Merry Christmas!!

In a couple days Santa will be bringing gifts to those amongst us who are believers. Everybody else will probably get something from someone else. Of course the true meaning of Christmas for us Christians is the birth of Jesus Christ…but it’s nice to get a little something under the tree too.


When I was young, my aunt and uncle would host a huge Christmas Eve gathering for the family. It was a really big deal. I remember one time someone said there was over 20 kids under the age of 6 there. They would have a dinner and everybody would dress up in their Christmas finery. They always had a big white flocked Christmas tree with lots of lights, balls and tinsel on it.

At the appointed hour, one of the adults would sneak outside and jingle sleigh bells. All of us little ones would get ushered into a bedroom to await Santa’s entrance. There were lots of shrieks of excitement and the adult chaperons stood guard by the windows to keep curious deviants like myself and my cousins from peaking out the windows.

One of the male adults, preferably one who was a bit on the portly side, would dress up in a Santa suit and do his “HO HO HO” thing with more bell jingling. Another adult would climb up on the roof and clomp around driving us kids nuts.

After what would seem like a couple of hours of torture, the door of the bedroom would open and we would rush out. Somehow they always timed it so we would catch Santa in the doorway just as he was leaving (they didn’t have a chimney). He’d turn to face us and belt out “Merry Christmas” and before anyone got too close to him he’d duck out and the door would slam shut. Our attention was quickly diverted to all the gifts piled high under that magnificent tree.

Years later when I was older I remember a star struck little guy who walked up to my Dad, tugged on his pant leg and shouted, “Uncle Glenn! Santa has shoes just like yours!” Gasp, gasp! A hush fell on the room. My Dad just winked and patted him on the head and said that Santa must shop at the same shoe store that he did. That was good enough for the little guy and he turned and joined the other kids ripping into their presents still a believer.

Yah, those are some good memories. I don’t remember when it was that I learned any different nor do I remember exactly when I realized that just maybe there really is a Santa Claus. How about you? Merry Christmas folks! Thanks for stopping by.

The Art of...

This column I wrote for the Montrose Daily Press is reprinted here for Anna...hope to see you soon.

Over the years I’ve expressed my appreciation of “the art of…” a lot of different stuff. Of course we all know that art is very subjective. I’ve gotten into a bit of trouble with you folks for expressing an opinion of what I thought art is. That’s not bad though because it has opened my mind up to some really beautiful designs and ideas that I had previously ignored.


One aspect of art that I’ve only scratched the surface of with you folks is the art of cooking. While I know that a number of you are no doubt better versed on this topic than I am, I do have an appreciation of a well prepared meal whether it is served up in a high class restaurant, a diner down the street or at home. It makes no difference.

My wife is a good cook. Because we both work longer hours than we’d like to, she doesn’t get to practice this art as often as I’d like. Consequently when she does put something together, it is a real treat. She has a couple of recipes that if we were ever to open a restaurant they would need to be on the menu.

A recent creation involved Anasazi beans. Never heard of them? They are grown right over in Dove Creek. Lots of acres devoted to the little multi-colored bean. They are good, if you like beans. Ironically, we came across a bag of them at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, in Santa Fe of course, the last time we were down there. I’m told that they are available at City Market too. I would hope so.

Kathy, my wife the cook, adapted a generic recipe for beans and ham using the Anasazi bean and some ham hocks. She added another favorite that we have come to use in a lot of dishes, chopped/diced Hatch green chiles. Our daughter lives in Albuquerque so we have a somewhat direct source for them. She buys them by the gunny sack full, has them roasted and then chops them up and freezes them in quart bags, which we pick up a few of whenever we visit. Daughter Mandy’s “significant other” is a chef in ABQ so that helps too.

Southwest cooking in general is pretty good eating. I’m originally from Minnesota, land of meatloaf, tuna casserole and white gravy, but I really enjoy well prepared chile rellenos, huevous rancheros and the like, anything I can put green chile salsa on.

Here’s a little tip. If you like green chile salsa, look for Santa Fe Seasons Fire Roasted Green Chile Salsa in the market or go to www.santafeseasons.com. Highly recommended. See you downtown.

Collecting Stuff

People have collected stuff for a long time. I don’t know that for a fact but I see no reason that it should be just a current day phenomenon. It amazes me why people collect what they do. Some folks collect art, some collect dolls, some collect stamps. Collecting stamps seemed to be pretty big when I was young. I tried it for awhile. Of course collecting coins used to be big too. My grandmother used to collect buttons. That all seems to be pretty normal stuff to collect and I can see why folks would do it.

It’s the strange stuff people collect that makes me wonder. I had a friend who collected empty cans of black olives. He’d eat all the olives first then wash the cans and stack them up. Said he liked the labels. He probably had fifty or more of them in a cupboard. He also collected the cardboard tubes from toilet paper rolls. I found that to be a bit weird. I once knew a guy who seemed to collect wives. Knew a gal who collected husbands too, so apparently it's not a sexist thing.

I recently stumbled upon a collectible that I think I can get into. Cigar boxes. I’ve always admired the art work in the labels. When I was in North Carolina a couple of weeks ago visiting family, I noticed an attractive cigar box on the counter in my sister’s kitchen. My first thought was that maybe she had taken up the habit. I have enjoyed cigars over the years but never have bought them by the box. Out of curiosity I asked her about it. She laughed and said she used it to store some things in. I asked where in the world she got them and she said the cigar store sells them for a couple of bucks a piece. She them gave it to me along with another. My eyes lit up.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend I was in Santa Fe and came across a cigar store. Every once in awhile I’ll treat myself to what I think is a good cigar so my brother-in-law and I ducked in to see what they had. Low and behold, there were a couple of stacks of empty cigar boxes for sale. I asked about them and was told the nicer wooden boxes were five bucks and the cheaper ones were three, help yourself. I could hardly contain myself. I sorted through them all and picked out two of the five dollar ones to take home along with a couple of Macanudos (my favorite cigar) to enjoy later. Those cigar boxes will be real handy to store my gold leaf in.

Don’t forget the Merriment on Main Street Festival this Saturday from 3:00 to 5:00 followed by the Parade of Lights. See you there.

Flying Our Friendly Skies

I just participated in one of the most ridiculous human activities ever invented. Last week I voluntarily boarded an airplane with some 200 other fools to have my body hurled across these United States. I think this activity ranks just below the “running with the bulls” that takes place every summer in Spain and probably below the once popular practice of streaking by college students.


Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I have a fear of flying so much as a bit of claustrophobia perhaps. I mean, there is just so much wrong with this idea. Sure, it’ll get you from point A to point B rather quickly, relatively speaking, but I think that is the beginning and end of the advantage.

While I’m not much for standing in line I have to say that all in all it went much more smoothly than it could have. I’m thankful for that. Taking all of the stuff out of my pockets and the pat downs weren’t bad. Kind of reminded me of when I would get shook down as a teenager in high school or during a traffic stop in the middle of the night where much worse things can happen. “Up against the wall…” you know how it goes. On the other hand, maybe you don’t but I’m sure you’ve heard of it.

