Monday, July 16, 2012

Midsummer Drought

July is the busiest month of the year. Jenny and I just got back from a week long fishing and painting trip, and today I'm getting my gear in line for the Door Co. Plein Air Festival. Dan Corey is arriving in town this week as well and all the students at the Chicken Coop can't wait for his workshop, which is Thursday and Friday. Yesterday, I was at the opening of a two man show that I'm in titled Double Vision. The show is up through the end of the month at Rountree Gallery in Platteville. Mike Kabele is the other half of the show, and everyone agreed that our paintings complemented each other's work nicely. I also have two more shows coming up, toward the end of summer, but more on that soon!
We are in the middle of a drought. There has not been a good rain here, since Memorial Day. The grass is brown, and driving down the interstate, there are large burnt areas of grass where fires started from cigarettes being thrown out the window. I can remember the last big drought we had here, in 1988. My mother drove us towards Tomah, and there was raging fires on both sides of the road, right next to our car. If I remember correctly, those fires started because of some faulty brakes on a big truck. I also remember there being warnings that fires could start by the sun reflecting off of a foil gum wrapper. It is going to be 100 again today, but then will taper off to the 90's for the next week or so. Last year, in Door Co, it was hot and humid. I hope this year it's just hot.
12x12" Union Sailboat


20x16" Shell and Jar
8x10" Golden Light

24x20" Statue