Loess Hills, East of Logan, Iowa

8.5x11 Acrylic on panel, © 2011

Private Collection

One thing I like about painting—observation. Once you start the process of painting, your heightened awareness kicks in, and you see things differently. This doesn't just happen when you have a brush in your hand, but before and after. Subtle color changes and the value shifts used to create depth become beautiful in and of themselves. Marge and I struck out to find beauty on a late autumn day. We came across a back road—dirt, of course. Who knows where, but there it was—beauty of place. The moment is memorable as you see the beauty of color, value, line, and stroke. I can never go back to that place except in the painting. Photographs never seem to capture what is really there. Sure they are good for details of shape, but not color, value nor finding it again. Maybe a camera with a GPS would be good, but I don't know why; I have a painting.

Forgotten Bridge

9x12 acrylic on panel, © 2011

Private Collection

When exploring the obscure areas of Nauvoo, IL on the East bank of the Mississippi River, we found an area that was used to drain the swamp to make the city. It still functions to eliminate water but has long been forgotten as serving as a bridge also. Beauty is where you find it; be prepared.

Recognition: Won an Honorable Mention in the Omaha Artists' Winter Art Show

Winter Fruit

10x20 acrylic on canvas, © 2011

Collection of the Artist

Hoarfrost appears silently, and when the sun comes out disappears as it came, but in the brief moments of the morning its beauty must be enjoyed.

Ranch Cloud

8x10 acrylic on panel, © 2010

Private Collection

When visiting my uncle's ranch at Flaming Gorge, UT we saw the most phenomenal sunset "just for us—Tender Mercies."

Mt.Timpanogos

8x10 Acrylic on panel, © 2010
Private Collection

In June of 2010, I attended an oil painting workshop with Bob Rohm on The Painterly Approach to landscape painting.  It was held in Fremont, Nebraska as part of the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs' (ANAC) annual conference. It is always an inspiration to be with people from all over the state who have come together from diverse backgrounds, because they feel a common bond in focusing on creating something that did not exist before. The workshop was excellent, and Bob is a great instructor and very helpful in directing people to change their individual modi operandi to assume more of what they hope to become.  In that setting, I painted this small piece.  It was challenging for lyrical lines to appear and to have the brush respond to unfamiliar approaches.  I think that the painting worked, and it reminds me of the evening spent walking along the Provo River with my family and the time I spent with a marvelous artist.

Handwork #1: Friendship

8x10 acrylic on panel, © 2010

Private Collection

I have had an idea for a series of paintings—Handwork... . This is the first in the series; Handwork #1: Friendship. My granddaughter was making friendship bracelets, and I thought that would make an interesting painting. The Winter Art show came up, and I thought I would give it a go. I always see improvements, but for one who paints so rarely, I thought it turned out quite well.

Recognition: Won fourth place (of 70 exhibits) in the Omaha Artists' Winter Art Show.

Arco Truck

8x10 acrylic on canvas, © 2010 

Collection of the Artist 

Art shows are motivational. In my case the Winter Art Show of Omaha Artists Inc. came up with the small-art format—two adjacent dimensions could not be over 18 inches. Well, we had taken a trip to Arco, ID two years ago, and I took a photo that I used as reference material on a friend's ranch. I decided that it would work into a nice composition, so I painted it and entered it into the show a few days later.