April 23, 2015  I was just asked how I came up with the concept of a layered painting and my honest answer was, “I have no idea!”.  Except that I had the various sizes of shikishi boards in the studio and was just playing around.  My intention was to convey the feeling of motion.  It is not one of my more traditional paintings, but now and again I have to push that envelope.  I am certain there will be more layered paintings coming from my studio.

This is the bottom layer of the painting.  (I added more cranes after I took this photo):

This is the initial background painting on the vertical shikishi strips:

Removing the paint in order to add the black silhouettes of the sandhill cranes:

Closeup of the strips near the base painting to show context and size relationship:

Finished painting with the vertical shikishi strips in place, permanently attached to the base painting:

Friday evening, March 6 beginning at 4 pm, I will be giving a painting demonstration during cocktail hour at Turpin Meadow Ranch. Come ski the day, and stay for dinner! I will be demonstrating and chatting during cocktail hour and would love to have you join me. I have a special prize for the first person at the event who can identify where on the ski trail the view is in the painting I will demonstrating. Turpin Meadow Ranch is a wonderful guest ranch in the north east end of Jackson Hole. They have wonderful groomed Nordic ski trails, cozy cabins and main lodge. They are open to the public for gourmet dining, lunch and dinner, as well as the bar in front of the fireplace. Call 307-543-2000 for directions (and to inquire about rates for day ski pass, lodging, or dining. Watching me paint is FREE! ) Their website is http://turpinmeadowranch.com/teton-adventures/white-season/

July 11, 2014  Last month I participated, along with 40 other artists, in the Plein Air Fest at the National Museum of Wildlife Art here in Jackson Hole.  4 hours to splash and pour my way to a finished painting that is immediately framed and entered in the silent auction.  The weather was great – too great.  It was very warm, dry, sunny and a bit breezy so my watercolor puddles dried very fast – I had to work quickly.  I finished one in half the time and started a second, which I was also able to finish.  In this case watching paint dry might have been entertaining after all! Here are two photos (taken in the back of my Subaru to avoid the 18 raindrops that fell from a clear sky.)  I was pleased with both, which is a rare thing for me indeed.  The piece I submitted to the auction,  Wind Beneath Their Wings, did sell, I am happy to report.  A portion of the sale benefits the Museum.

June 28, 2014   I am excited to announce that both of these paintings have recently been juried into the Watercolor Wyoming 29th Annual National Exhibition.  The exhibition will be at the Sagebrush Community Art Center in Sheridan, WY from August 4 – August 29, 2014.  Perhaps I will be able to travel there to see the range of watercolor paintings that were chosen.  I have been approaching several watercolor societies to see if they will accept my works painted on shikishi boards.  (Which are illustration type boards, covered in gold or silver leaf with a sheer layer of rice paper adhered to the top surface.)  One society said they could not (not traditional enough, I guess) and two have said yes, I may enter.  One said they certainly hoped I would, as they are trying to get members to consider less traditional techniques and subjects.  And even the society that turned me down did say they might have a discussion with their board and consider such materials in the future.  So- always the trend setter, I.  🙂

April 14, 2014  After a long hard winter (in many places, though here in Wyoming we had a fairly agreeable winter), spring is emerging.  As I seem to be solar powered, I am happy for extra daylight hours – more time to spend in my studio.