Winter Fruit

10x20 acrylic on canvas, © 2011

Collection of the Artist

Hoarfrost appears silently, and when the sun comes out disappears as it came, but in the brief moments of the morning its beauty must be enjoyed.

Ranch Cloud

8x10 acrylic on panel, © 2010

Private Collection

When visiting my uncle's ranch at Flaming Gorge, UT we saw the most phenomenal sunset "just for us—Tender Mercies."

Mt.Timpanogos

8x10 Acrylic on panel, © 2010
Private Collection

In June of 2010, I attended an oil painting workshop with Bob Rohm on The Painterly Approach to landscape painting.  It was held in Fremont, Nebraska as part of the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs' (ANAC) annual conference. It is always an inspiration to be with people from all over the state who have come together from diverse backgrounds, because they feel a common bond in focusing on creating something that did not exist before. The workshop was excellent, and Bob is a great instructor and very helpful in directing people to change their individual modi operandi to assume more of what they hope to become.  In that setting, I painted this small piece.  It was challenging for lyrical lines to appear and to have the brush respond to unfamiliar approaches.  I think that the painting worked, and it reminds me of the evening spent walking along the Provo River with my family and the time I spent with a marvelous artist.

Handwork #1: Friendship

8x10 acrylic on panel, © 2010

Private Collection

I have had an idea for a series of paintings—Handwork... . This is the first in the series; Handwork #1: Friendship. My granddaughter was making friendship bracelets, and I thought that would make an interesting painting. The Winter Art show came up, and I thought I would give it a go. I always see improvements, but for one who paints so rarely, I thought it turned out quite well.

Recognition: Won fourth place (of 70 exhibits) in the Omaha Artists' Winter Art Show.

Arco Truck

8x10 acrylic on canvas, © 2010 

Collection of the Artist 

Art shows are motivational. In my case the Winter Art Show of Omaha Artists Inc. came up with the small-art format—two adjacent dimensions could not be over 18 inches. Well, we had taken a trip to Arco, ID two years ago, and I took a photo that I used as reference material on a friend's ranch. I decided that it would work into a nice composition, so I painted it and entered it into the show a few days later.

Kimber

14 x 18 acrylic on canvas, © 2009

Private Collection

I'm no Leonardo, but I understand Leonardo. He was reported to have carried Mona Lisa de la Jaconde with him for some 30 years. If he were like me, I would look at it and think of things that I might change—not changing anything, but thinking about them. Well, Kimber was such a project. I started it some 10 years ago and painted it but never finished it. This fall the art club had an exhibit and in my alpha state, I thought, "I could finish that; it's been long enough." I painted on it again—almost redoing everything since the last time I almost redid everything. Now I don't know why I waited all that time; it turned out great—but I'm glad no one saw the intervening steps. It's all in the smile. Good job Leonardo!

Mountains of the Lord

22x28 acrylic on panel, © 2008

Private Collection

   Commissions are challenging because what is in the mind of the patron may not be what I see as I work out the piece. I make a deal with the patron that I will paint what I feel they want, but they always have the option of not accepting it—it has worked both ways. 

   This piece was a challenge as I don't often paint man-made objects—buildings. It was also challenging because there are two specific places but not a specific location. Mt. Timpanogos and the American Fork Temple are in a relationship that cannot exist. Two very recognizable, special places with many memories and attachments—our emotional response to mountains is unique as our brains sort out the ordinary and make them extraordinary. They look much different in photographs than then do in our minds—the majesty is gone, and the extraordinary things become ordinary. 

    As I contemplated this commission, I sought images of both locations, the parameters that were provided, and inspiration to make it unique. I found that there was a knoll that I had not seen before in the photos and it was the location that I thought would be the site for the temple. Manmade streets and objects did not seem appropriate. Even access I would not explain. I sought inspiration at Adam-ondi-Ahman—the grasses and slope of the hill. I felt these would be appropriate inclusions. If you have faith, you can move mountains and temples and put Mt. Timpanogos and the American Fork Temple in a relationship that cannot exist. 

