The Balance of Power

The Balance of Power

9X12, Oil on Aluminum Panel

Available

It has been quite a while since I have posted anything here.  There is a somewhat good reason for that.  At this point, I'm not sure what to do with this blog because, well, I have relocated to Colorado!  I don't think I'm going to take on painting something from each county in Colorado so changing the name of this to "Painting Colorado" doesn't make much sense.  Maybe I'll just leave it as it is??

Well anyway, my first painting posted since April is another one from Arkansas which was actually finished before moving, just not signed.

This is from a place near Russellville, AR which locals used to all The Sweet Spot but is now called the Oita Coal Company mountain bike trail.

Linger Long

Linger Long

8X10, Oil on Panel

SOLD

This was my first foray back into plein air painting after breaking my wrist at the beginning of January.  This is Falling Water Falls again.  I think this is the 3rd or 4th painting of it I have done.  It was a very cold day and I remember being worried I might fall and re-injure my wrist as I made my way back and forth from the van with my supplies down steep slope to where I was setting up.  Many photographers came and went, snapping hundreds of pictures, as I stood there in the cold making one single one.

The Light Cannot Atone

The Light Cannot Atone

10X20, Oil on Panel

SOLD

I am really liking this format.  I need to make more panels like this one.

Prelude to an End

Prelude to an End

8X10, Oil on Panel

Available

 

 

This is a little plein air I did a few months ago as the fall color started to come on.  This was on the Illinois Bayou in the Ozark National Forest north of Hector.

Bank of Pottsville, Pope County

Bank of Pottsville

9X12, Oil on Panel

SOLD

This was a request from a historian of of Arkansas art.  I feel very honored to be in the same collection as some of my Arkansas favorites.

Bright Fall Day, Long Pool, Pope County

Bright Fall Da, Long Pool

9X12, Oil on Panel

SOLD

 

 

This was a commission I did for Christmas.  The only stipulations placed upon it were that it be of Long Pool in Pope County.  I rarely paint high color fall scenes so I took this opportunity to stretch and give it a try.  The customer was very happy with the result and so was I!

Falling Water Falls, Summer 2013

Falling Water Falls, A Wet Summer

8X10, Oil on Panel

It's rare that any waterfalls run in August in Arkansas but due to a fairly yet summer I was able to take a trip to a few a couple of weeks ago.  This one and another are more apt to run year around but another that I was able to visit is typically very dry.  Did all but a few minor touch ups on this one on site.

Russellville Train Depot, Pope County

Russellville Train Depot

16X20 Oil on Canvas

Available

This one was in a partial state for a long time.  I had trouble resolving color and value on the foreground to my satisfaction.  

Long Pool Rocks, Pope County

Long Pool Rocks

11X14, Oil on Panel

SOLD

I've built up a bit of an inventory of paintings during the short period while my camera was broken.  I have a new one that is a touch more sophisticated than my old but photographing paintings is never easy.  This new one goes into "landscape" mode when I do closely cropped shots of my pieces.  Guess that means I'm doing a good job!

These huge rocks at the end of Long Pool on Big Piney Creek in Pope County make excellent diving platforms.  They really are this big.  It is rather unusual in the Ozarks when no glaciers were ever active to move huge stones of this size.

Falling Water Falls, Pope County

Falling Water Falls

11X14, Oil on Birch Panel

SOLD

A few weeks ago, I took my son waterfall hunting in the Ozarks.  We've had a phenomenally long waterfall season in this year.  Usually by this time of year, they are starting to trickle.  the downside to the long waterfall season is flooding and severe weather.  I started this one en plein air with a value sketch and then colored it in the studio.  Falling Water Falls is one of the easiest falls in the state to get to and as a result is a favorite target of photographers.  I've never seen a painting of it before though.  It lies at the extreme northern end of Pope County just a bit before crossing into Searcy County on Falling Water Creek in the Ozark National Forest.  On this same day, we saw Six Finger Falls and Keefe Falls.  I packed my 13 lb pochade the .5 mile bushwhack into Keefe Falls and did a value sketch there as well as the rain fell.