A friend of mine who is a Fed was flying out of Charlotte the same day I was returning to Montrose. As part of her job she is allowed to fly with a gun. I asked her how she gets through security and she said she just shows her travel itinerary and her ID and walks through. No lines at that desk. I asked if she could get me through that easily and she responded, “probably not”. I then proposed that maybe she could cuff me and pretend I was her prisoner, and release me when we got through the gates. She said “probably not”. I had to try at least.

Sitting in the terminal waiting for my flight did yield a side benefit however. I had lots of unsuspecting free models. I generally take a sketch book with me everywhere I go and I managed to fill a couple of pages of portraits of these characters…and there were plenty of them. For a people watcher such as myself, an airport terminal is a treasure trove. Lots of very interesting looking folks. Not quite as good as a bus depot but still worthwhile. Time well spent.

Of course when I travel, if I’ve got the time, I much prefer to drive or ride the Harley but I suppose in the interest of time, joining the rest of the masses in our friendly skies has it’s merits.

New Work

This is a new piece I just recently finished. It was started at a workshop I attended last month in Boise, Idaho with Noel Weber and John Studden, two masters of the art of reversed gold on glass and lettering. Everything was done in reverse on the glass, hence the term "reverse gilding and painting on glass". 23kt and 18kt gold were used along with some abalone shell inlays in the legs of the "A" and the "L". There is a small discalimer under my name that says "is not an"...don't want to get into trouble you know :)

This shot shows some of the detail work. Centers of the letters are 18kt gold in a matte, outlined in 23kt burnished gold.

A detail shot of the "A". Again the centers of the letters are 18kt gold in a matte finish and the outline is 23kt burnished gold with inlays of abalone shell in the legs of the "A".

Another detail shot of the fancy script and corner detail done in 23kt burnished gold.

September

This is a great time of year. I can already feel fall in the air. Although it brings an end to the fine days of summer, and a fine one it has been, fall has it’s own character and appeal.


We pretty much have ended our motorcycle camping trips for this year. It has been an adventurous summer. I got to see some great country, met some neat people and got a lot of material for new paintings to do this winter. By camping and traveling on the motorcycle we managed to get it all done for a little over $600. Can’t beat it.

September, and most of October for that matter, will still offer up some great opportunities that I’m looking forward to. Our fabulous fall colors will be upon us soon. I see hints of it starting already. For a landscape artist, this is a prime time of year. People pay big bucks to come see and experience what we have right here in our own backyard. We don’t have to go far to see some of the best fall colors the Rocky Mountain West has to offer.

I’ll give you a couple of prospects for you to think about in the coming weeks. For a day trip, it is hard to beat the road over Kebler Pass. Between Paonia and McClure Pass you’ll see the turnoff. You’ll wind up in the colorful little town of Crested Butte which has several outstanding places to get a bite to eat. Highly recommended .

Another favorite is to go up and over Owl Creek Pass. You access that loop either by going south toward Ridgway and turning left or go east on Hwy 50 just past the little community of Cimarron. Turn right and follow the road. Either way, the road will take you through some of the best color available. Both are easy drives. A picnic would be in order.

For an overnighter, I would head east on Hwy 50 to Lake City and go over Slumgullion Pass, through Creede and South Fork, over Wolf Creek Pass and into Pagosa Springs for the night. JJ’S Riverwalk Restaurant is a good place for supper. A soak in the hot springs afterwards might be nice. The return route through Durango and over the passes to Ouray and on home will be hard to beat.

Two different overnight trips to Utah in October when the temps will be cooler are worth considering. This is a perfect time to see Moab and Arches N.P. as well as going a little farther to Capitol Reef N.P. If I don’t forget, I’ll expand a little on these next week. See you when you get back.

Mary's Bar

Several years ago I was doing an art show in Santa Fe, NM. During the week or so I spent painting in the area, I came across the little village of Cerrillos just south of Santa Fe. It’s on the beginning of the Turquoise Trail, so named for all of the turquoise mined in the area.

Cerrillos is a very quaint, little village typical of the Southwest. Heavy Mexican influence in the adobe architecture, iron and or wooden gates in the adobe walls, the requisite Catholic Church, a few artist’s studios, dirt streets and a really cool “old town” district which comprises all of two blocks. Not too many of the places are open anymore except for a couple of antique stores and an old bar. The old buildings and town have been used in several movies however, “Young Guns” and “Vampires” to name a couple of the more recent ones. I did a nice watercolor of what used to have been the old Wortley Hotel.

One of the more interesting “establishments” in town is Mary’s Bar. It is located right on the corner of Main and 1st Street. Mary’s is still open to the public…you might say. Although I’ve been back to Cerrillos several times over the last couple of years, and even did a painting of the building, I’ve never ventured into Mary’s Bar. This time my traveling companions and I decided to check it out.

We pulled our Harley’s up and parked them against the low adobe wall in front. From the outside, Mary’s doesn’t look like much. In fact most people, other than the locals, probably wouldn’t bother going inside. It didn’t even look like it was open. Cautiously we opened the door and peeked inside. There was an old lady sitting at a table right up front. Tim asked her if they were open and she replied, “I’m here aren’t I?” We filed in.

The room was dimly lit, even for a bar and the house keeping was…well let’s just say a bit lacking. A black and white cat walked down the length of the bar to greet us. I asked the lady, “Are you Mary?” “Last time I checked!” she replied. We ordered a couple of beers, petted the cats and chatted with Mary. She’s 95 years old, born in Cerrillos and quite the character. We had a fabulous time listening to her recant her life experiences. Several times she mentioned that she was mad at God because he wouldn’t take her yet.

If you make it down there, don’t expect too much. As Mary repeatedly said, “If you don’t like it, the door swings both ways and you are welcome to leave.”

Here's Sister-in-Law Donna chatting it up with Mary. She was a real hoot.

Kathy and I toasting a cold one to my sister Mary.

Hmmm...he seems to like that.

Yea, OK. I'll be your buddy. You're welcome.

We'll probably be checking back in at Mary's Bar whenever we're down that way. That stop made our trip. Good times. If you do a search for "Mary's Bar, Cerrillos, NM" on google you'll find several YouTube videos and other sites with comments by those who have stopped in. Check it out.

Hoist a Cold One

“Hoist a Cold One”, written by Melody Groves with great photos by Myke Groves, is a gem of a book my wife discovered. It covers historic bars of the Southwest. This couple traveled around Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and of course Colorado looking for old historic bars from days of old. What a great idea. I wish I had thought of it. By “bars”, I mean the pieces of furniture that make up the “front” bar, over which the drinks and beers are served to sitting or standing patrons, the “back” bar which was usually adorned by a mirror or two, shelving for the various bottles of liquor and racks for the glasses. Often there was also a liquor cabinet at one end which housed extra bottles of booze.

