"Tuff Canyon Overlook"

Oil on canvas panel, 14"x11"

I painted this in about 1.5 hours and think I might have to paint this scene again as a larger piece. I really like the color and composition of this painting. Tuff Canyon is just a short hike from the viewpoint of my recent Castolon Mesa painting.

"Jim's Percolator" or "Three Wishes"

Oil on canvas panel, 8"x8"

My friend Jim Stephenson here in Spring dropped off this incredible 1940's Westinghouse Percolator for me to paint. I will do a couple paintings of this antique before surrendering it back to him. I thought of the alternate name for the painting "Three Wishes" because it reminds me of a genie lamp. Couldn't we all use 3 wishes? What would you wish for?

"Castolon Mesa"

Oil on archival Belgian linen panel, 8"x10"

This is the same mesa near Castolon in the Bend that I painted a couple weeks ago. This particular view was with a cloudless sky and the sun straight above.

"Early Bloomer"

Oil on panel, 5"x7"

I had no clue what I was going to paint this morning and I looked around and saw this canna blooming just outside in my backyard. Wa La, my subject. I liked the lighting but think I missed the glow that it had.

"Blue and Green"

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This scene was created from an abstract design painted as an under painting first, then just molded into the finished piece. It was also painted very fast.

We had software updates at work yesterday which put us behind and I did not get home until after 2:00 in the morning. So I took this opportunity to just paint quickly without much worry about the outcome.

"Creamer"

OIl on panel, 7"x5"

After my mother passed away I salvaged a couple boxes of keepsakes from her home of which this little creamer was one of them. Just about everything I collected there was for the purpose of painting as well as just remembering her by holding onto items that were hers.

I don't think I did this any justice and I know I will paint it again, the weather continues to be dreary here and the dreariness rears its ugly head in my work.

"Oh My Darling"

Oil on Raymar linen panel, 5"x7"

I eat these little Clementines pretty often but have always wanted to paint them. So I created this little setup in a complimentary color scheme, orange and blue. I had the idea for the name long ago and just had to do the painting, ironic that today is Valentines Day and the title being "Oh My Darling".

"Mexican Vase"

Oil on canvas panel, 8"x8"

I decided to do a still life today because the weather is dreary and we have no sunshine. I think my work always suffers when my light is gray. I seem to paint to my surroundings, junk in junk out so to speak.

This particular piece of pottery is handmade in Mexico and one of my favorite pieces in the house. I did not do it justice with this painting but promise myself that I will paint it again soon.

"Long Shadows in the Village"

Oil on canvas panel, 5"x7"

Another scene from Rio Grande Village in the Bend. Long shadows are cast by the late afternoon sun hitting the tall cottonwoods. This is a very similar painting to my previous "Rio Grande Village"

"Grapevine Hills"

Oil on canvas panel, 6"x8"

This scene is from the same hike "Land of the Monoliths" was from. It is known as Grapevine Hills and a very distinct area in Big Bend. It almost resembles something you would see in southern Arizona and the Sonoran desert.

I painted this very fast on purpose and I believe it is one of my better efforts to date. I struggled with yesterdays painting and have repainted part of it and reposted it. I have trouble with my work when I paint to slow, to much detail and I think about it to much. This painting came off as pure instinct and I love it.

"Mile High Club"

Oil on panel, 8"x8"

This is a scene from the road from Panther Junction up to the basin inside Big Bend National Park. As you wind your way around peaks you eventually pass a sign indicating you are at 1 mile in altitude. This is in close proximity to that area as the sun begins to set behind the western escarpment of the Chisos Mountains.

"Viva Castolon"

OIl on canvas panel, 6"x8"

Further down the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive after descending from a fairly high altitude as you approach Santa Elena Canyon in the distance. This is a very recognizable mesa in the lowlands.

"Daydream"

Oil on Winsor Newton canvas panel, 10"x10"

Something I have always been adept at doing is daydreaming. It's probably the single biggest reason I wasn't a better student in school. Anytime I was bored with the subject matter, my vivd imagination could take me anywhere and usually did. I still have the propensity to daydream quite often, but it is most often related to Big Bend and the Texas Trans Pecos and scenes that look alot like this. Another view I believe to be from the Ross Maxwell scenic drive.

"Bountiful"

Oil on Raymar linen panel, 7"x5"

You will often times see pads of the opuntia laden with fruit after flowering. The fruit itself is edible but care must be taken to rid the skin of the tiny spines before consumption.

"Sticky Situation"

Oil on canvas panel. 8"x8"

Lechugilla and Opuntia make for a "Sticky Situation" in Big Bend National Park. Intrestingly, you will see several variety of opuntia in the park and depending on where they are growing and what variety, they will take on many different colors. This batch was a soft bliue with some vivid yellow-green mixed in.

"Show Off"

Oil on canvas panel. 10"x10"

OK, this is the last rose painting I will do for a while. Don't ask what a while is, it's all relative. Without a doubt the most successful painting of this mini series. The name was kind of obvious, this pink rose just appears to be a big show off.