Stonehurst Cove

 9" x 12" Oil on canvas panel

This scene was interesting to me because of the dramatic sky and reflections in the water. 

Clay Bottle Lookout

 16" x 12" Oil on panel

This one is a bit of a departure for me. We were up at a nursery last summer and there was an old dairy barn on the property with some antiques in it. I was drawn to the high contracts and the reflections on those awesome clay bottles as well as the light peaking through the cracks in the old barn siding. 

Up the Lane

 16" x 20" oil on stretched canvas

We were on our way home from picking apples and I pulled a little way up the driveway to take a picture of this beautiful farm, to the horror of my passengers, i.e. kids, in the backseat.

Old Sugar Beet Factory

9" x 12" oil on panel
Plein Air

Another one from my trip to California. Nine of us painters at the workshop set up along the Sacramento River and painted the old factory across on the other shore. The sun was rising in our faces behind the factory so it was fun painting the shadow and the sunlight.

Bull Valley #8

 

Commission, 36"x48" Oil on Stretched Canvas

I've been working on this one for a couple months and just delivered it this week. The family who commissioned me have a great memory with this golf hole: their mom hit a hole-in-one on it on Mother's Day 20 years ago. 

California Citrus

 

6" x 8" Oil on panel

Plein Air

I was in California for a workshop recently and painted this in the sun outside.

Barn Find

 

9" x 12" Oil on canvas panel

We were driving through the country on our way into suburbia the other day and we came across this old gem. wish I could have pulled over and painted it where it stood. 

Around the Bend

 14" x 11" oil on panel

I've been working on this one for a while and I'm calling it done. I took the picture I painted it from on a bright spring morning when the fields were just sprouting. 

Red Door Cottage

10" x 8" oil on canvas panel

Plein Air

I've been wrapped up with a couple commissions and was cleaning up and organizing my corner in the basement and came across this plein air piece I did last summer that didn't sit well with me. I made a couple tweaks on the easel and am much happier with it now.

 

#206 - Spring is in the Square

 16" x 12" Oil on panel

It's been a while since I posted! Been working on this one on and off for a couple weeks and again was looking for the challenge of having a lot of information to simplify.

#205 - Emricson Pond

 

11" x 14" Oil on panel

I got outside and painted this Thursday afternoon. It was beautiful but storms were forecast so I limited myself to two hours. Got it in an packed up in the nick of time!

#204 - This Walk Makes Good Scents

 28" x 22" oil on stretched canvas

This is new subject matter for me and a larger size than I normally work on also. I was intrigued by the wealth of visual information in the photo reference I worked from, and by the challenge to simplify it into something interesting. It was fun to paint because I love walking in pine forests; the wonderful smells add another layer of richness to the sights and sounds.

#203 - Sunshine in a Glass

 

12" x 16" oil on canvas

I went to a local brewery, Kishwaukee Brewing, and ordered a flight, It was a thing of beauty when I set them in order on the table in the sunshine.

#202 - Special Delivery

 12" x 9"  Oil on canvas panel

Plein Air

I got out last weekend on a beautiful sunny morning, and spent the first hour certain that awesome truck was going to drive off before I could finish! It stayed put, however. I made myself quit after 2 hours on this one, trying to speed up when painting outside.

#201 - Winter's Retreat

10" x 8" Oil on canvas panel

I was on a walk recently on a beautiful sunny afternoon when it seemed that winter finally took a backseat. Snow was melting and water in the creeks was running.

 

#200 - Red, lots of White and Blue

 8" x 10" Oil on panel

I love clear, sunny winter days and white frame houses. I know, sounds like a country song!

#199 - Free Parking

 

11" x 14" Oil on canvas

This is from a side street right off the square in my hometown,Woodstock, Illinois. 

#198 - Marlene's Meadow

 11" x 14" oil on panel

My friend Marlene posted a picture of her property on Instagram and was gave me permission to paint it. I love the cool shadows on the snow compared to the warm orange leaves left on the trees.

#197 - No Passing Zone

 

12" x 16" oil on panel

This one has been marinating on the easel for a while. I darkened the sky at the top and added a little red in nearby clouds and that helped to bring them forward.

#196 - February Afternoon, Woodstock

 11" x 18" oil on panel

I've always liked long afternoon shadows, especially across snow, and you're left with the cool blues of the snow and warm tones of the sunlight peeking through.

#195 - A Winter's Walk

 9" x 12" oil on board

I love walking in the woods in any season, and I especially like the winter with snow because of the blue shadows on the snow. You rarely see such pure blues in the landscape, except for the sky and shadows on snow!