This year I painted around 30 different mouse Christmas Ornaments. Most were sold, and some given away as gifts. Last week I made two more for a friend I haven't seen in 11 years. It was nice seeing you Greg C. from the Flo-Valley days.
6"x8" Oil on Masonite Board
8"x10" Oil on Masonite Board
8"x10" Oil on Masonite BoardI've been by this field many times, but I couldn't quite find a painting in it. Finally, one morning I set out to take pictures and I noticed all these little white flowers blooming in the tall grass. I then decided the best composition was to have the flowers in the foreground. Also,the white morning haze really helped soften the background, thus giving the foreground a stronger presence.
8"x10" Oil on Masonite BoardAt this point, my favorite subject matter to paint is the field. I painted this scene from a photo I took in Bloomsdale, Missouri. When I first reviewed the photo I was surprised at how saturated the green grass was. As I painted, I often thought my greens were too bright. Then I'd look back at the photo and see that the greens were even brighter. I'm sure the thin overcast atmosphere helped reveal these saturated greens found in the grass. If the sun was shinning directly on the field, then most of the greens would probably be washed out white.
Again, here is another scene from Day Spring Bible Camp, Ironton Missouri. There are many old weathered trees here that arc out over the creek in search for the sun's rays. I remember these same trees from thirty years ago when I was just a wee little camper. 
As I walked some property in Ste. Genevieve county, I came across this tree silhouetted by summer's early light. It was a refreshing scene. Later, when I viewed the photo I had taken of it, I was disappointed. All the details in the silhouetted tree had turned to black. Just recently, I revisited the tree and again saw all the subtle colors and detail in the back lit tree. So here is the finished painting from the photo and from memory. 
Lately, I have explored many hiking trails here is Ste. Genevieve county. Just recently, I visited Hawn State Park, Pickle Springs, St. Joe's State Park, and Hickory Canyon. But this scene you see here is practically in my backyard. This is a trail I take often when I feel the need to get away for awhile. The woodlands are a beautiful place, but often biting bugs and poisonous vegetation can spoil the experience. There will be more paintings of various trails to come.
Here is a second painting from that early misty morning in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The first painting can be seen in an earlier post last month. With these two paintings, I enjoyed painting the landscape in the absence of direct sun light. Here, the green summer foliage is more saturated with color and it's shadows are less harsh, thus allowing for detail in the darkest of areas. 
I've driven by this scene many times this Spring and Summer. The Barn on top of the hill intrigued me and I've been thinking about painting it. Just recently the property was sold and the new owner cleared out a lot of brush and trees, resulting in a better view of the land. To my surprise, one evening as I drove home from work, these hay rolls have suddenly appeared on the hill. I drove home to get my camera and took this picture. 
One Saturday morning I woke up to find a fog had moved in over Ste. Genevieve, Mo. I quickly grabbed my camera and went out to search for painting material. I walked to a place not far from home where many rolling hills could be seen. Except this time the fog was so thick the hills disappeared into a vapor of white.
This scene is about 200 yards from where I live. My daughter and I go on walks here to just explore mother nature. She likes to play on the big mulch pile in the upper left hand corner, while I enjoy observing the blooming grass and landscape. It is always a nice walk not very far from home. Also, this area has recently become the home to a family of foxes. We are now seeing them every other day around dusk. 
For the past four years Ste. Genevieve Missouri has been in a mild drought. This year so far, we have had lots of rain and I have seen weeds that I never knew existed. My daughter and I came across this scene while looking for woodland critters along a pasture in Ste. Genevieve. The summer grass when left alone to grow can take on many colors and blooms. 
Here, a Dogwood tree is in full bloom along the banks of Stouts Creek in Ironton, Missouri. The creek's red, clay banks and granite stones bring charm and color to its steep green bluffs. The photo I painted from was taken on a cool windy morning, then turning sunny and warm towards late afternoon. 
Art can bring small pleasures to our lives. Also, small pleasures can come in the form of flowers, or a water garden, or just anything that can enhance ones living space or life. This Woodchuck is one of those small pleasures. Our family befriended him last year when he took up temporary residence in our drainage pipe. Today I saw him and brought him an apple and some Frosted Mini Wheats. He is now eating from out of my hand. 
