Kentucky is hot, as is half of the nation! I spent a somewhat enjoyable, because I was loosing a pint of water a minute, afternoon on a beautiful Paris farm and produced this little number.
Available on dailypaintworks.com

I recently returned from an awesome trip down to Savannah and Tybee beach. Unfortunately it was a rather rainy week at times, but it made for some awesome clouds moving in over the marsh.
Available for purchase on Daily Paintworks

If you have not noticed by now I have an obsession with clouds. They are so fascinating the way they change shape in a moment and can appear in the sky in many different forms; Cumulus, Stratus, etc. In addition the position of the sun changes their color as the light bounces around inside them.
Available for purchase on Daily Paintworks

Eastern Skies.

Spring means rain, and a lot of it this year. This for me also means lots of beautiful captivating clouds filling the sky beckoning to be painted, since it is my favorite subject matter.

Daily Paintworks

Beautiful clouds hover over the Kentucky landscapes.

   Week two and I am already breaking a rule or two. Not only is this one is larger, it is also not going to be for sale. I am afraid you all will just have to forgive me for this one, but it has been a very frustrating painting week. I have been working on a new painting all week and keep hitting road blocks so I decided to do a mastercopy study hoping for an enlightenment. This one is based on a painting by a wonderful artist, Scott Christensen, who I will get the pleasure of painting with next year!

Cottonwood Sunset | oil on linen | 9"x12" | NFS

I decided to challenge myself to a fairly reasonable challenge since I have to realize I have a full time job other than painting. I will be completing one small painting a week, 5"x7" and posting them here on my blog for the remainder of this year, and with the rush of cold air breezing in it felt very appropriate to do a fall painting for my first painting.

Oil on canvas | 5"x7" | $200

For a while now I have been on this speed race to get better as fast as possible. While working a full-time job it isn't easy to not get burnt out really quick. I panic on nights that I don't study or paint thinking that one day of not doing these things is going to seriously set me back. All the while my local painting friends keep telling me to stop rushing and just take a breather, which is hard for me to do... I mean really REALLY hard.

My dogs surgery forced me to breathe. I couldn't paint; It just wasn't in me to enjoy myself while my dog was suffering. I read a book, looked at paintings (ok so I didn't really stop studying) and just sort of took it all in. I felt really guilty for not painting, but knew that it was necessary for me to slow down.

Then I noticed that I began to think about and understand the other side of painting. The movement, the importance, the mood, the REASON for painting. Why am I doing this after all? Why do I love to paint? What makes me passionate? I'll be darned if these aren't some of the most important aspects but I never gave myself time to even give it a thought. So I have applied a few of these things that I contemplated and now I am really having fun playing with paint!