Most of these pieces of furniture were hand crafted in the mid to late 1800’s. While some were imported from Europe, many were made here in the US. All of them were handcrafted by wood working artisans in cherry, walnut or mahogany, with a lot of hand carved detail. Wonderful pieces of “art”. It is difficult to imagine these fine pieces of furniture and accompanying mirrors, traveling over hundreds and even thousands of miles by whatever means of conveyance that was available at the time. It’s a wonder that any of them arrived safely.

As a result of Prohibition, during which establishments in the business of selling and serving alcohol were closed down, these beautiful bars were removed and hidden from the Ladies of Temperance, saving them from destruction. Many were “stored” in Old Mexico. When Prohibition was lifted, they began to resurface and once again found homes in saloons, bars and taverns.

Interestingly, in my travels searching out material for paintings and looking for old classic signage and gold letters on window glass, I have found myself in the same room as some of these historic pieces of furniture…strictly for purposes of research you understand. In our neck of the woods, the book lists The Diamond Belle in the Strater Hotel, Durango; Grumpy’s Saloon in the Grand Imperial, Silverton; The Brown Bear Café in Silverton, and the Silver Eagle Saloon in Ouray.

Recently I was in the Lone Cone Saloon in Norwood, which was overlooked by the author. They have one of these classic old bars that was made in the late 1800’s and shipped from the Midwest. A beautiful piece of furniture. The carvings and woodwork are outstanding. You ought to check it out. The green chile burger, with a cold draught is recommended.

I believe I might have to look for other similar pieces of “art” the author may have missed and hoist a cold one in salute to the craftsmen.

ABQ

For those of you in the Northern Latitudes and back East, ABQ is short for Albuquerque, as in New Mexico, Land of Enchantment. I remember when I was a kid I was just absolutely fascinated with New Mexico and their “Land of Enchantment” slogan. Still am I suppose.

Daughter Mandy lives in Albuquerque. She’s the Assistant Manger of Guest Services for the Sheraton Hotel there. We took a load of Olathe Sweet Corn down to her and her SO, Daniel. Been pretty busy at the shop here doing framing, painting, lettering and gilding. It's nice to have the work. I don't know what to attribute the change to but I'm trying real hard not to over-analyze it and just run with it for as long as it will last. Consequently I've been working longer hours so it was nice to to get away for a couple days this past weekend. Jumped on the Harley for some quality R&R and headed south.

As you all know by now, if I’m going somewhere, I prefer to ride my Harley. That’s why I got it and these days, it sure is easy on the gas bill when traveling about. So I’ve got 3 cases of sweet corn to deliver. No problem. I borrowed brother-in-law Tim’s motorcycle trailer, the same one we’ve been camping out of all summer on our rides. Worked out swell. Traded sweet corn for Hatch Green chilies. A good trade, if you ask me.

I really like Albuquerque. It doesn’t feel like a very big town. Central Avenue, old Rt.66 is a really cool place to hang out. Kathy and I spent Sunday morning riding up and down Central, stopping and taking pictures of the old neon signs, murals and hand painted signage that still adorn some of the buildings. Unfortunately a few of the old landmarks have been torn down as part of an urban renewal effort. The old Kia Lodge is gone but I got a shot of the old neon sign. Same for the Aztec Motel. It’s gone but the sign is still there. Got that one also.

A number of the old stores from back in the day have been remade into some pretty nice eateries and bars. Some of the businesses from the heyday are still operating right alongside the new ones. Lots of murals on the walls and classic hand painted signs and old architecture. Of course there are a lot of characters on the streets which makes it really interesting.

Had lunch in Old Town at the Church Street Café which is housed in the oldest residence in Albuquerque. Built in 1706 so they say. Old Town is about a 10 block area surrounding the plaza consisting of the old original buildings which are still occupied as residences or businesses. Much the same as in Taos or Santa Fe. Albuquerque sits at the foot of the Sandia Mountains which are just to the east of town. The Rio Grande River, the same one with headwaters right here in Colorado, runs right through town.

Another great ride and a great time too. If you haven’t been there, it’s not far, 350 miles and well worth the trip. Spend a day or two.

Two Extras

Here are two extra paintings I did while in Crested Butte for the show this past weekend.

The one just above is of a pond at the campground I stayed in. This pond was lined with these beautiful Cottonwood trees. The light and the reflections were too much to pass up. When I left the campground to go to the show Friday morning, I had to stop and do the painting. I'm glad I did as it turned out to be a good one. Unfortunately I had already turned in the paintings for the show and they were already hung.

The first painting pictured above, is of a scene between Crested Butte and Almont, that I did on the way home Sunday. Even though the show was over, the artist in me wouldn't let me pass up the opportunity to do this painting. It is the road to "Jake's Cabin" which climbs throught the pass and down to the Taylor River on the otherside. Again it was the light on this scene that prompted me to stop and do the painting.

Stopping to do the painting of "The Road to Jake's Cabin" reminded me of a time that son Ted and I were going to go to Canada several years ago to paint and fish. We had two weeks. The idea was to paint and fish our way to Calgary, Alberta where I had a friend who had invited us up there to fish the Bow River. Ted would do the fishing and I would do the painting...and maybe do a little fishing too. At the end of ten days, we hadn't even gotten out of the state of Colorado, so we had to call the trip off. Ted said that next time I couldn't do any painting until we got to Canada, which was the case the following year. That time it worked out better.

So is the risk if I stop to paint everything I see no matter when or where I am going I might get anywhere. I would love to have the time to do that, just wandering around stopping to paint the picture and then move on to the next one, maybe stopping to fish a bit too. It's a good thing I got home Sunday, even though a bit later than I had told Kathy I be there. It is a wonder that I get anywhere, when I'm supposed to, when I have a painting kit with me.

Although these paintings weren't in the show I have framed them and they are available at my sudio/gallery. They are both 9x12 watercolors and are framed with linen mats, fillets and Museum glass and for sale for $600 each. I can send you a photo of them framed if you are interested.

Crested Butte Plein Air Invitaional

I have to say that the reception and show in general for the Crested Butte Plein Air Invitational, hosted by the Oh Be Joyful gallery in Crested Butte this past weekend was very well done. The quality of work was very good. As with all shows, there were some paintings that weren't up to par but overall it was very impressive. The hard work of Shaun and his staff in setting up the tent and the lighting and the hanging of the paintings definitely showed. It is a difficult task to show art properly in an outdoor setting but they did it.

The idea here is that 45 artists (all professionals), including myself, were invited to come to Crested Butte and paint the subjects of our choice as long as it represented Crested Butte and the surrounding area, and then display and sell the results. I was fascinated by the choice of subjects that each artist made and how he or she represented the chosen subject matter in their paintings. It is well known that if you take five artists and line them up to paint the same thing, the results will vary. That's art. Each of us sees the same thing in a different manner and will portray what we see differently than the artist standing next to us. Click here to see what each of us painted and what sold.