Lake Dardanelle Train Bridge, Pope County

Lake Dardanelle Train Bridge

11X14, Oil on Birch Panel

Available

This is another one from the workshop I took with Bill Garrison a few weeks ago.  I did most of this one en plein air but then did a few touch ups in the studio later, mostly incorporating Bill's comments.  One thing he suggested that I'm not sure I really did quite like get right was the vague reflection of the bridge in the water.  I did smudge a little of that color into the water but I don't know if it reads quite as a broken reflection.  I saw this bridge on day one and knew I would have to try to paint it.  It was very windy the day I did this one. This view was somewhat sheltered from the wind by trees and buildings on the point but the water here was still pretty active.

Bill Garrison Workshop and an Award

Earlier this week, I spent 3 days up the Arkansas River in Russellville for a workshop with one of the best painters in the state, Mr. Bill Garrison.  This was Bill's first workshop in quite a few years so I was thrilled to have the opportunity to participate.  The workshop was held at an Arkansas Tech University facility called Lake Pointe.  It was a beautiful location with nice views of Mt. Nebo across Lake Dardanelle.  The campus had many mature trees for shade and to provide balance for the big but distant views.  The first day was a bit damp and cold so it was spent inside with Bill doing demos.  The second day was very seasonable and after a short morning demo, we hit the easels.  I got a nice underpainting and another "finished" piece on the first day.  The second day was much warmer, with highs probably in the mid 80's, with bright sun.  It was windy on the lake side of the point upon which the facility was located.  However, I had my sights set on a low train bridge on the cove side which was sheltered from the wind.  It was an old rusty thing but still strong and in use.  The dull, rusty red made a wonderful counterpoint against the bright green of the trees busting open.  I "finished" that one by around 2 or so and then went in for the rest of the day.

Here's one of them from the first day.  I'm going to make some tweaks to the other two.

Mt. Nebo #1

8X10, Oil on linen panel

SOLD

Buckstaff Baths won a merit award at the Hot Springs Fine Arts Center Regional Show!

Long Pool, Big Piney Creek, Pope County

Long Pool, South End

8X10, Oil on Wood
SOLD

If there's one thing upon which I usually pride myself, it's my sense of direction. Call it male ego if you will but I'm normally possessed of a Magellen-like navigational capability. I must confess, however, that I have been a bit turned around by some of the roads in Maryland. But then again, who wouldn't when a northbound road begins to meander back in the opposite direction taking you in some totally unforeseen direction! Maryland has plenty of those, Baltimore especially so. My usually uncanny ability to keep track of my bearing relative where I started out is usually supplemented by good preparation (i.e. maps!! even if they are mental.) So I was a bit taken aback last Sunday when we found ourselves passing through Pelsor on Highway 7 on the way to Long Pool. I had well before then started to speculate I had missed the left hand turn. Now, I've driven Highway 7 between Russellville and Harrison about a thousand times (not literally that many but it sure seems like it). I was absolutely certain I remembered there being a nice big sign pointing the errant traveler to Long Pool. It is after all a pretty popular spot in the Ozark National Forest. Alas, my memory was dead wrong and thus it was that we found ourselves turning around in Newton County and heading back south. A quick stop at the Rotary Ann overlook provided the direction I needed in the form of a map in the pavilion.

Rotary Ann Overlook

The mistake did give me the opportunity to stop and get some reference photos at the now thankfully defunct Booger Hollow. Booger Hollow...how shall I put it? The name probably tells the tale for most people even remotely familiar with the stigma attached to the Ozarks. It's nothing but a wide spot in the road where some bozo sets up a shop with a strong hillbilly theme complete with misspelled words and, in this case, a two story outhouse. It's typical clientele was the "furriner jes passin' thru." It's exploitation of a dated and derogatory stereotype that can still sadly be seen all over Arkansas. So...here in the very near future, I intend to exploit the joyous failure of some sap's failed business model. Good riddance Booger Hollow!

On down Highway 7, we found the turn off for Long Pool. I had never been out there before and boy was I impressed with this beautiful area I had woefully missed out on during the time I lived in Russellville! Plenty of material for some fabulous paintings here!

This is my first new county since starting this endeavour! Time to celebrate...with some more time in the studio.