    I resolved the mountains in their majesty. Dark clouds threaten to engulf and yet are colored with the beauty of a hopeful sunset. A beaming white temple shines into the darkness and upon the clouds as if to break up their encroaching menace. The color of the temple is white yet is full of contrasts of cool and warm colors representing the contrasts of the world and of the spirit. 

    It wasn’t until I opened up the foreground with a pathway to the temple that the composition came to completion as we are all striving to walk the narrow path that leads to the mountain of the Lord. There we find our resolution and purposeful fulfillment of life’s journey. I spent a year with the painting and was constantly painting on it in my mind and in reality, as I would see details in my travels to include and color to adjust based on things I saw. 

    I lived with the finished work for several months and feel good about the outcome and feeling. It is unique and a vision that I pray will bring inspiration to those who view it.

Cone Flowers and Daisies

14x11 Acrylics on panel, © 2008

Private Collection

As a second piece for the Judy Greff workshop, I thought I would take on flowers again. Flowers are never the easiest for me to get like I want them. They look great, but I struggle to make it how it is in my mind. I tried some new techniques and came away with two finished pieces from the experience.

I always have frames that will work for the paintings so that, when complete, I can have them framed immediately, which is always an amazement in class.

Still Pear

7.25x9.25 acrylic on illustration board, © 2008

Collection of the artist

This was a painting for a workshop with Judy Greff. As a warm-up exercise, we were working  to get the essence of a still life. She had set up a Pear at the front of the room, and I decided to take it on. I loved it because it was right the first time with minimal stokes. The table I worked with for a while but in total it was a very successful piece.

Fall Trees

30x40 Acrylic on panel, © 2007
Private Collection

Up close and personal, closed landscapes have always been appealing to me to paint. In this painting I have experimented with interference colors. The photograph doesn't do well with these. The colors are milky when applied, but when viewed at an angle they have an opalescence with a tint of gold or red depending on the color I used, and when photographed they appear lighter. It creates an interesting effect and gives the painting a dynamic effect from whatever the direction.

Little Sioux Sunset

11x14, acrylic on panel, © 2007
Private Collection

Marge and I went to Little Sioux for Young Women's Camp parents night. We don't have a girl that age, but we did have Young Women from the congregation there. On the way back through Little Sioux, the light struck me, and I backed up a country road to the place I saw the light. It wasn't quite the same as it was seconds earlier—light disappears quickly at that time of day. I snapped a photo. Then at the Judy Greff workshop I painted this piece. I didn't quite get it finished in the two-day workshop. At the daily critique Judy said that she did not know what advice to give me to complete the work other than "spatter the 'Heck' out of it." I did that and several other things until I arrived at a solution that pleased me. The tree on the right was painted first and worked wonderfully well. The left part of the composition became my battleground.

Heritage Still Life

8x10, acrylic on panel, © 2007
Private Collection

Once on a business trip to Nashville, Tennessee, I saw an artist's shop next to the hotel where I stayed, and what struck me was the luscious paint—brilliant and shining. I have come to better be able to achieve this feeling of opulent paint. Painting on panels is one element, but also using a heavy coat of gloss varnish is another.

This painting was finished during the Judy Greff workshop. She uses a spatter technique very effectively, and that is what I wanted to learn. She also wanted us to paint from a still life. So in the morning hours, I took a picture of some objects and took the photo to class. Judy suggested pouncing over actual lace to get the doily effect. I tried it, and it worked great with some lace that she had. I also used the spatter technique which accentuated the antique look. I haven't done still lifes since college days, but it was a fun piece to do.

Little Sioux Scout Ranch

11x14, acrylic on panel, © 2007
Private Collection

I went as a security person to the Young Women's Camp—this time during the day. Walking up to the lake I saw this light and took a photo.

