For we have seen his star ...

The wise men described in the New Testament came seeking the new King ... "for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him". May we ever be seeking to worship Him through out our lives ...

See the Joy

I did two Christmas paintings this year, each of brass bells. We choose the "red" one to use as our Christmas card for 2015 ... hope you enjoy!

Hope

This piece depicts a young girl longing for her father's safe return from the sea as she waits for the fishing boat to return during a storm. It was a poignant experience for me to try to capture her emotions of concern and hope.

Bellevue Temple

I had the opportunity to paint and donate this piece to an auction to help a family in need. My sweet daughter-in-law was one of the organizers and invited me to participate. They had people bid on the painting, then collected the donations and gave the painting to the in need, who were married in this temple ... a very cool gesture of love on behalf of those who donated to the cause.

The View

We used this little study as reference material for my painting class this past month. A very fun study in values, creating distance, silhouettes, etc.

Roxy

Our niece's bulldog, Roxy, recently passed away. Maureen suggested that I do a painting of her for them to send as a gift of comfort. I thought it was a great idea and began researching her Facebook posts for pictures of Roxy. I found this one and immediately knew it was the one I should paint. What a wonderful experience for me to be able to help in this way ...

Pum[kins in the field

Had fun with these pumpkins with our art class this year. I have painted many seasonal harvest scenes through the years that include pumpkins and other harvest veggies and grains ... I guess one just can't have too many of such things!

The Surrender Field

This piece was a commission to paint the Surrender Field located in Yorktown, Virginia. I wanted to present it at sunrise so as to signify the dawn of freedom! It is humbling to contemplate that a bunch of farmers with pitch forks brought  the most powerful army in the world to its knees on this very field. So embarrassed was Cornwallis, that he sent a subordinate to surrender his sword. It is a reverent place for me ... Providence clearly aided our forefathers to create this land of freedom! May we ever protect, honor and reverence it!

Red Canyon Overlook at the Flaming Gorge

The Flaming Gorge area of northeastern Utah is one of my favorite places in our beautiful state! I was commissioned to paint this beautiful scene of the Red Canyon Overlook for the new ICO Management offices in Lehi, Utah. The original was large ... 60"x48", so it was fun to paint to that scale! Enjoy ...

Window in time

This was a fun piece to do as it had everything I love to paint ... mountains, old wood, a bird ... all in the wide open spaces of Wyoming! My sweet cousin commissioned me to do this piece for their home ... thank you, Christine!

The Miracle of the Book of Mormon

My friend, Glenn Rawson (host of the TV show, "History of the Saints") asked me to do the cover art for his latest project entitled, "The Miracle of the Book of Mormon". I was honored to participate in such a project! He wanted a scene depicting a sunrise through a frontier cabin window with a first edition Book of Mormon on a table in front of the window ... representing the dawn of the Restoration!

Grand Sunset

This summer, we had the opportunity to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. While there, we were able to experience this spectacular sunset. I couldn't wait to get home and paint it right away! It is impossible to capture the grandeur of such a place on canvas, but it was fun trying!

Stump Cutters

There is a group of doctors who live on the eastern slopes of the Sierras in California who have come up with a unique way to "give back" to their community by providing firewood for those who are in need. Our friend commissioned me to do this painting of her boss in action! For me, this was a very challenging yet rewarding piece to do! Thanks, Missy, for the opportunity!

Casey

Our friend asked me to do a painting of her son's golden retriever, Casey, that recently passed away. I enjoyed the opportunity a lot! I hope this piece provides many happy memories for them ...

How do like them apples ...?!

Several years ago, I painted a similar scene to this one while on a family vacation. It sold right away, but I really liked the piece so I decided to paint another one ... slightly different from the first but using the same impressionistic techniques!

Wishing Well

My art students wanted to paint this scene of a Wishing Well within a lush garden setting. We had fun learning to paint it! Here is my rendition of the piece ... Enjoy!

The View

My son and his family recently went to Zion's National Park. They had a blast experiencing the breath-taking scenery that abounds there! His wife took a photo of "the boys" overlooking a valley on the edge of an overhanging rock ... I couldn't resist the opportunity to paint the scene. Since Kyle and Kaiden both have their birthday on the same day in June, it will be my present to them this year! Hope they like it ...

"Tazer"

Maureen's cousin and his wife visited us this past month while on their way to see a friend in Colorado. They are from Whistler, BC in Canada so we don't get to see them much. However, when we do get to visit with them, we enjoy their company so much! They are very sweet and kind folks ... we look forward to each opportunity to be with them!

This time, they asked me if I would paint a portrait of "Tazer", their son's German shepherd that recently passed away. I told them I would give it a shot! Hope they like it ...

A wonderful opportunity!

My sweet cousin, Christine, commissioned me to paint these two pieces ... one for her husband's office and the other for their home in Wyoming. The scale of both paintings was very fun to work with ... both are fairly large pieces and offered several challenges for me. I loved the experience, however, and learned a lot in the process! Thank you, Chris, for the opportunity!

"Escondido"

Several years ago, I painted a little Cottontail rabbit hidden in the weeds and snow along the Provo River. I ran on to him while fly fishing one winter morning. I used it as reference material for the painting class I teach. This time, however, one of my students wanted to do a fawn instead of the rabbit ... I liked the idea and off we went! This is my version of the little guy! One of my little granddaughters told me (when she saw it for the first time), "Grandpa, he looks so cold and alone"! I am glad my efforts evoked that sort of emotion from a little girl ... that is just what I was trying to portray. Must have got it right somehow this time! Enjoy ...

Lighting the Coast

My friend is quite a photographer ... he took the reference photo of this lighthouse along the Oregon coast. I thought it was just stunning! The members of the painting class I teach voted to use it as one of our subjects this spring! This is my rendition of our classwork effort! Enjoy ...

PS ... I gave the original to my friend who inspired the piece!

Bella

My friend asked if I would be willing to do a painting of their young English Bulldog, Bella, who recently passed away due to complications with cancer. I love doing animal portraits so I jumped at the opportunity!

I had never tried to paint an animal with so many wrinkles before … it truly was a challenge! However, I learned a lot, not only about the “how to’s” of trial and error, but also about the bulldog breed in general. In the process, I discovered that several other friends also have bulldogs as pets.

I certainly hope that this painting will bring comfort and closure to the family along with some good memories of Belle during the short time they had her in their lives.

If any of you would like a portrait done of your pet, please don’t hesitate to call or contact me … would love to help you!

 

Quincy, Illinois ... generational gratitude!

 I have had another opportunity to participate as an artist in a commemorative work related to early LDS church history, working with Glenn Rawson of the History of the Saints TV program.

Here is brief history regarding these pieces ...

After Governor Boggs of Missouri issued the “extermination” order in 1838, the saints were driven from Missouri and sought refuge across the Mississippi River in Illinois. The good people of Quincy, though outnumbered by the refugee Saints, were among the only ones who would give quarter and refuge to them. They literally saved their lives during the winter of 1838-39! John Wood, the founder of Quincy led the effort to help the beleaguered Mormon refugees.

The LDS church will be placing a permanent exhibit in the new History Museum in downtown Quincy, Illinois this spring as an official “thank you” to the people of the Quincy area for the kindness of their ancestors so many years ago.

In these two paintings, I was able to render how the Quincy downtown area may have looked in the 1840's, and how the Jonathan Browning home may have appeared just before he and his family left Quincy for Nauvoo around the time of their conversion to the Church in the early 1840's.

I am again honored to have been able to participate in such a project.