Saturday, August 18, 2012

Warm Autumn Day

I didn't plan this one at all.. it's one of those paintings that just painted itself. I love the Autumn season and especially those days that are filled with colorful leaves and warm sun. This is painted with acrylic paints on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas. It is available for purchase in my online Etsy shop. There are also more close-up views of the painting there.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Aspen Passion

I really love this painting with the red leaves falling like a veil around slender Aspen trees. I had a dream about these colors and couldn't sleep until I painted this. Aspen Passion is painted with acrylic paints on an archival canvas board measuring 6"x6" It's really a beautiful little painting. It is currently available for purchase in my online Etsy shop. For closer views of the painting click here.

Twilight Aspen

"Twilight Aspen" is another aspen tree painting I made using acrylic paints. I wanted to see what this type of painting would look like on a vertical canvas and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I have plans to keep experimenting with Birch trees and different colors. This is painted on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. This painting is currently available for purchase in my online Etsy shop. Click here for closer views.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Autumn River

 Somehow I always find myself wanting to go back to paintings rivers, so I do. So I'm working on keeping my brush strokes loose so the paintings I paint will have more of a free flowing feel to them. I'm always tempted to go in and try to add more fine detail but for me, at this point in my painting practice anyway, fussing over tiny details takes the joy out of painting and I actually want my work to look more like paintings and not like some photographic replica.. if that makes sense.

The painting itself is actually quite bright and seems to show up a little darker on the computer screen. I'm thinking about painting this on a larger canvas just because I really love the country red hues and dappled sky, and just how this came together in general. It's painted on a 6x6 archival canvas board.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Vineyard


This painting is of a small vineyard somewhere in Europe. It is reminiscent of a time I spent touring Germany and seeing all the vast vineyards and red roofed houses. I've been wanting to paint a vineyard for a long time and finally did.. I love the contrasting rows and feel of soft, rolling hills. This painting is available for purchase in my online Etsy shop.

Abalone


This painting is bright, aqua, turquoise sky reflected in waters with sea green, turquoise and shimmering blue hues. It is a dreamy landscape painting SOLD fom my online Etsy shop. Acrylic on 5x7 Canvas Board

Brickyard Garden


This painting is made from a memory I have of a red brick garden by my childhood home. The garden was filled with growing wildflowers and the bricks were decaying over time leaving all kinds of textures and colors for the imagination to enjoy. I stippled paint over the canvas using a sea sponge to get some unique textures and colors. I love the warm background colors and softly growing white flowers. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Acrylic on 6x6 Canvas Board

Aspen Glow

Gorgeous Aspen trees are glowing with warm autumn colors in this painting. I had been practicing painting Aspen trees for some time and finally put them together into a colorful autumn landscape scene with falling golden leaves. I also love the carpet of crimson red leaves. This is probably the most enjoyable painting I've ever made and I feel my love of the forest really came through in this painting. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. You can also view more close-up images of the painting there. Acrylic on 12x24 Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Summer Rain


This is just a beautiful painting expressing the mood and breath of a warm, summer rain. This painting is available for purchase online in my Etsy shop. Oil on 8x10 Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Mystic Rain


This brilliant painting illuminates with light opening through a mystic rain. The painting is highly textured with dimension and subtle colors. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. There are also more close-up views of my art there. Oil on 8x10 Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Azure


This is a textured oil painting showing an abstract azure colored world. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop where you can also see more close-up views of my art. Oil on 8x10 Gallery Wrapped Canvas.

Cherry Blossoms


This is a sweet, little painting with branching cherry blossoms against a blue/sage green background. I had wanted to paint cherry blossoms for a long time and finally did it. Acrylic on 5x7 Canvas Panel Board

Star Flowers

This is a fun, little painting portraying a family of star flowers surrounded by an indigo blue sky. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Acrylic on 5x7 Canvas Panel Board

Summer Solstice Sunset


This painting is a Summer Solstice sunset with dusky mauve, purple, blue and pink in the sky. It was made in an effort to capture the warmth of the sun. The painting is made on an 8x10 canvas panel board and is for sale in my Etsy shop.

