Reflections of Pine 8" x 10" acrylic $640

For some reason painting water is one of my favorite things to do. Whether it is a small bit in the distance or the subject of the painting, it is almost always present in most of my paintings. Here the calmness of the water creates an almost mirror like reflection in this wetland pond and the strong vertical presence of the pine trees are what inspired this painting.

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Wigeon Reflections 5" x 7" acrylic

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An American Wigeon calmly swims through first ringlets of raindrops from a coming storm. The feathers of ducks are better than Goretex because they preen themselves with an oil produced by a gland near their rump. This causes water to bead up and roll off. Combined with the downy feathers underneath, ducks are perfectly warm in inclement weather as well.
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Brant and Teal 5" x 5" acrylic $245

This particular spot in Newport Bay, Oregon has a viewing blind that is a wooden framed, three-sided shack. The day I was out photographing these Brant the wind became so strong it was picking the side of the shack off of it's foundation! Because of the wind, many types of waterfowl flew close including greenwing teal. Bald eagles even swooped over the geese to look for sick or injured birds to prey upon.
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Blackwater Morning 8" x 10" acrylic

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Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is a special place - particularly in the fall when migrating ducks and geese stop over. I spent a lot of time in this spot when I traveled to the Waterfowl Festival last year and have done several paintings. What struck me about this composition is the depth created by the wispy seed heads of the phragmites, a cattail-like reed common to wetland environments. For me, predawn is the most exciting time in a refuge as the wildlife is the most active and although there are not any birds in this painting, they certainly were present on this morning. I am looking forward to going back to the show again this November!

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Afternoon Surf 9" x 12" acrylic

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Churning surf stirs up the sand and a plethora of food for this flock of Marbled Godwits. These migrating shorebirds are filling up for their long journey south on the bounty left behind by the sea. The depth created by the different stages of the waves as well as the striking reflections of the birds are what inspired this painting.

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White-Crowned Winter 5" x 5" acrylic $245

White-crowned sparrows love open ground next to shrubs and here a male forages through a recent snowfall looking for a meal. The stark contrasting head makes these sparrow easy to identify as they are found throughout the country. They will frequent flat-bottomed feeders and can also be seen in groups of golden-crowned sparrows.
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Calm Waters - Pintail 4" x 4" acrylic $130

A graceful drake pintail enjoys the calm water. The serenity of this scene as well as the solitude of the duck inspired this painting. And, pintails are one of my favorite subjects.
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Refuge 24" x 36" acrylic (in progress)

A mixed group of ducks and geese rest comfortably within the confines of William Finley National Wildlife Refuge. This haven sees spectacular displays of winged visitors each fall and winter. In this larger painting, which is nearly finished, there are two subspecies of Canada goose, several mallard, a greenwing teal, and a pintail.

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Silence 16" x 20" acrylic $2500

It's early autumn and the chill of morning creates a mist over the still lake. A lone Canada goose relaxes in a moment of solitude as the sun begins to lift above the fog. Soon the day will bring it's many events, but for now, all is at peace.

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Cutthroat Trout 12" x 12" acrylic on canvas

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This is the third in the series of 4 rustic trout paintings. Each feature a series of popular trout flies used to catch beautiful fish. The 1/2" deep sides of the canvas are painted a rich coffee color to nicely offset the artwork on a wall. No frames are necessary to hang these.

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A Story from Elk Country (painting in progress)

Before I tell this story, I need to let you know that I had no idea that bugling for elk was illegal in Yellowstone National Park until after this incident when I read it in their park newspaper!

I went to Yellowstone National Park to find and photograph elk for future paintings only to discover they were harder to find than in years past - perhaps due to the wolf population. One of the predawn mornings found me in an area outside the Hoodoos. I could hear numerous bugles, one of the hauntingly beautiful sounds in nature, and was catching glimpses of the cow elk as the sun started to rise but I couldn't see the bulls. After leaving the rental car parked onthe side of the road I headed up over a small ridge into a bowl towards the bugling elk. I positioned myself up against a lodgepole pine and let out a small bugle of my own through my Primos call. The entire area lit up with bugles close and far! There were three bulls in the immediate area and I was caught in the middle. One came into sight - a very healthy 6x6 bull. The whites of his eyes were blood red, he was drooling and he was angry! I was only able to snap a couple photos before freezing up against the tree, knowing I was in trouble. The two other bulls had moved in closer on the other side of the tree and I was in the middle. The one thing that stood out to me was how powerful these animals looked and how quickly they could move

I hoped they were only paying attention to each other as they bugled back and forth. My thoughts were:

1. The car would be parked on the side of the road for days before somebody might notice. This was Yellowtone and people leave cars all the time to go for hikes.

