Welcome to Burton Hands Fine Art

Baudy Hotel Garden

12 x 16 o/c $1350

Burgundy Morning

30 x 40 o/c $5500

Very little of my time exploring Europe has been in the big cities. I’m much more drawn to the little villages where there are far fewer tourists and the residents are really quite friendly. This little village didn’t even show up on my map but early light of this cool morning made a natural composition of light and shadow patterns and bright spring like colors to complement the beautiful old patinaed walls of the centuries old house.

La Belle Fleurs

5 x 7 o/c $495

Table for Two

7 x 5 o/c $495

One of the pleasures of living in Colorado is watching others enjoy getting away from their daily schedules and experiencing the freedom only nature can provide. This view provided a lot of interesting contrasts not only in light and shadow but the colorful bushes reflecting off the water and the canyon walls as well. The sound of the rushing water seems to wash one’s troubles away as it rolls on downstream.

The Great Escape

9 x 12 o/c $900

Spring Bougainvillea-Provence

7 x 5 o/c SOLD

When I get tired of painting bougainvillea in beautiful little French villages, I’ll know it’s time to hang it up. Hopefully, that’s a long time away. Each street and plant has its own character that come alive as they are splashed with the Mediterranean sun spreading light across them in unpredictable and always interesting ways.

Red Window in Burgundy

16 x 20 o/c $1350

This quaint little hill town was full of painting possibilities. It was a real pleasure to wander through the cobblestone streets and observe the ways the residents put their unique touch on each of their homes.

We visited the studio of a sculptor who worked there.

Boutique of Pinocchio

12 x 9 o/c $900

Every day for a week, this was one of the sights that greeted me as I made my way down the steep walkway from my hotel that overlooked this great little Mediterranean village. The jumble of shops, colors and textures of the stone street and some of the buildings gave it a very unique character, especially with the rays of sun creating interesting patterns of light and shadow throughout the painting.

Canyon Road Morning

20 x 24 o/c $2750

The early morning light was making some interesting light and shadow patterns that accentuated the wide variety of contrasts among the shrubs, bushes, brightly colored flowers and all the natural rocks and adobe.

And the morning coffee at the sidewalk cafe was a key element in helping me get my brushes moving on the canvas for this enjoyable Santa Fe subject.

Coffee at JJ's

5 x 7 o/c SOLD

JJ Lenoir’s patissier and chocolatier was a classic village subject for me. While I was painting just across the street, JJ came out singing bebop songs and threatening to use his pastry bag to paint on my sketch. The brilliant Mediterranean light splashed across the patinaed old wall and lit up the canvas awning that graced the storefront of some of the best authentic French pastry you’ll find.

Courtyard Painting

12 x 9 o/c $900

Every year the Howell Gallery has a painting in the courtyard event for artists and patrons. It’s always a fun time as I try to figure out what to paint. This occasion was easy as my eye was immediately drawn to the old chair with the painters easel in front of the gazebo like bench. It made me think of some of the John Singer Sargent paintings where he painted fellow artists and their setups.

Quiet Sunday Morning

20 x 24 o/c $2750

I was told the little church down the hill was built in 1200 A.D., 200 years before Columbus. Just think about it. The weather vane on top of the steeple, which I regret I didn’t include because of composition reasons, was a rooster. Which I thought was kind of strange until I was told it symbolized the cock that crowed three times and what that meant to Peter and us.

Morning in Provence

24 x 30 o/c $3500

This little village was a great discovery on my last painting trip to France and Italy. Just minutes from the Mediterranean coastline in the hills overlooking the sea, it was a step back in time, the 11th Century to be exact. There is something very comforting about being in a wonderful place like this, where traditions are honored. It actually seems possible to think and bring some order to one’s ideas, in a world so franticly pursuing change.

Autumn Morning Light

24 x 20 o/c $2750

This was a pretty breezy early autumn morning. the leaves were blowing all around, adding their variety of colors to the already brightly lit shrubs in their 3 foot tall pots. The deep darks really punched up the contrasts. The shafts of light and the abandoned rake leaning against the closer flower planter made it even more interesting to me. I imagined the gardener must be enjoying that coffee that I wished I had.

Vineyard Harvest

20 x 24 o/c SOLD

The experience of witnessing the grape harvest for the first time really was fascinating. The grapes the pickers offered for us to try were unlike any I had ever tasted.

The colors created by the clear autumn light and the harvest of what the land had produced in such a timeless setting made this a painting that just had to be done.

Glacier- Ice Cream Break

24 x 20 o/c $2750

This busy seaside village was once the home of Picasso. It was a beautiful place to be absorbed into the surroundings but when I saw this ice cream parlor it was like a little taste of home.

Iris In Burgundy

24 x 20 o/c $2750

One of my favorite things to do is explore these quiet little villages where tourists normally don’t go. This beautiful group of irises bloomed right next to the village church which I was told had actually been built before the birth of Columbus. It’s all pretty tough for someone like me to comprehend, but it makes it all pretty special.

Les Visitor

40 x 30 o/c $5500

This Crisp autumn morning in Burgundy was full of potential candidates for my canvas. (The political season must be getting to me.)

The colorful vines growing up the side of this beautifully patinaed building with its little white balcony, the interesting pattern made by the sun and shadows caught my eye and the visitor made it complete.

Mediterranean Hat Shop

20 x 24 o/c $2750

This brightly lit milliner's shop in this quaint corner of this 2000 year old village by the Mediterranean Sea was absolutely rife with things to paint. The old stone walls, walkway and clay tile patio made a perfect complement to the brightly colored hats on the graceful poles that displayed them.

Santa Fe Morning

20 x 16 o/c $1950

Morning light on old adobe, freshly painted violet window with a huge window box overflowing with a profuse array of flowers: what's not to like!

In the quiet early morning before all the tourists arrive, a leisurely stroll down the quiet streets never fails to yield a new and interesting subject to paint.