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I absolutely love this painting. It has some awesome reflections happening in it. For the uneducated (like myself), it is the highly polished fuel tank of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Harley's are beautifully crafted machines and come in a myriad of colors, styles, and models. I recently visited Black Diamond Harley-Davidson in Marion, IL. They were kind enough to allow me to take all the photos I wanted. Look deep into the gloss finish of this painting and you can see people standing around, motorcycles lined up for sale, as well as the diamond pattern of the entryway and the stripe of [...]

I have long studied the arches that adorn the east side of this church. As I walked past them one morning the sun illuminated them as it cast long shadows across the columns. I snapped a few photos to paint from. This is the first in a planned series of three paintings capturing different aspects of the arches. Stay tuned. [...]

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The New Mexican landscape is diverse, rugged and beautiful. As an artist I would love to visit and spend several months just painting the New Mexico landscape. This painting captures an adobe dwelling under the hot summer sun with a back drop of gorgeous mountains only found in this unique part of the american west. [...]

My oldest son just this week spent three days on Mackinac Island, MI. He was good enough to provide me with plenty of photos from his trip. This painting makes me think about when I lived in Duluth, MN. The cold breezes and heavy clouds that would come off Lake Superior as autumn progressed were very similar. And very chilly. The day he took this photo he said is was windy and in the sixties. This is looking east from the west bluff. You can see the flag on the Grand Hotel on the left side of the painting. Also notice the [...]

If you ever get the opportunity to drive the Natchez Trace Parkway, especially in Autumn, do it. It is one of the most beautiful and peaceful drives you can have. In 2006 I was fortunate enough to do this. I recall driving for ten miles without seeing another car. I'd love to hear other peoples experience on it. They tell me it runs all the way into the deep south. [...]

A light snow has begun to melt. Spring is not far off. A chill is still in the air. This adobe home provides a warm shelter from the damp air. Northern New Mexico's landscape is dotted with these wonderful little structures. Not only colorful, but durable, over the centuries they have provided shelter for many families. [...]

Whoa! Now here is definitely one place I've never been, but have always wanted to go. I can't think of any place more beautiful...if you like trees and snow....than Alaska. I am thrilled with the mountains in this painting. Let me know what you think. Painting $50 / Shipping $10 [...]

Every October Park County, Indiana hosts the Covered Bridge Festival. The county and surrounding area are blessed with more than their fair share of bridges. People come for hundreds of miles to take part in this 10 day festival. This painting is a tribute to these classic structures. [...]

These beautiful pots certainly rival the flowers planted in them. The combination of warm tones against the cool blues of the porch cry out to be painted. This scene can be found in Fairfield, IL. Painting SOLD [...]

If you've ever been through the panhandle of Texas or adjoining Oklahoma you know how barren the land is. Nothing but antelope. I often wonder how the livestock exist in such bleak surroundings. and yet there is something beautiful about the simplicity of the landscape. Simplicity is what compelled me to paint this picture. I wanted to see if I could create an interesting visual affect with a minimal amount of subject matter. [...]

One of these days I'm gonna have the good fortune to visit the ocean....for more than one day on the run. I'd love to spend a week on a quiet beach with nothing but my wife and my easel. Now that would be a vacation. [...]

This painting was a new venture for me. I read a tutorial by Charles Reid about painting from black and white photos. A good friend gave me this picture from the 1800's that was taken in northern Wayne County, IL. It's harder than one would think to colorize shades of gray. [...]

Randy was a chipmunk that invaded mine and my wife's campsite years ago. The little fellow made an impression on us. Even today we occasionally find ourselves reminiscing about him. When one of my friends who is a subscriber made a trip to Colorado this summer, he took this shot. I love the almost "negative" film effect of the photo. I tried to maintain that in the painting while adding a little creative flair with a splattered background. [...]

My youngest son is spending the summer working for a harvesting crew. He visited Glacier while working in Montana. I'm not sure what the name of this lake is, but it is beautiful. The photo he provided was somewhat overcast and gray. I beefed up the colors a bit, however, they are not as vivid as they appear (at least on my monitor). I think that is one of the biggest frustrations as an artist using technology, I can't capture a totally accurate representation of my art. I can get close, but no cigar. [...]

Complexity of cityscapes can be overwhelming. My goal of painting New York City, accented by the World Trade Center Towers, was to simplify the detail and let color, rather than detail, do the talking. [...]

I am going to take another stab at blogging. Sort of a litmus test, if you well. While investigating blogging I stumbled across Debra Groesser's website and fell in love with her work. I'd encourage you to visit her website. I can just imagine setting up my easel on a ridge overlooking this bay as the sun sets. Perhaps one day that opportunity will come my way. One thing I am trying to do with my new project is break away from the constraints that kept me painting the same old way. I'm trying for more vibrant colors. I hope they work. I'd love [...]