While the big show is over, select pieces of art have been kept by the gallery for the remainder of the show which runs through Sunday. If there is anything of mine that you see that interests you please let me know as I have all of them back here in my gallery with the exception of "CB Alley" which the gallery chose to keep until the end of the show. I was fortunate to have sold my "quick draw" painting (a quick draw is a set time limit we all had to do a painting) on Saturday. It is not pictured however. Thanks to Brenda from Tulsa who bought it.

Crested Butte Plein Air Art Show

This is one of 9 paintings I've done in watercolor in the Crested Butte, Colorado area for the Crested Butte Plein Air Show which opens the 15th of July. You can find more information on my gallery page at www.facebook.com/simpsongallery. You DO NOT have to belong to facebook to access my gallery page. It is available to the general public.

Bears, Eagles and Fireworks

Wondering how others were going to spend the 4th my wife Kathy and I and another couple, jumped on our Harleys and rode up to Red Lodge, Montana to find out. Ya, I know, it’s a long way to go for the weekend. Every little town we rode through was having, or getting ready to have, their 4th of July celebration.


First off I will say that the countryside was green, green, green, and the rivers were all running really muddy, really wide and really fast...and there is still a lot of snow left in the mountains. Looked more like April than the 4th of July.

In Lander, Wy, Main St. was closed for their celebration. We spent the night at an old RV/Tent campground right in town. It was run by an old codger who told us to pick a spot under the shady cottonwoods and put up as many tents as we wanted. I don’t care how many of you there are. That’ll be $20. CASH! We paid up…CASH…and picked our spots.

In Cody, Wy they were getting ready for their tribute to the 4th. Lots of flags and folks in town. We kept going on to Red Lodge, Mt, at the base of the Beartooth Mountains. We rode our Harleys down Main St. and it looked like a mini-Sturgis rally. Motorcycles and bikers everywhere. We fit right in. Lots of American flags waving in the breeze in a grand display of patriotism. Camped in the KAO, all of our neighbors were bikers. Harley’s lined up like it was a dealership. All good folks and proud to be Americans.

In the morning we rode over the famous Beartooth Pass. It rivals our Red Mountain Pass. Fabulous views. Alongside the road there were still drifts of snow 10 to 15 feet high that the road had been plowed through. Coming off the other side, as far as one could see, the mountains were still VERY snow capped. We entered Yellowstone NP where we were treated to bear, buffalo and elk. That evening we sat around the campfire sipping some of Lynchburg’s finest and kept mosquitoes at bay with DEET and cigars.

In Flaming Gorge, Utah we saw an eagle in a tree eating a freshly caught fish. As we came off of Menoken Hill Monday night we were treated to the great Montrose Rotary fireworks display. We even got onto our deck at home, with a cold one, in time to catch the grand finale.

The cost of our curiosity? Gas, $122.81. Campgrounds, $52.50. Food, $32.50, for a total of $207.81. The material gathered for paintings and the sheer pleasure of it all? Priceless. It sure beat staying home and mowing the grass.

Skeeters, Prairie Dogs and Texans

OK. You’re probably wondering what these have in common. Truth is…nothing, but follow along gentle readers and I shall tell you a tale that will shed a little light on the matter.


I was up in CB again last weekend painting for a show coming up in July. For those of you who don’t know, CB is the moniker that the locals in Crested Butte use when referring to their little burg. I’ve been up there so much lately that I feel I have the right to use it.

The first night I camped on a gravel bar close to the trees along the swollen Slate River. The setting sun cast wonderful shadows across the land. It was beautiful. As night fell on me up there at about 9500 feet, the mosquitoes decided to join the party. I quickly built a fire, lit a cigar and let the smoke of both bath me in an attempt to ward off the pesky little critters. The next day I moved over to Washington Gulch and discovered a field of brilliant yellow dandelions. In the far background was the silhouette of Mt. Crested Butte. A painting for sure.

The breeze was blowing rather stiffly where I was parked so I climbed a nearby hillside and got into the trees a bit. This actually afforded a better view anyway, but I soon discovered that the skeeters liked it up there out of the wind too. The little rascals were ferocious. Lots of deet and another cigar seemed to have little impact. Being the professional I am however, I endured the pests and did the painting. With arms and paint flailing wildly about and doing a little jig back and forth at the easel trying to avoid the little beasts I must’ve looked like an idiot up there having a fit. Hope nobody was watching.

Back at the truck, while I sat on the tailgate enjoying a cold one and taking in the spectacular view I had just painted I thought about the mosquito. I think the worst place for mosquitoes I’ve ever been was up in Jackson Hole when I was younger and being a cowboy. I remember trying to eat a sandwich in the barn one day and it was difficult to take a bite without getting a mouthful to add a little flavoring. Alaska claims the mosquito as their state bird. I don’t know about that since the only time I was in Alaska it was 35 below in February. Weren’t too many bugs of any kind out at that time of the year.

Oh! Prarie Dogs and Texans? I’ll have to say those for another time. Thanks for stopping by though and stay tuned.

Luck of the Norwegian

Last weekend I spent a couple of days in Crested Butte doing some paintings for an up coming show in July. Saturday I closed the shop up a little early and jumped on the Harley, loaded with camping gear and my painting kit. The weather wasn’t too bad Saturday afternoon and I got some work done that evening. Sunday, the day started out OK even though it was mostly overcast with the sun poking out just long enough to create some nice shadows and beautiful light on the Sherpa Café which was my chosen subject matter for the morning.


Later I stopped by the Oh Be Joyful Gallery which is hosting the show in July and met up with a fellow artist, Meredith Nemirov and Shaun Horne, owner of the gallery. We discussed various locales to paint and then went our separate ways. Meredith was headed for the high country but I elected to stay in town on the pavement, primarily because I was on the Harley and hadn’t brought my tire chains.

I found a colorful flower box down an alley on the side of a building with a red door and red trimmed windows. There was even the requisite bicycle. I was again briefly blessed by just enough sun to give me some cast shadows to create a nice effect of light. By the time I was finished the wind was picking up some more and the crowds on the streets had thinned significantly.

After a burger and a beer at a sidewalk pizzeria, I strolled around for awhile looking for another place to paint and made a few sketches but by then the sun had disappeared leaving everything disappointingly flat in color. I decided to ride out toward Mt. Crested Butte, the ski area, to see how things looked. As I got out of the confines of the buildings and into some open space I was amazed to look up toward the range of mountains to the north and saw what a couple of months ago I would have called a snow squall sweeping in. I sat there and watched it long enough to decide that it was time to bail.

Although I had planned to spend the night and paint on Monday, I headed back to Almont, broke camp, loaded up and headed home. A good thing too as I got wet with a couple of showers on the way home and later that evening in the comfort of my warm house I saw that there was a winter storm advisory in CB for that night. In June? Who would’ve thought? My Norwegian luck worked again. A great time was had never-the-less.

