country creek

I remember stopping to photograph this particular creek, a little nervous since there were several large trucks passing by at the same time. The creek is on a farm in the heart of Holmes County, Ohio's Amish country, and happens to be next to one of the better-known cheesemakers. Thus, what would otherwise be a tranquil dairy farm seems more like a busy small-town street.

white clouds

This week I painted a larger piece with billowing clouds, something I do not normally attempt, preferring the vague, hazy sky of deep summer. It was remarkably fun though, so when I stumbled across this image with similar formations, I thought it would make a good choice for a daily piece.

convergence

I was drawn to this landscape because of the way the fields come together and draw the eye deep into the distance. I find myself jumping back and forth to images with plenty of deep space and images that are close and confining. Both have their own suspense, comfort, and mystery.

red delicious

Tonight I started teaching again, this time an intro to painting class. I stopped by the Farmer's Market this afternoon and picked up a bag of fresh fruit, which is my preference for beginning subject matter. Nice, simple round shapes and direct color mixing lend to the simplest introduction for a new painter. My first painting instructor in art school, Jack Endewelt, made us render various fruits and vegetabes in pencil for six weeks before we were even allowed to touch paint. At least my students should be painting by next week!

chris j

Tonight I decided to paint our new friend Chris J (technically my new friend since Derek has known him for several years). He has been staying with us while he works near Nashville, and he has been enlightening us on such eccentricities as Nashville's best skater hangouts, Mac keyboard shortcuts, and the best place to shop for a kayak. Tabla player extraordinaire, adoring husband, and all around good guy, Chris is a creative force to be reckoned with. Check out his website at www.tealmoon.org.

golden field edge

I have taken a couple of days off in anticipation of a long week in the studio this week, but today found it necessary to begin thinking about possible images for larger pieces, and making sketches accordingly. I found this image from Iowa as an appealing choice for a long horizontal format, with beautiful golden tones and a heavy sky.