New Boots - AM Radio

Winter is the best. It is a relaxed time of year. Time seems to open up a bit and allow one to as they please, rather than running around aimlessly.
I had plans to paint directly after my last final, but it was snowing. I decided to take cover and set up looking out of my garage to paint this tree.

9x12 oil on canvas.

Often times, a clear sky will dominate the day, only to give way to cloudy haze in the last hour of light. These make for some dramatic winter sky's...

11x14 oil on canvas.

...but sometimes, the sky's remain open, allowing golden light to dance on the subject.

11x14 oil on canvas.


9x12 oil on canvas.


I have new boots (thanks mom!) and they have opened up a new world of warm feet. When I painted this larger canvas, I was actually sweating. I spotted this view on the way to Jenny's grandparents house on Christmas, and made a note to return on a sunny day.

18x24 oil on canvas.

Snowshoein' and Paintin' - High Rock

I was up early on Saturday to meet Elliot in the Dells, for a sunrise snowshoe outing. Ever since I have known Elliot, he has been telling me about his views on the Wisconsin River, and how great they are in the winter.

Here he is, shoein' into the magically lit forest.


Eliot throwing a branch overboard, and then waiting to hear the crash 10 seconds or so later.


Paintin' Highrock.



14"x11" oil on canvas.
Thanks for takin' me out there, Elliot! I had a good time (as soon as I could feel my feet again)


Here is a view, painted a half block from my house in the passenger seat of my car. This was done on Tuesday, the day of the big blizzard. I was driving home from the grocery store, and saw the -overcast but warm- sky peeking through the branches and pulled over.

6"x8" oil on canvas.

There have been a few others since the snow, more to come soon.

Bonus, a Todd Rundgren Video:

The End of Autumn.

This is the view off of Hwy S. One needs to wear blaze orange when painting the day after Thanksgiving.

16"x18" oil on canvas.

The last Autumn Sun. A hazy Saturday a.m. A neighbor boy was surprised at how much blue I used in the barn color. "It's RED when you get up close to it," he remarked.

18"x24" oil on canvas.

Early November, lunchbreak.

8"x10" oil on canvas.

Early December.

9"x12" oil on canvas.

Here is a scene of the snow clouds roll in during sunset, the last possible chance to create a autumn painting.

9"x10.5"

Do You Remember Summer?

All this snow makes one want to revisit works created this summer.

Morning, Cows grazing. I was up early quite a bit in the late summer, chasing the intense light effect.

16"x20"

Evening, Cows grazing. Just the facts, thrown on quickly. I was experimenting with some new pigments during this one. So many of our Wisconsin landscapes looks like this, pastoral scenes with abstract patches of long grasses.

11"x14"

Decompression, reflecting on the show, and playing catch-up.

The Blue Heron show has been going very well. Last week, Thursday, was the opening night, and was very busy.

The best part of showing work is reconnecting with friends you haven't seen in a while.
Marla Brenner stopped by Saturday afternoon. She was my design and typeography teacher in college. Rhythm! Thanks Marla!



Nancy Herzog and Chris Gargan were in town on Sunday. I have spent many mornings trying to keep up with Chris... he completes HUGE canvases in the field with luminous color. Teacher, painter and enforcer on the ice - Chris holds it down. Nancy and Chris have both been instrumental in my developement as an artist.


Since the opening, I have been out in the field as much as possible, in blaze orange of course. The days after Thanksgiving were unbelievably sunny and warm, I was able to play catch-up on some plein air painting. Finally, on Sunday, I blocked in a quick still life painting demo for the final day of the opening.


Thanks to Larry, Kay, Dana and Heidi at the Blue Heron for a great time. They know how to throw a party, and thanks to everyone who made it to the show. The work will remain up at the Blue Heron.

Blue Heron Show - Opening this Weekend

The opening weekend for my show at the Blue Heron in Reedsburg is here.
Please join us... I will be present at the following days and times.

Thursday 19 November, 4:30 - 6:30
Saturday 21 November, 12:30 - 4:30
Sunday 22 November, 12:30 - 3:30



Please email me if you would like to receive a card in the mail.

