"Tomato and Green" - SOLD

I realize I am in need of some new painting material. The green glass was fun to paint. Maybe I'll get some more tinted glass.

I seem to go back to certain colors more often than others on my pallet. Even when I do not have that color in my painting I will find some way to use it in a mixture. The color I use the most (and buy the most frequently) is cadmium lemon yellow. All of my other colors can go dry and useless but cad lemon is always fresh. I use a fair amount of viridian as well. So, I am actually very curious about the colors others use most frequently.

"Roll and Glass" - SOLD

Okay, so this one may be a little strange. I don't know if the roll looks like a roll (you tell me). I tend to go with the idea that if you get the color right then the details do not matter as much. But I look at this painting, scratch my head and say, "That does not look like a convincing roll, maybe a potato, but not a roll".

"Apple and Glass" - SOLD

I think I starting to get some better volume lately. Sometimes we have to relearn things we used to know but somehow forgot along the way. And, then we hit our heads with our palm and say "duh".

I guess that is one of the fun things about painting. We continually grow and hopefully become better. And if not better then at least we have fun along the way just swinging the brush.

"Cup and Kazoo" - SOLD

The cup and kazoo are sitting on my apron. The apron is one I found when we moved. It comes from a paper supply store, so that's why there is an image of a truck. I thought I would try to paint a little bit of perspective today along with the other random objects. I like painting random objects. I guess its kinda like poetry or something similar.

"The Glass Stage" - SOLD

Ahhhhh. Some color - finally.

"Plums" - SOLD

I used more paint than normal painting this one. I tend to paint with more paint every once in a while, but usually with devastating results. However, I think this one turned out okay.

"Rocks" - SOLD

I am sure it is innate for all kids to gather rocks. I know I did. Well, with our new house comes a new yard and from time to time I will see piles of rocks grouped together. I'm not quite sure who the culprit is but I am guessing my 4-year-old son may have something to do with it. So, looking for subject matter I came across a little pile of unassuming rocks and decided to give them the spotlight.

"Teapot and Tomato" - SOLD

This is another ceramic masterpiece made by my sister. I really like the blue in this. The cool breaks up the warms and gives more interest in the painting overall. The handle was extremely hard to paint, I think it was moving.

Here is a funny story. I was in the store the other day picking out a variety of peppers and other fruits and veggies that caught my eye. I took my strange assortment of object to pay and the cashier asked what I was planning on doing with what seemed like odd ingredients. I said, "I'm going to paint them". She just stopped and gave me the strangest look and then said, "Well, have fun with that".

"Bowl with Lemon" - SOLD

I think I can start calling myself a daily painter again. I now paint at night. I will most likely post my paintings the next day. Painting at night is a bit harder, because I am more tired but oh well. I am happy to get back into the daily routine. I think my work improves the more I stay consistent.

"Ceramic and Red" - SOLD

As a general rule I never eat anything I paint (food items I mean). So, its kind of sad to paint these two garden tomatoes knowing I can never eat them.

I have posted some artists links below on the right. They are a few of the artists I know. I have taken workshops from Brad Slaugh, David Dornan, Paul Davis, and Doug Braithwaite. The Helper workshops are fantastic. John Erickson was my teacher in college and is probably my main influence. Zach Proctor, Lane Bennion, and Joseph Alleman are friends of whom I have also learned a great deal.

Anyway, check them out. They are worth your time.

Oh yeah, and sorry for not painting very much this week. We have been adjusting our schedules a bit and still working out the flow. Don't give up on me.

"Glass and Yellow" - SOLD

I wish I had painted this one a little bigger - fill up the board a little more. My scale has shrunk with use of these smaller boards. I catch myself painting too small and then reminding myself to paint larger. I guess that can be next weeks goal.

"Off The Line" - SOLD

I like this little honey bear. The bear is fun to paint. Go ahead-give it a try.

"Ceramic and Green" - SOLD

The thing I like about painting daily (or at least trying to) is that we can have a fresh start everyday. There are so many times where I will put on the final brush stroke and think why in the world did I use brown for my background.

"Cup and Onion" - SOLD

Well I kind of disappeared for a month and a half. We went through the process of remodeling and moving into a home. I've moved my studio to the basement of our home, and now I have to deal with the new lighting. I always have a hard time adjusting to new setups. Figuring out the lights usually takes me about two weeks. Right now, I'm wishing I had my old studio back. I'm sure things will work out. I'm happy to be swinging the brush again, yeehaw!

"August Vegetables"

"Untitled"

I'm back.

"Alta Trees" - SOLD

This one is done near my home. I have hiked around this area for years. There is nothing very significant about these three trees. Off to the left and right were dozens of other trees. What is fun about painting outdoors is not having to set up anything-everythings is ready to paint. I have not yet decided if I will go back into the studio next week. I guess we will see.

"The Pond"

This one may be a little harder to understand. I was looking down at a pond with the reflection of the bank in the water, and moss is floating in the pond. Painting outdoors certainly gives us a time limit. The colors around us change with each hour causing some funny shifts.

"Devils Creek"

I painted this one a little differently. First I blocked in all of the main colors, and then after I went and placed modifying colors on top of the thinner layer. I was careful not to put too much paint on and allowed for the thin layer to show through.

"Pleasantview Reservoir" - SOLD

This is my first landscape of the summer. The sun kept peeking in and out of the clouds which was a little bit of a challenge. I used a lot of paint and kept moving it around until I ended with this.