopping garlic, rosemary, basil, mushrooms to flavor the sautee I realized how amazingly relaxed I was. I mean, I always am. Got the music going, you know a little Herbie Mann and I'm fresh from the shower. But it is something about the food, connecting to the food. I recognize the soil, the water and the starlight inherent in each. I recognize that each element took a particular journey to get to my cutting board and whether I was channeling Jamie Oliver, Charlie Trotter, Anthony Bourdain or Andre Soltner I have traveled many miles of experiments, reading, advice and recipes to be able to prepare and eat a simple (yet mouthwatering) dish as easy as a shrimp and salad. If we are indeed what we eat then I am joy.

The temperature is dropping around here. Soup always comes to mind when the chill is on.
This piece was a watercolor commission for Water's Edge Magazine and it is one of my favorites for composition, palette and concept. It is 15x20 on board and is sold at $2,500.00 US.plus shipping. If interested you can reach me by email at alanlovesart@gmail.com

One of my favorite things about making soup is I make quantities! I get to pass out containers to friends for sampling!

More to come......

All images and art copyright Alan Phillips 2014

Descending Dusk On The Savannah

Welcome.

The paint is still wet on this one. I had done the study a year ago along with 10 others for a client who lives on the edge of the ICW. Some were of pelicans. The couple chose a pelican piece where it's evident it's winter. I loved the study I had done for this so it goes up on the wall until I can find the time to paint the finished oil version, voila! This one is summertime and this beautiful Great White Egret happened to catch my eye while I was casting my fiddler for some reds.

I know many of the fisherman I run into are in awe of the bounty of nature when presented with
amazing wildlife or a changing sky over the marsh at sunset.


This is an oil on canvas. I forgot to measure but close to 20x24 inches. It is available at $2,800.00 which includes the frame, US dollars plus shipping.

I have another friend I would like to recommend. Phil Rice the creative shaman and wordsmith over at canopicjar.com which is an arts journal. You will find an assortment of talented writers, artists, philosophers, poets, boxers, thinkers and muscicians and real honest to goodness books. I don't know for sure but they can all probably dance too!

Remember you can always head over to Zazzle.com and find many of my better known watercolors on a range of fun products at reasonable prices, just look under the heading sunnybeachman (that's me of course)

More to come.....

All art and images copyright Alan Phillips 2014

Our Planet Our Table

Welcome.

The farm is a place that I always feel at home. These tomatoes were stacked up on a chair outside a farm shed in Center Strafford New Hampshire.

I have enjoyed visiting a half acre plot or a few yards of fenced in dirt in Boston's Back Bay, perhaps we call that one a garden, or a property that stretches as far as the eye can see with orchards filled with delicious fruits. Do you not marvel at the fact that with proper soil, water and sun this stuff grows out of the ground?

I grew up in a suburb of Boston and there was not much farmland that I could easily get too however most folks had a pear,apple or cherry tree in the yard along with a summer garden and it was a delight to snatch a fresh giant tomato straight off the vine and season it with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. My taste buds were singing! I really dig the slow food idea,the whole food idea,the fresh farm, locally grown ingredients idea. I love to eat fresh, beautifully prepared and brilliantly shared meals.

In Florida it is wonderful also to be able to stroll into the backyard to retrieve a few lemons, a mango, an orange or grapefruit to enhance  your fresh caught flounder dish!

My friend Iain Broadbent is a magnificent chef. One of the more knowledgeable chefs I have met about nutrition and food properties in general in addition to his talents in the kitchen. You might want to visit his online offerings over at globalgourmetorganics.com and sample for yourself what someone with vision can create with the intention to eat healthy and delicious gourmet meals. His Chicken Tangine will melt in your mouth!

The painting above is a watercolor on board and is approximately 15x20 inches and is available at $2,500.00 US. If interested just send an email to me at alanlovesart@gmail.com

Remember you can visit Zazzle.com online and look under sunnybeachman to find many articles of clothing, hats, mugs and cases for phones with my watercolor art on them.

More to come...

All art and images copyright Alan Phillips 2104