Wind, on top of the bluffs.

Last friday was a windy, rainy morning. In order to paint, I needed to find something to shelter my easel. These hay bales worked well.


Views of the bluffs are challenging to say the least.
18"x24". oil on canvas. SOLD. Collection of Marla Brenner.

Six rainy days, one sunny.

Painting on overcast days is always enjoyable. You are able to open your eyes and observe subtle colors, and their vibrations. When it rains, it is almost a bonus. A prizm effect happens that is of interest to the artist, this however, is only true if you can find a dry area to paint from.

I painted from inside the barn this morning at Denise Radke's farm. The prizm effect was happening as the sheets of moisture flew around the trees.


12"x16"


11"x14"

There was one sunny afternoon this week, and it lead to both of these.

9"x12"


11"x14"

Rain Delay

It has been a wet autumn here. The one sunny morning that we had this week was filled up with schoolwork. I have been painting under the umbrella as much as time allows right now.



This farm is tucked away behind Bender's, on Mile Rd. (I believe.) Cows. Good times.



11x14.


Here is a Rainy late afternoon. This farm is the first white barn on the left after you pass Keonecke Ford on the way to LaValle.



9x12.



I was completely rained out and soaking wet (but happy) when painting this one. There came a point when the paint would not stick to the canvas any more.



12x16.



This weekend is the Sauk County Artist Association Fall Art Tour. I will be participating in the un-officail D-Tour. The D-Tour includes a opening tonight at the Wollen Mill Gallery, and several other events. My role in the D-Tour is to be out painting on Town Hall Rd. on Sunday after 3pm or so. If you'd like, stop out and see me on the D-Tour.

In a new collection

The Sauk Counth Health Care Center is moving very soon, and I am excited to announce that three of my works will be represented in their collection. These paintings have not appeared here, on my blog, before, so it is a good chance to share them with you.
Thanks to Dana and Kay from the Blue Heron for facilitating this sale.


11x14


16x20

And the third is the Picture of round bales that Maralyn is looking at in this picture.

Autumn is here!

18x24"


9x12"


12x16"


9x12"

Finally, the best time of year to paint. Cool weather, and an explosion of color. I will be out painting as much as possible during the next month.

Also, some good news, my work has found a home!
The Blue Heron in downtown Reedsburg has several of my works on the walls now, and I am gearing up for a exhibition there mid-November. I will make a post with exact times and dates soon. Salute!

Art Meets Agriculture - Juried Show in Platteville

This piece, along with 3 others were accepted into the Art Meets Agriculture show at UW-Platteville. The opening will be September 29 - this tuesday - from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

24"x36"

Amish Oat Shocks

Oat shocks are very interesting. Amish farmers cut down the grain, and bind it together in 7 bundles, and then stack them together so they can dry in the field. When one comes across a field of them, it is almost an unbelievable scene, commerical farming focuses on high volume and overall production, it is refreshing to see smaller farms that stick to time honored traditions.

Last year, Josh Hess and I found a field of oat shocks out by Hill Point. We painted out there every day, until they were thrashed. This year, during the same week in late July, Jim Splitgerber and I were driving along, and found another field of them towards Ironton.

This first was painted very rapidly. The goal was to capture the late afternoon light.

12"x16" oil on canvas.

This second was mid day, when I had a bit more time.

12"x16" oil on canvas.

Available at the Blue Heron.

Morning Light

I have really enjoyed waking up (semi) early to go out and paint. The morning haze simplifies everything, and the colors are amazing, while they last. I usually am out painting by 7:30 a.m., and the effect lasts anywhere from 15-45 minutes. It takes longer than that to paint a canvas of this size, so it is very important to take a mental snapshot and rely on visual memory. It's a great exercise.

This first one was painted a few weeks ago. As I drove through the countryside I could see sheets of moisture that were suspended in the air. It was almost like smoke.


Morning on Terrytown. 18"x24".

I pass this farm every morning that I work.

Morning on Hwy. H. 16"x20".

Online Exhibition

Paintings from After School Studies. The show will run through the second week in September, at University of Wisconsin/Baraboo-Sauk County. More to come in the coming days, including photos from opening night.