CHANGE OF PACE

"Copper Apples" 8' x 10" oil/linen

Sometimes the mood strikes to do a
nice still life. I don't do them often
and I guess I should. This one happened
by accident. While cleaning up the studio I
was putting away still life props when
a couple of apples ended up next to this
nice copper teapot I have in the studio.
Went downstairs and cut up a couple of
oranges and threw them into the mix.
Next thing you know, I have a still life
worth painting.

SOLD PAINTING

"Pile Cast" 12" x 16" oil/c

Must be Springtime, I'm getting
the fishing itch. The painting
pictured above, "Pile Cast" sold
recently at Collectors Covey.

The pile cast is one of a several
different casts that can be used to
put a series of small loops in the line
so the current doesn't act on the
line. This allows the fly to float
freely without any drag from the
line. Learn something new every
day.

AMEN CORNER COMPLETED

"Azalea" Augusta National #13, Par 5

A golfer's dream golf hole. It has
everything...natural beauty that
disguises exceptional golf course design
that tricks the weak-minded into playing
shots they shouldn't even attempt.
A birdie on this hole makes an otherwise
bad round enjoyable. On the tee you think
of making eagle, dream of a birdie and
a par is as good as a bogey.

AUGUSTA WEEK

" Golden Bell" Augusta National #12, Par 3

Many consider it the toughest par 3
of all the majors. Swirling winds
that players can't feel on the tee plus
the narrow 30 foot green make club
selection tough. Gary Player refers
to this hole as the "Hole of Vultures"
because of the grandstands behind the
tee where spectators wait and watch
as player after player struggle to
negotiate the second of three holes
of Amen Corner.

THE MASTERS

"White Dogwood" Augusta National, Par 4

Thursday this week begins the best golf
tournament of the year. Tiger Woods
returning to the tour adds more than
just a little excitement to the event.

This is my painting of "White Dogwood"
and represents the beginning of what is
known as "Amen Corner" so named in a
1958 Sports Illustrated article by Herbert
Wind. Wind used the phrase to describe
Arnold Palmer's play through holes #11,
#12 and#13. Palmer won the tournament
for his first tour victory.

WORKSHOP IN WIMBERLEY, TX

Just a quick reminder that I am teaching
a five-day plein air workshop in
Wimberley, TX April 26th-30th.
To register and for more information
contact www.wimberleyartistworkshops.com.

35 on 35

"Estess Ranch" 10" x 20" oil/c

A few months ago I was traveling back
home from Austin, TX at about dusk.
The sun was hitting the sides of buildings,
lighting up fields of hay, specular lights
bounced off the backs of goats and the
landscape became a wonder world of colors.

As is my habit, I was traveling at roughly
70 miles per hour with my head twisting
from side to side trying to take it all in
while making mental notes about the
colors I would need to mix to pull
off a painting of the various scenes that
whizzed by.

Other drivers zoomed passed me at 80 mph
or faster in their rush to get to whatever
was so freaking important ignoring
Mother Nature's gift of light. Some honked
as they went by flashing their middle finger
at me because I was driving so slow.

That's when it hit me. Texans are generally
the nicest people on the planet. But not
when driving. Pick up trucks rule the road
and you best just either get in line risking life
and limb while driving stock car racing style
drafting the truck in front of you at 90 mph
or get out of the way.

I'm thinking, "What fools? If they would just
slow down and take in the beauty of the
landscape light show, what a better world
and a more peaceful drive it would be."

That's when it hit me. Someone should
show them what their missing. In November
I will be having a one man show entitled
"35 on 35". Thirty five paintings along
highway 35 from Dallas to San Antonio.
Every painting will be of a scene you can
see from the highway...if you would just
slow down and take a look. Every painting
will have a GPS marking on the back
and directions to the scene so any collector
can go to the exact spot I painted it from.
Most of the paintings will be plein air but a
few will be larger studio pieces.

The painting above is the first of the 35.
This is Estess Ranch in Waxahachie, TX just
south of Dallas. I hope to produce a video
of my experience creating the paintings.
I've never taken on a project of this scope
so I'm excited about the challenge. I hope
you will follow along on my little adventure.
I will be posting video clips and paintings
as I do them on YouTube, Facebook
and this blog.