Rainforest Studies + Legacy Questions

                                                                    oil on Yupo 12x9

                                                                  oil on Yupo 15x15

                                                                oil on Yupo 10.5x5.75

An art consultant was telling me about an elderly painter she knew who was extremely concerned about all the work she would be leaving behind. It is a distressing issue. Even if there were enough venues to carry it, you can`t just dump a lot of art on the market without significant demand. Prices, which increased over the career of the artist, would plummet and upset existing collectors. But to leave your loved ones this burden is really unfair. The anxiety between loyalty and duty and practicality would be enormous. What to do? The nightmare is it ending up in a landfill.
Start giving it away was the consultants advice. To institutions who will accept it, to individuals who would love it.
I work with this matter by painting on paper as much as possible. Now that I have experimented with oils on Yupo successfully, that option is even better. Paper is much easier to store and my heirs won`t have to rent storage space.


available work in my studio

Cold Fog in the Morning + a Sitka residency

                                                                oil on panel 20x20

A dark painting of luminous weather. Even though I`ve been interested in it for years and have done some myself, I have a new respect for Tonalist painting. The 'look' is defined by close valued color. Because I paint thin, even with oil paints, I was having to estimate the degree of darkness the paint would dry to. Tricky!

Both of the photos are of Alder trees. If they have enough sunlight they can spread out into the most intricate and beautiful of shade trees. If it`s close quarters like in the grove above, you could almost mistake them for Aspens. This tree is the main reason I wanted to return to Sitka. In Winter and early Spring when you can see the whole structure, they are magnificent. I`m staying on the side of a mountain that juts into the raging Pacific with a gorgeous river and estuary below yet none of that scenic drama is as compelling as these silvery trees.

This is the Boyden Studio where I`m painting. It`s named after the visionaries Jane and Frank Boyden who founded the Sitka Center. In the summer, this huge room is full of happy students here for workshops of all sorts.
The deadline for applying for a residency is April 18. If you`re a serious painter who could possibly leave your life for a while, being here is an experience like no other. If you`re a landscape painter, this pristine environment will bring out the best in you. Three things are necessary as I see it; a coherent body of work, a couple of credible references, and a good idea for using the time. They prefer those who can stay for a three month period but they will work with those that can`t. Like me. And now, the Ford Family Foundation is even awarding nice stipends to Oregon artists who participate! Your spouse is even allowed to visit! Overnight! That`s unheard of in most programs.
Just do it!


available work