Back in the Studio

Now that it's snowing and cold outside - IT TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT PAINTING.  Here are a few of new pieces (all watercolors).

This one is called MILK MAN (43"x28")  The big mild container was especially fun to paint.

In High School me and my buddies spent hours cruising main.  This piece is called CRUISING MAIN IN GILBERT ARIZONA (23"x44)

This is our son Michael.  He's not a very subtle fisherman.  Forget the rod and reel!  This one is called BIG RAINBOW.

One of the greatest things about living on a farm in Northern Idaho is that all our grandkids come and spend time with us.  This is a painting of our two oldest grandchildren - Dianna and David.  This one is called HOPE (20"x20")

OUR BANFF TRIP - OCTOBER 2013 - Jeanne, Nelson, and Cameron McKay

This is one of the great slot canyons in Banff

The Gorgeous Cardston Temple

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

More January work

Three Brothers - 13"x 44" watercolor.

Because the barn is always about 20 degrees cooler in the summer (and the winter), it's a good

place for an afternoon nap.

This piece is called OLD PATRIOT 

40" X  53" watercolor.  The goal here was to make the leather look so old that it was smooth and soft with an worn out American flag pattern.

Busy January

Years ago I attended a Rodeo

in Payson, Arizona.  This is where I spotted these incredible boots on a real rough cowboy.

This piece is called CIRCA 1923 - 44" X 44" original watercolor.

CHRISTMAS in Sandpoint, Idaho

 Our daughter Melani, our son Michael and one of our grandsons Joshua on one of our many snowshoeing expeditions overlooking Sandpoint.

We spend hours snuggling with the grandkids in front of the wood stove.  These grandkids are our treasures.

DECEMBER in SANDPOINT, IDAHO

BRING IT ON!!  (44" x 36")  This is a piece I've wanted to paint for a long time.  It's of a young cowboy friend of mine named Zane.  This watercolor that will be part of the Legacy Gallery 25th Anniversary celebration coming up in March 2013.

OCTOBER in the studio

This was inspired by when on a hot day we were modeling and I caught David (my son) and his son (Nathan) taking a break during a photo shot.  The piece is called LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (70" x 39").  David was our one child who could (and still can) fall asleep anywhere and any time.  Nathan is the same way.

The next piece was painted for the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale.  I finally named it LOST HORSE (42"x 20").

SEPTEMBER IN THE STUDIO

September was a busy month in the studio.  Here are a few of the pieces completed.

This 19" x 45" watercolor is called 4th GRADE ROMANCE. I really love the was kids sit.

Albin Veselka came to town to conduct a wonderful workshop on oil painting.  He convinced me to come join in his Plein Air session.  "Come and join us and bring your watercolors" he said.  I told him that I wanted to see what this oil painting was all about and that I would to try it.  Well, it only took about ten minutes to figure out that painting with oils is like painting with toothpaste.  We all had a good time, it was a gorgeous afternoon, the company was terrific and ... the tooth past wasn't so bad after all.

 Last month I tried a piece depicting my son Michael and Nora, our granddaughter.  This is the second in the same series of the "I'm going to do one painting a month just for the fun of it."  It really was fun to do this little piece and now the two pieces are hanging in our home.  I'm sure that some day they'll mean something special to both Michael and Nora.

August 2012

It was a busy month in the studio and on our little farm.  With all the 16 grandkids gone, it's been a little quiet, but it's given me time to get back into the studio.  The first piece I did was a small commission piece called SPRING DAISIES (18"x 18")

                                                                 SPRING DAISIES

The next piece I painted was inspired by the upcoming Presidential elections here in the U.S.  I believe that a typical cowboy, when asked which political party he or she belonged to, the answer would be something like:  "I don't know, I just an American."  So this 33" x 44" painting is titled PATRIOTS.

                                                                      PATRIOTS

 I promised myself that every month I would paint a painting just for the fun of it - not for hire or money.  I did this little study of my six year old granddaughter Nora giving my son Michael a drink of cool water.  I tried to make it look like it was a scene from the early 1900.  It was a fun exercise and I'm anxious to do it again, but much larger (maybe next month).  So here's the painting.

China

In September 2011 Jeanne and I left for a great 10 month adventure in China.  Our assignment was to teach oral English to PHD Engineering/Architectural students at Tianjin University located in Northeast China.  It was wonderful to live on campus among the students and teachers. Our students were delightful – kind, respectful, bright and lots of fun.  We found the language to be “near impossible” – especially for someone like me who is tone deaf. 

Jeanne doing Karaoke with some of the students

The students respected our beliefs and served us no alcohol.

Sam, Tom, Jack, & Jim

The Bike

This is the Chinese symbol for Eternal Happiness

TRAVEL

Jeanne and I took the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the vast land mass of China.  We found China and the people to be extremely interesting and very friendly.  We were so interested with the people that we ended up take over 5000 photos – especially the elderly.  Their deep wrinkled faces reflect their survival of extremely hard times during the Cultural Revolution and Great Leap Forward (1950 to 1970).  In many cases their countenance also reflect an inner peace now that they live in a relatively secure and prosperous environment.

Dr. Seuss Mountains–Li River in Southern China

CHINESE PAINTINGS

I took the chance to do some quick, small studies of the Great Wall, indigenous people from Southeast China and even a charging Rhino.  I am anxious to do some full size China paintings – especially a very large one of the Great Wall of China located in a remote area of Tianjin Province in Northeast China.