Daybreak

6"x6' Oil on Panel

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“The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here.” –Selections from Romans 13:11-12

“Rise and Shine” is the inspiration for this year’s Advent artwork and design created for First Presbyterian Church, Franklin. The scriptures for this season are about visions, dreams and the dawning of God’s kingdom. The texts also call us to be active participants of God’s new day.

Advent is a time of twilight hope with dreams of peace and joy. As we continue to wake up, we rub our groggy eyes as they adjust to the soft light of God’s love surrounding us. It’s also the time to get up, stretch, and be about the daily work that God has called us to do. Through the gift of Advent, God is making us “Morning People.”

So wake up everybody. 

Let’s get ready to go to work for God’s kingdom. 

It’s going to be a beautiful day.

Sure On This Shining Night

20"x24" 

Oil on Canvas

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Sure on this shining night

Of starmade shadows round,

Kindness must watch for me

This side the ground.

The late year lies down the north. 

All is healed, all is health.

High summer holds the earth.

Hearts all whole.

Sure on this shining night 

I weep for wonder 

Wandering far alone

Of shadows on the stars.

– James Agee

Choral Arrangement by by Morten Lauridsen

Listen Here

Hills and Valleys

Hills and Valleys

30"x40" Oil on Deep Edge Canvas

Available Here

God is LORD of the hills and the valleys. 

Come what may we belong to God.

Thank you for all of the blessings in 2018.

And especially for your prayers.

May God's love surround you all in the new year.

Wonder of Light

Wonder of Light

12"x12" Oil on Deep Edge Canvas

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As the year comes to an end, it is a great time to pause and reflect on we've been and where we want to go. Here is a recent landscape abstract which contains art lessons that can apply to our lives as we contemplate the new year.

1. Gray is a beautiful color.
So many look at gray as depressing and drab. There is so much delicate beauty in all of the many kinds of gray. There are warm grays, cool grays, brown grays, blue grays, green grays and so much more.

Our society polarizes more and more into camps of defined color. (Black & White, Red and Blue, etc.) We need to learn to recognize the mixing and bleeding of gray mid-tones in life and culture. If we can do that, we can better live together as children of God.

2. Look for the light.
As a painter, I spend a lot of time observing light and trying to mimic the effects of light on canvas. Compositionally, light directs the eye around the painting. Light changes as the day progresses. As a plain-air painter, I have to bee quick to capture the light of a certain moment before it changes or goes away altogether. Light guides us. Light reveals. Light brings color.

There is plenty of darkness in our lives. If we think about light as Jesus taught, we remember that God is light and we are light as well. We need to be lovers of the light. We need to be looking for it always—and following it. We should be seekers of the subtle affects and colors that light brings and helping others to recognize just how much we are surrounded with light. We need to bear our own light to the world. St. Francis of Assisi once said, "For all of us would be blind if not for the Light of the World."

3. Find your source.
For me, nature and water are sources of renewal. I love to stand near a running rocky river, observing it's motions and listening to its sounds. Nature brings me closer to the hear of my creator. In nature there are no straight lines or right angles. In nature, everything is fractal and curvy. Painting nature is so much more forgiving than painting man-made things and structures. For me, there is no greater art teacher than nature.

It's very important to find something, someone or some place that inspires you and renews you. We all need to find our own sanctuary from the world's distractions and draw near to God.

Frost at Dawn

24"x24"

Oil on Deep Edged Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

I'm really enjoying abstract landscape painting!

40 Days: Day 36: On the Lake

18"x24"
Oil on Canvas

Commissioned

Daily painting is not all about one painting a day. 
Here's one of the many other projects I've been working on.
Commissioned by a fellow lake loving family.

May this lake's serenity bring you some peace today.

Winter Wandering

18"x24"
Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

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My first painting of 2017. This organic abstract was inspired by impressions gathered from a walk in the snow.

Radnor Winter

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

My last plein-air painting of the year. And what a way to finish! It's amazing how cold and wind will add loose, expressive strokes to a painting as one hurries to get it done. This was painted at Radnor Lake—a favorite hiking spot for our family. I have learned so much from my plein-air adventures this year. I can't wait to see what new adventures, and lessons,  await in the new year. 

