FENCELINE  8X10

Breaking away from shadowy backgrounds, it's refreshing to paint an open field with clear sky in background. Open meadows and verdant pasturelands remind me of places in California and Washington. The tree gave me trouble and I tried to make it non-uniform and then overdid it with a wayward branch that refused to be covered up. Oh well, live and learn as we explore our world of color with brush strokes.

PEN and INK HORSEHEAD

There's no color in this sketch I did many years ago, but it was fun to capture the texture and shadings of the horse. You can see the Arabian influence in the features. Using pen and ink is greatly different from brushstrokes with paint and color. Such a world to explore with art that a lifetime cannot begin to touch on all the possibilities of artistic expression.

RED BIRD   5x7

This little bird was a joy to paint. I'm finding a preference for zeroing in on subjects, putting the focus on one item and finding drama in the setting. Animals are a challenge to capture and fun to portray.

ATTITUDE   (paper demo)

The youth's face is a classroom exercise, the subject observed in a magazine. It makes me realize the need for knowing the principles involved in cool shadows and warm skin tones. This subject may be one I try again on a canvas, focusing on various elements and correcting what's viewed here.

BEAR COUNTRY   8x10

I've ridden trails in country like this and was always fearful of running into bears. It happened a couple of times, and fortunately the black bear took off away from the horse. This painting is reminiscent of Montana and I can almost hear the call of birds in the distance.