Gone Painting

Headed to Crested Bute to paint for the weekend. Sleeping bag, check; tent, check; painting kit, check; cooler, ckeck...you know...I could be one independent SOB if I wasn't so responsible. Can't think of a better way to spend a couple of days. It'd be real easy to say..."see you in the fall if I see you at all". I'd probably miss my bride and my cat though so I'll be back on Monday to report in.

Streetscapes

Went up to Crested Butte the other day and I must say it was an absolutely beautiful day for a ride…just perfect. The Oh Be Joyful Gallery is hosting a plein air paint out and show in mid July and I am one of 45 artists nationwide that has been invited to participate. Typically we artists will fan out into the surrounding countryside and paint these scenic Rocky Mountains. I’ve done this with the Telluride Plein Aire Festival for several years.


This time I’m going to approach it all a little differently. The town of Crested Butte is a particularly colorful little berg. The multicolored old Victorian style buildings are really very interesting. Walking around the streets, checking things out, I decided that I would paint in town. The architecture and color is simply too interesting to pass up…not to mention the characters, and as you all know, I love to paint characters.

While Telluride has to be known for the number of dogs in their town, Crested Butte holds the record for the number of bicycles. Good grief. They were everywhere. It’s hard to believe that there are enough members of that community to pedal all those bikes around. Very brightly painted old school bikes in the style of the 50’s with baskets on them parked next to dirty well used mountain bikes. Great subject matter.

My wife Kathy and I spent a couple of hours walking up and down historic Elk Ave which is the main drag. We wandered onto the side streets and ventured into the adjoining alleys where the real treasures were to be found as we discovered. There are little, and I mean LITTLE eateries adorned with lively colored flower boxes tucked away in the most obscure places …more good stuff to paint.

I’ve painted in the Crested Butte area before. CB is well known for their wildflowers. They even have a wildflower festival. The landscape in the area is as good as it gets but I think that this time I’m going to go for the streetscapes. There is just too much good stuff to pass up in that little town.

Painting on the streets, however, is a completely different challenge than being out in the countryside. Lots of distractions. Folks tend to gather around thereby creating a lot of pressure on you not to screw the painting up. Every stroke has to count. Especially since I will be doing watercolors in which there is little tolerance for mistakes.

I’m going to go on my Harley, take a watercolor kit and paint right from the bike. It’ll be easy to get around and park where I need to. That ought to be a sight. In fact I'm headed up there this weekend for several days of painting. Camping, painting and riding my Harley. Can't think of a better way to spend Father's Day. I’ll keep you posted.

Wigwam Motel

You folks have seen this painting before. I did it last year based upon a trip we took on our motorcycles to Arizona. One night we stayed at the iconic Wigwam Motel on Rt. 66 in Holbrook, Arizona. That's us checking in. In the background are a couple of old classic cars parked next to the teepees. That's the way it was. Each teepee had it's own old classic car parked in front of it.. We spent a night in nostalgia. I've had lots of folks comment on this painting while I've had it displayed in the studio however it is now time to offer it up to a larger market. This painting is available at my gallery.

Canyon Road Hollyhocks

Santa Fe New Mexico is a great place. Lots of  great art,  alluring adobe architecture, food to die for and beautiful flowers. The geraniums, rabbit brush and hoolyhocks are iconic to the region. These are an example of what might find off  famous Canyon Road in Santa fe. This little watercolor sold at auction. Thanks!

Oxbow Bend

Jackson Hole is a favorite place of mine. I used to live in Jackson. The nearby Yellowstone N. P. and the closer lesser known Teton N.P. are wonderful places for a plein air landscape painter like me. This particular littl watercolor was done at the Oxbow Bend in the Snake River. It is a very popular turnout because of the views. What isn't as well known however, is that if you take the dirt road on around the corner you can have even more spectacular views and a much more intimate view of the river. At this spot, the water is wide and lazily flows along. The relatively calm surface reflects the fall colors on the banks. This little painting is for sale at my gallery.

Mt. Sopris

A couple of years ago I was in the Aspen area. It was Spring and the morning air was very chilly, just above freezing. I painted this watercolor from the parking lot of the Catholic Church in Carnodale which is near Aspen, Colorado. The frozed moisture (ice crystals) in the air softened the colors beautifully. This painting is for sale at my gallery.

Red Roofed Gazebo

This red roofed gazebo sits on the edge of a pond in our town park. It is a favorite subject to paint. I did this watercolor painting on location a couple of years ago. The ducks and geese come floating by to investigate what I'm doing and always are looking for a hand out. This watercolor is for sale at my gallery.

eBay Paintings

Just posted a watercolor and 3 oil paintings to eBay. Some of these have been there before and are still looking for their new owner. Click here to go there http://art.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=Mike+Simpson&_sacat=550

Chasing Tumble Weeds

Last weekend, I took a little trip to Arizona on the Harley with my wife Kathy and another couple. The idea was to go to Canyon de Chelly at Chinle, AZ and down the road a bit to the historic Hubble Trading Post at Ganado and do some watercolors of these scenic and famous places. Both are on the Navajo Reservation. Originally we were going to camp at Chinle but let me just say that it didn’t work out. I’ll leave it at that. Instead, we decided to camp in Cortez, CO and make a day trip down into the Rez on Sunday. Unfortunately that’s the only part that worked as planned.


We arrived in Cortez midday and set up camp. That afternoon the wind began to blow. Our wisdom told us that it would die down when it got dark. I mean, typically that’s the way it goes. You know that. Well, I’m here to say that the wind howled all night long. None of us got any sleep, what with the sides of our flimsy nylon tents whipping violently and the fear that the tents stakes would rip out of the ground and we’d find ourselves tumbling through the night toward Kansas tangled in sleeping bags along with sundry camping gear.

At daylight, Sunday morning, with the wind still whipping us around, we collectively decided to go anyway. We’ve ridden in wind before. How bad can it be? I stuck a wetted finger in the air and announced that the good news was, on the return trip the wind would be at our backs.

By the time we got to Mexican Water, we realized that this was a serious wind and maybe we were being a little foolish. The kind older Navajo gentleman behind the counter at the little (and only) store where we stopped to seek refuge seemed to think so too. He didn’t say anything, he just stood there with a big grin and quietly chuckled when we came in. I’m sure he was thinking, “stupid white people”. He might have been right. Undeterred we forged on.

The wind was so strong at Hubble we didn’t stay long, and the sand storms at Chinle prevented us from seeing anything so we just kept riding. I was correct however that on the return trip we found a bit of relief when, at times, the wind was at our backs. However, when you have trouble keeping up with the tumble weeds “tumbling” down the road at 65 mph, you know the wind is blowing hard. We rode back to Cortez in one huge sandstorm. Needless to say that I didn’t get any painting done. I’m not really into “sand” paintings.

I Knew It All Along

I was just reading an article about a study on the internet that reported men who engaged in an artistic activity of some sort, whether hands on or viewing, are “more likely to be happy with their lives and satisfied with their health than men who don't enjoy the finer things in life”. Heh, heh, heh. I knew it all along. Combine that with riding a motorcycle and it can’t get much better. So there.