I later attended a 2-day workshop with Judy Greff. I have admired her work for some time, and the opportunity presented itself to attend. I have been experimenting with painting on black-gessoed panels, and so this is one example. Judy asked that I paint it this way as a demonstration of another technique for those attending the workshop.

Mo Valley Tree

16x20, acrylic on canvas, © 2007

Private Collection

From one direction on Interstate 29 I took a photo that resulted in "Morning on the Missouri River Flood Plain." From the other direction was the "Mo Valley Tree." When I painted the scene, there was something missing. I found that it was the white farm house so prevalent in the Heart Land. I saw the house hidden in the tree and just made it come out. It added an element of human domination.

Loess Hills

18x24, acrylic on panel, © 2007
Collection of the Artist

Loess Hills were created from glacial action during the last ice age. The glacier would push soil before it as it progressed, and then it would retract—and the next season push more material up. There is no rock here, just clay. Hence there are only two places in the world where this phenomenon exists. Loess Hill of Iowa and somewhere in China. They are are a beautiful place to drive through. This was near Little Sioux on a magical morning in June.

Recognition: Exhibited in the 2007 Omaha Artist's Fall Show where it received an Honorable Mention.

Judge's Comments:

• Painting technique is excellent, and the brush strokes are free.
• It has nice contrast and use of atmospheric perspective.
• Subtle details in the tree rather than making it a black silhouette.
  
• The asymmetrical composition makes it work.

It reminds me of an early group of New England artists—part of the American Impressionist school—artists like William Merritt Chase.

Wild Flowers

8x10, acrylic on panel, © 2007

Private Collection

An outing to Lauitzen Botanical Gardens yielded many photographs. This one struck me for the color and—Oh yes—flowers. Practice may make perfect.

Loess Hills Sunrise

16x20, acrylic on panel, © 2007 

Private Collection

That magical morning returning from the Loess Hills became the source for various paintings. 

Recognition: This one was painted to be displayed at the 2007 Omaha Artists Desoto Bend Nature/Wildlife Show where it received an Honorable Mention.

Judge's Critique

Design & Composition: !

Technique & Use of Media: Excellent

Use of Color or Value: Subtle

Judges comments: Excellent paint handling—sensitive, subtle. Very physically deep composition. I enjoy the way that the strokes in the sky refer to those in the trees. “Half and Half” composition—very effective—pulls one through the composition.

Chrysanthemums

30x40, acrylic on studio canvas, © 2007

Private Collection

Marge has wanted me to paint flowers for the kitchen for years. We had a decorator come over and say that what we needed was flowers to bring the outside inside. We bought a print and had it framed and put it up. It never really did anything for me, and we gave it away. With this idea of having a large flower painting in the offing and Marge being a flower gardener I took some pictures in 2006 and decided to try my hand at flowers again. After painting Southwest Flowers, I had this idea in mind.

The concept was so clear in my mind, but the canvas became my battle ground.

Missouri River Overview

16x20, acrylic on canvas, 2007
Private Collection

Marge and I went to Macy, Nebraska—that is the reservation for the Omaha Tribe. This overlook was on the way. It was near a sacred spot of the Native Americans. I took a picture and later I applied to be an instructor at Michael's Arts and Crafts store. I was accepted, but my time has not been so that I could fulfill it. This painting was done as a piece that I could teach people to paint and would be used as a promotional painting.

Morning on the Missouri River Flood Plain

11x14, acrylic on panel, © 2007
Private Collections

I went to Little Sioux, Iowa as an overnight security person for Young Women's camp—over 100 girls 12-18. On the drive back the next morning at sunrise the light was so beautiful that everywhere I looked I saw paintings. I had already taken some pictures coming out of the Loess Hills, and when I was on Interstate 29 at 75 mph, I saw this one and could not deny it.

I have also found that I like painting on panels more that canvas. I gesso them myself, and the smooth-toothed texture and firmness of the panel appeals to me.