Lately I have been working on some non-objective pieces specifically for upcoming competitions. Easier said than done! It is pure design without any reference photos, so I began playing with a limited number of cut paper shapes and re-arranging them until I was satisfied with the design. I find it very difficult at times critiquing […] more »
I always wanted to paint this barn, and I’m finally getting around to it. This is a historic, round barn in Wayne County, Iowa. There are not many round barns left and they are interesting characters! Working from a photo, I enhanced all the weathered boards and roof in my usual bold, saturated pigments of ultramarine, […] more »
I designed this after my sister mentioned how much she loved my barn artwork and that I should do one of the Mail Pouch Tobacco barns. We have many memories of our family summer vacations, seeing the barns with this advertising, and viewing the large tobacco leaves drying inside these barns — especially on our drives through West […] more »
Working from my old photos, I pieced together these barn board shapes in gray-textured, hand-painted papers against a vivid red sky. I liked the shed extensions on both sides of the barn and used turquoise for the roof — bringing in the complement color of the sky to make it “pop”. I could not resist […] more »
My artwork is currently in two new shows: the Iowa Watercolor Society and “Celebrate the Bicycle!” Two of my watercolors, License to Paint and Gordie’s and The American Legion are exhibited in the first annual IWS Miniature Watermedia show at the St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines. The intent of this show is to […] more »
I am very happy to exhibit my watercolor The Love Block in The Mitchell Gallery’s first national juried exhibition. It is an all-media show with a size limitation of 8” x 10”, including the frame. My painting features the southwest corner of the Albia square in Monroe County, Iowa. 308 artists submitted 837 works from 38 states. […] more »
Occasionally I find myself drawn to the small town local scenes. I have done numerous sketches of Centerville’s back alleys and even had one published in The Best of Sketching & Drawing by Rockport Book Publishers. This old shoe repair sign caught my eye years ago; in fact, I took the photograph in 1996. The […] more »
I decided to compose another watercolor using my large assortment of brushes with old license plates. I wanted something different for an upcoming competition, although I did set up some of my palettes to start with the brushes. We artists seem to accumulate supplies of all kinds. The design was playing around in my mind for a […] more »
Every time spring rolls around, I am eager to paint my garden flowers, and this year is no exception. However, the weather is unseasonably cool, so I am relying on some of my old photos until some of my perennials bloom. This particular lily had been in my garden a while ago. New flowers are added every […] more »
This is a business that used to be on the northwest corner of the Centerville square a few years ago. Maybe a better title would be “remember when?” The storefronts and signage change occasionally and this is what attracts me to the subject matter. I like painting the old brick buildings. Most of the details are […] more »