Old Faithful

24" x 18" Oil on panel.

$395 - Shipping to US included.

This one has been on my easel for a while. It was nice to get it completed and hopefully I can get in a New Year's (Resolution) swing. The holidays, woodworking, and a sore back have cut into my painting productivity.

Old Faithful truly is amazing when you consider how long you have to anxiously wait for other geysers to deliver in the same basin. I captured it from the side with the crowd. I thought it was a perfect day with a deep blue sky and the wind blowing the sheets of water and steam very nicely.

Yosemite Falls in Spring

18" x 24" Oil on panel.
(Click for a larger view.)

$395 - Shipping to US included.

Yosemite valley in May is awesomely great. It's before the summer rush of people (it's still busy)and the waterfalls are at their peak. I fondly remember the short visit to the valley when I took the photo reference for this painting and I hope to be back next year.

The valley has great views wherever you turn, so there is a lot of classic material. I chose to have the upper falls just off center and the lower falls just inside the composition. The clear blue sky on that day just added to the blueness in the shadows vs the warmth on the rocks. I included the cars and foreground meadow to give a sense of scale. I may also investigate some cropped versions and larger formats of this view.

Bryce Canyon Amphitheater

14" x 11" Oil on panel.

Sometimes painting is troublesome. Bryce Canyon Amphitheater was inspiring in person with impressive colors at sunrise, but I feel that it might work better as a photograph rather than a painting. Peering into the canyon results in a graphical composition without a very strong form. I worked on this study over two sessions, but am unsure whether I want to work it further or use it as a study for a larger piece.

Balancing Rock

(Click for a larger view.)

$100 - Shipping to US included.

12" x 12" Oil on deep gallery wrap canvas.

This is Balancing Rock in Arches National Park. I really like how the composition in the square format turned out. The balancing rock is in a strong position on the left third and is "balanced" by the small figures that relate the scale of the rock. I especially enjoy how I can barely see the people at the base from across the room.

Arches is an amazing place and I enjoy revisiting the photos I took while there last year. Balancing Rock looks even more precarious from other angles.

Delicate Arch

24" x 18" Acrylic on panel.
(Click the picture for more detail.)

I completed the Delicate Arch painting. I like the dynamic of including the small figure. When you notice it, it really draws your eye away from the arch and keeps the composition from being static. I liked this viewpoint of the arch. That morning the hikers were just arriving at the arch. We had hiked a shorter distance to a viewpoint across a canyon. I have a lot more material from this year's National Parks tour.

Delicate Arch - Work in Progress

24" x 18" Acrylic on Board

Here is an update on what is on my easel. This one is Acrylic which is a little departure for me. Last week, I painted a scene on location in Arches National Park with Acrylics with disastrous results. The paint dried out like a hair dryer was blowing on it (that was about what it was.) Here in the studio they work much better.

I like this start, but have some more work to do. I could possibly use this as an underpainting for oils, but will probably just stick with only Acrylic.