Winter on the Thompson

Winter on the Thompson

15" x 20"
Oil paint on sandeply panel
[click on the image to enlarge]

This painting continues my present series of paintings with water. This time the water is snow and also the mountain stream.

I was interested in the chroma and values of the snow in several conditions - it is changed by the shade, the nearby foliage, what it is setting upon and whether it is smooth or broken.

The left portion is mostly painted in the shade. Light coming over that ridge then highlights a portion of the right side of the stream.

I like the stillness of the scene and the peaceful repose. None of the snow fall has been broken by tracks and the air is calm.

The water is very cold, flowing gently and then it is almost imperceptibly broken by some warmer hues.

The emphasis here is on the two small conifers and then to a lesser extent the nearby boulder.

I'm again trying to resist my tendency to 'overwork' the painting. Instead put a planned brush stroke down and leave it, rather than smoothing it several times.

Ouray Falls

Ouray Falls

12" x 16"
oil on canvas
[click on the image to enlarge]

I like this one a lot. A study in darks, lights and scenery accents and the tumbling water from a mountain waterfall. The palette is focused and well balanced. The warm and cool portions complement each other nicely.

I was pleased with the rock work on this painting and the creation of depth.

The painting is a bit more saturated than it appears here.

The next two paintings that I am working on also have water as a major feature. So I'm experimenting a bit with various moods and treatments.

Gleason Falls in Autumn

Gleason Falls in Autumn

12" x 16"

oil paint on canvas

[click on the image to enlarge]

The autumn scene was also inspired by a John Leavitt photograph from New England.

The intense yellows and fiery reds of the hardwoods contrast to the cool foliage, the shadows and the tumbling water.

It's also an intimate scene - no sky is visible, the upstream view is closed in, and even the water is blocked and contained on the left side. It is a personal experience.

I also enjoyed working out of the shade and shadows on both the right and the left sides.

This painting is more intense than most of my work. The chroma or color saturation is more pronounced. Yet there are also a good deal of muted, grey or halftones in the painting. It's somewhat in the tradition of a Currier & Ives print.

I also tried to paint what I actually see rather than what I think I should see in this view.

Hillsboro Church at Autumn

Hillsboro Church at Autumn

12" x 16"

oil on canvas

[click on image to enlarge]

Autumn season in New England is always something special. The extra crispness of the fresh air and the wonderful hardwoods do their best to refresh our spirit.

 

Deep reds, variable orange and brilliant yellows all come forward  as the green chlorophyll fades from the growing season foliage. 

 

This painting scene shares the solid, substantial hardwoods with the local congregation's chapel where one may worship the faith of his fathers. Even the deeper granite witnesses the handiwork of deity.

 

This painting was inspired by a John O. Leavitt photograph:  http://www.joleavitt.com

I appreciate his permission to share this. He also enjoys the Maine coast and New England.

Playing with Toby

Playing with Toby

12" x 16"
oil on sandeply panel


This whimsical painting was done while I was studying the composition for a larger work.

I ran across some photographs that sparked an idea that I wanted to paint.

A young boy and a lively puppy make a happy combination. Liam and Toby enjoyed playing and teasing about who had the red ball.

Technically it is too small for very much definition on Liam's face and outdoor scenes with that much green are a challenge. Toby makes a good subject in any size. This was also a new experience in that the panel does not have canvas over the surface, gesso was directly applied to the panel and the panel was then given a color undercoat.

Summer Baptism

Summer Baptism
Emery

16" x 20"
oil on linen canvas

This painting tries to project the purity of this precious young girl, who has prepared for her baptism.

Without reminders she faithfully read the Book of Mormon. That was a commitment she had made in the year prior to her baptism. Not as easy task for anyone but especially a seven year old. She was and is a good example for her sisters and brother.


White is a good symbol of purity and the new life after baptism. It also represents the celestial kingdom - appropriate since baptism is the entry ordinance.

The background is cheerful and light infused. I like the fresh feeling when combined with Emery.

 

Framed with a linen insert.

Dawn Perch

Barn Owl

16" x 20"
oil on canvas
[click on the image to enlarge]

Barn Owls are fairly common and widespread although not seen nearly as often as other less common birds. However they do tend to start hunting at dusk and stay active into the early morning after dawn, especially during the summer when they are feeding young and their choice of nesting sites is sometimes not very private.
So finding one hunting in the open after dawn is not too rare.

They are highly desired in many areas because their diet is primarily rodents. A nesting pair can dispatch more than a thousand rodents in a year.

They do not hoot. And they are not part of the typical or 'true' owl family. The owl pellets they produce consisting of the remnants of fur, bones, etc. from their meals are widely dissected in high school biology classes.

The model for this Barn Owl was from a great photo taken by Steve Stump - http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevestump/9233102080/
[used with permission]


Slightly different camera settings for this photograph.