Willow River

This painting is done with oils on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas. This painting is based on a photograph I took of the back-waters of the Chippewa River. There are a few decaying trees along the far bank. The large tree in the foreground has strong roots that are highlighted with gold, and I decided to paint a willow tree in the distance because it just seemed to belong there. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. For more close views of this Willow River painting click here.

Water Lilies


I wanted to make another water lilies painting but this time with pink lilies. I've been inspired so much by water lilies because of the renewal and new growth symbolism they represent. They come up out of the depths of muddy waters and produce such beautiful blossoms and it's just amazing to me how pretty they are sitting on the water. This acrylic painting is made on a 16x16 canvas and it is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Take a look here for closer views.

Blue Moon

This is an oil painting on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas. This is a painting showing a ring around a blue moon with the night sky, dark sea, and dark rocks. I really enjoy this painting. It is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. You can also click here for more close-up views of this blue moon painting.

Mosaic Sunset


I wanted to paint a sunset with this mosaic palette knife style I was working on, and so I came up with this red sunset with water reflections. This painting is made with oil paints on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas. The painting is also available for purchase in my Etsy shop. If you want to see closer views click here.

After the Rain


This painting is done with oil paints on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas. It is my interpretation of what the world looks like after a rain.. everything is sort of blurry and shimmering with colors, and new light bursting out of the sky. This painting was SOLD from my Etsy shop and is in private collection in Seattle, WA.

Mississippi River


This painting is done with oil paints and a palette knife on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas. Mississippi River The colors drop from the sky like a mosaic rain of emotions, and the river carries them away. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Also, for more close-up views click here.

Mosaic World


This is a palette knife painting done on 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas. Chippewa River. This side angle picture is the only one where I've been able to capture the true colors. There is a front view available in my Etsy shop and the painting is also listed for sale there.

Dark Heart

This painting is an abstract oil painting done with a palette knife and multiple layers and colors. It is based on the lessons of Artist/Teacher and friend, John Robert Jurisich (the father of prismatics) John advised me that I should make more sweeping motions to get more of a star-burst effect with this technique, but I ended up painting with more cutting motions because it seemed to be the emotional direction of this painting at the time, and so I call it Dark Heart. I was incredibly honored when John told me there is something special about my work that he wanted to foster and offered to give me private painting lessons, but I haven't been able to make it out to California. My favorite quote of John is "Through art we can change this world we all live in!" This oil painting is made on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas and is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. For closer views click here.

Frozen Lake


In continuation with winter scenes this is more of an abstract painting of a frozen lake. This painting reminds me of the weeks during Christmas vacation my sister and I spent as kids ice skating on the frozen slough behind our family farm. The slough was a marshy like backwater area of the Chippewa River with trees surrounding. The best skating times were after those freezing winter rains where the ice would freeze with a beautiful glass-like smooth layer on top, but mostly the ice was layered with snow and still quite enjoyable. This painting is made on a 6x8 flat panel canvas and is for sale in my Etsy shop.

Winter Cabin


This painting is based loosely on a lesson in learning how to paint winter snow. Although I'm not the biggest fan of snow, it has always played a huge role in my natural surroundings living here in the northwestern part of Wisconsin. Somehow this painting reminds me of my late father who was known for saying that he loved those cold, winter nights where the air was so quiet he could walk around outside and hear the snow crunch under his boots.. and so I imagine him walking the trail to this cabin and resting there. This painting was done with acrylic paints on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas and it is not for sale.

Woodland Tree


This painting is also inspired by Artist/Teacher Tim Gagnon. It is another red tree standing with independence in a misty woodland forest. The red leaves on this painting also symbolize passion and are heavily textured. This is painted with acrylic paints on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas and is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. If you would like a closer view of the painting click here.

