Corn crib

A perfect late summer morning yesterday so I went to the farm (and the farmer's market). I found a great spot in the shade to do this painting of the dappled sunlight. But of course, my shade didn't last. As is often the case when my painting is in direct sunlight, I tend to make it a little too high-key--the darks a little too dark and the lights too light. Next time I'll remember my umbrella. I did a little studio adjusting and I'm happy with it now.
Oil, 10" x 12"

A Plein Air Affair

I had a very enjoyable day Saturday in Saugatuck/Douglas, MI, at the paint-out sponsored by Water Street Gallery. There were twenty-something participants and an impressive one-day body of work. It was good to meet some other Michigan artists who's work I've followed, Brian Smith, Margo Burian, Molly Sturges, and others. And the gallery did a nice job hosting.

The day started gray and rainy, which turned out to be an advantage for my first painting. I found a gazebo in a park overlooking this small lake created by the Kalamazoo River. The air, heavy with mist, made for great atmosphere.

By the time I finished the sun was coming out so I headed to a boatyard, at a marina, I'd spotted earlier. This one took about three hours but I could have used a fourth.

The evening opening was well attended and both my paintings sold. A good day.


Morning Solace, oil, 10" x 16" SOLD

Out of Water, oil 11" x 16" SOLD

Location, location, location

Someday I hope to live in a home with a view. It doesn't matter exactly of what, but as an artist, I require visual stimulation.

This is another plein air piece from my July trip. I love standing in the sand by the lake in the morning and painting (till the sand gets too hot). Summer is going by too fast. There's not enough time to do all I want.

But I'm participating in another one day paint-out and show this coming weekend: a Plein Air Affair sponsored by Water Street Gallery in Douglas, MI.

Home by the shore, oil, 14" x 11"

Birch trees

To me birch trees are a symbol of northern Michigan. Along with White Pines, you see them wherever you drive up there. I painted these one afternoon in July standing on the side of a hill above Portage Lake. It got rather uncomfortable after a couple of hours and I lost the light so it went unfinished till now.
Above the lake, oil, 16" x 9"

My last painting with birch trees was North M 22. It's now available as a limited edition giclee print from Les Sirenes Gallery (a gallery I've just started exhibiting with in Frankfort, MI), MacBeth & Co. in Onekama and Glen Arbor, or from me.

Sleeping Bear Bay

Had a great day in Glen Arbor, MI on Saturday for the paint-out. Perfect weather, beautiful views. I arrived just in time to paint, so I didn't have time to search out new locations, and went right to a spot I'd seen last year: Thoreson Farm. It's a historic property that is now part of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The farm is on a bluff overlooking the bay. I went with the intention of painting the farm house, but walking around I found this view and couldn't resist. I'll save the farm house for the studio.
Sleeping Bear Bay morning, oil, 11" x 14" SOLD

A barn

One more from Wisconsin. The last day of the plein air event I had about an hour-and-a-half before the opening reception so I set-up across the road from this barn. I'd driven by it several times trying to figure the best angle to paint from. But with just a short time to fill, I just started-in to get something down. If I go back sometime, I think it would be an interesting composition to do a wider version and include the crossroad.
Barn at the corner, oil, 6" x 8"

I have been traveling a lot in the last month, family trips to Michigan, England, and California. I got a few paintings done and a few more that need a little studio touch-up, so I'll be posting them as I can. This weekend it's back to Michigan where I'm participating the Glen Arbor Art Association's plein air paint-out and show on Saturday.

Shuttle in Her Hand

A just released book that I had the pleasure of designing and illustrating. Published by The Swedish-American Historical Society, it's a novel about a young Swedish woman in the early twentieth century, who's skill as a weaver brings her to a new life in America. The original is oil on canvas panel, 12" x 9".