With the slump in the economy the last several years the sales of art have slowed considerably, as in having come to a screeching halt. When you paint for a living, that has a huge impact on both ones income and mental outlook. It is real hard to get motivated and inspired to paint when very little of what you have painted in the last couple of years has sold. It is easy to think about finding something else to do like auto mechanics or plumbing or something that is in demand.

I haven’t done much painting lately. Every time I think about starting a new one I think, “what’s the point?” The problem is that an artist has an inner drive to create. Sooner or later that urge has to be satisfied or life in general becomes problematic. The other day I found myself pacing the floor, aimlessly, back and forth. This has happened before. I know the symptoms. Sooner or later it begins to get on my wife’s nerves and she’s been known to snap at me “go do a painting”.

It is well known, among artists anyway, that one should not paint for the money. An artist should paint for his or her own satisfaction. Since not much is selling these days, it is a good opportunity to do just that. One of my most cherished activities is to paint on location. Get out somewhere and paint what is in front of me. It isn’t just the physical act of doing the painting that is so satisfying, it is the entire process of traveling around and searching for a motif and then setting up and capturing the essence of the subject matter.

It’s well known that I like to get out and about from time to time. The reason is, I see so much that inspires me and I come back from such excursions with a renewed sense of desire to paint and write about what I experienced. I’m not a mechanic or a plumber, I’m an artist. I can’t help it. That’s who I am and that’s what I do and I’m happier and healthier for it. Thanks for stopping by. I’ll be in touch.

Small Town America

If you’ve been keeping up you’ll know that my wife Kathy and I rode the Harley back to Charlotte, NC. We had a good trip. In fact it was remarkable and memorable in a number of ways. Riding a motorcycle across the heartland of this great country (and back again) was a real treat.


Our time was limited, unfortunately, so we didn’t get to stop and take a lot of photos or investigate the little road side attractions that are scattered along the highways and byways. One of the advantages (and there are many) of avoiding the interstates is that you get to see Small Town America. Even though these little bergs have a lot in common, they all have their individual personality, which becomes even more obvious as you ride from region to region and state to state. You can tell by the roadside signs, the landscape, the farms, houses and storefronts.

I really enjoyed seeing the old store fronts in these small towns and the signage that adorns them, probably because I have a shop on Main Street and do some signage. There is a lot of character in both. Many are closed up, merely reminders of days gone by.

We saw the devastation of the flooding both going and coming. It was really sad to see partially submerged farm houses and buildings out in the middle of a large body of water. In Metropolis, IL we were stopped several times by yellow caution tape stretched across the streets blocking our way. At one point I sat there astride the idling Harley with water lapping on the pavement just a few feet in front of us and looked around at the neighborhood houses of this small town. Water up to the windows on many, backyard swing sets rising out of the water. Sometimes just the rooftops of vehicles were little islands in what used to be the driveway. Very sad and disheartening.

We took meals in a number of restaurants in which either the waitresses or patrons chatted with us about our trip. We enjoyed some cobbler and coffee in The Old Fort Restaurant while we waited out a rain storm just out of Chattanooga, TN. The waitress was particularly curious about our adventure. There was breakfast in The Round-Up Café in Baxter, KS where some Bikers for Christ invited us to their Sunday service. We had to decline as we needed to move on but I asked them to pray for our safety as we motored off into their quiet morning.

It’s good to be back but I look forward to the next time I get to visit Small Town America. It’s worth the effort.

Observations from the Road

Prairie dogs in Kansas, armadillos in Missouri, and opossums in Tennessee and North Carolina. What do they have in common? Popular road kill in their respective states. Sometimes you notice such things from the back of a motorcycle.

It’s been a good trip so far. Part of the fun of traveling across this great nation of ours, especially when you take the back roads and are riding a motorcycle, is the people you meet. We seem to attract some attention when we pull into a rest stop or a McDonalds to take a break or a motel parking lot. People like to come up, check out the bike and find out where we are from and where we are going. Sometimes we have to excuse ourselves so we can get inside and take care of the business for which we originally stopped.

Met an interesting guy at the Budget Lodge where I got a discount for the night’s room because I am a Vietnam Vet. Thanks. I appreciate that. He wanted to show me a 30 foot lodge pole pine he carved and painted to look like an American flag hanging at rest. Looked pretty good too. He was sure proud of it.

There was an old timer who came over to chat in the parking lot at a McDonalds. He was sporting a Harley shirt and cap and said that he was 80 years old and had been riding up until this year when his son took his motorcycle away from him. He wanted to know if we were part of a group of 400 bikers that were supposed to be passing through on their way to “the wall” in DC. I said we didn’t know anything about it. Said he made that ride a couple of years ago. He would’ve stood there in the hot sun until dark reliving his riding days if his wife hadn’t come over to drag him away.

We managed to get across the Big Muddy but had trouble getting across the Ohio and on to Paducah, KY. We got lost in the flooded neighborhoods of Metropolis, IL until a couple of fellas exchanging some money in a parking lot pointed us in the right direction.

Another guy in a new Camero pulled into the spot next to us at a rest stop in Tennessee. He went on and on about what he did and how he really didn’t like the Camero and thought that we had the better deal. I just smiled and agreed.

We'll be headed home on Friday looking forward to meeting some more folks and seeing what we can from the back of the Harley.

Ready, Set, GO!

If you remember, a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I had a bad case of cabin fever and decided to ride the Harley out to see my mother and sister in Charlotte, North Carolina in a couple of weeks. Well…I’ve got help at the shop up lined out and our house sitter is going to feed the gold fish for us while we are away…so we are gone, gone, gone.

The anticipation of the ride has been fun and has helped pass the time. Heck if it had been up to me, I’d have left when I first got the idea. Only problem was that the weather wasn’t real good, what with it still snowing in Colorado and tornados across the rest of the country.

I’ve ridden in some pretty sorry weather before and it’s no fun. I can do it but it makes for a long day. I remember a time, a couple of years ago, along the Lochsa River between Lewiston, Idaho and Lolo Pass just west of Missoula, Montana. Rained the whole way…some 150 miles of it anyway. A good steady, cold rain. Crossed over the summit of Lolo Pass with one gloved hand brushing the snow off of the windshield…and that was in the middle of June. I’d like to do that ride again as I’m pretty sure it is beautiful country. It was just a little hard to tell at the time.

Another time we were up in Canada and we started our day in the rain. This time it was combined with high winds and came down in sheets. Lasted all day too. Oh! I can’t forget just last summer when we got caught in a hail storm in the Snowy Mountains between Laramie and Saratoga, Wyoming on the way back from Sturgis. That might have been the worst I’ve been in on a motorcycle. We got literally pounded with that one.

I know. You are probably asking yourselves why we just don’t pull over and find shelter. That’s a good idea but it always seems we are out in the middle of nowhere when we run into bad weather. There is literally no place to get out of it so we just keep riding on. Besides, it makes for some pretty good tales to tell later.

