Upstate New York Farm

2- 20"x16" oil/canvas'








Another attempt at abstract cows in snow. Please pardon me while I obsesse and transgress with this subject. I don't expect that too many people are as fascinated as I am with cows in snow but I can't get enough. I especially enjoy walking up to them and seeing their reactions.

Cows at the trough

30"x40" oil/canvas




Back from a weekend of cross country skiing at Gilbert Lake state park and some downhill at Bellayre Mtn. in New York state. I took a bunch of photos and made color notes in the wonderful countryside that is upstate New York. Found some cows close to camp....it was supposed to be partly sunny....it was snowing.....again....so I have more cows DURING snow stuff.... as we headed towards the catskills the sun came out and blessed us with some unbelievable scenery. Those scenes, the camera can't do justice and I know the after the fact painting couldn't either. So I'll stick to composition and massing and leave the postcard stuff for postcards..........

morning light 3

6"x6" oil/panel



Third in the series. I'm heading to upstate New York tomorrow (Otsego County) to collect even more cows in snow material. Believe it or not the snow is so deep here it's hard to see the cows! I'll be there all weekend and maybe get in some skiing. No internet though so no posts. Interesting side note, today got above freezing...The garbage collectors took the week off...everyone put out their garbage last week....garbage cans were placed on uneven snow piled surfaces....snow began to melt albeit not much....enough to change leveling dynamics....garbage cans fell over...the snowscape road scenes are now looking like the leaning tower of pizza boxes roadscapes...not so different than any other garbage day but the cans are all full...make that partially full...I've seen how the crews pick up spilled garbage on a normal day... should be interesting... Maybe Mondays predicted snow will cover the spilled garbage and we'll have another beautiful winterscape...and perhaps collapse a few more roofs. The country side really is fantastic right now!

Morning light number 2

6"x6" oil/panel

As time is fleeting, Here is number two of the early morning studies.

twilight

6"x6" oil/panel

I'm starting a series of work from early morning studies. Here is number 1.

Winter day on the Susquehanna

3 6"x6" oil/panels

I'm finding a genuine interest in simplicity of stroke....edgework....and atmosphere. As reality moves to the back burner and emotion and personal feeling takes over I feel a freedom of expression. Do I paint trees?......no...........well not literally...........

The water hole

11"x14" oil/panel


This is a spring that is along side of my parents driveway. The field beyond is the still undeveloped Traver's farm. We affectionately call the spring "The Water Hole". Since it's Valentines day I guess I'd better make my date with the triptych.

Susquehanna winter

30"x40"

oil/canvas

I found out that I'll be exhibiting in center city Philadelphia in a major corporate complex beginning in April. On top of normal anxiety now I'm feeling the heat to produce more work. The space is quite large so I want to put in big work. My muscles are aching from digging out of so much snow but one must move upwards and onwards. I tackled this one today. The river always captivates me and I plan on doing a small triptych tomorrow. Doesn't apply to Philly but does apply to my other shows.

round 2

The local weather folks(I hesitate to say meteorologists) hyped this storm as the "little brother" of last weekends storm. Turns out they were twins! Weather prediction currently is entirely mathmatical. I say why not throw in intuition? You can be wrong either way and there are no penalties.............this is my sidewalk and a fresh 2o"













If the big bad wolf went to my grandmas house he would see this........... a propane tank covered and a door that won't open........













here's my pride and joy. A 2,000 sq. ft timber frame built entirely by me with reclaimed lumber or chainsaw milled beams/boards all mortise and tenon joints. I raised the frame with block and tackle. No small feat. Dad helped also with the toughest parts. 20" stone and concrete foundation waiting for strawbale walls....someday....Currently this is where I make my biodiesel...albeit not in awhile. Oh yeah, the big white blob in the foreground is my grease hauler. A 1994 4 runner, not a small vehicle but completely covered....


















My backyard........Bar-b-que anyone?
I'll be painting soon enough....

Blizzard

No visual this post so I'll attempt to create one. The friday opening/ preview party was decent. No snow. Smallish turnout I'd say, 7 to 10 pm opening. I'll mention the fact that you shouldn't take express lanes on the Parkway when going short distances, I did and it cost me 20 miles and 20 minutes.Woops! Wonderful food,wine and champagne. I man the booth and watch perhaps 200 people stroll through with beverage in hand. Strike up dialogue with several interested people............all participating artists........view a few interested people. Watch the majority stroll with beverage in hand....the minority with nothing in hand ...the absolute minority with an original in hand. Talk about the weather and other things with my neighboring artist. Everyone is talking about whats to come.Leave the ended opening of the show.... Find my hotel...after 3 tries...I'm terrible with keeping track of these things!It starts to snow... Go to sleep.....Wake up to a white out.. Email confirms No show today... we'll go as scheduled for Sunday........So I stare out the hotel window most of the day....I watch an American flag on the fringe of being ripped to shreds...I watch cars being covered up to their bumpers in snow while others are bare due to the wind. All the while vehicles are attempting to go somewhere on the street. The plows come through then I see 2 snowmobiles ripping through the intersection followed by a coupe. Crazy.......We'll see what Sunday brings.........I have no idea how much snow fell today,I would guestimate 2 feet but the drifts are unreal.....

one for the road

11"x14" oil

Today went well. I have made progress towards the weekend show. I managed to squeak out a finale of the snow scenes. Had paint already mixed. Used it. I changed cds. I put in Michael Hedges' Oracle and took out Vivaldi. Not my favourite Hedges cd but can't find my fave at the moment. Michael Hedges was an incredible guitarist who drove off a cliff several years(maybe 10) ago to his peril on the California coastline. I saw him perform one week previous to his unfortunate demise. He wore a copper helmet and did some form of meditation throughout the show. I'm sorry, but that guy was interesting!

I changed this one a bit today. The post was yesterday. Big storm predicted for this weekend. Heavy snow and high winds on the coast. Guess where the show is? Jersey near the coast. Could be interesting.....We picked up a nifty little 4 inches this morning, they predicted a dusting for here. Maybe it's time I paint sunshine...

Feeding time

3-6"x6"
oil/panels sold


You probably can't tell but this is a scene of lots of cows....heading back to the barn to feed....in a snowstorm. I love painting cows in snow and always enjoy the massive exodus of cows leaving their range to feed on not so natural feed. Pavlov's cows I suppose. At any rate I kept true to the abstraction of the piece. You need not see cows, nor feed. Hopefully, you see a line and a mass gravitating towards another mass. This thought could be abstracted more but I always teeter(not twitter) on the edge of abstraction and representation. The piece is 3 6"x6" panels. I had to do some arranging to make it work as 3 individuals and a single.(Think Jungian individuation) google it!





I'm doing a 3 day show this weekend in Jersey and may not get to paint anymore before the show. I'm preparing labels...reframing...getting the van ready with shelving... blasting the new ones with heat and air to dry...blaa blaaa blaaa. Cheers, and if you're in central New Jersey swing by the show.......