What an incredible winter we are having- January 10th and 50 degrees. So I trekked up to a special place on our farm that has never been tilled. Around here steep rocky ground is called a goat prairie, and isn’t much good to the farmer. Old prairie grasses and plants still grow there just as they did before the settlers arrived. As I painted, I thought about the trail that wanders through that wild patch, and I pictured all the activity that must happen to make such a well trodden path: the opossum waddling along with his nose to the ground, perhaps a couple of does walking single file, stopping to listen for a moment, followed a little later on by the buck following their scent, a coyote trotting up to the top of the hill who stopped to call out to see who else is out on the run, and then of course, me with my paintbox. Tomorrow we might have snow.
Another installation of panels went up today on the Viroqua Community Mural. The original mural that was completed in 1997 was so badly deteriorated that it came down to a decision of either removing the mural entirely, or completely repainting it using new panels. Off and on throughout the past year, I have been working with students from the Laurel Charter school transferring the old image onto newly primed 4 ft x 8 ft panels in my studio and repainting it. The mural takes the viewer through the seasons with scenes from Vernon County. The entire mural is made up of 24 panels and is 96 ft long. The day turned out to be windy and cold, not what the weatherman predicted earlier this week when our plans were made, but the guys stuck it out and got the panels hung. The plan is to have the rest up by this spring.
Lace ‘em Up 9″ x 12″ Oil
This painting will be auctioned off at the Viroqua Are Hockey Associations 13th Annual Mueller/Effinger Memorial Fun Night in the silent auction on Saturday, November 12th at the VFW club in Viroqua.
Summer Beauties12″ x 12″
Oil
These sunflowers were dancing in the breeze outside my studio window, so I brought them in to perk things up inside. I hadn’t intended on painting them, but found myself putting aside the things that needed to get done so I could put them to canvas before they drooped. Now- back to that to-do list…
Blue Sailor
8″ x 10″
OilI had the opportunity to join up with my friend Kate Mueller this past weekend and paint in Neenah, WI at the inaugural Richeson Fox Valley Plein Air event. Painting can be such a solitary sport, so these events are a wonderful chance for artists to get together, inspire each other and enjoy some artistic comradery . This little boat was in the marina near the Bergstom-Mahler museum in Neenah, Wisconsin, where the show was held.
Carnations and Copper
11″ x 14″
Oil
I am honored to have this painting accepted into the Oil Painter’s of America Eastern Regional show at the Addison Art Gallery in Orleans, Massachusetts. The show runs from September 17th – October 15th, 2011.
Spring Winds
9″ x 12″
Oil
It was a beautiful morning to be out painting with friends. Soft winds, a chorus of birds and the subtle colors of early spring.
