A Summer Morning

The early morning and late-day light always grab my attention. The shadows that rake across the landscape and the golden hues of the light call me to paint.

This is a barn in northwest Michigan that I drive by regularly, always seeing it at different times of the day. I have done a couple of small paintings of it now and have in-mind a large one.

Early light, white barn, oil, 8" x 10"

A trip to California

Last month I had the great pleasure to spend a week in and around Santa Barbara, California, with local, resident painter Marcia Burtt.

I first met Marcia when I took one of her workshops in Sedona, Arizona, in 2007. That was really the start of plein air painting for me. After admiring her work online for quite a while, and dreaming of spending more time painting, I took the plunge and was hooked. I've kept in-touch with her since and last year saw that she was offering kind of a mentoring, one-on-one time of painting together for artists, so I took her up on it. I stayed a few nights in the apartment connected to her Gallery in-town and then a few nights at her ranch about an hour-and-a-half up in the hills. We painted together every day, first at some of the Santa Barbara beaches that I have come to know from her decades of painting there, and then familiar scenes around her ranch.

Marcia paints with acrylic, which have always frustrated me with their quick drying time, but it's still great to watch and learn from her.

Here are some of the paintings I completed there. I have several more that need some touch-up.

Butterfly Beach, oil, 11" x 14"
Late-afternoon, oil, 8" x 10"
Afternoon field, oil, 9" x 12"
Oak on Quail Mountain, oil, 12" x 16" SOLD

A couple new ones

I have been traveling to Michigan nearly every weekend for the past couple of months. Weather has been great. Trees are just starting to show color. Hopefully paint that next weekend. Here are a couple from recent trips.

Last of summer, oil 11" x 14"

Looking toward Pyramid Point, oil 8" x 8"


September sun, oil 12" x 9"

The Oliver Art Center & Frankfort plein air

I painted a large studio piece last month of the Elberta view of the Arcadia dunes. It was juried into the Oliver Art Centers annual show. While up there a week ago to see the show, I painted at Frankfort beach one morning. Same dunes at a greater distance.

Afternoon Shore, Elberta, oil 24" x 30"

I felt in good company at the show with gouaches by Joan Richmond, and an oil by Angela Saxon.

At Frankfort Beach, oil, 8" x 12"

Summer Workshop

My annual Plein Air Basics workshop for the Glen Arbor Art Association was a couple of weeks ago.  It’s great that they have a relationship with the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore which allows hosting of the class at one of the historic homestead farms, Thoresen Farm. 

The first day we stayed on the farm and I started with a demo of the out-house and hen-house. They put the hen-house/hatchery next to the out-house so every time you went out to take care of business you could check on the eggs.

The second day we went down to the beach. Perfect weather, great group. Class was full. I’m working on a possible 1-day workshop for later September in Glen Arbor.

Out-house and hen-house, oil, 9" x 12"

Sunset Beach morning, oil, 14" x 11"

Saugatuck Paint-out

Water Street Gallery in Douglas, Michigan, has been hosting a one-day paint-out and wet paint sale for about 5 years now. I think this was my fourth year attending. A beautiful day. I painted by the beach in the morning and the harbor in the afternoon.

At both of these recent paint-outs I didn’t have time to get good shots of my paintings until they were framed and at the reception.

Summer squalls, oil 12" x 10"
SOLD

Saugatuck Summer, oil 11" x 16"
SOLD

Glen Arbor paint-out

I was in Glen Arbor Michigan this past weekend for the Art Association's 7th annual Paint-out. Lots of artists, three events: a sundowner, quick-paint, and Saturday's all-day paint-out. I was asked to arrive early, really early, Thursday morning. I set up at 5:30 am along with the chairman of the event to be interviewed by 7&4 News Today for a couple of segments on the morning show before the Today Show. Fun, painted while the sun came up. Here's a link to the segments.

Here are a couple of the paintings I did at the event.

Evening glow, oil, 10" x 8"
SOLD

High season, oil, 10" x 8"
SOLD

More along the shore

As usual, this summer I’m spending as much time as I can painting along the shore of west Michigan. Bright mornings and golden, late-afternoons are the favorites of most plein air painters and I’m no exception. An early riser, I love getting out to see the long shadows.

Here are a couple from early July.

This coming weekend I’ll be painting at the Glen Arbor Art Association’s annual paint-out. A Thursday evening sunset paint-out, a Friday afternoon quick-paint, and all day Saturday painting around the area. Saturday evening will be the reception and sale.

