Winter Camp

I have really had fun creating some "mini" paintings like this one. This scene is from my Native American and Old West collection. (Acrylic on canvass 8" x 10")

New heights ...

I painted this scene for Adam when he received his Eagle Scout award a few years ago. (20"x 16"Acrylic on canvass )

My young friend, Craig Hansen, just earned his Eagle Scout award as well. His parents commissioned me to paint this for him to be presented in his Eagle Court of Honor. Craig and I have been getting together to paint now for several months. He is becoming a fine artist in his own rite. (24"x 24" Acrylic on canvass)

Silence is golden ...

There is something about the solitude of fly fishing that is therapudic for me. I tried an impressionistic approach to this painting to convey the peace and quiet of such aloneness! Though loneliness is all it is cracked up to be, sometimes there is nothing wrong with "quiet"...

(Acrylic on canvass 36" x 18")

Grandpa, what's the name of this bug ...

Instead of tidying up my fly tying station, I decided to paint it! The grandkids love to feel the feathers and play with the "bugs" when they come over. They are always impressed to discover that I do know the names of all of the "bugs"! This is a "mini" size painting (Acrylic on canvass 8" x 10")

"... never forget what they did here ...

While visiting Kyle, Tiffany and Kaiden in March 2008, they took me to Gettysberg, PA. to visit this famous battlefield and memorial. I was overwhelmed with reverence for this place. We also visited the Linclon Memorial in Washington D.C. and read his Gettyberg address. His words, "... never forget what they did here ..." prompted this painting. I am grateful today for those who protect us and stand up for those who cannot. (Acrylic on canvass 24" x 18")

Czesky Krumlov

I had the opportunity to visit this quaint little town a couple of times with my daughter while visiting their family in the Czech Republic. It really is "fairytale-like" in its atmosphere and quaintness. (Acrylic on canvass 18" x 24")

"Why don't he write...?"

Only just a few years ago we waited anxiously for the mail to arrive in hopes that a letter from our missionary was there ... now we watch our email accounts! I painted this while Kyle was serving his mission as a reminder of those "good old days" of the anticipation of snail mail!

This was a fun study on how to create a look of old sheet metal and weathered wood. (Acrylic on canvass 18"x 24")

Free spirit ...

I love horses, but painting them is a real challenge. Here, I tried to capture the excitement and determination of the horse in a free gallop! This is part of my collection of paintings of the Old West and of Native America. (Acrylic on canvass 24" x 12")

Days gone by ...

Old buildings just get artistically better and better with age ... I wish that were true with some other things! (Acylic on hardboard 30" x 22")

I beheld a tree whose fruit was desirable to make one happy ...

This painting provided a wonderful lesson for me about how precious our families are to us. In Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life, he states that when he had tasted of the sweetness of the gospel covenant, he immediately began "searching", "beckoning" and "shouting with a loud voice" for his family to share it with him. I'm sure that each of us have similar tender feelings as we deal with our families and close friends.

I also had a meaningful experience pertaining to the image of the "strait and narrow path". It was very different from what I had previously envisioned. In the scriptures, the word "strait" is spelled like this, rather than "straight". The subtle difference was profound to me ... rather than a linear "straightness" as I had always before imagined, the words that describe this type of "strait" are more like these: strict, limited, close fitting, narrow, not easily manuvered, etc. So, this layout of the Tree of Life vision came into my mind as I pondered this passage of scripture. I truly enjoyed this painting experience ... hope you do, too! (Acrylic on canvass 36"x 24")

The Charm of Fishing ...

"The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of something elusive yet obtainable ... a perpetual series of occasions for hope." (Acylic on canvass 24"x18")

Trout truly don't live in ugly places! (Acylic on canvass 36"x48")

My love of fly fishing and painting have collided many times through the years. These "therapy" scenes are of some of my "special" places where "a river runs through it"! (Acrylic on canvass 24"x18")

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon

One can see forever, it seems, in Color Country! I love to paint these types of scenes! (Acylic on hardboard 36"x 12")

Meet Ava Marie Harmon ... the latest addition to our Grandchild bouquet!