Sunflower Heart


This is a playful painting of a bright sunflower heart. I should mention that most of my paintings are made while listening to music and this painting was inspired by Stevie Wonder's "The Secret Life of Plants" album and the song entitled, "A Seed's a Star" and so I had the idea to add little green stars (symbolizing renewal) to the center of this sunflower. It is painted on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas. This painting SOLD from my Etsy shop to a private collector in Texas.

Moulin Rouge


This is an acrylic painting of a beautiful Moulin Rouge sunflower heart. I think these blood red flowers are so beautiful, and usually people don't think of sunflowers as being dark red in color, but as unique as they are they do beautify the earth with their existence. This painting is done on a 12x12 gallery wrapped canvas and is in a private collection in Texas.

Heart of the Forest - Red Tree


I discovered this style of painting from Artist/Teacher Tim Gagnon. This painting shows a dark red tree (symbolizing passion or having a passionate heart) surrounded by a misty forest background with glowing fairies at the base of the trees. I also added a few cattails in the foreground as I've always associated cattails with mystery and magic. I've had people tell me they get an ethereal feeling from this painting.  It is made with acrylic paints on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas. The painting is currently for sale in my Etsy shop. For more close-up views click here.

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Sunset Reflections

This painting is done on a 14x11 gallery wrapped canvas. This is based on a lesson from artist/teacher, Tim Gagnon. His painting style speaks to me and this makes him a good teacher for me to learn from. The peach, orange, pink, and gray colors give it a feeling of transitions between day and night.. the time of day when the light is most beautiful. I added the two birds flying in the distance flying home together. This painting is for sale in my Etsy shop. Click here for more close-up views.

Water Lily Pond

This is a water lily pond painting done on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. It is inspired by Monet. The shimmering, turquoise waters and white water lilies evoke a feeling of warmth and peace. This painting is for sale online in my Etsy shop, and you can see more close-up views of it there. Or check my fineartamerica site for various print sizes.

Havasu Falls

This painting is made on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. Continuing my fascination with waterfalls I found a video on the internet of beautiful waterfalls and I fell in love with this place. Although I've never been there I have this affinity for red rocks and the spirituality this place seems to hold for people. The turquoise waters surrounded by red rocks and towering trees are just gorgeous. This painting for sale in my Etsy shop There are also more close-up views there. There are also various sizes of prints available of this on fineartamerica.

Spring Brook

8x10 Flat Canvas Board. This is a practice painting where I worked on incorporating more moving water into a landscape scene. This spring brook reminds me of a creek my cousins and sister and I played in when we were little. We enjoyed making mud paintings on the bridge with our hands. This painting is not for sale.

Small Waterfall


This is a practice of a small waterfall. It is painted on an 8x10 flat canvas board. I was excited to paint this and work on my skills at capturing the movement of water. It should be noted that I had my first kiss by a waterfall and waterfalls carry this feel of emotional expression for me. This painting is not for sale.

Monet's Bridge at Giverny


This is my interpretation of Monet's Bridge at Giverny. I just love the colors and summery feel of this painting with the water lilies and soft, willow tree branches. You can almost feel a warm breeze and smell the flowers when you look at it. I painted this on an 8 x 8 gallery wrapped canvas. This painting is not for sale but there are prints in a variety of sizes for sale at my fineartamerica site.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Purple Flower Tree

This was the first landscape painting I made. It's painted from a photograph I took of the woods where I spent hours playing as a child. There are mysterious purple flowers that grow at the base of this large tree. This painting is done on an 8x10 canvas board with acrylic paints. This painting is not for sale but you can order a professional quality print of it at my fineartamerica shop. Also check my Etsy shop for other available landscape paintings.

Castle Mountain


This painting is highly textured and made with multiple layers of purple and gray paint. This painting is made on a 20x16 Gallery Wrapped Canvas and it is available for purchase in my Etsy store. Click here for a closer view.

