Art Challenge with Scott and Gail

Facebook Art Challenge - Scott Thompson and Gail Niebrugge art great artists and friends. They have been posting their works and the continued progress on Facebook. So I have excepted there challenge to paint and post also. Will do my best to post at least every other day, so I need to paint some each day. May be hard to do that working full time, but here we go....

Self Portrait At McHugh Creek

Self Portrait At McHugh Creek 14" x 18" Oil on RayMar Panel -
Two years ago I was painting with some Artist Friends at McHugh Creek and my buddy Don K0lstad took a picture of me painting with my Easel in the Creek. I have been recently experimenting with adding people into my Landscapes to express interaction between Man and our Landscape around us. Painting outside has increased my appreciation for our Country's beauty and grandeur. If you are interested in this painting feel free to contact me.

Enjoy The Adventure

Capture Your Life As A Series Of Adventures. One of the hardest and best lessons to learn is to except your life as a series of Adventures. All the hardships, joys of life if taken this way become more meaningful and easier to accept. Case in point the movie "UP", what a great lesson about what life is about, that it isn't the destination of the adventure but the joy of experiencing life.
It is winter here in Alaska, cold, ice on the roads, so everytime you go driving you can take it as a dangerous event or as a adventure and a challenge. Trust me painting outside in this weather is a true adventure.
I have a Show coming up next weekend to sell my art. The show are always a adventure, getting my truck loaded, unloaded and not damaging my works. Trying to match the right painting with the right costumer. Listening to all the comments on my artwork (good and bad). I take it as a learning lesson when I meet the public with my work. Live life to its fullest, you will have so many adventures to tell your grandchildren. Have a good adventure today! I'm off to the studio for a adventure with my creativity.

Modern Communication Effects

Sewing The Sail by Joaquin Sorolla y Bastida

Donna and I have four children spread out across the country now, one in Colorado Springs Co, one in White Rock Canada, one in Bellingham Wa and one here in Anchorage Alaska.

I am forced to keep in touch via the modern world ie: Facebook, and Skype technology. Actually it is very helpful, can call and talk and see each other on Skype for free, and have a conference call going. Facebook has allowed us to keep in touch via posts, even when we are not online at the same time.

Has also allowed me the ability to reach out to old friends, contact artists I admire and who have influenced my artwork.

As the President of Alaska Artists Guild, it has allowed me to instantly communicate with the members of the guild. Create discussions and has allowed me to be a much better officer of the guild.

Instant communication what a marvel. When used correctly the Internet is a amazing thing.

Evening With My Wife

Sunset At Beluga Point - 14x18 Oil - Last May on the First Really nice Spring day, my wife Donna and I drove down the Seward Highway to Beluga Point to have a late dinner and watch the Sunset. The Tide was a very low tide, was able to walk around on the mudflats with my dog and enjoy the incredible evening. Donna and I really enjoyed the peace, beauty and scenery. We were not the only ones, quite a few people were there also, including our son Ryan. This painting captures the "emotions" of the scene that evening.

Transitions

A YEAR OF TRANSITIONS This last part of the year, has been a period of many Transitions in our family. My parents have decided to move into a retirement home with "No Stairs". Mom has been falling a lot, and crushed a vertebrae in the process. So my brother and I will help them move into their new place soon. My son has moved into a place with his girlfriend in Bellingham WA. One of my daughters is engaged and living with her fiancee in Canada. Donna and I found out we will be Grandparents in May next year. Our youngest son seems to have found himself and is deeply involved in Modern Dance and the Alaska Dance Theatre and college. He has a new "girl" in his live also. At work Medical Park Family Care has transitioned over to EMR ( Electronic Medical Records), a work in progress. This last week we signed a contract to purchase a Digital Radiology system and will be installing that and make the switch to a film less Radiology Department by the end of the year. WOW all the changes since August. Looking forward to seeing how all of our lives settle into these new changes. Doing a little reminiscing, so the picture her is of a painting I did of my brothers old SuperCub and a Clam digging trip we went on in the 80's.

Corrected Picture of Painting

SOLITUDE & A BOOK - Color correct picture. I got the digital image back for the Photographers today, so here is the color corrected final image of this painting. I was doing a plein air painting at McHugh Creek. A painter friend Douglas Girard ( a good artist BTW ) and I were talking when a young girl sat on the rock in this painting and started to read. We both took photos of her and I knew I would come back to that photo to produce a major painting from it. It was a gorgeous day, everything was perfect. Hope you enjoy this image as much as I did painting it.