This painting and the one previous were done on two consecutive days when I was limiting myself to 2-hours to complete the painting. I try to do this every so often, especially when I feel like I'm tightening up in my paintings and spending too much time on details. Working fast and loose is a good antidote!
As we are still in the grip of cold weather here in northern Illinois, I went searching among my archived photos and found this scene from beautiful summer day.
The photo reference for this painting was again supplied by my California son. I like the desolate landscape surrounding the classic old VW buses on the desert highway.
I was having some trouble with February/March weather so I dug up a photo from last summer. Looking forward to warmer weather!
This one from last January as we were visiting my son in southern California. It's currently in my show Backroads at McHenry County College thru March 28th.
I’ve been painting since high school but only a canvas or two at the most every year. Then, 12 years ago in the summer of 2013 I started painting nearly every day. I’d bumped into a plein air competition in Door County and all the talented artists there inspired me and woke me up. I’ve been keeping track ever since and this is my 500th painting.
One last painting from our Thanksgiving trip to South Carolina. Love the rich, warm colors of the marsh in late afternoon.
Walking down a busy street last year in Phoenix and I heard the distinctive sound of a VW approaching. I pulled out my phone and quickly snapped the picture from which I painted this.
SOLD
I painted this last week as my first painting of the new year, and then I posted it on Instagram. Turns out, a collector who owns a couple other paintings of mine lives right over that distant rise. So, she contacted me and now she owns 3 of my paintings!
Lost Larson is a favorite bakery and coffee spot in Chicago. My LA son lived nearby it for a while and while in town for a wedding last September were spent a wonderful morning on their back deck sipping coffee and enjoying a smorgasbord of wonderful pastries and baked goods. If you're every visiting the north side of Chicago, be sure to visit.
I came across this photo on my hard drive and have no idea where it came from. Way back when I probably saved it for the same reasons that made me want to paint it now: that classic clapperboard boathouse, the dirt boat access road and that big puddle!
16" x 20" oil on canvas
Taking a walk on Hilton Head Island last November brought us to this big pier right after some rain at sunset. So many things about this scene were screaming for me to paint it! From the dramatic sky, to the warmth of the railing lights and reflections on the wet pier I could hardly wait to get home and start painting.