For me, tree stumps and trunks have become a symbol of childhood imagination. Is it possible that the woodland characters of many children's fictional books can live in hollowed out tree trunks? Does a family of mice dwell here and navigate the streams of Stouts Creek? What small adventures are we unaware of? For one of the best woodland adventures, try Brian Jacques' fictional book series, Redwall.
I painted this from a photo I took while visiting Day Spring Bible Camp in Ironton Missouri. The scene you see here is what I saw, as I walked to where the boats were docked. Immediately, the blue canoe caught my eye as it stood out from a spring foliage backdrop of greens and pinks. I wanted to take the blue canoe out onto the lake, but the water was flowing a bit too fast to be paddling back again upstream.
The Establishment Creek bridge in on Hwy 61 in Ste. Genevieve County. I painted this during Ste. Genevieve's Annual Plein Air Event. A few weeks later, I read in the local paper that there were plans to tear it down. Many of the locals share fond memories of swimming underneath the bridge in days gone by. 
The small town of Zell lies in Ste. Genevieve Missouri. It is a town of farms, rolling hills and a charm of the distant 'good old days'. I painted this from a photo I took in the early morning mist. This painting may look calm, but just before I took the picture my friend Mike D. and I were just rushed by a huge hog. I ran for cover to my car. Zell Catholic church is in the background. 
There is nothing like the first day of spring, especially after a long winter. It is a soothing experience to feel that gentle cool breeze and the sun's warmth after its been absent for so long. Well, this was one of those days. I painted this from a photograph in Ste. Genevieve County. Here, a young girl explores the edge of the pond with a stick. That day, I thought about how nice it would be if I was a kid again with not much to do or think about except what I'm gonna eat or where I'm gonna play. 
I came across these two cedar trees in Ste. Genevieve County. Immediately, they reminded me of Vangogh's Cypresses. So, I walked around them, positioned the barn in view and snapped the photo in a vertical format to include more of that incredible sky. Later, while I was painting it, I couldn't help exaggerate the form of the Cedar trees to mimick that of the Cypress. 
This is taking the still life outdoors. There are many things happening in this painting: the stylistic movement of the green daubed background, a vase of flowers outside on a tree stump that seems to be on fire, and the cool pattern of blue daubs that make up the shadow. Oh yeah, not to mention a white mouse enjoying his acorn. Definitely one of the most colorful, unusual, decorative paintings I have done. 
Sometimes I let a painting take me somewhere new. I have painted so far six mouse paintings. This happens to be my latest one. We have a some what large mouse collection displayed in our downstairs bathroom. There are realistic mouse holes painted on the baseboards, an all mouse themed book collection, many mouse figurines, and original mouse oil paintings and other paintings as well. The walls are painted in the color orange and Red. One person described it as 'Walt Disney meets the Impressionists.'
This is a painting I did from a photograph in Ste. Genevieve county. Late summer is a wonderful time to go searching for fields, for the color of tall grass can not only consist of a variety of greens, but also a variety of it's compliments, Red. I often wonder about the small animals that live and pass through this sea of grass when no one is watching. Look carefully, and you might be surprised at what you find. 
I painted this from a photo I took at the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, Missouri. I took more of a pointallistic approach for this painting due to the small foliage of the flowering shrubs. Sometimes the subject matter dictates the stroke of the brush. 
I painted this on location during Ste. Genevieve's Autumn Daze Plein Air Event, 2006. A good thing about plein air painting is that it forces the artist to get loose with his or her paint brush, thus resulting in a more confident brush stroke and unification of the painting as a whole. 
Day Spring Bible camp is truly a magical place. I had my fondest childhood memories here chasing lizards, finding turtles, and just enjoying being a kid. Day Spring is located in Ironton Missouri. There are more paintings from here on their way. 
When my parents moved to the country a few years ago, one of the first things my mother did was go out and buy two Mallard ducks. Shortly after, my father and I built this blue duck house. My parent's neighbors also had ducks and they would wobble over to my parent's backyard looking for food. When I heard the females quacking I went and got my camera and took their picture. Soon after, I painted the scene and gave it to my parents. Unfortunately, all the ducks shown here have either flown away or fallen victim to larger animals. 
