It’s safe for me to reveal another of my newest paintings, which has now been opened as a Christmas surprise. This is a new dog portrait of a rescued puppy very dear to my heart, named Hunter. Hunter & Ellie Mae soon after he was rescued. The short version of Hunter’s story is that our friend Kathy found him wandering in the woods over Labor Day weekend 2012, homeless and totally emaciated. Rick and I agreed to give him a … Read More
Yesterday, the last day of November, was sunny and warm here, but many days this past month have been dreary, misty and grey, like my newest painting “November.” Even on such moody days, the tall dried grasses in the pastures and meadows here in Tennessee are striking tones of gold and rust, with undertones of green from the low fresh growth. The scent of the air says “autumn” in the country, perhaps from the damp leaves on the ground. My … Read More
Some of my reference photos Painting “Elles Tobacco Planter” has been on my mind for a long time. I have taken oodles of reference photos of this quirky piece of farm equipment, from various angles, in different seasons, close up and distant. The planter sits on the edge of the drive into the farm of my friends Carolyn and Mitch. This is an old 2-man tobacco planter which Mitch used long ago. (Read below how it is used). There are … Read More
I’m a bit of a nostalgia buff, with antiques around the house, framed old family photos, and a collection of handmade laces. So this newest painting began with my desire to create and preserve a moment in time, from days past. The central character of my story is missing – the imaginary “grandfather.” I wanted the scene to suggest that he just got up from his favorite chair, nestled by the cozy old quilt, and is taking a break from … Read More
Many fine art masters have done still life paintings, and the genre typically includes arrangements of fruit, flowers, vases or bowls, and draped fabric. I consider my newest painting to be a “still life,” although the elements I have arranged don’t quite fit the mold. Rather, they reflect my life in a lovely rural area, where winding country backroads are lined with wildflowers, and pastures are fenced with old cedar posts and barbed wire. I’m never at a loss for … Read More
I had mixed emotions when I was asked to paint this #commission. The subject: a funeral procession, intended as a gift for the widow. ‘Doesn’t seem too cheerful, does it? I was able to turn my thinking around, however, because I knew all the parties involved. In late summer of 2012, Tom Fritz died after a long long battle with cancer and related complications. We had the pleasure of meeting Tom about a year earlier, and enjoyed an evening with … Read More
“Sleeping Ginger,” painted in black ink on scratchboard The point of view you choose for a painting can make a big difference. For example, I always try to depict portraits of dogs with my eye level pretty much at the dog’s eye level. “Sleeping Ginger” really illustrates this – if I was standing above Ginger, looking down at her on the floor, the intimacy would have been lost. In painting an outdoor scene, the point of view is critical, certainly … Read More
Now that Jim has received the surprise painting from his wife Pam, I can share my latest artwork. This house portrait was a fun commission, since I’ve visited there many times, and the home symbolizes the warmth and kindness of my good friends. I photographed the work in progress, to share my basic steps in painting a landscape on canvas. See if you can determine how Step 6 differs from the finished painting, shown above (I reveal the answer at … Read More
My new watercolor painting, of local musician and friend Jerry, is one I painted in my brain long before it landed on paper! I took reference photos nearly 2 years ago, when Rick and I happened upon Jerry and his friend Mike, playing music on a sunny afternoon in front of his wife Dona’s pottery studio and shop, The Castle. Once I viewed my photos, I was inspired to capture what I saw in a painting – visually, capturing Jerry’s … Read More
My newest painting “Jesus Saves” is in watercolor, depicting a barn I have often photographed on a nearby rural backroad. It has so many fabulous textures – the old barnyards, rusted metal panels as siding, rusty hinges, an overturned water tub, a field of wildflowers. I could hardly wait to get started. The first step was designing my painting. Even though my art largely duplicates the scene, I keep basic design principles in focus right from the start – … Read More