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.

Plein Air Light and Shadow

Oil     10”x 8”     Canvas Board    

Oil     8”x 10”     Canvas Board

After I got home from the workshop, I was determined to put into practice what I’d learned about light and shadow so I tried a couple views of this little garage at different times of day. I still have so much to learn, but I feel like, at the very least, I have a better idea of what I need to work on. Now I notice buildings as subject matter much more than I used to. It’ll be interesting to see if I go back to painting pure landscapes any time soon.

Plein Air Workshop Paintings

About a month ago, I took part in a plein air painting workshop taught by one of my favorite artists, Tim Horn. I’ve admired his work for a long time and finally got the opportunity to sign up for one of his workshops. It was held in Door County, Wisconsin amid beautiful scenery. Tim’s demos focused on how to clearly show light and shadow with warm and cool colors and strong value patterns, so we pretty much gravitated toward painting buildings and structures instead of ordinary landscapes. I learned so much and had a great time with fellow artists. I’ve been trying to apply what I learned and I’ll post my efforts in the days to come. Meanwhile, these are paintings from the workshop. The top one was done on the last day…starting to get the idea. Below is a quick one done toward the end of Day 2, and the bottom one was our first “warm-up” exercise painted outdoors in the bright sun.

Who Are You Calling Chicken?

Acrylic     24”x36”     Gallery Wrapped Canvas

The idea for this painting came to me as I looked at the array of whimsical objects I have sitting around my house and I could almost imagine a conversation between two of them. The cast of characters witnessing the confrontation grew (mostly dog toys found at the pet shop) and it became a “dramatic” little narrative on name-calling. Who among us, when we were kids on the playground, hasn’t nervously stood by waiting to see how this was all going to unfold?

New Plein Air Paintings

Yesterday, I took part in a plein air painting event in Breckenridge, MN where three rivers meet…the Red River of the North, the Otter Tail, and the Bois de Sioux. It was a chilly, WINDY spring day, but it was great to spend time with other artists doing what we love.

I have no idea which river I was painting at any given time. In the morning, I set up to try to capture shadows across a path to the river. The Canada geese were everywhere with their honking and splashing and the wind was another constant companion. In the afternoon, I did the two quicker studies of bends in the river. I actually like those better than my morning painting. I didn’t spend nearly as long on them, and they’re fresher and more spontaneous.

I want to thank Amy and everybody involved with the Three Rivers Arts Council for planning an carrying out this fun event!

“They’re Here”

Acrylic     30”x 15”     Gallery Wrapped Canvas

This painting was done in two distinct stages. At first, I only planned to include these wonderful, whimsical, colorful toy robots, slowly advancing toward the viewer. But, when I looked at the painting for awhile with nothing going on in the foreground, I realized it needed something…both for the sake of composition and to create some drama. There was no sense of scale. The robots could have been any size. So, I added the little guy and his dog and now I love the results. This feels like it could be a page out of a children’s book. And, despite the fact that I’m the artist who created the painting, even I don’t know “the rest of the story.” 

“Windswept”

Acrylic     40”x30”     Gallery Wrapped Canvas

I wanted to go large with this painting of sand and shadows, done from a photo I took on Prince Edward Island. The dunes bordering Cavendish Beach were towering and wild and I wanted to capture some of that. I tried to keep it simple, with just a few main shapes, and I kept the brushstrokes loose to depict the windswept sand and grass. This is one of those paintings that looks so much better from a distance than it does close-up. But I like that quality about it.

Prince Edward Island

These two little paintings were done last week on the north shore of Prince Edward Island. For the top one, I set up my easel right on the beach amid the families, surf guards, and sunbathers. Somehow, even with all the distractions, I found myself getting wrapped up in the painting and tuning out all the humanity around me. Still, when I look at the painting, I can hear the seagulls and waves and voices and feel the warmth of the sand and the breeze. That’s why I paint on location…no photo can ever evoke that kind of memories.

My vantage point for the bottom painting was perched atop a dune (NOT in an off-limits area), surrounded by wild roses. I had to find a view that showed both the sunlit and shaded side of the lighthouse. I guess this is one of the most photographed lighthouses on the island, but it’s new to me and so timeless, nestled in the dunes.

New Plein Air Paintings

This is a quick little painting of the Block 6 building at Main and Broadway in downtown Fargo. I set up across the street, near the fountain by the depot. I was especially attracted to the warm and cool contrasts between light and shadow and the sky reflected in the windows.

I painted this shady lane along the banks of the Red River late one afternoon last week. The spot I picked to set up my easel was adjacent to the frisbee golf course. There was only one close call with a frisbee flying past my head. Sometimes you have to live dangerously to get the painting you want.

“Shady Path”

Another little plein air painting done recently in Florida.

This is the spot where a path shaded by sea grapes opens up into the bright sunlight, sand, and views of the sea.

Florida Plein Air Palms

These are some recent little plein air studies I did under the Florida sun.

“Water Wings” Revisited

30”x48”      Acrylic      Gallery Wrapped Canvas    

This is an updated painting of my toy float plane soaring over a make-believe lake. The previous blue plane just didn’t stand out enough against the sky and trees. This revision depicts the actual markings on the little plane more authentically. I also added the wind-up mechanism on top. Can’t believe I left that out the first time. The painting is on display as part of the FMVA Big Show at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead until early June.

“Water Wings”

30”x48”     Acrylic     Gallery Wrapped Canvas

My idea for this painting came from how much fun I had as a kid setting up scenarios for play. I would gather things from all over the house to be used for the various items in the scene. In this imaginary lake scene, I’ve used a beach towel for the water, torn paper bags for the sand, a piece of cloth for the land, pebbles for the rocks by the shore, salt and pepper shakers for the cabin, a Christmas ornament for the airstream trailer, beads and yarn to mark the swimming area, trees from a model train set, blocks for the dock, and all kinds of “lakey” toys to put in the water. The float plane is a vintage toy, found at an antique shop. I like to think about where it’s been played with…maybe on lakes in Minnesota, maybe in salt water on one coast or the other, or maybe just in a backyard pool. For sure it has captured the imagination of many a would-be pilot like it captured my imagination. I would love to know how to fly a float plane and be looking down on a Minnesota lake after just taking off, or doing a fly-by to check out landing spots. How dull life would be without imagination!

Ducks in a Row

Acrylic    16"x40"    Gallery Wrapped Canvas

I found this little vintage toy in an antique shop and knew, immediately, that I wanted to paint it. After a few months, I finally decided to take a “quack” at it. Meanwhile, no matter what shelf I put it on, the one little guy always seemed to be looking at me. I tried to capture his expression, but I'll leave it up to the viewer to decide what message he's trying to convey. I had fun playing with the idea of having all your "ducks in a row" by dropping more hints about the title throughout the painting.