Come What May

I actually saw this taking place on a summer's day at a park in Minneapolis. A young man with his back up against a tree while a group of women danced around him holding beautiful colored ribbons. It was wild and wonderful to watch as they lept and twirled on the sun dappled grass.
"Come What May", oil on board, 24x36"

Father of Light

If lighthouses had a gender, they would be dads. Paternal, patient and helpful, there they sit, forever lighting the right way to go. This papa sits on a windy bluff in Port Townsend. It's not used anymore to light ships to saftey but it was my muse for "Father of Light", 12x16", $425.

Yellow Taxi, Throbbing Waiting - 36x24" Oil on Board - $1500
My paintings are always emotional rather then academic interpretations of the world around me. I need to do my paintings all in one sitting so that the thread of the mood is carried throughout the piece. This rather large painting was done in under ten hours and tries to show the energy and excitement I feel when I'm in the Big Apple. This painting was just juried into a regional show. I'll let you know if it wins any prizes.

Adirondack Chairs

Who can resist Adirondack chairs? Their design must trigger some kind of happiness button in our brains. I found these two last week waiting patiently to be painted in front of The Commander's Beach House, a picture-perfect bed & breakfast on the water in Port Townsend, Washington. In fact, in the middle of my painting, the owner stepped out and handed me a cup of coffee with cream in a stay-hot mug...just being hospitable! Now all of Port Townsend triggers that same happiness button for me! 9x11" Oil on Board (go to http://www.commandersbeachhouse.com/ to see this pretty b&b)

Apple Valley Farm

The weather this summer has been the nicest I remember and it's been espeically wonderful for painting outside. There are so many new paintings I'm excited to share with you. But when my plein air paintings come back insde with me, they inevitably need more work. Many have to hang out with me for weeks before they tell me their shortcomings. I'm learning to wait a long time before applying that final coat of varnish. This was painted on a gray day at Apple Valley Farm near St. Michelle Winery and boy did it look gray and sad when I came home. It sat in the studio, colorless and unappealing, until it finally pronounced that it needed me to change it to sunny and exciting. My critique group helped me figure out the final touches to "Apple Valley Farm", oil on board, 11x14".

Final note; this painting has since been painted over. Sometimes a painting loses it's luster with the artist. You see it through new eyes and it's not as spectacular as you once thought. I only want my best work out in the world.