"Study for Lino field"

8" x 10"
Oil on panel

This was one of those days when it feels like the painting makes itself. The clouds broke just as I was setting up giving me great light. The view, which I'd spied years in advance, looked just as good as ever. Time seems to stop on days like this.

This is a field in Lino Lakes, MN. Traveling to my parents place there, I'd seen this spot and kept it in the back of my head. I pulled off the side of the road and spent about 2 hours working this one up. I started about 8:00 am.

UPDATE: I have made a larger studio painting from this study. Check it out here.

"Misty pathway"

6" x 9"
Oil on panel

It started raining on my way home from work so I setup under a picnic pavilion. This is one of the many paths in Como Park.

"Here comes trouble"

9" x 6"
Oil on panel

The big field at Como Park here in Saint Paul, MN. I got the block-in done when it started pouring rain. I packed up, snapped a photo, and finished at home. I really liked the weird sunlight poking through the gray storm clouds and wanted to get that strangeness on the panel.

"Marc Hanson Workshop"

It's been awhile since my last post but I've been pretty busy. I took a workshop this weekend from Marc Hanson. Check out his work if you get a chance. He is a painter living in Taylors Falls, MN. I really like his work alot so it was a real treat to attend this workshop. Marc is very generous and a fantastic teacher. Just watching him paint a demo gives someone like myself so much information to learn from. We talked and painted values and more values (the backbone of any great painting). As we painted he would go to each participant and give critique. He would do this without altering style but just nudges here or there on things regarding value, color or drawing. I can't say enough about the experience. I met some great artists and and got to see some terrific work.

This is a color study taken a few steps further I did at William O'brien State Park. We painted up near the rangers station in the morning session.


6" x 9"
Oil on panel

This one was done in the afternoon session down by the St. Croix River.


9" x 6"
Oil on panel

Here are some of the value studies we did. We got rained out Friday and most of Saturday so we did alot of this type of work. These are done in preparation for making larger studio paintings.

This is a black and white value study from a photo.


And here is the color image based on the values.


All in all a great time. The week or so before I spent making my own painting box. It is a ripoff off the open box M model that runs a cool $200 or so. I spent around $40 for materials. This weekend was the inaugural run and it worked like a charm. It takes me a 1/4 of the time to setup and tear down and it all fits into a backpack.