South of Fort Collins, Colorado.                           11 x 33"                     Acrylic on panel 
 
    I was recently asked to speak on Western Art at the University of Colorado. In the course of our discussion I was asked why I am doing these paintings and I was hard-pressed to find an answer. I love the plains of Colorado and Wyoming and am fascinated by the skies we see in the West. But I have come to realize that it's that line that defines the meeting of Sky and Earth that I am most interested in.

  On the Taylor River          Acrylic on panel                 10 x 20"                          Sold

     This view of the Taylor River , north of Gunnison, Colorado is a good example of what I am going through right now. My landscapes are starting to be more abstract and largely seem to address the horizon. But I love the way that water, be it in the form of creeks or rivers cuts through the land and the way that trees break up the sky and show light in their leaves. This feels like a learning period and I find that very exciting.

The Last Buffalo

Acrylic on canvas 36x48"
It's interesting how some things come about. The buffalo and shadow in this painting were laid in as a rough sketch, my intent being to render them in a more finished manner. This initial painting was so appealing that I decided to leave it and see what would happen. Even though this is not the way I usually work it seems to be good for this painting.

"Canyonlands" watercolor on paper
15 x 22"

One tends to take for granted that which becomes familiar and I am no exception. Having lived all my life in the West I reckon I look to other places to find beauty. It is especially gratifying then, when people from other regions remark on how beautiful the western United States must be. It is doubly so when I can be a small part of that message.

Sacramento Basin Commission

These are photos for a recently completed commission for Venoco Oil in Denver. After opening a floor for their Sacramento Basin group I was brought in to create a painting representing that region.
I wanted to show the landscape and how, after you look you begin to see. I had this vision to create a piece that almost becomes sculptural. To achieve the desired effect I mounted canvas to a plywood panel that had been affixed to stretchers. The small panels were then attached to the large panel and stand proud about one-inch.
The client was very happy with the end result.