A Haunting Alley Springs Mill On The Jacks Fork River

Alley Springs Mill

I’ve always wanted to do a painting of Alley Springs Mill, but I wasn’t sure on what kind of mood I wanted for it. Then it kind of hit me with Halloween coming. I decided to do a ghostly, haunting theme. It’s not quite night as the sun rays fall on the mill and the moon rises above the bluff. An unworldly set of tiger eyes pierces through the trees. Just staring and waiting for the impending darkness. I think I created an uneasy beauty with this theme. It took me awhile to get this one done because I wrestled with how I was going to create the mood. I almost left the tiger eyes out, but then decided to go with them. I hope it was the right decision. This painting is done on 4 pine planks glued together.

Elephant

One of my Nieces (Michelle), told me she likes elephants. So, I decided to paint one for her. These are indeed incredible animals. I basically only used three colors. Black, White and Antique Gold (for the sun on the elephant and African prairie grass. This painting is on two small pine planks glued together.

Twilight Windmill

I did this painting for my wife’s sister Adri. My wife and Adri are from Holland, so it wasn’t hard for me to come up with something to paint for her. The Dutch windmill is iconic. Most people immediately know that this kind of windmill scene represents Holland. Early on in my blog I did a windmill painting for my wife. I made one on two pine planks glued together.

Penguins In Africa

This is my 7^th painting of Penelope and Louis penguin adventures. This time they find themselves in the African plains. This painting was inspired by my 8 year old grandson who says he wants to be a zoologist when he grows up. He asked me…”Grandpa can you paint the penguins in Africa?” He loves everything animals! How could I say no. I did this painting on 3 pine board planks.

Sun Catcher

Sun Catcher

The graceful dolphin’s arched leap over the sun catches the fading light that will soon turn into night. My wife likes owls and hummingbirds. She also likes dolphins and whales. This painting is for her. I did this painting in one day on three pine board planks glued together.

Table Rock Lake Sunset

To me something about sunrises and sunsets have a calming effect. The anticipation of a new day or the satisfaction of a day well spent. The geese fly west…southwest towards the extinguishing light. The lake is like glass in the still of the night, and soon the night will consume the horizon’s red glow. Peace, serenity and calm. That is what this painting represents to me. I made this painting in one day. That includes cutting, gluing and sanding the wood canvas made of 3 pine board planks.

Sky Chess

I call this painting Sky Chess. Ever since I was a little kid I have always loved the game of Chess. I have been wanting to paint something about Chess. Little things came to me here and there, but I was having trouble coming up with an interesting Chess theme. Then I figured why not just go all in and make something grand. This painting is a mix of my imagination, reality and fantasy. The water falls, bluffs, trees and parts of the mountains are all reality. They are from pictures I took from state parks in Tennessee. Of course, the chess board rising out of the water, and both the sun and the moon out at the same time is from my imagination and from ideas I had seen on the internet. The raven and dove are the Chess adversaries. Black is in check and the end game ensues with both birds locked in battle. The fantasy is dark v.s. light, good v.s. evil. Winning and losing are at stake on Mother Nature’s world stage. At the moment Black is in check. As I said, I love the game of Chess and this painting is my tribute to it! I made this painting on three pine board planks. It took me a long time to finish this, but I’m pleased with the time I spent creating and completing it. I hope you like it as well.

Painting For Grace

We have a family friend. Her name is Grace. She is only in her early thirties and she was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Sarcoma cancer. As of this writing she has started intensive chemo therapy.

Grace is a talented nurse and caregiver, a devoted and loving wife, and an amazing soul. With the support of her amazing network of friends and family, she is taking on the fight to beat it. Grace is the definition of a strong woman, and we are here to help her focus healing by taking on some of the financial burden through donations and t-shirt purchases. Anyone who wishes to contribute can go to:

https://www.bonfire.com/fightwithgrace/ 

NOTE: This fund raiser has been extended to 20 Sep 2017. See results so far from link above.

I wanted to do a painting for her as well. She likes owls, and earthy colors with yellow being her favorite color. So, I put my thinking cap on and came up with this painting. It’s painted on 3 pine board planks.

“Jesus Takes What is Broken and Makes It Beautiful…Its Called Grace”.

Daily Scrolls Quote.

“Fire Fall” An Amazing Illusion

During some years, for about two weeks in mid to late February, the setting sun creates a mesmerizing deep orange glow phenomenon when it strikes Horsetail Fall. This is a small waterfall that flows over the eastern edge of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. El Capitan is a majestic enormous rock face, and a favorite of rock climbers. The fierce orange glow of the fall is caused by just the right conditions like water flows, clouds and temperature. The natural effect gives the illusion that intense bright orange lava is cascading off the cliff of El Capitan. Timing is everything when the angle of the setting sun causes the light to hit the waterfall just right.

When I lived in California for a total of nine years my family and I frequented Yosemite as much as we could. In fact, we camped there for an entire week on one occasion. I can understand why John Muir spent almost entire life there. In my opinion, its one of my top places to see on the entire planet.

I painted this on two small cedar planks. I added a snowy owl because it just felt right. I hope you enjoy the painting, and of course I always look for feedback. Good, Bad and Ugly.

Penguins In The Desert

19 January is “Penguin Awareness Day” and on 25 April its “World Penguin Day”. Who knew? I certainly didn’t until I stumbled upon this info while surfing the net. It turns out that I just completed a painting involving penguins. In fact, it is my second painting with these two love birds. They are Louis and Penelope named from the movie Trading Places. In my first painting that I posted in this blog, Louis and Penelope are whale watching. In this painting, Louis and Penelope wild adventures continue. Penelope says to Louis… “Louis, how did we end up in the desert? Louis replies… “We took a wrong turn in Canada Penelope”. In this painting, I used the native Saguaro Cactus found in Arizona. My canvas is constructed with 4 pine wood planks glued together. The misadventures of Penelope and Louis will continue. It will be awhile though. They have to get out of the desert first.