I Went to the Woods

Here's one from a few weeks back.

I Went to the Woods
16" x 20", oil

Spring Flowers and Trees

Fresh off the outdoor easel.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1476010/spring-flowers-with-trees

Spring Flowers and Trees
18" x 24", oil, plein air

Above the Islands

Talked to a family of about 25 while painting on this one today. A joyful experience.

Above the Islands
16" x 20", oil, plein air

Into the Woods

Painted this one at the state park this evening. Couldn't ask for more beautiful weather today! Reorganized the gallery today, hung lots of new stuff, and got to paint.

Into the Woods
18" x 24", oil, plein air

Testing a New Hanging System

I'm trying to work on my studio/gallery to make things easier to change around the painting display, so I can have mini-shows in my gallery space every month or two. The bane of my existence when it comes to hanging pictures is the hangers you nail into the wall. It's a pain in the butt and takes way too much time to get things right.

There are hanging systems out there that would be perfect for me, but I just don't have the jack. You know... money. These systems can be quite expensive. So I thought I'd see if I could rig up a system of my own at a much lower cost.

In the pics below you can see some of the components I've used in my effort.

Here's what I used:

Metal carpet strip. The kind that has all the sharp little points to grab the carpet, but it has to be the kind that is used to end the carpet at a point like a doorway, or where the carpet would end at the edge of an open room and transition to wood or tiles, etc. The strip has an angled lip that sticks up that works perfect for me to hang an "S" hook on. (In real carpet circumstances that lip would be hammered down flat trapping the edge of the carpet.)

The hanging wire is 3/16 wire rope made into a loop at each end with the use of a grommet. I measured my wall and determined two lengths (one for upper paintings and one for lower) of 2' and 4' respectively. Both are actually longer than I need.

I use a small cable clamp to shorten the wire rope to the length I need for the specific painting, by simply folding the wire at the length I need and inserting the fold through the clamp and tightening the nuts. I then hang an "S" hook from this loop made with the clamp.

This works very well. EXCEPT for one problem I encountered. Since I attached the carpet strip to a 1"x4" located at the top of my wall, the wire was hanging to far from the wall itself for the paintings to hang flat and steady. To remedy this I installed a line of wooden dowels under the 1x4 on the wall itself. I did this by installing eye screws every foot and sliding the dowels through the holes. When hanging I simply put the wire behind the dowel rods and hook them to the strip above. The dowel now holds the wire close to the wall and let's the paintings hang as they should.

I'll paint the paintable parts of the system so that it blends with the wall color to make it less conspicuous. All that will really be noticeable should be the wire, and not that much.

Total cost for 36 feet of system, able to hang at least two paintings high, is about $90 - $100.

Bovine Leisure Time

Finished this one up this morning. I like cows.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1471195/bovine-leisure-time

Bovine Leisure Time
16" x 20", oil

Lawson's Bottom Barns

Painted this one at Lawson's Bottom today. Since it's fresh off the easel, I'm giving it my "Off the Easel" unframed, sale price through tonight ONLY. After that is is back to regular price. If you want to see the painting with the price, on my website, follow the link.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1470155/lawsons-bottom-barns

Lawson's Bottom Barns
16" x 20", oil, plein air

Best of Show and a Merit Award

This past Friday, May 9th, I was honored to have received a Best of Show Award along with a Merit Award for two separate paintings I had entered in the Artworks, Inc. Member Exhibition in Bowling Green, KY.

 Receiving an award from David Jones on Friday, May 9th.

 Best of Show Award Winner.

Merit Award Winner.

 Not the best pic of me, eyes half closed, but it is me with the winning painting.

Falls at Mill Springs

Timed this one just right today, between the rainstorms. I saw so many potential paintings at this spot. Definitely going back.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1464730/falls-at-mill-springs

Falls at Mill Springs
16" x 20", oil, plein air

Turner Creek in Spring

I love this creek, this farm, and the people that inhabit the place. Thanks to the Turner family for allowing me access.

Buy this painting HERE!

Turner Creek in Spring
20" x 16", oil

Three Trees in Spring

Here's a larger plein air piece I did this weekend. I like painting big outside, especially when the weather is so nice. Sure glad Spring is here.

http://bnguffey.com/works/1459333/three-trees-in-spring

Three Trees in Spring
28" x 22", oil, plein air