"Red Rambler"

"Red Rambler" 12x20 oil

I wanted to revisit this motif in a larger format. I painted a small study last year, but wanted to do something a little more involved. Worth the effort!
Below I've included an image of the study for comparison.

"Lupo"

"Lupo" 6x8 oil

"Nuthatch"

"Nuthatch" 7x5 oil

"Flurry"

"Flurry" 8x6 oil

"Sun and Prongs"

"Sun and Prongs" 5x7 oil

I always learn so much from these small studies. They're quick and fun and I can work out problems I've encountered in bigger paintings. I take a lot of notes when I'm working! My sketch books are valuable resources when I need to refresh my memory.

"Reveille"

"Reveille" 5x7 oil

Working away in the studio, I relish the moments when my mind drifts back to adventures in the field. This piece transported me back to mornings in South Dakota. 
Warming water for coffee on the tailgate of the truck, the haunting screams of bull elk carry accompany the rising sun. And I smile. For at that very moment, all seems right with the world. Like the soothing warmth of that first sip of coffee, I'm comforted by the sounds of elk on a nearby ridge. The sun has not yet crested the mountain to thaw the frost on my tent, so I readily anticipate a large mug of hot java and look forward to the day ahead. The possibilities seem as limitless as the landscape. It's going to be a good day.

"Cracking Timber"

"Cracking Timber" 5x7 oil

Low-hanging branches rattle and break as a bull elk navigates his way through heavy timber. Massive antler versus dry wood... the sound is unmistakable.

"Majesty"

"Majesty" 6x6 oil

Painting these tiny western landscapes has been pure joy! It's amazing how much can be learned by painting small quick studies. This one is part of a series designated for the 2015 SEWE show in Charleston, SC. It will be interesting to see the public reaction to my new oil paintings. This will be my first show displaying mostly oils.

"Splendor"

"Splendor" 6x6 oil on cradled panel

It's funny how paintings progress... even small studies like this one. I had pretty much given up on the painting about halfway through and almost wiped it off. I'm happy I stuck with it!

Becoming a Better Painter... well... at least trying!

It's kind of a weird thing... this insatiable desire to be a better painter. On one hand, it forces me to regularly step outside my normal artistic self and try new things. On the other, it can be almost self-distrucive by taking time away from production and I can spend weeks without ever producing anything suitable for sale. For me, the fear of failure is nearly paralysing! So working on things I'm not very good at is like pushing a big rock uphill. It's hard. I suppose there is a balance in there somewhere, though I have yet to find it.
So this week I'm up to my elbows in oil paint... something I'm not quite comfortable with, but slowly getting there. These small lanscape studies are mostly an attempt to learn about the paint and how it blends, mixes, and dries. Some are more successful than others, but all are part of the learning process (there's that word again... "process").
As I sit at the easel smearing paint from one end of my shirt to the other (occasionally getting some on the canvas), I often think about how I would define "better painter". Of course I'm the only one who can nail this down as it applies to my own work and I'm sure everyone has an opinion that differs to some degree from mine (maybe getting less paint on me and more on the canvas would be a good start). I used to think it meant learning to paint in a very realistic almost photographic style. I worked for years pushing my art that direction, but as I get older, my tastes are constantly changing. Now the goal is to say more with less. There is still a desire to capture some subjects in a hyper-realistic manner and I'm grateful to have learned these techniques (like accurate drawing!). There will be times when I need to lean on those skills. Still, I find my brushes are gradually getting bigger, my color choices a bit bolder, and I seem to be acquiring an ability to walk away from a painting before it's completely over-rendered. I'm not there yet, but that destination had been programmed into my artist's GPS and I'm on my way... even if I seem to be taking the long way.

Ten years ago, I could not have imagined painting in this style. It wasn't even on my radar. Ten years from now, who knows what I'll be doing... sculpting in bronze? I have no idea. It's a process (see?). It's always said that "it's more about the journey than the destination" and in the case of being an artist, it couldn't be more true. We always have a destination in mind, but things change... so enjoy the journey. It's almost never easy, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

More Small Stuff

These two tiny 4x6 studies ended up being huge successes. Not only did they end up being relatively pleasing to look at, I really learned a lot pushing the paint around on them.
The play between warm light and cool shadow has always been a bit of a mystery to me. It's great when I can make it work, but I'm not always as successful as I'd like. In the heron study, I'm particularly happy with the way the warm and cool hues work together making the harsh lighting seem almost "squint your eyes" bright.

Blending acrylic paint is not exactly the easiest thing I've ever done, but with the help of an "open" medium, it gives me a bit more time to manipulate the edges before the paint sets. It might not seem like much, but it's a big deal when trying to soften objects in the background or lose edges here and there.
Let's hope I can translate all this fun stuff into some larger works!

"Chipper"

"Chipper" 7x5 acrylic

With a larger project in mind, I wanted to paint this small 7x5 study of a chipping sparrow on a rhododendron. It took a while for me to figure out the mixtures for the pinks in the sun-drenched blossoms, but I'm very happy with the results.

"Trilliance"

"Trilliance" 8x6 acrylic

It's always nice to finally work something out successfully. I wanted to explore how intense sunlight would play on this white flower. The hints of radiance around the flower's petals make the flower seem brighter and warmer in the light. Fun stuff!

"Three Rings"

"Three Rings" 5 x 9.5 acrylic

I wasn't really expecting to like this little study as much as I do! I'm very pleased with the results. I may have to work this into a larger painting sometime in the future.