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.

Angel

11"x14" Oil on Canvas

with Palette Knife

COMMISSIONED

Today's post is a commissioned portrait of Angel, a horse at the barn where my daughter rides. Fall is here—which is a great time to commission a portrait or conceptual painting from me. To order a commission, simply email me and we'll discuss the details.

Horsing Around

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

Click Here to Purchase

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 of the other horses in the field.  

I totally underestimated the intelligence of the beautiful animals. As I set up next to the fence, all of the horses came over to watch me construct my french easel. But once I was ready to paint, all of the horses went far down the field to graze out of range from my painting efforts. “No matter.” I thought. “I'll just paint the field and when they come back around, I'll paint the horses in.” But when the time came to paint in the horses, their dinner bell rang and they all galloped out of the field to eat. Fortunately, they soon returned. But instead of grazing in my view, they went to the OTHER far side of the field to graze. I did my best to capture shapes and colors from far away. Once time was up and I packed everything up to leave, I looked up and they were all back in the middle to graze. Touché.

So today's post is the result of my efforts from that day.

Hopefully, next time they will be a little less shy. We shall see.

Sleepy Sheep

8"x10" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 28

This sleepy sheep, laying around in his barn, is my last installment of paintings to bring awareness for Heifer International. But fear not. There is still one painting left in the 30 days challenge.

Sheep give families around the world wool and meat. The wool is used to make clothing and other things to sell. Sheep usually give birth to twin lambs. They can eat grass on rocky and steep land or live in a small barn where food is brought to them. Their manure can be gathered and used in the garden.

Please take a moment to visit the Heifer Internaitonal website and learn more about ending world hunger "The Heifer Way."

Pumpkin Patch

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 27

One of my favorite things to do is to roam through a pumpkin patch.

Hay!

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

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30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 24

Lately, I've been seeing a lot of these guys around.

Field of Beans

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD!

30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 22

Colors of fall are starting to crop up all around Middle Tennessee—as illustrated by this beautiful field of soy beans off the highway.

Willie the Pig

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 13

Meet Willie the pig. He is a resident at the Heifer Ranch in Arkansas. He loves eating and laying around in the barn. This angle was particularly difficult to paint, but getting his expression was worth the effort.

Pig gift donations are an excellent fit for some of the poorest families Heifer serves. Your donation not only supplies a pig for a family, it will also educate them in its care and feeding. Each donation of a pig:

• Produces as many as 16 piglets that can be sold for income 

• Creates a steady supply of organic fertilizer, increasing crop yields

By providing much needed protein and nourishment, a pig donation can help pull a family from under the crushing burden of hunger. And thanks to the income earned from selling the offspring, your gift of a pig has the power to uplift entire communities.

I hope you take a moment to visit the Heifer Internaitonal website and learn more about ending world hunger "The Heifer Way."

Chicken Run

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 8

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get away for the artist trying to take his picture! 

Chickens lay many eggs a year. Our bodies get the same good from eating eggs as from eating meat. Chickens like to eat bugs, seeds, and weeds. They are good at feeding themselves. Most of us like to eat chicken meat. Because they are small, a whole chicken can be eaten at one meal—no refrigeration needed.

I hope you take a moment to visit the Heifer Internaitonal website and learn more about ending world hunger "The Heifer Way."

Four O'Clock Rooster

6"x6" Oil on Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days: September, 2014—Day 3

Today begins one of my new themes for the 30 day challenge. Throughout the month, I will be painting subjects related to bringing awareness for Heifer Internaitonal. Heifer International's mission is to work with communities to end world hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth. Instead of donating money to people and governments, they provide animals and crops. They help communities build sustainability in ways that monetary contributions don't. 

One of the animals that Heifer International provides is the chicken. Chickens lay many eggs a year. Our bodies get the same good from eating eggs as from eating meat. Chickens like to eat bugs, seeds, and weeds. They are good at feeding themselves. Most of us like to eat chicken meat. Because they are small, a whole chicken can be eaten at one meal—no refrigeration needed.

While visiting the Heifer Ranch, in Arkansas, this rooster kept waking us up at four o'clock in the morning. He also rang-out at one o'clock p.m. I don't know what time zone this guy thought he was in, but he was way off in my book. 

I hope you take a moment to visit the Heifer Internaitonal website and learn more about ending world hunger "The Heifer Way."

Fire & Ice

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge: January—Day 25

It was a bitterly cold morning in Middle Tennessee. As I drove my kids to school, the temperature was in the single digits. On the way, we passed a field where the treetops were just beginning to be warmed by the sun. The golden light looked like fire against the cold, icy ground. It was a beautiful scene to start the day.

Tennessee Farm

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge: January—Day 15.

WHEW! Half-way through the 30-days challenge! Today's painting is one of many charming farms nestled in the hills of Middle Tennessee.

Roadside Barn

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge: January—Day 7.

One week complete in the 30 day challenge! Today's painting is a quick study based on a photo I took while traveling thru middle TN last November. 

Pumpkin Truck

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge: September—Day 19.

Every October, we go to Gentry’s Farm to pick pumpkins for Halloween. The farm has many antiques and items of visual interest. My favorite is this pumpkin truck. You can see a painting of last year’s pumpkin pick here.

A Midsummer's Eve

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife
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30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 30.

Summer evenings are magical times. As the setting sun casts cool colors on the countryside, the fireflies come out to play. This is a 6x6 version of a favorite painting I made this past summer. It think it is a fitting image to end this 30 paintings journey. As the project comes to a close, I look at what has happened over the last 30 days with amazement and gratitude. 

I am grateful to my family for their patience and support. I'm grateful for Leslie Saeta for initiating the challenge. Most importantly, I'm grateful for all of you. Your interest in my work is cherished more than you will ever know.

I have a feeling there may be many more of these little paintings to come. There is so much more I want to try to paint. There are still plenty of conceptual pieces I plan to paint as well. Tomorrow is new day. I wonder what new things that day will bring.

Pick Me

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 29.

I almost forgot that I wanted to paint this little pumpkin for the 30 in 30 challenge. I picked it out at a local farm last fall. I love pumpkin picking, especially straight from the patch. Geeking out as an artist, I feel like a master sculptor looking for the perfect muse—waiting to be freed. When I picked this pumpkin, I knew that it could make a nice painting. Almost forgotten until today, my pumpkin has become my artistic muse once again.

Ice Cream

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife
SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 6.

This scene just makes me smile.

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