Almost 4 years

I've been wanting to paint this for almost 4 years. Other paintings would take precedence or I'd forget about it for a while.

It was the last ferry of the day from Wood's Hole to Martha's Vineyard. The sun had set and the sky was aglow. The normally staid black and white ferry became awash in pinks and purples with peach reflections dancing in the windows.

Below is my first stage, the raw sienna/ burnt sienna turpentine wash value study.

Finished

Since my last post, there have been a number of changes to the painting.

1.) More defined benches in the background

2.) Extended water (thanks Krystii Melaine for the idea)

3.) Cooler foreground green

4.) Muskox painted

5.) Rocks painted and a far left portion of rocks made into tundra.



Greenland Muskox (title undecided)

21" X 15"

Original oil

This is a commission for one of my local collectors. They've now seen it and it is just what they were hoping for. Tomorrow we will meet at Pacific Flyway Gallery in Spokane Valley and choose a frame together. We haven't decided on a title but maybe one will come to us. Any ideas?

More Roughed-in Landscape

I've worked my way from top to bottom.

There are more details I will add after I work on the foreground rocks. The middle of the painting needs a greater feeling of "benches" (longer flat areas.) Maybe I should tone down the green near the muskox. I certainly want to add a more rocky feeling near the top of the ridge. Yes, lots more to do.

All about the Landscape

Many of my paintings are all about the animal. Here the focus is on the landscape. I wanted to portray the vastness of Greenland and a vertical composition seemed to fit the bill. Using my muskox reference from above the Arctic Circle in Alaska, I am able to use the muskox for scale. My plan is to paint the landscape loosely at this stage, then the foreground shield rocks, then the muskox.

Once everything is in place, I'll go back through the entire painting and tighten up various areas to pull the painting together.

Stage 1 - Drawing then sealing the painting with a raw sienna/burnt sienna value wash
Stage 2 - Wet on wet oil painting from top to bottom

Best of Show - 2D

February 27th - March 2nd I was in Tulsa Oklahoma at the Natureworks Art Show & Sale. Anyone who has attended can attest to the quality of this show. Held at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center, the Naturework directors gather top talent from around the country and beyond (one artist hails from Africa!)

The painters, sculptors, and carvers who exhibit and sell are not only some of the best for their wildlife and landscapes pieces, they are a fun group of artists. We spend time each evening after the show to chat, eat, and play games. No wonder the waiting list for the show is long.

Not only does the show generate more than 1/2 million in sales from less than 60 artists, but the show commission goes to a wildlife monument for Tulsa and to area conservation projects. The directors, their spouses, and numerous volunteers take no money for all their long, hard work in putting on the show. My heartfelt thanks to the Natureworks family.

This was my 13th year exhibiting at the show and I had the honor of winning Best of Show - 2D for my painting Flight. In this group of artists, wow.



Flight

Original oil        30" X 52"



 While I am thrilled to have the ribbon and the cash award, I can't help but think there were so many great pieces to choose from. Lyn St. Claire's snow geese painting was stunning, filled with movement, and brought back memories of watching them land in remote Manitoba. Scot Storm's Greenwing Teal painting, Emerald Reflections is just drop dead gorgeous. Bruce Miller had a chickadee piece which was particularly creative and Jim Bortz had a number of thoughtful, captivating pieces. One of my favorite pieces in the show was a carving by Chris Wilson. His carved flying fruit bat was brilliant. Painted delicately, you almost felt like ducking when you saw it. (Chris did win Best in Show-3D for a much larger piece.)

I could probably go to everyone's booth and find something I loved. It is that kind of show.

With my traveling done for a while, I am looking forward to a more relaxed time at the easel. Stay tuned for an "easel-trip" to Greenland.

Painting at Shows

If I have the space, I like to paint at my art shows. There are a several reasons I find this effective.

1) It is a good lead-in for conversation

2) It gives me a chance to explain my wet-on-wet technique and my underpainting

3) Often people will come back to my booth to see how much I have painted

4) I find it puts people at ease as if I am inviting them into my studio

5) It gives me a good excuse to sit-down (I use a high director's chair so I am at eye level with people walking up to me)

6) It is a unique chance to sell the painting. When one has seen a piece in progress, one can become more invested in the final result.

This last show, Safari Club International, I brought a piece but had very little time to work on it. Usually I would have started with the water. In this case I started with the tundra swans, just working on their shadow areas. The rest I finished when I returned home.



Detail of painting

You can see my raw sienna/burnt sienna underwash on the birds. I think it works particularly well in this case to let it "shine" through from underneath.

Take Off

8" X 30"

Original Oil

The Start of my Day

Before I get back to sharing my paintings and works in progress, I wanted to share with you part of my daily routine.

First thing after getting dressed, we walk the cats. Yes, we walk our two cats. They seem to really enjoy exploring the hillside each morning with us.

This morning, we were a bit dubious they would be as eager, considering the 9 inches of snow on the ground. Not only did they both go for a nice walk but they ended up chasing each other through the snow!

View from our west side yard this morning

Scratch, our male cat

Pebbles, our female cat

Pebbles