Yellow Truck

Streetcar and a Grant!

Below is a detail shot from the painting.

Got word yesterday that I've been awarded a grant through the Kentucky Arts Council. It's a Individual Artist Professional Development Grant to be used for workshops and other things. Since I'll be attending a Ken Auster workshop in less than two weeks I already had the fiscal end of the event worked out. That made it all the more easy to fill out the necessary paperwork/application with an itemized list. It was also a juried award, which means the Panel first, and then the Board, had to approve of my work samples, which makes me feel good.

Interstate circa 1900

Old roadbed next to Cedar Creek in Cumberland County, Kentucky.

Cover

New York Alley

My largest piece yet, measuring in at 48" high by 24" wide.

City Rain

Smokey Mountain Stream

Cab on 8th Avenue NYC

Creek Bed

Did this plein air piece today at Salem Park in Cumberland County, Kentucky. I've changed paint and support at present to get ready for a workshop coming up next month. The paint is Classic Artist Oils. The support is still masonite, but instead of priming it with polyurethane and then gesso, I'm using a basic acrylic latex semi-gloss house paint. Definitely a different feel all around.

Let me know what you think.

Market Street

Another Google Street View.

Cedar Study

Deli in a Red Dress

The format of this one intrigued me. Caught this moment in time from Google Street View. Outside the Stop 1 Deli in New York City.

Guarding the Entrance

Did this plein air this afternoon at Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park in Cumberland County, Kentucky.

Late Summer Weeds

A beautiful afternoon today. Partly cloudy, a slight breeze, with temps hovering around 80. Painted this en plein air on the Mosby Farm on Allen Creek in Cumberland County, Kentucky. The colorful plants are actually weeds that are four feet tall. Really pretty...purple, red, white and yellow ones.

Just the kind that likes to harbor my arch enemy this summer; the dreaded chigger. I was standing in the middle of thousands, so we'll see tomorrow. After having been bitten by the little bugs many times this summer, I know that the next day is the easy one. Usually only a few bites show up then, but the following couple of days are horrible. The bites seem to multiply, and nothing seems to slow the itch.

9" x 12", oil on masonite panel, en plein air

Courthouse Square

Finally finished this painting tonight. It's a view of the Courthouse Square in Burkesville, Kentucky. The painting will be auctioned at the Esther House's annual event, Esther's Evening of Hope. My wife has worked hard for the past couple of years to start this long-term home for battered women and their children. It should be open by the end of the year, so things are starting to move very quickly at this point. The EOH is the non-profit organization's largest fundraiser of the year, so it is very important that lots of money be raised, and lots of hearts and lives be touched.

This was painted on a cradled 3/4 inch birch hardwood panel in oil, and measures 24" x 36" unframed. It will be framed before the event, and can been viewed locally at the Cumberland County News office on the square in Burkesville.

Family Art Day ~ Shaker Village

My family and I went on an art outing today to the Shaker Museum at South Union just west of Bowling Green, Kentucky. We had a great time, although the girls got finished and bored while I was only about half through, so they went in search of ice cream.

Below is Kelly, Katy and Rylea Beth.

This one would be me and my finished painting.

If you look hard enough you can see the girls all gathered together between my setup and the building.

Below are the girls' efforts. Can't put a name to each or I would be sleeping outside. ;)

This is my effort for the day.

What a great day we had! Can't wait to plan the next one.

Moth Resistant

I guess I should explain the title of this piece. These are cedar trees...

Cove at Hay Hollow

Did this painting en plein air at Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park today. I walked probably a mile from the parking area next to the dock around the shoreline until I got to the most inland point of Hay Hollow. A BUSY day on the lake as Labor Day weekend has arrived. It will be a mass exodus on Monday. Oil on masonite panel.

Below the Falls

Did this plein air piece before work this morning. The spot is located just below the falls at Salem Park in Cumberland County, Kentucky. With the recent rain there was actually water in the creek, but only a trickle coming over the falls.

Tenant Farmer's Wife & WIP

I did the painting above tonight, hoping it might make a good companion piece to the Chopping Cotton painting. I figure with matching frames they'll look okay on the same wall. Did this one with a limited palette just like the one before. Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Winsor Yellow, white and black. This one doesn't seem to have as much color as the last one. I hope it works. It's 20" x 16, oil on masonite panel.

Tha painting below is a work-in-progress. A cityscape of downtown Burkesville, Kentucky, that will be framed and auctioned off during Esther's Evening of Hope in October. EEH is a fundraiser for my wife's non-profit organization, Esther House - A Home for Battered Women and their Children. It's large at 24" x 36", oil painted on birch hardwood 3/4" thick panel. It's getting close. Just need to add the truck at left, the church at right, finish the street and telephone poles.

Let me know what you think about either of these two.