There have been many more miles when the weather was just absolutely beautiful however and that’s what makes it all worthwhile. Just as in life or doing a painting, sometimes it works out just fine and other times…well you think it should have. Life should be an adventure to be lived…not a problem to be solved. I’ll be in touch, posting daily updates at www.facebook.com/simpsongallery and I'll try to do the same here. Stay tuned.

Spring is in the Air!!

Yup! Feels pretty good doesn’t it? There’s nothing like the fresh smell in the air after a spring rain shower. Everything even looks cleaner and brighter. Things are starting to green up a bit, a few bulbs poking their bright flowers out of the ground. Birds nesting here and there, new calves and lambs on the ground. Time to climb out of winter and stretch in the sunshine. Yah! Feels good.


I mentioned last week that we are planning a ride out to Charlotte, North Carolina on our Harley in a couple of weeks. Several of you good folks came by and commented on that. This Sunday we oiled up our leathers and I changed the oil on the bike and washed it. Enjoyed a brewski on the deck afterwards while leafing through the worn pages of Rand McNally, plotting our route. We spent a little time planning the summer as well. A few short overnight camping rides here and there. Some trailer camping squeezed in and an art show to boot. After spending the winter holed up in the shop/studio, it’ll be good to get out and about again gathering material to paint and write about, although it’ll be closer to home this year.

In years past I used to do more summer art shows than now. The cut back is strictly an economic one. I’ve been invited to a paint out and show in Crested Butte this summer in July and I will plan on it, however. Getting out and painting on location is absolutely one of the best activities I can think of. I really enjoy it. There is a wealth of material right here in my back yard and I think this spring and summer I will take advantage of it.

I’ve been getting a few touristas in the gallery lately and that’s a good sign. People are starting to get out. Had a nice lady in the other day, coincidentally from Charlotte, NC. I have a blog that I write and she had found me on the internet, subscribed to the blog and wanted to stop in and meet me. That was nice. It’s interesting what exposure on the internet will do. Unfortunately I had another customer in the gallery at the time and didn’t get to chat it up as much as I would have liked. I hope she stops in again sometime if she is in the area.

Spring is like a time of renewal isn’t it? Of course it is. Time to stand in the fresh morning air, breathe deep and let the warmth of the sun shine on your smiling face. Life is good.

Cabin Fever

I don’t know about you folks but I’ve been getting a little itchy to get out and go somewhere. While it’s nice to have the days getting a little longer and we have been teased with some nice warm weather off and on it has only served to make me a little edgy.


Maybe it’s because I haven’t gotten out and done any painting for some time. Hanging out in the studio all winter has given me the opportunity to get a lot done at the easel but I think it is time to venture out. Explore new territory or at least revisit familiar haunts of past. Do something.

With that in mind, I’ve decided that a road trip is in order. My kind of vacation. The last one I took was back to North Carolina to visit my sister and our mother in October. It was great. I’ve driven the route in the car or our pickup several times but this time we are going to take the Harley. While this isn’t the farthest we’ve ridden the bike, it’ll be the first time in that direction.

This is something I’ve wanted to do for a couple of years now but for one reason or another I just haven’t been able to make it happen. The truth, I suppose, is that I’m a procrastinator. Too many excuses not to do some of these things. I finally decided if not now…when? There has always been a list of reasons why “not” do it but let’s face it, I’m not getting any younger and for the most part, there is never a perfect time to do anything. Besides, the end result is worth it. So, we will wait a couple of weeks for the snow to get off of the passes and then we go.

We’re going to take 3 or 4 days to go out there which won’t leave a whole lot of time to dally along the way but we will take the scenic route as much as we can. If I take my watercolor kit along I might even find something to paint during a break at a roadside turn out. In fact I’m pretty sure of it. I just have to do it.

The weather between here and there can be a little dicey this time of year but that’ll just add some “adventure” to the trip. If we have to hole up in a mom and pop motel along the way to let a storm pass that’s what we’ll do. Besides, it’ll make for a good tale to tell. I’m already feeling better and looking forward to seeing family. Good times are just down the road.

Eskimo Masks and Yo-yos

Here was a fun project I finished up last week. These are some genuine eskimo masks and yo-yos a customer bought at the native co-op in Fairbanks while touring Alaska. I mounted them on a suede backing and set the museum glass off of the masks with a suede mat and gold fillet. I had to customize a shadowbox frame that was deep enough to accommodate the depth of the masks.

Two Suns

Here are a couple of photos of another of the Abstract Impressionist paintings. This one is also a 12x12 oil on a gallery wrapped canvas with the addition of gold metal leaf. The painting is titled "Two Suns" and is for sale at my gallery for $145. The bottom photo is of the painting at an angle which better shows the reflective properties of the gold leaf. Again thanks to Don for the inspiration.

The Sound of Color

Here is another of my Abstract Impressionism series. This is a 12x12 oil on a gallery wrapped canvas with a square of gold metal leaf added for interest. It is titled "The Sound of Color" and is for sale at the gallery for $145.

I have to give credit to my cousin Don Stec for the inspiration. Previously I have mentioned that I use gold leaf, both in 23 kt and Dutch (fake) gold leaf in the making of my picture frames. Don emailed me and mentioned that he used to put gold leaf on motorcycle tanks and then spray candy colored paint over it yielding an original and unique look. With that in mind, I thought I would try it on these abstract paintings. I applied thin washes of oil color over the gold and I think the result is very interesting.

Rainy Day in the Big City

Let's call this some Abstract Impressionism. Yes it is something that is new for me but I REALLY like it. If you read the post below, you will know how this came about. There is a lot of competition in the type/style of art that I have been doing. Not that there isn't a lot of competition in this style too but for me this is different and that's exactly what I've been looking for...something different. This is a 24x36 oil on a gallery wrapped canvas so it doesn't need framing.  I have a number of others that are on my facebook page, www.facebook.com/simpsongallery in an album titled Abstract Impression.
What is really fun is that people are seeing all kinds of things in the painting. Everything from trees, to reflections of windows in high rise buildings to a train and rooftops. Does anyone see the figure with the red umbrella? Take a look and see what you can see. It is priced at $600. Something that is very unique and very affordable. Let me know if you are interested.

Our Comfort Zone

We all have one. Some of us are more comfortable in ours than others are in theirs. Most of us have several of them depending on what we are addressing. Lifestyles, finances, relationships, jobs. Some of us are comfortable with our art and some of us aren’t.


One of the basic laws of nature seems to be that if we aren’t comfortable we tend to fidget a bit. The more uncomfortable we are, the more we squirm. Most of the time, depending on what we are talking about, the discomfort isn’t so bad that we will do anything to fix the problem however. In other words, for most of us, what we are dissatisfied with isn’t worth the effort to do anything about it. That’s what is called our comfort zone. It pretty much works most of the time and that is good enough, most of the time…until...

