Climate Conversation Tree Number 21 - Its BIG!

This is the 21st drawing in my Climate Conversation tree series and it is very large. It is six by three feet in size on paper. I began this drawing by going into the woods near Penland and finding this very scared tree. I rolled the paper into thirds and rubbed different parts of the tree. Then I came back into my studio and used the marks provided by the tree to add details and contrast. 

So it is representational of a real tree, but the interior marks become very abstract. 

Winter Storm Returns

This is the painting that started it all for me professionally as an artist. This is part of a series I painted of a Steeple Chase field in Louisville Kentucky. The field was at the end of the street where my wife Maura grew up. As part of the exhibition, my 1st in a gallery, I made a print of this painting which sold out. However, one print has returned to me. Its nice to see it again.  

Mountain to Sea Trail Color Pencil Drawings Part 2

Just having a great time with these pastel sketches. They are 7 x 10 inches, so an easy small size. I am trying to complete in one or two sittings at my studio. For this one, I got down in the weeds or wildflowers so to speak! 

Mountain to Sea Trail Color Pencil Drawings

Maura and I went hiking along the Mountain to Sea Trail near Sparta, NC. This is where the trail runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Easy access! Then we went to the Thistle Meadow Winery in Laurel Springs for a glass of wine! Wonderful day. 

These are fun patels in my sketchbook. More flat areas of color than my normal paintings. 

Tree Series to date - 10 drawings

  The Tree Series so far. Drawing 1 to 10.

Garden of the Gods painting Finished

I am very happy with many parts of this painting. The mid-ground with the sage green hills and the red rocks came out very well. The contrast in values and colors are both working to make the red rocks stand out. I added a lot of flowers to the foreground than were in the photo. It is a very active painting full of motion

Garden of the Gods Painting

Here is the painting with the reference photo and my glasses for a size comparison. 

 Step 1: I begin to put big areas of underlying color in the foreground and midground.

 Step 2: The second layer of more detail is added to the garden bed of plants and the rock formations.

Step 3: Another layer of color and details to the spruce tree and midground trees and bushes.

Step 4: The mountain range is masked and the sky put in. The sky is three layers of color.

Step 5: The sky is toned down some, more clouds added. Hard edges in the sky were removed. The mountain range is begun with two layers of green. 

Vicarious Exhibition: Fire Series

The Elder Gallery of Contemporary Art is hosting an exhibition of art by Veterans. I am one of the featured artists and veterans. These paintings from my fire series will be in the exhibition. The above watercolor is titles Cave Fire. The fire in this painting illuminates petroglyphs from the American Southwest. It is 18 x 24 inches. I used a layering technique which resulted in over 20 layers of color.

Fire Light, Acrylic on canvas.

Flame, watercolor on paper.

Drawings at Veterans Bridge Home

Until the end of November, these drawings on exhibit at the Veterans Bridge Home in Charlotte. The link to the VBH is: http://veteransbridgehome.org/. You can visit any time during normal business hours Monday to Friday.

The drawings in this post are ones I did recently in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They are close up details of pine trees on the Arrowmont Art School property. I used a lot of texture on these, even going so far as to rub the paper onto the tree itself.

 I drew these from life, sitting outside with a drawing board. During the week I was drawing we saw a few bear wandering around. Once I thought a bear was walking down the trail I was on, but it was just a human running.

 All of the drawings are 18 x 24 inches. I used 2B to 8B pencils. The texture is offset by a few delicate small branches.

Foggy Landscape Series III

Background complete, foreground tree 1st three layers of color.

Detail.

Dry brush texture added to tree trunk.

Detail

Original pencil sketch, drawn outside.

Foggy Landscape Series Work in Progress

 Here is some work in progress on my foggy landscape series.  

Great gnarly tree.  I think it looks like grandpa Tree at Discovery Place, a children's museum in Charlotte.

 You an barely see the blue ridge mountains in the distance.  The following images are close up details of several paintings.

 

 

  

Foggy Landscape Series

This is the beginning of a new series I am working on. I began painting o it in the NC mountains a few weeks ago. This is 8 x 10 watercolor on paper.

Rocky Mountain Landscape almost Finished

The top photo shows the painting is almost complete. Looking from the bottom photo to the top you can see how I built up the shadows and textures on the fence in the foreground. I worked on adding the white tree trunks to the background treeline. Then, I added a lot of green to the field in front of the cabin. Also, the cabin became a shade darker with darker shadows. Between each of these steps I take a few days and look at the painting, living with it for a while to see what it needs next.