October Encounters

The forest was alive with the sounds of predawn bustle. Chipmunks and squirrels were getting an early start on a day full of collecting acorns. Heavy crunching footfalls of a single large deer moved down the trail closer and closer to my stand. Not quite pitch black, the forest interior was still too dark to make out the well camouflaged form of the deer, now only several yards from the base of my tree. The cool fall air moved very little, yet I felt the chill on the back of my neck as the air currents swirled. The deer stopped and stood still for several minutes while the darkness slowly began to recede to the west. Calmly, the deer turned and walked back up the trail leaving me with only a glimpse of its white rump in the still very dark woods.

I was a bit dejected at my misfortune, but swirling winds are a fact of life in this part of the world and I've long since learned not to get too upset about it. Besides, the deer would have passed by my location and through my shooting lanes long before it was light enough to take advantage of the opportunity. So I sat there as the sky slowly lightened above the treetops staring at the dark forest floor below.

Above the sporadic forest noise, a familiar call rose softly in the distance. Then again a bit closer. The high-pitched tremolo was unmistakable and it made me smile like a letter from an old friend. A pair of screech owls called back and forth to each other across the ravine to the east and as they moved closer, I hoped for a quick sighting of one of the shy night hunters. It was not to be, but my spirits remained high from the auditory encounter.

Finally, the darkness gave way to a cloudless sunrise and I could clearly see all the frantic activity below. A groundhog munched away on something, then gathered a mouthful of leaves and disappeared down one of its many holes. Chipmunks chased each other in wild bursts of energy and sent leaves flying in their wake. Squirrels "chalked" all around serving notice to others of their presence. One curious fox squirrel climbed a wild grapevine and stopped at my eye level less than 10 feet away. It took a few seconds to carefully look me over before letting out a couple of muffled barks around the hickory nut in its mouth. Seemingly satisfied, it descended back to the forest floor and scurried away to hide its prize.

I spent the next hour scanning the forest for unusual movement... the flick of a tail... the turn of a head... anything to give away the approach of a deer. In the thick tangle of grapevines to the west, I saw movement. Nothing I could define, but too large for a squirrel or something of that size. Slowly raising my binoculars, I trained them on the area and slowly scanned for anything out of place. It took a minute, but there she was, almost invisible behind the wall of foliage. A few minutes later the young doe worked her way to the trail that lead to my stand. With an "antlerless" tag in my pocket, the thought of some tender flavorful venison flashed into my consciousness and I took my bow from its hanger. As most trails do, this one offered the deer a choice... to take the direction that would lead under my stand and eventually to my freezer or the one that would take it harmlessly away to the relative safety of the deep forest.

I came home with a full quiver of arrows and no venison for the grille, but spirits high. It was a great morning in the field and I'll be back out there again soon.

"Around the Bend" 4x6 acrylic

After a few days away from the easel, it felt good to get back to work. I really enjoy these tiny landscapes. In fact, the time is here to start adding a bit of fall color to some upcoming works!

"Nuthatch and Crab Apple" selected for national tour!

I'm proud to announce that the Woodson Art Museum has selected this piece for the Birds In Art national tour. "Nuthatch and Crab Apple" will appear along with 59 other select works at the following venues next year:

• Museum of the Gulf Coast, Port Arthur, Texas (January 16 - March 13, 2011)
• Newingtion Cropsey Foundation, Hastings-on-Hudson, New York (April 4 - June 9, 2011)
• Wendell Gilley Museum, Southwest Harbor, Maine (July 1 - October 9, 2011)
• Michelson Art Museum, Marshall, Texas (October 29, 2011 - January 9, 2012)

This year marks the 35th Anniversary of Birds In Art. That's an amazing run! It's an honor to be a part of such an outstanding tradition. I couldn't be happier, so here's to another 35 years!

"Bear Country" 12x18 acrylic on board

This one took me a while for all the bigger it is. Did you notice the magpie?

McKeever's 8th Annual Nature Art Show

As the end of September approaches, it is time once again for the McKeever Nature Art Show. 10 area artists will display and sell their work, so there's bound to be something for everyone. Artists will be on hand all 3 days to answer questions and chat about... well... just about anything. Opening night is Friday, September 24 with hours from 6 to 9 PM. The show continues Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from Noon to 4 PM.
I will have most of my new originals at this show and may have my easel along to give working demonstrations. If you're in the area, be sure to stop in and say hi. The address is:
McKeever Environmental Center
55 McKeever Lane
Sandy Lake, PA 16145
You can also call the Center for more information at 724-376-1000.

Birds In Art... a very special weekend

As I sit here with my coffee this cool September morning, Otis the Wonder Dog is happily snoozing with his head on my leg. He stays very close after I've been gone for a few days hoping not to get left behind again any time soon.

As for myself, I find my mind wandering as I try to process the happenings of the past 4 days. The Birds In Art exhibit at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau, Wisconsin is the pinnacle of wildlife and nature art and being included in this event is both humbling and uplifting. There are always highlights and this year was no different. Carl Brenders and I shared a table at breakfast and talked about painting styles and some light art philosophy. I made some new friends and got to know some old friends a little better. And I finally got to meet Bob Bateman and discuss my painting with him... a life-long dream.

I also noticed a trend this year I had not been aware of before. A class of "young guns" is emerging. There have always been (at least in my experience) a group of established older artists, many of which have received the Master Artist Award, that are always the core of the exhibit... as it should be. But this year, more than any other, I noticed a quiet confident energy in the exhibit's underclassmen... and I'm happy to be a part of it.

One thing that never changes is the attention to detail by the museum staff and the warm-hearted generosity of Alice Smith and her family. As the foundation upon which this event is constructed, these are the people that make it so special... all the while making sure the spotlight is firmly focused on the artists. They treat us like beloved members of their family and it does not go unnoticed.

So as the last of my coffee grows cold and Otis continues to blissfully snore, my thoughts turn to next year's exhibit... and just how on earth will I managed to get back there again!

A Work In Progress

I've taken a break from my mini series to work on a larger piece and this one is going quite well. During my stay in Wyoming last September, I spent a good deal of time alone in the bush. I experienced a sensation I've heard described as "bearanoia" and it stayed with me for a large portion of the trip. It's hard to describe to someone who hasn't experienced it, but there is a constant nagging feeling of being someplace you don't belong... and the consequences could be both gruesome and severe. I'm sure the folks that live in that part of the world and spend a good deal of time outdoors get used to it. That was not the case for this tenderfoot easterner. The sensation was so intense, found myself having trouble straying too far from my vehicle. Since that trip, I've been wanting to execute a painting that portrays that sensation of being alone in "bear country."

The image included here is about half of the entire composition. I'll post more as the painting nears completion.