2. Rachelle wouldn't worry for a while because I wasn't expected home for days and had poor cell reception - not a good situation!

Fortunately, they were only paying attention to each other as I stayed as rigid as the tree. When they moved off to my side, I slowly backed out of the situation and when I got back over the ridge I felt relief as the bugles started to sound distant.

With a bow or a rifle, I would have felt completely different, but armed only with a camera changed the entire situation. Regardless, it was still exhilerating and this painting is what is coming from the experience. It is not exactly what I experienced- the cows weren't in front of the bull, but he was there.

This painting has been in the works for a while and should be completed sometime this fall. Right now, I am working on some waterfowl paintings for Ducks Unlimited so the daily paintings have slowed to a snail's pace, but they will be back soon!
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Whitewater #2 pastel on board 5" x 7" $275

Rushing water is mesmerizing and exciting to watch. The sheer power behind thousands of cubic feet of moving water changes landscapes. In this image the water dives over submerged boulders to create a backflow that curls constantly. Kayakers can find places like this and ride the wave like a surfer in the ocean. Personally, I can sit and watch and listen to the force of nature and let time slip by.

Of note for the those collectors who enjoy acquiring firsts: this is the first pastel drawing that I have done. I enjoyed the way the chalky medium blended so easily to create certain effcts. So, there will surely be more pastels in the near future!
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Warning for Artists!

This post is a fraud warning for the artists who read this blog. Today, I received an email from somebody named Charles Phey from Hawaii. He inquired about two of my paintings in very broken English and wanted to send a certified cashiers check and a shipper to pick up the work. So, he wanted my address and phone number as well. I have had this happen before so my internal alarm went off.

The first time it happened was from a famous English soccer player (Wayne Rooney) who also wrote with broken English. Obviously something seemed off. Wayne Rooney speaks perfect English. I didn't answer the email, but the check showed up anyway FedEx Saturday Ovenight delivery. I took it to see if it was ok thinking 'Hey, what if?' and stood there while the teller and manager both looked at me like I was a criminal. I explained that I wanted to make sure it was cashable and somebody was using it to purchase my artwork. Needless to say, it was a learning experience.

I am not sure why people are targeting artists, but here is a link to the blog of another artist whom this recently happened to - Mark Johnson. You'll see on his blog there are a couple of other artists that have heard from the alleged Charles Phey today as well. I wonder if we'll all receive checks via Fed Ex tomorrow?
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Evening Feed - Pintail 4" x 4" acrylic $225

This is an older painting that has been touched up a bit. It used to be more pink in tone and I felt it needed more of the oranges of sunset. This scene drake pintail feeds alone on shallow sheetwater to store energy for breeding activity and migration. This scene was observed in autumn so perhaps he got up and flew further south during the night.

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Vancouver Roller 5" x 7" acrylic $295

After looking at this painting for a couple of weeks, the background started to look a bit empty to me. My wife pointed out the same thing so I kicked around a couple of ideas and decided to add some bald eagles circling and a single gull on the higher rock. Eagle are very common in this part of the world and can even outnumber gulls in places. Another touch up is more 'splash and crash' given to the wave. All of these effects help to add life to this painting.
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Winter Flurry 5" x 7" acrylic

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Available through Collector's Covey, Dallas, TX

There are many exciting things one can come across in the outdoors and suprising a group of wild mallards is one of them. The loud quacks from the females along with their flurry of wings is enough to startle anybody if they didn't see the ducks first.

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MacGillivray's Warbler 5" x 5" acrylic

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This beautiful species of warbler was hanging around our riverside campsite last week with his mate. MacGillivray's warblers favor dense understory where they build their nests low to the ground. Every morning around 8am or so the pair would emerge and flit from branch to branch in plain site, then make their way back into the thick bushes. I kept trying to locate the hidden nest but failed as I didn't want to disturb them. However, inspiration came from this experience and this painting is the result. This male is looking up, which I thought added some intrigue. Is he looking at an insect as a meal opportunity or is he looking to gain a better vantage point from a higher branch?

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Whitewater 5" x 7" acrylic

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A few days ago, I went on a hike along the Metolius River (in Oregon) with my family and was mesmerized by the colors that could be seen in the rushing water. The sound was awesome as the river narrowed into a canyon forming close to a class 4 rapid.
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Brook Trout 12" x 12" acrylic $395

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This is the third in a 'trout and trout flies' series. The previous two were a brown trout and a rainbow trout. This one is the colorful brook trout and a series of streamer flies.
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Vancouver Roller 5" x 7" acrylic

(See Above - this painting has been revised)
A Pacific roller breaks over a small rocky outcropping on it's way to Vancouver Island which is in the background. I enjoyed adding subtle colors to both the rocks and the wave in this landscape painting.