Ava Marie was born on March 1, 2008 to Nathan and Holly Harmon ... what a sweetheart she is! I told Nathan to get limbered up and be prepared to be wrapped around her little finger!

Vinny

Vinny is our little beagle dog. He came to us early from his mother (about 5 weeks old) who had turned on the litter and had torn him up pretty good ... one ear was nearly gone, the tip of his tail had been bitten off, etc. He was also the runt of the bunch. We named him after Vincent Van Gogh (the missing ear thing). The ear has grown out a bit and looks fairly normal now, but the name stuck!

He was about two years old when I painted him here. He just loves to climb on top of everything. He is sure a fun little guy, always willing to play and impart his affection ... he thinks that he is everybody's friend! Vinny has become a wonderful companion and friend to us and our grandchildren ... they all love Vinny. He just turned 7 years old in February. (Acrylic on canvass 18" x 24")

Some of my oldies, but goodies ...

This was a fun study in a monochromatic style painting. It hangs in our basement family room and emits a feeling of peace and solitude. (Acrylic on cavass 36"x 18")

This little snow scene was finalist in the 2002 Olympic Fine Arts Competition ... note the shadows in the snow on the roof. (Acrylic on canvass 20"x 16")


This snow scene represents our Pioneer Heritage and Olympic Spirit (the wagon wheels lay in the shape of the olympic rings) ... this piece was shown in the State-wide Olympic Fine Arts Competition. Acrylic on canvas (16"x 20").






I painted this scene of the Mormon row barn at the request of my close friend, Alan Russell. (Acrylic on canvass 36"x24")








Maureen and I visited her cousin in British Columbia and while there, walked along this misty forest trail ... just had to paint it! (Acrylic on canvass 18'x 24")



















I can actually smell the quakies when I look at this painting. I passed through a spot like this on my way to do some fly fishing one morning and just had to come home and paint it! (Acrylic on canvass 12"x 24")

Fishing anyone?!!

Here are a few of my many fishing related paintings ... I am still in the process of photographing the rest of them. I'll get them posted just as soon as I can! This one is of the Blacksmith Fork River. (Acrylic on canvass 18"x 24")




These two 24"x 12" acrylics on canvass are of Nathan at 14 on the Green, and a self-portrait on the Madison.

Some card ideas ...

Acrylic on canvass 18"x 24"
Scripture time ... acrylic on canvass 18"x 24"

Juliana, Vinny and Frosty

This is in tribute to the long winter we have been having!

Some of my latest works ...

This indian village is an acrylic on hardboard (36" x 12") and is part of my Native American and Old West collection.

This seascape is an acrylic on canvass (24" x 18") and reminds me of the east coastal shores. My son Kyle and family are back in Maryland and I hope to visit there someday soon.

We visited George and Suzie Ross (Maureen's brother) in Colorado a couple of years ago and their home decor was perfect for this painting. We sent it to them as a thank you gift when we returned home. Within a couple of months, however, Suzie passed away as the result of a brain tumor. We are glad she got to enjoy it for awhile.

I love this scene from the Uintah mountains. I gave this painting to Katelyn Kellerstraus for her wedding present. I have watched her grow up through her parents over the years and just thought she might enjoy a scene like this that reminds us all to look at the big picture as we navigate our way through this life.

Our Czech connection ...

Prague ... the Jewel of Europe ... city of 10,000 spires! (Acrylic on hardboard 42"x 40")
Castle steps ... the Prague Castle sits atop this hill and these steps descend onto the street below. (Acrylic on canvass 18"x 24")

Rachelle and her little family had the unique experience to live and work in the Czech Republic for several years. These are images that I have painted after our multiple Czech visits. I had a lot of fun with these pieces because they bring back fond memories of the Hrnciriks in Prague. (Acrylic on canvass 18"x 24")

P.S.:

I am just in the middle of painting a scene of Czecky Krumlov ... I will post it as soon as I am able.

