#60 - Cap Off the Year

6" x 6" Oil on Gessobord

Had a glorious day off from work with nothing else planned so I painted for a few hours without guilt. Most days at work I look forward to painting and often when I get home I am too worn out to pick up the brushes so it was nice to jump right in this morning.

I painted the majority of this with an empty stein and only filled it for the last half hour. Hmmm, good thing it is afternoon now...can't let that subject matter go to waste!

#59 - Around the Bend

8" x 10" Oil on canvas panel

This past summer we spent a wonderful weekend at the Michigan home of our friends Dave and Kathy. We had the opportunity to drive around the beautiful Michigan countryside and I commented on how there was an abundance of Plein Air spots to paint. Recently Kathy sent me a photo she took later at the beginning of autumn of just such a spot.

#58 - Candlestick Spark

6" x 6" Oil on canvas panel

I wanted to paint something from life after working so much with photographs lately so set up a crystal candlestick. I love painting light refracting thru the glass.

#57 - Firefly Sunset

6" x 6" Oil on canvas panel

Each June we are treated to a lightshow when the fireflies make their first appearance in the wetlands behind our house. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in a June sunset as I painted this on a cold December evening.

#56 - Woodstock Opera House

6" x 6" Oil on Canvas Panel
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I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. My family is first on the list, but this year I am very thankful for the town we live in, Woodstock, Illinois. Having lived in New England for several years we were first drawn to Woodstock because of the town square that was laid out by pioneers from Woodstock, Vermont back in the 1850's. The anchor to the Woodstock Square is the Woodstock Opera House where Orson Wells first performed and from where Bill Murray famously fell to one of his deaths in the movie Groundhog Day.

#55 Lowertown Texaco - Paducah Arts District

6" x 6" Oil on Gessobord
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Last summer we visited Paducah, KY and were impressed by the art community. Several years ago some enlightened souls in the town decided to offer real estate at reduced prices in the town's Lowertown section to artists. This, and a population that appreciates and supports art, have created a community bursting with creativity; a town symphony, playhouse, quilt museum and numerous galleries. This little old Texaco station is in Lowertown and I just loved the lines of it.

#54 - Outstanding in His Field

6" x 6" Oil on Gessobord
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We stopped at a barn sale a while back and this beauty was out front. Wish I had the acreage for this old Farmall tractor.