A pair of cloud paintings

A pair of paintings featuring clouds.  The top oil is a view from our back door looking east. The 2nd painting is about a mile from home.

Here's a smaller study of the backyard view.

And a couple of reference photos.

Early Illustration work

When I first started out as a freelance artist, I did illustration work for advertising agencies. I painted food products for Kraft and Oscar Mayer, and transmitters for Harris Transmitters.  Velveeta cheese, salad dressing, even illustrations for a hog procurement brochure. I was very grateful to get those jobs.  I was making my living as a professional artist.  Advertising taught me valuable lessons, like making deadlines, and meeting clients. What I really wanted to paint was sci-fi, and fantasy images for book and game covers.  So I created sample pieces and mailed out poor reproductions of them.  I attended conventions and was able to meet a few individuals who were starting up a small gaming company. Some of the first covers I illustrated were for Pacesetter Ltd. in Delavan, Wisconsin.  They  saw that I could paint cheese and knew instantly I could paint zombies riding a roller coaster.

Of course if I could paint hogs, I could paint a werewolf in a nightgown.  Back then I painted in acrylic, oils were too mysterious.  These were painted in 1984-85. I was 6 years old and just out of college.

Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum

Each September the Leigh Yawkey Woodson art Museum in Wausau Wisconsin, exhibits the international Birds in Art show.  This past week we made the 2 hour drive to Wausau; this being our 5th time to the annual exhibit.  The Museum and show are always inspirational.

The grounds around the Museum display beautiful sculptures and gardens.  This Bronze by Kent Ullberg, titled "Whooping Crane" stands about 10' and greets us as we walk from the parking area.

The show opened September 6th and will be on display until November 16th, 2014.

Their website describes the show as:

"Birds inspire awe in endless ways, through their mesmerizing flight, astounding beauty, and delightful eccentricities. They serve as harbingers of seasonal and environmental changes, dazzle with their colors, and soothe with their songs. When talented artists from throughout the world strive to be among those chosen for the internationally renowned Birds in Art exhibition, the resulting depictions are breathtaking. The 39th annual Birds in Art exhibition celebrates avian marvels through fresh interpretations in original paintings, sculptures, and graphics created within the last three years. A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies Birds in Art and will be available in September".
 

 Debbie Stevens "On the Mark"

 Lynn Wade "The Good Life"

 Michael Dumas "Influx Sparrows in the Louvre"

 Sueellen Ross "Vantage Point"

Wausau is also the home of Rib Mountain state park. We took advantage of the hiking trails for 2 beautiful days and shot a boat load of photos.  It is so peaceful in the woods.

It was an awesome two days for art and nature.