For years I’ve been a very literal painter. I mean, I paint things pretty much as they are. It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see what I’ve put on canvas or paper. It is what it is. I’ve always had a hard time seeing what the artist was trying to do in abstract paintings. It just wasn’t my thing. I just couldn’t see it. In recent years, my traditional outlook and approach to my art has been challenged, internally as well as from the outside. I’ve begun to maybe see some value and talent in paintings that just used elements of color and design.

Slowly and rather timidly I began to incorporate small changes in what I was doing and I discovered that I rather liked it. The other day I went for broke and did a painting in a most unconventional manner for me. I’ve got to tell you that I had more fun than I have had in a long time. I was just putting color on the canvas and letting it run and take on a life of it’s own. I put the canvas on the floor. A few splatters here and some drips over there. I put it back on the easel and turned it this way and that, encouraging it to perform on it’s on. I got a little crazy and carried away (who me?) and made a bit of a mess but it was great. The best news is that people are talking about it. They are just as excited as I am. Abstract Impressionism. I like it.

I stepped out of my comfort zone. It was hard to do, but I found it to be exhilarating, refreshing and a whole lot of fun. You should try it. You might like it.

Art Classes

I have a series of classes in drawing, watercolor and oil painting starting in April. Call or email me and I'll see that you get the particulars.

Gold Leaf

Working with gold is such a joy. Several years ago I began gold leafing frames for myself, some artist friends and customers. While the demand isn't what it used to be, I still do some from time to time. Recently there has been a little ralley and I've had the opportunity to get into it again.

Gilding with gold dates back to the begining of time. My experience has largely been applying gold leaf to frames and an occasionally on glass or mirrors. Last year I did a mirror with some sandblasting, handlettering and gold leafing. I really enjoyed doing it and was pleased with the result.

With that in mind, I am planning on doing more gold work, primarily on glass and mirrors. I am starting a project doing monograms in gold on glass. My first one will be the letter "S" which is appropriate because it is my initial and also the initial for the name of my studio. Current plan is to gild the letter in gold in a reverse glass method  (which is nothing more than doing it in reverse on the back of the glass) and outline it in black. Clean, simple and elegant. Ultimately I would like to do each letter of the alphabet with each letter in a different font. The size I am going to work with is a 12" square piece of glass with each letter appropriately placed.

Although the first letter will be simple, I will gradually increase the complexity of the letters not only in design but also with sandblasting, glue chipping and inlaying with mother of pearl and or abalone shell.

Should be fun. I'll keep you posted.

Another Desert Sunset

This was a quickie. Although done in the studio from a photo, I painted it as I would've if I had been on location. It is a scene near Wickenburg, AZ. I spent some time down that way a couple of years ago and did a number of plein air paintings while there.

Quick, sure, brush strokes and heavier paint application makes for a fun little oil painting. Just tried to capture the essence of the evening light which I think I did.

This painting is for sale in my studio.

Desert Sunset

This is a painting fresh off of the easel of a view from the Cameron Trading Post on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona overlooking the Little Colorado River not far from the east entrance to the Grand Canyon. There is a wonderful dining room at the trading post that has a beutiful collection of Navajo rugs on the walls. The early evening light just at sundown was spectacular giving everything a warm glow. The orange light was contrast beautifully with the cooler long shadows cast across the desert landscape.

The painting was done on a linen panel that was first toned with a warm burnt sienna wash. The rest of the colors were painted over this wash with the warm tone of the burnt sienna coming through the thin transparent shadow washes. Heavier paint was used on the bright highlights. I just love the effect of the cool transparent darks.

The painting is for sale in my studio.

Evening Light

You know, it's hard to think of a better place to be than the Colorado High Country in the summer. I came across this beautiful scene one day after spending most of the day painting north of Crested Butte along Rock Creek. We were on our way out of the area and the sun was getting low and as we rounded the curve in the road there it was. In one of those sudden panic stops that are common to artists and photographers, I stopped, jumped out and did a quick painting to capture the light. Using that sketch and a photo I took for reference I did this little studio painting yesterday. I really enjoyed doing it as it took me back to a fine summer's day.

This 8x10 painting is available from my studio. Contact me if you are interested.

Taos Pueblo

Here is another little 6x8 oil of some adobe dwellings in the Old Taos Pueblo in New Mexico. The pueblo is a really neat place to wander around and see how the natives to the area live.

I really like the almost abstract quality of the shapes of these adobes.

This little painting is available from my studio. Contact me if you are interested.

Russian Sage

Here is another little 6x8 oil painting fresh off of the easel of some Russian Sage outside a gate in an adobe wall. I did this painting from a photo I took while strolling the back streets and alleys in Santa Fe in the Land of Enchantment. The Russian Sageis a light whispy type of shrub with soft, delicate lavender flowers and silvery green leaves. I call these paintings my little gems. This painting is available from my studio. Contact me if you are interested.

Hollyhocks on the Corner

One of the most relaxing and enjoyable activities I know is to casually stroll the back streets and alleys just off of Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico on a fine summers day. Around every corner is a visual treat of flowers and adobe architecture. Take your time. Enjoy the experience.

The rich adobe color of this wall, the warm noonday sunlight the cool shadows make for a perfect setting for these Hollyhocks. In the background is a gate in an adobe wall that is trimmed in the iconic blue/tourquois color said to ward off evil spirits. New Mexico is truely the land of enchantment.

This little 6x8 oil was painted is SOLD! Actually my wife really liked it so I gave it her for our 30th wedding anniversary.

Entrada

This little oil I just did is of an entrance "entrada" into the courtyard of an adobe residence just off of Canyon Road in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is typical of the doorways and entrances in the adobe, southwest style architecture found in the whole Southwest region of the United States. The blue or tourquois paint is used to ward off evil spirits. You see it on the doorway and window trim all over the area. Potted geraniums are also popular and are one of my favorites. This little 8x6 oil painting is available at my studio. Contact if you are interested in it.

Desert Longhorn

This is a little 6x8 oil I just finished. I have been trying to get various effects of light with thin washes of paint. Sometimes I use that in just a portion of the painting contrasting the effect with heavier applications of paint on the main subject such as in the last painting I posted. This painting however is nearly all washes. Through the use of this technique and the warm/hot colors I was able to achieve the effect of a hot sunny afternoon out on an open desert landscape. The silhouette of the longhorn steer and the ground are rather sketchy and blurry helping to develope the effect of light.

This painting has SOLD. Thanks Mark!!

Red Shirt II

This little 6x8 oil is a companion piece to the vertical painting I did a few posts below. It is the same cowboy on the same horse. Placing the horse and rider against the backlit hazy/misty background gave me an opportunity to use the nice blue grey of the horse, the red shirt and the body of the rider as a silhouette thereby creating a effect of light. I purposely left the landscape, foreground and distance somewhat sketchy as it is all secondary information and supports the focus on the horse and rider.

this painting is for sale at auction. You can go here for more information.