Highlights from our trip to Europe 2007

I sketched this wonderful old Villa while we were traveling through Tuscany with Gary and Denise Wright. I had an opportunity to paint a version of it for them while we were there, but painted this one when we returned home. It now hangs in the Ivory Homes Headquarter Building (Acrylic on canvass 36"x 24")

This incredible old sailing vessel was a real challenge to paint. I am not an expert in anything "Maritime", but I really enjoyed this piece. Maureen had been researching her immigrant ancestors who bravely made such voyages from Ireland and England on similar vessels. I felt inspired to paint this scene to remind us of the faith of our fathers and of the hand of the Lord who led them to this land "choice above all other lands". (Acrylic on canvass 24"x 18")

I painted this old Irish Castle as a tribute to Maureen's Irish heritage. (Acrylic on canvass 36"x 24")

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy!

I had a wonderful experience with this piece. I learned anew that the power of darkness is simply the absense of light. Darkness must yield when light is present.

As the angel declared, "For unto you (all of us) is born this day in the city of David, a Savior (not a just a baby) which is Christ the Lord."

I published this as my first personalized Christmas card in 2007.(Acrylic on canvass 24"x 36")

Archive work from 1999-2001

Light in the Forest ...Acrylic on canvas 16"x 20" (1999)

Nebraska Windmill ... Acrylic on canvas 16"x 20" (1999)

Laie Shores Acrylic on canvas 18"x 24" (2001) I gave this painting to Quayle and Sherrie Dutson as a thank you for letting us take our boys (Kyle, Adam, Jared and Justin) to Hawaii just after Kyle returned home from his mission and stay in their home in Haula on the north shore of Oahu.

This was my first painting of the High Uintah Mountains. We spent a lot of time there when I was a boy. Acrylic on canvas 18"x20" (2000)

I gave this painting to Sander and Merlene Larsen as a house warming gift. We (Ivory Homes) had the opportunity to build a new home for them when they returned from their mission in Bellevue, Washington. We discovered that they used to live in our home @ 977 East in Bountiful! He also knew Rachelle from Ricks College where he served as the Dean of the Performing Arts and knew her as the lead in their Opera, "The Bartered Bride". Acrylic on canvas 18"x 24" (2001)

Archive work from 1998

This was a scene I painted for Maureen's friend, Missy (1998). She loves wildlife. I have been a part of these types of mornings out in nature many times. Arylic on canvas 30'x 20" (Fall 1998)






After my Mission President, Bob Arnold, passed away, I painted this scene for his family. This is how I felt ... Though the proximate surroundings seemed dark and gloomy, the hope of new light was not far distant on the horizon. Acrylic on canvas 20"x 16" (Late Winter 1998)
Maureen and I spent a week with Carl and Margaret Truman at Lake Powell. We visited Rainbow Bridge and I just had to paint it right there on site! Acrylic on canvas board 16"x 20" (Summer 1998)




Southern Utah is so divers in its beauty ... I painted this scene for one of our neighbors as a thank you for helping us through a particularly difficult time in our lives. Acrylic on canvas 20"x 16" (Fall 1998)

Some of my early work from 1996

This is probably the most photographed light house in the world ... it was one of my very first paintings. I remember painting it on the kitchen table because I didn't own an easel yet! I gave it to my good friends Jerry and Verlyn Pullman years ago. They have always been supportive of my painting efforts and I wanted them to have it as a show of my appreciation. Acrylic on canvas 20"x 16" (Spring 1996)

This is one of my very favorite pieces of my early work. I learned a lot from this painting experience. It is a scene in Capitol Reef that caught my eye as we made our way down to Lake Powell in 1996 ... Acrylic on canvas 20"x 16" (Fall 1996)