Waterfall

6"x 8" oil on panel

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A quiet moment for painting in New Hampshire on a camping and hiking trip. 100 years after the Impressionists, painting en plein air is still a challenge, even with the modern comforts of automobiles and electric coolers and down sleeping bags, etc. How did Monet, et all ever do it? (In fact, I think they were far better off without some of our so-called "conveniences"!)

Lemon Reflections

6" x 6" oil on board

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One of my favorite recent (still-life) paintings, in terms of achieving what I wanted: using thick, buttery impasto both to convey a lusciousness of surface texture (so you're aware of the paint), but also to convey the reality of the objects shown. This was particularly challenging with the smooth, transparent surface of the glass, as you might imagine, so I'm pleased with the result.

Wolf Marks

Red Spirit Wolf

8" x  8" acrylic on panel

At a recent art show someone walked into my booth and asked "Why did you paint that dog without eyes?"

If you have to ask....

This painting was but one of a series I've done lately influenced by Fritz Scholder.  While I was in art school earning my BFA, the emphasis was on traditional Western European art; although Scholder had been a major figure in the 20th Century art world for decades, I discovered him only very recently, and quite by accident.  (I believe it was from a book I found at the Connecticut College library, which is a wonderful resource.)  I had no idea until just a few months ago that he had died in 2005; I only knew him through the works I was studying, and so to me he was (and is) very much a living presence.  (I'm not sure that I ever bothered to look up his biography, so focused was I on his prints and paintings, and absorbing all he could teach me about color and form.  What can I say?  I'm an artist.)

The National Museum of the American Indian is having a major retrospective Scholder's work in NYC and in D.C. which I hope to see this year:

http://www.nmai.si.edu/exhibitions/scholder

My FVAC Juried Show Entries

Last month I entered two paintings into the 2008 Opened Juried Show at the Farmington Valley Arts Center in Avon,  CT.  The show is called Interpretations and Inspirations, juried by Philip Janes.    These two canvases were accepted into the show. 

Animal skulls lend themselves to much interpretation and reflections of color.  I see the skull not just related to death but a structure that life emanates from.  Of course, the childhood fascination for digging up things in the backyard or woods that your parents find weird or dirty ("Don't you dare bring that thing into the house!") - and the ability to hold onto that fascination into adulthood - is a very useful tool for an artist!  

Check out the Farmington Valley Arts Center website:

www.fvac.net/