Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Mulies (Reworked) 10"x24" acrylic $2400

Revised Version
Original Version
I have had this painting of mule deer around my home for about six months wondering how I can improve it. It finally hit me that the orange light in the background wasn't natural in that it went across the painting in three distinct lines. So, what I did was create more of draw in the landscape and had the last rays of afternoon light touch the tips of the grasses. There is now more of an uphill angle. I also went back in and detailed the deer a bit more.

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Monday, March 23, 2009

"The Challenger" 13x26 acrylic $3400

SOLD

This larger original painting is about the time of year when bull elk turn from friend to foe - the rut. Each autumn bull elk gather cows to breed and they need to defend their harems from other bulls who may want to steal away their herds. In this painting, the bull on the right has already moved his cows away as a large and quite capable challenger comes in to fight him. Right now these elk are at the peak of strength and health, but by the onset of winter after breeding, fighting and defending themselves, the rut will have depleted and exhausted these bulls.
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Sunday, March 22, 2009

"Great Horned Owl" 5x5 acrylic $245








A nesting great horned owl peers through the tree branches at you. Her watchful eyes are judging what might be a threat and what may not. She is well hidden and in most instances will be left alone. This particular owl was seen near the headquarters at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Oregon. They are common everywhere though.
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Friday, March 20, 2009

"Ruddy Ducks" 5x5 acrylic $245






Three ruddy ducks cruise through a reedy wetland. These ducks only turn their unique reddish color during the spring breeding season. I was inspired to create a subtle lighting to give the painting a more natural feeling.
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Thursday, March 19, 2009

Wigeon 8x10 acrylic $800







This painting of a group of wigeon coming in is a color study for a commissioned painting for the St. Clair Flats Waterfowler's Inc. (SCFWI) conservation group. The main objective of the SCFWI is to generate local dollars to benefit local conservation within the St. Clair Flats area located at the tip of Harsens Island on the northern edge of Lake St. Clair in Michigan. The area is also one of the largest fresh water deltas in the US and their goal is to maintain it's habitat for several generations to come.
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Sunday, March 15, 2009

"Pintail Skies" 20x24 acrylic on board

SOLD

Several times each year, I get commissioned to create a painting. Sometimes it is of a family pet, or a special scene of someone's children, but most of the time it's a painting of a favorite hunting spot with ducks coming in. Inspired by an earlier painting I did called The Next Five, this painting is exactly that and is a surprise gift for a surprise 40th birthday party. The painting features a flock of pintail coming into an Oklahoma wetland at daybreak. The focus of the painting was capturing the essence of the Oklahoma landscape. Early morning clouds offset the open skies where a flock of pintail have locked up their wings to sail in. The last of the Fall foliage clings to the trees as the marsh gets ready to surrender to winter.
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Friday, March 13, 2009

"Winter Field - Geese" 13x18 acrylic

SOLD

A pair of Canada Geese walk through a flooded grass seed field. This is a common scene in the Willamette Valley as seven subspecies of these geese visit each fall and winter. This painting is about capturing the subtle reflections in the background water and exemplifying the beautiful colors and dramatic light of something that is seen everyday.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

"Sentinels" 5x7 acrylic $265








Two sentinels watch over this grassy hill - a great oak tree and a great egret. Although the great egret is only temporary to this spot, it adds a nice tension in the painting. I recently saw this scene on a trip out to nearby Ankeny Hill National Wildlife Refuge and I couldn't wait to paint it because it evokes such a peaceful, solitary feeling.
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Friday, March 6, 2009

Winter Junco 4"x4" acrylic $225







This is a painting of a junco roosting among some dormant trees. The emerging seed buds are the only sign of the coming spring.
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Thursday, March 5, 2009

Sandhills at Dusk 14"x11" acrylic $1400







It's evening and the beautiful call of Sandhill cranes can be heard throughout this flooded field. This is a painting of a pair getting ready to perform their courtship dance as the warm colors of dusk bathe the birds and the wetland.
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Wetland Reflections 4"x4" acrylic $225







A female northern shoveler has just landed in this secluded hideaway to forage for food and rest. Her colors allow her to hide well in this habitat. Also, shovelers get their name from their spoon-like bills.
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Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Winter Solitude 5"x7" acrylic

SOLD

A Northern Shoveler rests peacefully among the reflections of a winter wetland... This painting was reworked from an older painting. I felt it needed something more so I added the duck and the foreground grasses for depth.
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