Cottage at the shore, oil, 14" x 11"

Pierport morning, oil, 12" x 16"
SOLD

A stop along the way

After a week stay in Glen Arbor, I traveled south toward Onekama stopping on my way to look for painting subjects. A beautiful, sunny day kept me for a few hours at Crystal Lake along M22. I’m framing this now for delivery to Arbor Gallery in Glen Arbor.

Afternoon sail, oil, 11" x 14"

Just back...

A week in Michigan wasn't enough. Painted nearly every day and spent time at the new Arbor Gallery in Glen Arbor that I am a part of. Here are a few that I have gotten photographed. Beach Path already sold while it was still wet.

I'll be heading back up next week for more.

Across the Bay to Sleeping Bear Point, oil, 14" x 11"

Beach Path, oil, 10" x 8"
SOLD

By the shore, oil 6" x 8"
SOLD

Delivering to MI

I am getting ready for a trip to Michigan this next week for some painting time and to deliver paintings to several galleries.

Here’s a recent large one that will be showing at MacBeth & Co. in Onekama.

Morning shore, oil, 36" x 36"
SOLD

“Leland Air” first event of the season

This past weekend I participated in Leland Air in the northwest Michigan, lake town of Leland. A perfect Spring day, sunny, mid-sixties. Just one minor issue: the Spring hatch of midges. Tiny bugs that look kind of like mosquitos, but they don't bite. Swarms of them, mostly close to the lake, caused some distress for a lot of artists. It wasn’t that bad, just had to pick out the ones committing suicide on my painting or palette every few minutes.

A good day. Two paintings, both sold, and I received the People’ Choice award.

Unfortunately, I didn't take time to get good photos before I turned them in.

 From Van’s to Pyramid Point, oil, 10" x 8"
SOLD

To Van’s Beach, oil, 12" x 12"
People’s Choice Award
SOLD

New Gallery

For the last two years I have been a part of The Old School Gallery in Glen Arbor, Michigan. It was started by a couple of artists and morphed into a co-op gallery. The lease was lost this year, but we have found a great new space down the street. Arbor Gallery will be opening soon at 6654 Western Ave., M22, in Glen Arbor.

I was up there this past weekend to begin hanging artwork. Here’s a recently finished studio painting that is there now. It’s a view from the Mission Peninsula wine region north of Traverse City.

Autumn Vineyard, oil, 40" x 30"

White Pine

Here’s another one of my favorite Michigan subjects, a big white pine by the shore. A studio version of a spot I have painted en plein air several times. Good Harbor bay, between Glen Arbor and Leland, has a beautiful, couple-mile-long, crescent beach that I have been at completely alone many times.

This is headed up to Arbor Gallery in Glen Arbor, Michigan.

White Pine at Good Harbor, oil, 24" x 18"

Spring-break plein air

I have been working on a lot of studio pieces lately in preparation for the coming gallery season in Michigan. But last week was spring-break in Florida where I did a lot of relaxing and one plein air sketch.

Beach palms study, oil, 12" x 7"

Two to Water Street Gallery

A couple of new works to start the season at Water Street Gallery’s Prelude show.

Both studio pieces from spots in Michigan where I have painted plein air in the past.

Summer coast, oil, 24" x 24"

Spring shore, oil, 13" x 20"

Waning Winter

With spring around the corner, I feel better about painting winter. This is a scene I found while driving around the Leelanau peninsula in northwest Michigan. I’m normally most excited about painting on bright, sunny days when shadows are prevalent. But the subtle purple and blues of this winter day were irresistible.

This was a studio work after my trip. Lots of plein air soon to come.

Leelanau Winter, oil, 10" x 14"

Winter studio work

After painting snow I have switched to remembering, and anticipating, summer again.

I have painted en plein air a few times along the shore of Good Harbor, just north of Glen Arbor, MI. I just finished this one working from photo reference. That's "Whaleback" across the water.

Next I'm on to a large one of another favorite spot.

At Good Harbor, oil, 16" x 20"

Upcoming show: scales

Water Street Gallery in Douglas, Michigan, is hosting a show for gallery artists entitled “Drawn to scale.” Its subject is open to each artists interpretation. I chose a fish. I purchased it at Whole Foods, and not wanting to waste it, painted fast. I put it in the frying pan to paint, but then I took it out of the frying pan and into the oven to bake. Then I had lunch.

Before Lunch, oil, 9" x 12"

Happy New Year!

A little painting I did last month of a scene in Michigan. A few friends, of Swedish decent, said they thought it was a Swedish stuga.

The Red House, oil 11" x 14"