Rim Shots

Had an opportunity to get away from the heat and travel up to our White Mountains for a little camping and fishing. This time of year can bring some intense monsoon storms that drop alot of rain in very short periods of time. The crisp vivid imagery that follows is nothing short of stunning. I am quite grateful that I have photography as a creative outlet until this lingering shoulder injury is in the rear view mirror.

South Dakota Home Visit

It has been a while since I have had a brush in my hands and my journey has led me in another direction until I get a torn rotator cuff fixed. About a year ago I ended up with a Canon SLR in my posession and have been chasing light digitally since then. I am looking forward to being able to paint again, but this will have to be my creative outlet for now. I have ended up learning a great deal about light in this little diversionary journey and have ended up selling a few prints along the way. I just got back from a trip to my homeland and had an opportunity to capture a bit of the light in the Dakotas.

The first shot is a view that I grew up seeing from the driveway of my parents house for over 18 years. It is easy to take something like this for granted until you don't see it anymore.

This second piece is about a quarter of a mile down the road from my folks house. Bear Butte is in the background beneath an evening sky.

This piece was a real treat to discover as the sun broke the horizon next to a pond with steam rising off it.

This last piece is an icon that I notice is disappearing a little bit at a time with every trip that I make home. I have always enjoyed the mystery of why anyone would just abandon a home a wait for nature to slowly swallow it.

Chiricahua Snag

Had a little time this am to put the finishing touches on this piece, or at least until I digest it a bit and see if it really settles in. Clouds have been notorious for giving me heartburn in a painting. The subtleties of value and edges have to be just right in order for them to not feel contrived. I am happier with this attempt, but still not skipping rope over the results.


24 x 30 oil on stretched canvas.

Stillwater Afternoon

This is a painting that has haunted the studio for longer than I care to mention. After I did a complete repaint on the piece, I could not for the life of me get a photograph of it that I was happy with or that did the piece justice. I finally got closer to what it actually looks like.





30 x 30 oil on stretched canvas.

Trying to find a groove again

After a very long break from painting, I have made an attempt to get my toe back in the pool. Trying to be a little more deliberate and thinking about what I want to say. I keep finding myself going back to the trees and this time I am done fighting it. They are what speaks to me and that is what I enjoy painting. A little to thine own self be true I guess.

Standing Naked in an Approaching Monsoon

18 x 24 oil on Alky Primed Canvas.

One of the finds I came across on the summer trip to St. George, Zion and Bryce Canyon. The weather was pretty wild the whole time we were there. It was a real active monsoon season this year and it made for some interesting drama. I took and unbelievable amount of photos and this was one of those that aked to be painted.

Mayhew Lodge Ruins

18 x 24 oil on Alkyd Primed Canvas

Haven't painted anything new in a while. I have been busy studying and reworking some old paintings that just missed the mark. I have had this in the to be painted file for a while. I was instantly fascinate with the architecture and mystery of the place. It is located on the west fork trail just outside of Sedona. It is my understanding that the place burned down in the early 80's an a number of movies were filmed here. I liked the quarkiness of the oddshaped openings.