ANOTHER FISHING STORY

"Bones on the Edge" 12" x 16" oil on canvas

Bone fishing is one of the most challenging
forms of flyfishing. Here in Texas we
track down redfish in a similar fashion
by wading in ankle to knee deep water
looking for fish "tailing" which just means
we can see the tips of their tails as they
cruise along feeding as they go.

When you find a school of bonefish or reds
presenting a fly to them without disturbing
their feed is an art form. The water is
so shallow and clear the fish
are easily spooked. The reward is
fighting fish that is all muscle and
knowing you have elevated your flyfishing
skills to a new level.

Painting available at Collectors Covey

A GOOD DAY FISHING

"Pile Cast" 12" x 16" oil on canvas

If I can't be outside painting please
put a flyrod in my hand and show
me the nearest body of water. The
toughest day painting isn't when the
bugs are out of control or the weather
has driven you from a great painting
location, its when you are in the middle
of painting a stellar piece and you hear
the unmistakable sound of fish rising
when they hit the surface chasing food.

Now I'm really stuck. Paint....no fish...
no paint...dangit fish...no paint because
the light is changing...no fish because soon
they will stop biting....no you came to
paint you fool!

I've learned to leave the flyrod home
when painting. That way I have eliminated
the argument a together.

Painting available at Collectors Covey

PEARCE MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART

"Hill Country Longhorns"

Awhile back the Pearce Museum of
Western Art purchased this painting to
hang in its permanent collection in
Corsicana, Texas. I recently stopped in
to see the painting. I entered the museum
and was astonished by the collection that
includes paintings by Bill Anton, Howard
Terpning, James Bama, Nelson Boren,
Paul Calle, Z.S. Liang, Tom Lovell, Jason
Rich, Kenneth Riley, Kathryn Stats and
G. Harvey to name a few.

I wandered from room to room amazed by
the art and then I turned the corner and
there sandwiched between an Andy Thomas
and a Jason Rich was my painting.















Andy Thomas on the left















Jason Rich on the right

It was kind of an odd experience to be in
the same company as the some of the
best known artists in the business. I've
been in plenty of shows, but never a
permanent collection that people actually
pay good money to see. I'm down right proud
to be a part of it.

DESERVES A SECOND LOOK

"Badlands Cliffs" 9" x 12" oil

This is one of those drive-by scenes that
happen when you are in a hurry to get to
a painting location but you stop along the
way to take pictures because you see
something interesting but don't have
the time to stop, set up the paintbox
and devote two hours to the scene.

Then later in the studio as you are
downloading pictures to the computer
and editing out the redundant pictures
one kind of pops out at you. This is one
of those scenes. I didn't think much of
it as I drove by it, but stopped anyway
and snapped a picture.

I am painting at Canyon de Chelly in September
and need to practice painting large rock
formations so I thought this would be a good
practice piece. Darned if it didn't turn out
to be a rather nice piece.