Minnesota

Oil     12" tall on hardboard

After being away from posting on my blog for a long time, I'm finally getting back to posting regularly. This is kind of a test run dealing with several variables including a new computer. Here is an example of the Minnesota pieces I've been painting lately. This is painted in oil on hardboard cut in the shape of Minnesota. Yes, I live in North Dakota, but I can practically see Minnesota from my house and I've had great times exploring and photographing our neighboring state to the east. More artwork to follow in the days to come.

"Summer Sky"

12"x12"     Oil on Canvas

I just completed this painting for the "Square Foot Exhibit" hosted by the Bismarck Art and Galleries Association. It's an awesome show which opens the evening of August 2. Last year, there were 132 artists from all over the US, each entering two canvases in the show. It's so much fun to walk into the gallery and see the incredible variety of subject matter chosen by the artists and all the different techniques they use to decorate their canvases. It's really hard to decide what to paint with an infinite number of possibilities, but I chose this summer sky for one of my entries. It just says "North Dakota" to me.

"The Point"

6"x 8"     Oil on Canvas Board

This little plein air piece was done on a windy afternoon in mid-September at Maplewood State Park in Minnesota. The little white specks against the dark trees are the seagulls who hang out on the rocks scattered across the lake at this point. Crashing waves to the left of me, grassy hillside to the right, and sand at my feet.

Flight Risk

Oil on Canvas     15"x 30"

This is one of my antique toy planes that I've been wanting to paint for awhile. I couldn't decide what background to put with it, but I was thinking it might be fun to have it flying over a game board. When I spotted the RISK game on the shelf, the title popped into my head and it all came together.

Piper J3 Cub

8"x 10"     Oil     Canvas Board

 

I did this little painting from a photo, but I pretended I was standing out in the sun at the airport, painting on location, even though we're in the midst of North Dakota sub-zero temperatures. This is sort of practice for when I can get out next summer and hopefully have a chance to paint aircraft in person.

"Who Are You Calling Fat?"

 

18"x 24"     Acrylic     Gallery Wrapped Canvas

This painting is my entry in a local show in which all the artwork is supposed to fit the theme "Label." I went through so many ideas before arriving at this one. At first, I thought I should do something really deep, making a statement about how people end up with labels, maybe explore political or social issues. But, hey...I'm just not that deep, and my art leans more toward playful and "feel good." This piece is definitely not deep, though it is "weighty." Without the title, this one wouldn't make much sense. But, once the title popped into my head, these items seemed like obvious choices to address the "fat" label that nobody deserves...least of all, the skinny little cookie cutter pig in the painting.

Peggy's Cove

Oil     6"x 8"     Canvas Board

I painted this from a photo taken last summer in Nova Scotia. Besides the attraction of the famous lighthouse, the rocks around Peggy's Cove are amazing and just beg to be explored.