BACK IN THE GROOVE

"Fall Foliage" 8" x 10" oil on canvas

I've been away for a few weeks and just
this week got back into the studio. The
last month has been a blur and its nice
to return to painting. My younger brother
just lost his battle to cancer and has taken
up new residence in a better place. I've
been helping my parents with his care
and was with him when he took his last
breath. So now its time to heal and
move on with life and for me that includes
celebrating nature with paint.

As is my custom when I get ready to take
a trip I use studio time practicing painting
the subject matter I am about to go see.
I have a trip to Colorado planned with
the Outdoor Painters Society in July so
the next couple of weeks will be spent
preparing myself for the trip, painting
larger studio pieces for the galleries and
doing the daily paintings. Nuff rambling
for now. Will post again tomorrow.

AIRSTREAM

"Airstream in the Desert" 12" x 16" oil

This Airstream trailer struck me as
an odd image in the middle of the
desert. Its sleek shape and shiny
exterior stood in direct contrast to
the surrounding rugged desert terrain.

I tried to paint it on location, but the
wind and dust were blowing so hard
I couldn't find a spot to set up. I tried
to use my jeep to block the wind and
provide some shade, but sometimes
the best intentions go unrewarded.
So I had to settle for a photograph
from which I did the painting.

DAILY #7

"Lope" 6" x 8" oil

The best part of this painting was eating
the cantelope when I got done. Went
out this morning to do some plein air
work. After two wipe-offs I decided
maybe my time would be better
spent in the studio. So I fixed this
bowl of fruit, painted it and ate it. Beats
a bad day in the field anytime.

DAILY #6

"Flower Pattern" 8" x 10" oil

This time of year it is not unusual
to find me in a neighbor's yard with
my plein air setup doing a study like
this one. I do not have a green thumb,
but I have plenty of neighbors who do
and, I think, they like it when I stop
by and ask if I can paint their flowers.

GOATS

"Goat Barn" 9" x 12" oil

This little goat barn is right around the
corner from my house. I drive past it
several times every week. The Boer goats
no longer occupy the barn and the property
is marked for demolition any day now.
I painted the barn plein air and added
the goats in the studio.

I must not be a good goat painter because
when my good friend Bob Rohm saw the
painting he joked, "So what are all those
Springer Spaniels doing in the barnyard."

TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2009 DAILY

"Fruit Bowl" 6" x 8" oil

Thought I would go ahead and post
this because I am having laser surgery
on my right eye later today. I have a
tear in my retina that the good doctor
is going to close with a few well-placed
zaps of a laser. He says its nothing serious,
but lasers being shot into my eye sounds
like serious to me. So just in case I am
out of commission later and can't get a
painting done, here's today's
piece. Enjoy.

NEW WEEK, NEW DAILIES

"Copper Orange" 6" x 8" oil

Its a new week of daily painting and
a new week to push paint. Life is grand.
Have to take time this week to do some
studio work, but plan to keep producing
the daily work as a warm up. I'm
finding it to be a great start of the day.

I have my painting time down to 30 minutes.
I don't do many still lifes, but
this has given me some motivation
to try a larger piece. We'll see how
things go as the week progresses.

Went to the InSight Gallery grand
opening last weekend in Fredericksburg.
Got to meet some very talented artists
including Carol Anderson, Joan Potter,
C. W. Mundy and Mark Haworth. Took the
time to visit with painter friends Chuck
Rawle, Kay Northrop, Jill Carver and
Nancy Bush. Food was great, art was
unbelievable and conversation entertaining.