Hold Still Tomato

 Acrylic on Cradled Board  8x8   SOLD

It's hard to get sassy vegetables to hold still for paintings. Sometimes you have to bribe them by promising not to eat them when you are done, and flattering them by telling them they are stars of the produce world. Technically tomatoes are considered fruit, but we all still think of them as vegetables for some reason. I know I do. I have been working on some larger paintings of wolves lately, but decided to take a break and come back to adding some smaller works here.

An Extraordinary Bear

 Acrylic on Cradled Board   5x7

Teddy considers himself a rugged outdoors bear, as he reads his books about the Northwoods bundled in his hat and scarf, in front of a sunny window. He doesn’t like to get too dirty or cold. He doesn’t like bugs landing on him. He doesn’t eat too many berries because they could give him diarrhea. He doesn’t like to walk on wet rocks because he could slip and fall. He doesn’t like loud thunder or noisy crickets. He’s not a real bear, but he thinks he is. He’d like to go to a home where there is not a lot of yelling, lots of pets, and where he can watch his shows when they are on.

Bear at Sundown

 Acrylic on Canvas  5x7

This bear is ambling toward it's night time resting space. The sun is setting and it is thinking of eating enough to make it through the coming winter. Hopefully not the likes of Timothy Treadwell the poor foolish man who was eaten by a bear he loved so much. Be careful, wildlife should be loved and admired from a distance.

Are Ewe Hungry?

 

Acrylic on Canvas Board   5x7

This little lamb is always the first in the barn when the feed bag is put out. She seems to have an uncanny sense of time and beats all the others to the food line. Is she smart, or just hungry?

Blue Jay "Bob"

 Acrylic on Canvas Board  5x7

I call this bird "Bob" after Canadian artist Robert Bateman. I have been watching his youtube videos and he speaks about how the animals we see in nature are often hidden from our view. He likes to include obstructions like branches, and imperfect leaves in his paintings. I was inspired to try that myself. I found this Blue Jay a few weeks ago sitting in the branches of a crab apple tree. The leaves show the scarring of apple scab so common in this species. The Jay looks over his shoulder and for a moment you catch his eye.

Sheltie Puppy

 Acrylic on Cradled Board    5x5

My own puppy was a model for this painting. I've had a sheltie in my life since 1982. I find them to be extremely intelligent dogs, and once they learn your schedule they will keep you to it whether you like it or not!

Kitchen Oranges

 Acrylic on Cradled Board   8x8

I like to paint from life as often as I can. It helps to sharpen my skills. This painting started to take a turn for the worse at some point. I am always kind of glad when that happens because it forces me to loosen up and take chances. Many of my paintings start out as something else! When they fail, I paint over them. This also has the advantage of adding texture and interest.

Canyon Raven

 Acrylic on Canvas   5x7

To make a painting I am happy with always involves taking chances. Sometimes that leads to a disaster and I end up painting over the whole thing when my idea falls apart. I am always glad though when things begin to go wrong. It means I will stop being so careful with the marks I make, and that is when magic can happen. That is when an animal or bird can come alive and shake off a stiff, stifled look. I could have painted this raven's every feather, but it was so much more fun to let him evolve without overthinking the process.

Blue Jay

Acrylic on Canvas   5x5

Not everyone loves Blue Jay's but I do! They are so clever, and their plumage so bright. The calls they make are unique, my favorite is the squeaky door. I usually hear at least one as I'm out walking the dog in the mornings. This painting has some texture as I used a knife in places. I also gave it some interest by incorporating unexpected color dashes like violet. The orange and blue of the composition give this a bright sparkle to match the personality of the bird.

Blue Sky Cardinal

 Acrylic on Canvas  5x5     SOLD

This simple color scheme shows off the subject's vibrant red color. I like adding interest with textural marks so your eye does not become bored.

Crow

Acrylic on Canvas  6x6

I have painted crows many times and it is always a challenge to find different ways to depict what from a distance, look like plain black birds. I assure you they are not! So intelligent and interesting to observe.

 

Spirit of Place Prairie

 Acrylic on Canvas Board    5x7

As I painted this it took me back to the day I took the reference picture and how I felt. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was on my work route just before lunch. Snow had just started to fall. This account was a beautiful office overlooking a Midwestern prairie that was carefully created. It was quiet. One of the advantages to my job was I was able to visit many different office spaces. Some of them junky and old, and some of them with spectacular views even in the midst of a busy suburban city. As I visited this place weekly, I hoped one day to see a coyote or even a fox pass through, but I never did. I did watch the seasons pass, and this painting represents a favorite memory.

Fall Birch Trees

 Acrylic on Canvas Board    SOLD

This painting happened spontaneously after I had tried and failed three times at painting a bird. I was sure the bird was going to be a great image, but I couldn't get it to work. In my frustration I began painting over it in bright colors in a haphazard way when this Fall scene began to appear. Sometimes successful paintings are born when you lower your expectations. That's when the surprises happen. The best laid plans are not always best.