Colorado Rockies

18x24, acrylic on canvas, © 1984
Private Collection

A compilation of two photographs. One was sent to us from a friend who lived in Colorado and another in the Boys Town area in Omaha, Nebraska.

    Albeit a little chalky, it is a time of learning and application of things learned. I see things that are relevant to other paintings and opportunities to paint with other artists. There are things I would do differently now, but imperfectionism has gifts to give us.

    A timeline to be creative is a problem for me. That happened in this painting. Because I was painting so infrequently at this time, I had to relearn every time I picked up a brush. That and controlling yellow were my battlegrounds.

Nebraska Boys Town

18x24, acrylic on panel, © 1984
Collection of the Artist

Near 132nd and Pacific Streets as one exits the Trendwood development, I saw this scene over and over. At times beautiful—at times not. I determined that I would paint it. I went back on an overcast day and took some photos from which this was painted. I took it to the Southwest Area Art Club critique night, and the person critiquing commented that there should be more depth and about the awkwardness of the dead tree limb in the foreground.

I probably should have gone back and fixed the problems, but I would always rather learn from a painting and then paint a new one with that knowledge built in.

Nebraska Road

20x16, acrylic on canvas, © 1984
Private Collection

This is a painting from along the road in a Nebraska landscape. I painted it to remember those trips along the byways of Nebraska. I exhibited it at a church social and a friend, Bill, asked how much I wanted for the painting. We agreed on a price, and he and his wife bought it. I was honored by the gesture.

Subsequently, I repaired a painting by his friend A. Reading that had been damaged by something abrading of the painted surface.

I sure miss Bill; what a great friend. We visited his wife in a care facility in Utah where she had the painting exhibited.