I painted this mural for the 4th annual Spirit of St. Louis Marathon. Thirty Artist were hand selected by art coach Rich Brooks to create a 6'x4' mural to be used as mile markers during the race. I was mile marker number 20. Each artist was to include an historic St. Louis landmark in their painting. I chose to include The Hill: St. Louis' historic Italian neighborhood. The painting depicts an Italian immigrant boy running, an oversized fire hydrant that doubles as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and two gangster mice that are stealing a famous Amighetti's sandwhich from the bread bag. Also, the lamp post doubles as the St. Louis Arch and in the distance rises St. Ambrose church, who now owns the painting. Pasta House co-owner Kim Tucci was highest bidder on the auctioned painting and gave it to the church. I loved working on this project.
I painted this mural for the 3rd annual Spirit of St. Louis Marathon. Thirty artist were hand selected by art coach Rich Brooks to each paint a 6'x4' murals to be used as mile markers for the race. My painting was mile marker number one. This time I took a Cubistic approach, combining a runner, a French art easel and a horse. Later, all the murals were auctioned at the Rocking Art and Sole Party. To my surprise, a group of people/businesses from Ste. Genevieve were high bidder and now this mural is a pernament installment in the Visitor's Center in Ste. Genevieve Missouri. I was very honored. 
There is something about a field that stirs me to paint. I have driven by this field many times on the way to my parent's house. Finally, I stopped and took a photo of it. Whether it be a field or the grass between the highway, I am always inspired and amazed at how much variety of color the late summer grass contains. Often while I am driving I will say to my wife, "will you look at that!!!" 
Here is another painting I did during the Ste. Genevieve Autumn Daze, Plein Air Event . Pressed for time, I set up my easel behind my barn and began to paint. The sun began to set behind me casting a wonderful shadow from the tree unto the barn. During the spring and summer I often walk around the barn looking for sun-bathing lizards and Box Turtles. 
I painted this outside during Ste. Genevieve's Annual Autumn Daze Plein Air event. The one thing that attracted me to Ste. Genevieve was its beautiful rock bluffs, cedar trees, native short leaf pine trees and its rolling hills. Not to mention its intriguing wildlife: a variety of lizards, box turtles, Marmots and many colorful birds to name a few. 
I painted this from a photo I took in Zell Mo. Zell, which is in Ste. Genevieve county, is a very scenic old town complete with rolling hills, farms and an old Cathloic church. One may get the sense of the 'good old days' while visiting here. Very peaceful.
So the story goes: I was laid off from my construction job one year during the winter months. So out of boredom my oldest daughter and I went to the local pet shop and bought a pair of mice. I then told her how I always had pet mice growing up and how they make great pets. Since then, we continue to keep mice as pets, and for me they provide a good subject matter to paint. 
This painting shows a scene from Chaumette Winery in Ste. Genevieve Mo. I painted this from a photograph. Later, it was selected and bought by the Ste. Genevieve Art Guild to be raffeled at their annual Christmas Art Show. I had just joined the Guild that same year. The old French town has a rich history in the arts. Many artist lived and painted there in the 1930's. Thomas Hart Benton comes to mind. 
At one time I worked for a pest control company. I sprayed this house on a quarterly basis. One day the owner asked If I could paint his house for him. So, the following weekend my family and I drove over there and took many pictures. Six weeks later I finished it and the owner seemed very pleased, but fidgety. He later explained to me that he was getting a divorce and selling his house. He hung the painting on the wall in his dinning room and said the painting would be better off If it was left behind for the new owners. I was a bit disappointed because I liked him and wanted him to have the painting. But I also realized later that the house had become a symbol of their failed marriage. 
This is a painting I did of my younger sister Lorna standing inside a Starbucks restaurant. I gave it to her for a wedding gift. In this picture her face is washed out a bit....I apologize for that...but here again my decorative daub style has resurfaced along with a very realistic face and fur coat. Also, this is the first painting that I began to hide little mice in.
There is nothing more relaxing than watching your fish swim in the quiet of the night. As an artist, I wanted to recapture this experience in a painting. My only light source as I painted was the luminous glow of the aquarium. The fish portrayed here is a Lion Head goldfish. It floated, weightless as its iridescent scales radiated like the light of the full moon. I miss this painting. I gave this painting to our downstairs neighbor for helping us move on two occasions. I think she thought it was a weird gift. 
This is a parody of Vangogh's Old Man in Sorrow. I asked my self, 'why is this man in sorrow'? I don't think Vangogh tells us why. In his lap I added a book titled Postmodernism. On the floor I added a second book titled Darwinism. On the wall I added a window with another book titled The Bible. In this painting I portrayed this old man struggling with his identity and place in this world. Is he a product of Man's wisdom or God's?
