In the Clefts: April 27, 2011

"In the Clefts of the Rock" is an 11"x14" watercolor on 140 lb. watercolor paper.

Pretty in Pink: April 21, 2011

"Pretty in Pink" is an 11"x14" acrylic painting on stretched canvas.

Pretty in Pink: April 19, 2011

This is a painting in progress. I started it months ago. The image with the greenish background was the painting as it sat for all those months. I wasn't happy with the background color, so I sampled different colors and settled on the purplish-brown background that you see in the second image. I'm pleased with how it's coming along. The purple is much more complementary to the flamingo's pink plumage.

"Peculiar" & "Monster 1": August 20, 2010

"Peculiar" is finished, as is "Monster 1", both illustrations in acrylic on 9"x12" watercolor paper.

"Peculiar" (in progress): August 19, 2010

Whew! It has been quite a summer! I spent quite a bit of time preparing for my art show at River's Mist Gallery which was in July. Then I did a gallery talk, my first one ever, on the 16th of July. I've been so busy with other summer and family activities that I haven't had much time to paint, but I'm getting back into it. This is the first of a few illustrations that I am doing for someone. It is called, "Peculiar", 9"x12", painted in acrylic. It is still in progress.

American White Pelicans: June 15, 2010

"American White Pelicans" was originally painted in March 2007. I have changed the reflections and added some depth in pelicans. The reflections were too white and the pelicans were too flat and white without much shape and interest. ("Before" is below; "After" is above.)

River Park Storage Murals: April 10-11, 2010

These six murals were painted yesterday and today by Sally, Lauren, Gerry, Arlo, Betty and me. These murals were designed by local high school students. Each image showcases Bitterroot Valley themes: a cow, an elk, bitterroot flowers, an osprey with a fish, a teepee, and the St. Mary's Mission. A few of the murals include our beautiful mountains. The murals will be displayed on the exterior walls of River Park Storage in Stevensville, Montana. Soon, you will be able to see them as you drive by along the Stevensville Cut-Off Road.

Perseverance (in progress) and Sentinel: January 30, 2010

I did some minor changes to "Sentinel", mostly to the raven as well as some highlights on the tree. The main shapes of the rocks in "Perseverance" are done. The next step is to add lichen to the rocks.

Sentinel (complete): January 29, 2010

The name has been changed for this painting from "Reverie" to "Sentinel". This is an 8"x10" oil painting on stretched canvas.

Reverie (in progress): January 25, 2010

This was started during an adult education intermediate oil painting class. It is 8"x10" and of course not finished. The raven will not be hovering in the air once this is finished.

Pelican Panorama (finished): January 5, 2010

"Pelican Panorama" is complete. This was painted using acrylic on 12"x24" stretched canvas.

Pelican Panorama (progress): January 4, 2010

The pelican's entire head and beak are complete. Next is his body and wing.

Pelican Panorama (progress): December 31, 2009

The pelican's eye and some of its bill has been painted.

Pelican Panorama (progress): December 30, 2009

The background was painted awhile ago. The background colors on the pelican have been blocked in.

Acrylic background: July 30, 2009

Here is the background for my next acrylic painting which is 12"x24". I got this look by painting the background black and brown. After that dried, I used a sea sponge to dab on a mixture of colors: greens, grays, browns, off-white. I sprayed water on it to allow the colors to mix. You have to be very patient and not disturb the paint as it dries. Let it do its thing and this is what you get.

Even More Bike Rack Designs: March 2, 2009

These are the last of the Bike Rack Designs. The designs themselves are 15" in diameter painted and drawn in ink on freezer paper.

Rooster redo: January 23, 2009

The background for this rooster has been softened.

Roosters: January 21, 2009

These roosters are 4"x6" acrylic on handmade watercolor papers.

Roosters: January 16, 2009

Two of the roosters have been done except for the foreground, or grass beneath them, which I will do once I get all three roosters completed.

Aliens and Roosters: January 13, 2009

I redid the alien for my son. He wanted it bigger and with a wider stance so I adjusted the legs for him.
I also began three 4"x6" paintings of roosters on handmade watercolor paper. I plan to mount these paintings in floatframes in which the paintings are pressed between two sheets of glass and mounted in a frame. So instead of a mat creating a space between the artwork and the frame, there will be clear glass, thus the color of the wall behind the framed painting will act as the mat. This will show off the rough edges of the handmade paper.