Painting
-
Lights
On a First Friday event in January, I left the River City Gallery and saw this view on 3rd Street. I was struck by the colors of the historic buildings, but more by the moon and star rising over it all. I’m working on a watercolor, using Daniel Smith moonglow for the sky. It’s taking… Continue reading
-
Cross Road
I’m working on photo references from January at the Trempeleau National Wildlife Reserve. This is from an observation loop. With a bit of photo magic (scissors) I relocated the deer from a more long distance shot. The colors are blues for sky, trees in the distance and snow shadows, along with golden yellows for the… Continue reading
-
Makeshift Studio
It helps to paint or draw daily, and so I set up my box easel in the dining room by a west facing window. I will be working on some pieces from Trempeleau Reserve for the At ists along the Trail show at Elmaro Vineyard. I’m coordinating the artists this year. We have 21 participating… Continue reading
-
Portrait Class
I had the opportunity to take a portrait class with Bob Witte this week. Faces are not too difficult if you want to represent a generic human. However, individual faces grow distinct by the smallest of details. If you miss the distance between the eyes, you miss the individual. In this class we used photo… Continue reading
-
Convergence
Between the Bluffs is a Plein Air event centered in La Crosse WI. It runs for two weeks each Fall, and on a Saturday there is a quick paint event. This year the quick paint was at the Friendship Gardens in Riverside Park. In this location three rivers converge: the La Crosse, the Black and… Continue reading
-
Hawks Delight
ORA, Outdoor Recreation Association, has opened a new property in the West edge of La Crosse, on State Road. This farmland will be developed into a place for trails. Painters with the Between the Bluffs event met here to paint together. It was fun to see what caught the eye of the dozen or so… Continue reading
-
Elmaro
There is a Plein Air event at Trempeleau National Wildlife Reserve that includes an invitation to paint at Elmaro Vineyard which is nearby. Here is the poster for 2025 Last year it was raining, but we artists persisted either from the shelter of our cars, or by umbrella or canopy. Watercolor in the rain is… Continue reading
-
Miller Bluff
Miller Bluff is to the north of Grandad’s Bluff and to the east of Myrick Marsh. I’ve painted this bluff a few times, only once or twice with success. How the show the variety of colors while not attempting to pain every tree and branch. Miller has less exposed limestone than its neighbors but has… Continue reading
-
Lansing View
This is a view from Mt. Hosmer park outside of Lansing, Iowa. What caught my eye was the repeated horseshoe shape with the clouds, the reflection and the islands. I’m wondering if it’s the current that forms the horseshoe shaped islands, as I’ve seen them before. The Mississippi River was calm and reflective this day… Continue reading
-
Pen or Brush
A fellow artist saw the Belgic Confession quote on my business card and said, “can you change letters to paint brushes?” That is how I think of my art. For example this one from my display at River City Gallery. This is a view from Trempeleau National Wildlife Reserve of the Mississippi River and Minnesota… Continue reading
Two Book Reflections 