Ravenswood Mansion & A Walk in the Park

9"x12" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

FOR AUCTION

Lately, I've been working on some paintings to benefit Brentwood Green Space, an organization that exists to help citizens manage community growth while maintaining and preserve parks and green areas. This house, "Ravenswood", is a restored home in Smith Park. The home is now a venue for special events. Behind the home are miles of beautiful park trails. 

This painting will be on display at the Brentwood Library through October 30th. There is an auction to purchase the painting at BrentwoodGreenSpace.com. The painting will then be awarded to the highest bidder  at the special event, A Walk in the Park, at Smith Park on October 30, from 1 to 5 PM. 

As a bonus to all of the hayrides, pumpkin decorating, live music , BBQ and sweets, I will be selling paintings in the Ravenswood mansion. Some of the paintings are scenes from Smith Park trails. Be on the lookout for new paintings to come.

September Sunlight

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

Another day at the barn, horsing around, while my daughter rides. This time, I had some visitors watch me paint from behind—as shown in the photo below. 

There is now a new way to purchase my paintings. Click the link names "Click Here To Purchase." The link will take you to my new website—including a store where you can select and purchase with a click.

Shady Spot and A Place of Renewal and Reflection

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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Today's post is a shady sycamore painted en plein air for the Chestnut Group art event benefiting the Harpeth River Watershed. 

Painting outdoors is always a renewing experience. But this spot was particularly special for me. This tree lives by a pond on a farm which used to belong to the Christian/Pop singer Amy Grant. Back in the 90s, she hosted regular music/worship events in the barn on her farm. As a college student, I went to a couple of those events. They were very renewing for my faith life at that time. Returning over 20 years later to that same space as a painter gave me a lot to think about. I thought about where I've been and where I am now as both a person of faith and as an artist. I have much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for the gifts of renewing moments. I'm thankful for the gift of art and what it has done for my life. I'm thankful for the simple gifts of shady spots in nature—resting beside still waters. And most importantly, I'm thankful for a loving and patient God who gives all of those gifts and so much more.




You can learn more about the Chestnut Group event "Scenes of the Harpeth" here:

Scenes of the Harpeth

Horsing Around: Empty Nest

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

My youngest daughter has taken up horseback riding lessons. I decided to take the opportunity to use the hour lesson time to work on some quick-draw plein air painting. 

When we arrived this time, all of the horses were out in the field to graze and run around—which left the barn empty and quiet. I have always been fascinated by the value differences in this scene. The dark barn doorway contrasted by the bright, distant, atmospheric pasture makes me want to run out and play too.

Spring Creek

6"x8" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

I was blessed to have had a return visit to NaCoMe conference center this past weekend. It is a sacred place for our family. At the heart of the campground is a spring-fed creek. I spent some time standing on the creekside rocks painting this scene. I especially enjoyed the little speckles of wildflowers. 

It rained a bit on me this time. I learned a lot about what to do and what NOT to do when it rains on your oil paint palette. My wife impressed me with her creative bushcraft skills by securing an umbrella to my easel with long blades of grass.

Many artists have core subjects they often return to. One of mine is rivers and streams. The experience of standing on the banks, listening to the soft rush of water, is so renewing for my soul. And they have new lessons to teach a painter—every time.

Cold Creek

8x10

Oil on Panel

SOLD

We had a decent snow the other day for Tennessee. 

Today, I ventured out to the creek for a plain-air adventure. 

It was a blast.

Cozumel & Clouds

12x16

Oil on Canvas

Available

As the temperatures continue to drop, 
I'm keeping a caribbean state of mind 
with this memory for Cozumel.

Snowy Bend

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 24

Finally, we saw some snow this morning!

Fire & Ice 18"x24"

18"x24" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 8

Going big again. This time I painted an 24"x18" enlargement of one of favorite landscapes from last year's 30. It is of a fiery sunrise lighting the hilltop of a frozen landscape. 

Summer Sunset

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 7

Thinking of warmer days last July. Sunsets are always worth preserving.

Winter Trees

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 2

Longing for some snow in Tennessee this winter, here is a painting of snow covered trees from our travels through Kentucky.

Winter Trees

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

30 Paintings in 30 Days: January, 2015—Day 2

Longing for some snow in Tennessee this winter, here is a painting of snow covered trees from our travels through Kentucky.