Dark Sea - Northern Lights


This lightly textured abstract painting is called Dark Sea with it's dark blue and black hues. Northern lights also stretch across the sea giving it an illuminating presence. It is painted on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. The painting is available for purchase in my Etsy Shop. Click here for a closer view or check out some of my other acrylic abstracts and oil abstracts.

Cosmos


This circles painting was made with multiple swirling colors in an effort to capture the essence of the mysterious cosmos. It is painted on a 20x16 Gallery Wrapped Canvas. The painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. For a closer view click here.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Blue Moon


20x16 Gallery Wrapped Canvas. This beautiful, acrylic, blue moon painting is textured and layered with shades of blue, teal, purple and black showing the night sky and clouds in abstract form. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Click this link to get a closer view

Heart Chakra


11x14 Gallery Wrapped Canvas Painting. This acrylic painting is made with rich, serine greens and hints of blue, red, yellow, and white. The intention of this painting is to evoke a feeling of keeping your heart open.. all too often easier said than done. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop. Click this link for a closer view.

Passion Heart



20x16 acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas. This bright painting portrays the internal flame of a passionate heart with layers of paint and streaming colors of white, blue, red and purple. Someone once told me they thought hot pink is my "signature color".. I'm not sure if that's true but I made this painting as an expression for a lifelong love of the color pink. The painting recently SOLD at my Etsy shop to a private collector in California, but if you like colorful abstracts you can view some other abstract acrylic paintings or abstract oil paintings that are currently for sale by clicking on the highlighted links.

Deep Blue Sea


This is just a tranquil painting with the turquoise and blue colors of the deep blue sea. It is done with acrylic paints on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. It is reminiscent of a time spent by the ocean off the coast of Florida. You know the feeling of laying in the ocean and somehow wanting to be pulled out to sea. This painting is available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Gathering Peace

This is an acrylic painting done on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. I've always been drawn to stained glass windows. This painting gives the cathedral feel of a stained glass window. It is so colorful and is intended to invoke peace and love thru eternity. Someone looked at this and told me they think I see the world thru my heart and the green heart chakra in the center represents that. I always like hearing others' interpretations of my work. At any rate, this painting is definitely spiritual in nature. You can find it for sale in my Etsy shop. There are also more close-up views of this painting there.

Sun Color

This is a playful abstract sun shining over a waterfall. This is an acrylic painting done on a 20x16 gallery wrapped canvas. To purchase this painting visit my Etsy shop. You will also find other great abstract paintings for sale there.

Abstract Rain

This is an abstract rain acrylic painting on 20x16 stretched canvas. It was actually painted while listening to a cold February rain and imagining that somewhere there is green grass growing. It is available for purchase in my Etsy shop.

Tidal

This abstract tidal wave painting is done on an 11x14 canvas panel with acrylics. Someone described it as a blue portal. To me it represents the feelings you get when you encounter someone from your past again. The experience can be like the return of a tidal wave. It is for sale in my Etsy shop.

Sacral

Another one of my first paintings. An acrylic painting on 11x14 canvas. It's obvious all of my first paintings were pure expressions and mostly abstract. Although I can see a half moon in this one and to me it represents the sacral chakra. This painting is listed for sale in my Etsy shop.

Tranquil

This is one of the first paintings I made back in January of 2010. It is on an 11x14 canvas and shows the tranquil, blue colors of a calm sea. I just call it Tranquil.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Pilgrim Painter

Welcome to the first posting of my art blog. I'm titling it "Pilgrim Painter" because of the inward and sacred journey painting has given me. I am creating this blog to share my artwork with whoever might be interested in my work. I've been painting for a couple of years now and my work is evolving beyond where I thought it would. So I'm hoping to connect with other artsy types and people interested in art. I will be adding a back-log of paintings and then plan to post them here as I complete them. For now, to view more of my work click on the link to the right and it will lead you to my Etsy gallery. Thanks!