Barney Ford

Did this portrait this afternoon. This is Barney Ford. He was an escaped slave who prospered and became a prominent entrepreneur and black civil rights pioneer in Colorado. In 1880, Ford became the first black businessman in Breckenridge when he opened Ford’s Restaurant and Chop House. My current studio is next door to the Barney Ford House which he and his wife lived in for many years.

Also including a couple of pics of the snow we're having right now. We're supposed to have up to a foot tonight.

Barney Ford
16" x 20", charcoal

Father Dyer Methodiat Church

Did this one this morning. The building is the Father Dyer Methodist Church in Breckenridge, CO. Father Dyer was the Snowshoe Itinerant Preacher. Back in the day when there was no other way through the Rocky Mountains, he used snowshoes and skis, 12 foot planks, going from mining town to mining town, delivering mail and preaching the Word. He planted this church in Breckenridge in the 1880's, I believe, which is still going strong today.

Father Dyer Methodist Church
16" x 20", oil, plein air

Blue River #1

Here's today's outdoor painting effort. This  is my first full day in Breckenridge, Colorado. Here for 5 weeks as Guest Artist at the Tin Shop in the Arts District. I stood by the Blue for about three hours painting this one. Hard for me to judge the colors in the pic on my laptop. I'll check it out after dark and adjust if need be.

"Blue River #1"
16" x 20", oil, plein air

Japan

Here's a small one I did for this month's Virtual Paintout (link to the VPO is the right sidebar ---->).

Japan
5" x 7", oil, palette knife

Collage of select self portraits

Barns and Creek

Started this one on location and finished in the studio.

Barns and Creek
16" x 20", oil

Fun with #8 flat

This was a fun one with a larger bristle brush. I'll get a better pic when it dries.

16" x 12", on stretched canvas

2 Hour Head Study (mine)

Did this quick study today. I've been drawing so many portraits in charcoal lately that I thought I'd add some color. So I picked my cheapest model and let the paint fly.

Head Study - March 9, 2011
12" x 9", oil

Wash

Here's a quick one for this coming month's Virtual Paintout. I know it looks like I haven't been doing much artwise lately, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm finishing up 15 charcoal portraits for a show at a gallery in Bowling Green, Ky that should happen on April 1st. But I can't show any of the drawings until the show happens. Can't let the cat out of the bag.

"Wash", 5" x 7", oil on canvas panel

500 FOLLOWERS! Woo Hoo!!

Thank you. Thankyouverymuch. (said with my best Elvis voice)

Pretty incredible a country boy from a little town in Kentucky could have 500 followers on my blog. I do appreciate the attention to my posts, and hope you've all enjoyed the ride so far. I'm far from done though, with lots of art and life stuff to talk about with you. And I do see a fluctuation in followers; lose one and gain one every week or so. So if the number dips back down under the 500 mark, that's okay...it will rise again. By the way, my other blog, the Virtual Paintout has about 540 followers as of today.

I'm currently sending in submissions to a few of shows, applying for grants and fellowships, working my butt off trying to get a series of charcoal portraits finished (about half way done), and getting ready to embark on a month long artist residence in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

You folks rock!

February Field

This one was an effort today. It rained and snowed with high wind gusts that took my hat more than once. I could whine a lot more but I won't. I still had a good time.

February Field
16" x 20", oil, plein air

Article on The Atlantic magazine website.

There's an article that went live today on The Atlantic magazine website, about me and my Street View State Series I did back in 2009. Here's a link...

The Atlantic Bill Guffey Article

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/02/artist-travels-the-united-states-finds-inspiration-using-google/70788/

Ode to Spring

Come on warm weather!

"Ode to Spring"
18" x 24", oil

Shem Creek

Finally finished this one today. Visited Charleston, SC back in early December and stayed across the bridge at the Shem Creek Inn. This was the view from their deck one morning.

Shem Creek
22" x 28", oil

One Month Artist Residency in Colorado!

I got offered an artist residency in Breckenridge, Colorado today! It will last for a month in the late Spring.  The town of Breckenridge (where I lived from 1985 - 1995) is at an elevation of 9600 feet in the Rocky Mountains. The Arts District there has a building called the Tin Shop with studio space on the ground floor and living quarters upstairs.

Here's a link

Salem Park

I've done many paintings in the creek at Salem Park. It really is a beautiful place. Here's yesterday's effort there, with a link to a sped up video of the painting during progress.

Salem Park Video

Salem Park
16" x 20", oil

2010 Outdoor Paintings Video

Here's a video/slideshow of my outdoor painting efforts from last year.

2010 Paintings

Crossing

Did this one today. Not nearly as cold as it has been. Although snow still lingers in many places.

"How cold was it?"

"It was so cold today!"

"How cold was it?"

"It was so cold my drink froze."
"It was so cold my fingers hurt almost as soon I took the gloves off."
"It was so cold my beard froze."

Yes. Another enjoyable day painting outside. The wind was the only problem. I seemed to have a constant breeze coming from up the field, straight into my face. My guess is the wind chill was easily down in the teens. I didn't realize how cold it actually was until I reached for my drink and found thick slush. That was probably about an hour into the painting.

"Cold Day on the Creek"
16" x 20", oil

New Years Day Painting Demo (in the rain)

I thought I'd share some in progress shots of this painting I did today. Painted about 3 1/2 to 4 hours on location and touched up a bit in the studio. It rained for most of the outdoor session, so I used my umbrella to protect the palette and painting. I got a little wet and was mired in the mud by the time I left. Overall a rather enjoyable experience.

Happy New Year!

"Rainy New Years Day"
16" x 20", oil