Stone Chicken Coup

24 x 30 oil on alkyd primed canvas.

A little find from my trip to the Grand Canyon this last weekend. We came back through Sedona and hiked the west fork of Oak Creek on the way back to Phoenix. At the trail head, I came across this little building that was in an advanced state of decay. I was pretty amazed when I started to explore it to find that it had roosts for chickens inside. I am not sure if is started out being a chicken coup or not. If it did, that is alot of effort to construct the building out of stone.

I was pretty much instantly mesmerised by the cast shodow on the ground. This had a real similar feel to me to the painting "Under the Pier." Needless to say, this was a setting that got my juices flowing. I couldn't wait to get started on this. I was going to do a study of this one, but only got as far as the thumnail before I wanted to get started. One thing that I have learned is that with a scene like this, I better have an accurate drawing, or I will be asking for trouble later on. I have been really conscious of the basics recently. Shape, Value, Color.

Evening Juniper

16 x 20 oil on canvas

I have been spending more time with rag and knife. Having just returned from the Grand Canyon with the family. I had a bit of inspiration to paint another juniper. I am constantly drawn to these stately old evergreens.


Part of the trip was to view the Paint the Parks exhibit at the rim of the canyon that I had two painting included in the showing. It was displayed in the Kolb Studio. I can't imagine a more spectacular setting to have a studio.



Here is a view off the back of the studio.