I’ve found it interesting that when on paint outs with other artist friends, men tend to paint the cars in a street setting into their paintings, while women often leave them out, myself included. Still, as an artist I find I am drawn to the rusty old hulks of vehicular history. The first painting I am showing you here is a new one – “Going Nowhere Fast”. It is 14 x 18, and will be among those I will be showing at the Western Masters Art Show, March 16-19 in Great Falls, MT. I love the combination of the vehicle that implies (or once implied) movement, and the tree that says, “No there won’t be any of that!”

I had done a similar painting a year or so ago, the second one shown here. It is called “Opportunitree” and was inspired by an actual car and tree combo I spotted when driving through the countryside. That painting was chosen as one of the Top 100 in the Paint America Top 100 Competition for the year 2009.

I do have a lot of fun painting these old vehicles! I have a couple more in mind, both involving old trucks I have come across. I had hoped to get then done for this show, but don’t think it’s going to happen as I’m out of time!

Going Nowhere Fast 14 x 18

Opportunitree 16 x 20

Yahoo! I see that TWO of my paintings were chosen for the Paint America Top 100 competition for 2010! I am excited! Those paintings will go to Kansas and then travel with the National Show. I have been lucky and made the cut a few other years as well. I am wondering though, does having two paintings in the Top 100 move me into the Top 50? Ha! Just kidding!

These are the paintings that were chosen. “The Home Place” is 16×16 and is of a ranch homestead near my home. Much as I don’t like getting up early, I was driving down the road early one morning, and was lucky enough to catch this view of the sun coming up on Mt. Cecelia, or “Pooh Bear”, as my girls used to call it.

“The Season’s Last Lilies” is 24×24 and one of the series of lily pad paintings I have done. This particular scene is on the north end of Yellowstone Park.

Both of these pieces will be for sale through Paint America.

The Home Place 16×16

The Season’s Last Lilies 24×24

Hi. I know I’ve been a long time gone. I’m working on pieces for the March Russell Show(s) and have many things in the works, but none finished. I will post some of them soon.

I did just hear today that my painting “Opportunitree” was selected as one of the Top 100 in the 2009 Paint America Top 100 Competition. It will travel with the national show in 2010.  Another of my pieces was selected for the Top 200.

I thought I would also include some more – YES – SNOW pictures as that’s what it’s been doing around here lately! Recently, we got over two feet of snow, which was beautiful, but a pain to deal with when the wind started to blow. Yes, more shoveling, plowing, pulling vehicles out of snow drifts, hiking home, etc. It pays to stay home in that kind of weather! This storm has been exceptional in that we’ve had so many mornings where the landscape has been iced up just like a crystal fairyland. And interestingly, the crystals have been different from day to day. One day they were long chains of snowflake shaped crystals. Gorgeous! A few days ago those were gone, and everything was covered in little icy crystal daggers. So interesting!