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Pintail Alert 5" x 5" acrylic $245

A drake pintail becomes alert as he raises his head high to clearly see his surroundings. I was inspired by the striking head colors in this light and how it stood out even in the camouflage of all the marsh grass.

Thank you to all who have purchased prints or note cards so far! The sale will run through June 30th and the proceeds benefit 7 month old Malea who is suffering from the effects of bacterial meningitis.

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Lily Pond 5" x 5" acrylic $275

Lily pads have been painted by artists throughout the centuries because they lend to a peaceful experience that can be calming to one's spirit. Claude Monet, the French impressionist, created what is perhaps the most famous series of lily pad paintings during the early part of the 20th century. While creating this painting, it reminded me of another one that I did in similar style - Ending Rain. The concentric circles going back into the painting create the depth that is crucial to a painting such as this.

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Pygmy Nuthatch 4" x 4" acrylic $225

A pygmy nuthatch scales down the side of a tree looking to eat insects hidden within the bark. I saw this bird on the branch that protruded from an old fallen tree that was very rugged looking. This ruggedness against the smoothness of the delicate bird is what attracted me to paint this scene.
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Barn Swallows 8"x10" acrylic

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While walking through the quaint town of Sisters, Oregon, I spotted this family of barn swallows that had set up their home outside the overhang of a local business. The adult was catching insects nearby and would frequently return to feed the anxiously awaiting chicks. In mere days, these four will fledge and leave the safety of their nest.
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Yellow-Rumped Warbler 4" x 4" acrylic

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Thoughout most of the year this bird is a more subdued brownish streaked bird with hints of yellow on it's rump and sides. However, in the spring, the males are a showy splash of white, charcoal and yellow. They are quite numerous at times and will forage almost anywhere quickly changing their diet from insects to berries, then back to insects again. This particular bird was seen in a pine shrub outside my studio window.
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Wood Duck Waters 5" X 5" acrylic

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On a gray overcast day a wood duck offers a splash of color. These ducks are stunning and almost gaudy they are so decorated. They prefer wetlands next to flooded timber because they nest in trees and will even perch in trees. When the babies are ready to leave the nest, they will jump out of the tree (or nest box) cavities from great heights without injury.
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Rufous 4x4 acrylic

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If you see a hummingbird perched on a leaf like this, it's body weight is so minimal the leaf is practically guaranteed not to bend. An interesting note about these birds is they have an excellent memory and, recently, a male returned several times to investigate where a fuchsia had hung outside my studio window last year. It's time to hang another one.

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Evening Watch 4" x 4" acrylic $225

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It's evening and closing in on this Great Horned Owl's time to hunt for meals. These large owls are common throughout the United States and it is one of the top birds in the food chain. They will kill other birds of prey including hawks and falcons while on the nest and are one of the only birds that will eat a skunk. They hunt by flying silently so unsuspecting prey will not hear them approaching.
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Chickadee Study 4" x 4" acrylic $150

This is a study that has been done for a larger project that will feature a bunch of different songbird species on a fence row. It was interesting painting this without a background as there is almost an optical illusion of the feet gripping a branch. I tried to make the bird as three dimensional as possible and as realistic as possible. The art in the painting, I feel, is in the bird's crouched positioning which gives it life. It is also off-centered slightly to the lower right-hand corner to enhance the crouching effect.
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Spring Bluebird 4" x 4" acrylic $225

A handsome male bluebird perches atop a fence post. When I saw this bird originally the dark background helped the brilliant colors to stand out. These birds have been aided by a strong conservation program that has installed bluebird boxes throughout the country to help with their numbers. The more aggresive tree swallows and European starlings tend to take over their natural nesting sites (and even the boxes). However, with the efforts of groups like the North American Bluebird Society bluebirds are doing well.
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Cattail Hideaway 8" x 10" acrylic

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A long-billed marsh wren sings near it's nest hidden within the tules. Spring is an active time for these birds as they defend their territory and build these intricate, woven nests that are lined with the seeds of cattails. Soon baby wrens will be crying for food. This painting was a commissioned painting. For more information on creating a custom piece of artwork, you can click on the link to my website.
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Sneak Peak - Red Fox 5" x 7" acrylic $395

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A red fox takes a peak out of a gully in the low, late afternoon light. Perhaps, he came to take a drink or maybe there was a mouse or vole in the surrounding area that he was hunting. Although this painting is the same size as a daily painting, it took more than a day to create the lighting effect on the meadow grasses.
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Under Cover - Goldfinch 4" x 4" acrylic

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A young male goldfinch rests under the cover of newly grown spring leaves. Cover is one of the most important needs for songbirds and this tree is perfect as he hides in the shadows of the tree.
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