Tranquil Summer

This is a commission piece that I just finished.  18.5x32 inches, Oil on Linen.

Winter Glisten

A small study, from a winter day on Hurricane Creek. 7.5x7.5". Oil on Linen.

Bear Creek in Winter

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.  11x11", Oil on Linen. 

Winter Sunrise

14x9", Oil on Linen. 

Kokanee Heaven

There were large numbers of Kokanee fish spawning in the river yesterday evening as I was painting this study. Kokanee are a landlocked type of sockeye salmon common to the inland Pacific Northwest lakes and streams; a favorite with the eagles and osprey, and of course the anglers. The fish have bright red bodies and are very beautiful swimming in the shallow water. Again, this was a bit ambitions to try to tackle as a study in a very limited time window, but it sure was fun to try to paint. The temperature is very chilly right now and the foliage is turning rapidly especially on the underbrush. This morning it didn't get above freezing until the sun was up for over an hour; meanwhile, the sunshine sparkled beautifully on all of the ice caused by frozen overnight irrigation sprinkling. Study 10x8", Oil on Linen.  

Wallowa Headwaters

My favorite study of the summer so far.  If I do a larger painting of this one, I will refine some of the shapes, but I'm really happy with the structure and movement of this one overall.  I guess I have to get used to saying autumn instead of summer because the weather has definitely turned the corner this week.  I may try one more angle on this setting before I move on to something else.  Study 10x8", Oil on Linen. 

Afternoon Haze

I wasn't able to go on my annual eastern Sierra trip this year, but I'm getting out to paint anyway.  This small study was from a couple of days ago.  We have been having quite a bit of smoky atmosphere due to wildfires, which flattens the light, but depending on the time of day can also create some beautiful color.  10x8", Oil on Linen.

Wallowa Study

This small painting is really more of a color study from a smaller study I painted last summer in the Wallowa Valley in northeastern Oregon.  20x10", Oil on Linen. 

Sacajawea Mountain

This is from a study painted on a morning last summer on Hurricane Creek looking toward Sacajawea Mountain in Northeastern Oregon.  24x14" Oil on Linen. SOLD.

Mountain Shadows

This was the first study I painted yesterday while out woodcutting. There was a large wildfire in this area a few years ago, and combined with the white pine beetle infestation, there are quite a few bare areas on the mountains. It was fun to compose around the quickly moving cloud shadows. As I was walking along trying to find a view of the mountains to paint, I probably spent more time picking and eating huckleberries. It is still early in the season for them, but I probably found enough for some pancakes. I love listening to (and seeing) the goldfinches in the trees. Study 10x6", Oil on Linen.

Summer Meadow

Yesterday was firewood cutting day in the mountains. I took some time out to paint a little bit. One thing about painting as a side project is that you paint what is there rather than going out and looking for something. The choices are limited, but in some way it makes the process easier. This is what the scene looked like when I started the study, but within a few minutes I was repositioning my umbrella for rain rather than sun. Then it started pouring, accompanied by dramatic lightning and thunder. I was able to keep my painting dry, but the result was the rain flowed off the umbrella straight down my back. I called it close enough when it started to hail. Study 10x8", Oil on Linen.

Afternoon Virga

Early August summer days are some of my favorites; with the sounds of grasshoppers and crickets in the fields, and the cottonwood fluff floating in the breeze. The days are warm, but not too hot. As soon as it gets just a little bit too warm, the thunderheads build and the rain is refreshingly welcome. There have been quite a few dramatic thunderstorms lately. This was a small quick study and yes, I was good and drenched by the time I decided it was finished enough. Study 8x6", Oil on Linen.

Hurricane Creek & Sacajawea Peak

I had a good time painting this morning even if my study is horribly overworked; but wow, it is difficult to not overwork a complicated scene when the light is moving fast. I couldn't quite bring myself to wipe it all down, but it was close. I probably need to work smaller again to keep from working them to death. Study 10x8", Oil on Linen.

Mountain Veil

I painted this study a few days ago. It was quite challenging because the weather and lighting conditions changed every few seconds. In fact, my umbrella functioned more as a rain shelter than it did to shield the sun. It was pleasant though standing in a summer shower while painting. Study 8x6", oil on linen.

Mid-Winter Sunshine

I painting the study for this on a beautiful Christmas morning, year before last. 14x11, oil on linen.

Spring Thaw

11x14", Oil on Linen

Snowy Forest

I can't seem to go very long before I have an irresistible urge to paint a snow scene. I like everything about them: being outside standing in the snow, the design challenges, the light and color, the interesting shapes and textures, and the quiet. This may be my Christmas card this year. I'm working on a series of smaller paintings for a show this fall; this is the first of hopefully many. The study for this was painted in northeastern Oregon. 14x11", oil on linen.

Winter Stream

Another snow painting from my Christmas studies. I'm not sure that I'm finished with this one yet. I think I need to let it sit for a bit and then come back to it. 24x18 Oil on Linen.

Winter Calm

I love to paint snow paintings because the snow exaggerates design choices, for better or worse. It certainly forces one to concentrate on every shape and edge. There is much to learn from the Russian masters since they faced this challenge often. As I was painting the study for this, I was standing on the ice shelf that was breaking up, trying to see how close I could safely stand near the edge. It was a beautiful morning and I loved every minute of being out in the snow painting. 24x18, Oil on Linen. SOLD at auction to benefit the Wallowa Memorial Hospital in Enterprise Oregon.

Looking The Other Direction

Painting backlit snow is very difficult, as I discovered today. It is troublesome to judge color or value when one is looking into something so bright. I think I have exhausted this subject for a while, and will try something else tomorrow. The ice was cracking all around me as I was painting this, but I managed to stay dry. This view is looking the opposite direction from the one I painted yesterday. The colors look better in person than they do here on this post. Overall, it was a magical day, yesterday's heavy fog combined with a zero Fahrenheit overnight temperature creating a thick flocking on everything in the valley. A very gentle breeze blew the crystals into the air where they seemed to hover and sparkle like diamonds in the sunshine against the deep blue sky. It was very Doctor Zhivago. Study 6x8 oil on linen.