Year in review

Some of my painting from this past year. Watercolor, pastel. and oil. 

Christmas wishes

Cats

Commission for Christmas

8" x 10" watercolor on watercolor panel

Another Christmas commission on

8" x 10" watercolor on watercolor panel

Midwest scenes

Country road outside Fairfield, Illinois

16" x 8"

View of the field behind Wilson Lake

10" x 8"

Lacey Keosauqua state park

16" x 8" 

Vista from Mineral Point 

10" x 8" 

From Jacobson road outside Mineral Point, Wisconsin

11" x 14"

View from the bridge

11" x 14" 

Hay bales Farmington, Iowa

11" x 14"

View from the trail at Denning conservation Area

12" 9"

White Cattle in the woods

11" x 14"

Fall Colors

The weather is great and the fall colors are at their peak. 

12"x 6" oil on baltic birch

Early Fall

Plein air painting along the banks of the Des Moines river. 

10 x 8 oil on baltic birch

Early fall with hints of orange.

Recent plein air paintings

Painting the countryside outside of Cisne, IL as part of the Fairfield, Illinois plein air paintout. Early morning light casting shadows across the road. 

8" x 16" oil on baltic birch.

Sketched several of these before going to work on the panel. It helps to work out the shapes. These were a little farther away than I am comfortable working with. I could use binoculars. 

11" x 14" oil on baltic birch

portrait commission

I am working on a portrait commission and will be doing several studies.

8" x 10" oil on baltic birch panel

Percheron Horse

Normally I do not use black watercolor. I gave in on this one trying to get that deep black coat. 

watercolor on 140 lb. paper

Recent watercolors

Working on my watercolor skills. Also drawing cattle skills. 

While at the Van Buren County Fair they had a roping contest. A great opportunity to get references shots. 

Plein Air painting animals

This was a difficult one for me to paint plein air. The rabbit moved often. I had to come back the next day to tweak it. I wiped the ears off and repainted them down flat to the body. This appears more natural. After painting the background I decided it needed more. It was then easier to add the rabbit to the left painting on the still wet background and make it recede. I did several sketches before and it did help me remember the shape after the rabbit moved to a different position.
12" x 9" oil on panel

Recent plein air paintings

Early morning at Lake Geode. This lake was drained last year. Heavy rains this spring helped raise it almost to the previous level. They are still working on it so there is a sign forbidding entry into the water.

Another one from Lake Geode

A pastel plein air painting. I committed to teaching a class to teenagers and needed to work on my pastel painting skills. 

Another pastel painting.

Plein air painting from Steelville Plein air event.

Another one from Steelville plein air.

Plein air of a soybean field.

watercolor on gesso

I am playing with watercolor on gesso. This is sprayed with clear acrylic after I am finished. After that I can paint acrylic over it. I may play with that on one of these pieces. 

8" x 10" watercolor

This is a small study working from pics I took while plein air painting in Steelville, Missouri.

5" x 7" watercolor

The last watercolor on gesso, 

8" x 10" 

Crossing Sugar Creek series

I often drive on out of the way gravel roads hoping to find subject matter. This was one of those finds. A herd of cows with calves crossing a stream. I took several photo references and created these paintings in watercolor and oil. Some just studies and some studio paintings.

Two horses

This time of year the landscape is muted. I find myself trying hard to keep to a limited palette.
Photo reference 10" x 8" oil on panel

Trees on the Hill

Landscapes have an abstract quality to it. This was based on a photo reference of trees on the hillside.

10" x 8" oil on panel

Trail to the River Bank

Painting snow until Spring. From photo references

9" x 12" oil on panel

Another view from the Bridge

Love painting "white snow".  

photo reference. 12" x 9" oil on panel

Up Close

Working on larger than life. 

12" x 12" oil on cradled panel

White on White Almost

I pulled several reference photos together to create this scene. I originally intended to have three white cattle but felt I could not pull if off, so I changed one to a hereford. 

12" x 9" oil om panel

snow on the banks

Another try at painting from photos. Plein air painting is the better but, when I see the Facebook posts of cars in the ditch I chicken out. To make up for that I try a composition that is challenging for me. This one will sit on my wall for me to think about it.

14" x 11" oil on panel 

watercolors

The Iowa Watercolor Society show is at the local art center in Fort Madison, Iowa for the month. I am posting some watercolors starting with one from 2006. I started with painting watercolors and it has been a great learning experience. 

Watercolor on 140 lb. paper

watercolor on gessoed board.

watercolor on 140 lb. paper from 2014

winter scenes

Plein air painting snow is worth putting up with the cold. 

12" x 9" oil on birch panel

Painting the white with lots of color

10" x 8" watercolor on 140 lb. paper

Some days were too cold to stand outside so a great view from my window works.

watercolor on 140 lb. paper

Another view from my window.

6" x 12" watercolor on 140 lb. paper