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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Breaking Light

The Friends of the Trempeleau National Wildlife Reserve hold a Plein Air event every June. There is time to sign up by March 1. Part of the event involves displaying a dozen local artists at Elmaro Vineyards in the topic of the Reserve. Jerry and I took a few walks in the early spring to Continue reading
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Cliffwood Bluff

Between the Bluffs is an annual Plein Air event located in a 15 mile radius of downtown La Crosse. I first participated in 2023 and did a series of bluff paintings. Straight West of our house is Cliffwood Bluff, a little brother to the more famous Granddad Bluff to its north. The bluffs on both Continue reading
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At River City Gallery

I’ll be the featured artist in the La Cross Society of Arts and Crafts in January and February. These are watercolors and available for purchase. On the First Friday of January and February, there will be refreshments and local artists from 4-7 pm. River City Gallery is a cooperative of local artists, located at 321 Continue reading