Old, rusted machinery captured my interest again. I zeroed in on just a section of this threshing machine. Its parts are interesting as large, abstract shapes. There is a limited palette that I used for this composition, and a square format, which is more difficult to work with than the usual rectangle motif. I love the circular […] more »
Recently I decided to continue my train series of paintings and went out to gather more photographs to work from. My main focus was the abstract quality of this boxcar. The shadow shapes were interesting and added strength to the composition. I shot a close up of the brake at the end of the boxcar […] more »
My inspiration for this design came about after our visit to the Airpower Museum in Blakesburg, Iowa, last summer. We were surprised by all the different planes on display there; it is a historic combination of early planes, engines, propellers and other related articles. For this design, I worked from a photo. Because of the […] more »
My goal for this piece was to create a bright and colorful collage of our two fun-loving goats. I was not pleased with the first design, so I changed the barn image and the support for this piece. I began with the red barn and concentrated on the big, bold shapes first. The goats shapes […] more »
This is my third watercolor of one of the most popular eating places in Centerville — Raymond’s Dairy Creme. Since it changed ownership and there is a new sign in place, I thought it would be nice to do an updated version. I always begin with a photograph for reference to work from, so I […] more »
This is a realistic watercolor painting of the newly-renovated bandshell in Centerville, Iowa. Many people have asked me to paint this structure because of the good memories it holds for them. I worked from my photograph, which includes the historic courthouse behind it. more »
This building caught my eye when I visited the city of Chariton last year. It is an old, unused grain elevator in disrepair. The afternoon sunlight and shadows were perfect for taking reference photos. The difference with this piece is the support for the collage. I usually use watercolor paper mounted on foamboard. This time, […] more »
After working on larger paintings, I decided to do a smaller piece in collage. These can be done in a couple days; my full sheet watercolors seem to take longer for me. I like to complete a piece in one sitting so that I feel like I have accomplished something! Animals are favorites of mine, […] more »
What inspired me to paint another piece of farm machinery was all the intricate shapes of gears, wheels and rusted parts that makes up the whole hunk of metal. This is an old threshing machine that sits at the Prairie Museum in Corydon, Iowa. The massive size of it is amazing… how it once rattled […] more »
Lately it seems to me that I have been working on a locomotive series. When I was in Ottumwa last month, I took photos of this engine sitting briefly on the tracks and I took the opportunity to get a variety of photographs, even though it was cloudy. I prefer the morning sunlight and strong […] more »