The Poetry of Paint: bison

Showing posts with label bison. Show all posts

Monday, April 23, 2012

"Buffalo Skies"

40.5 x 52.5

Here is the almost finished piece. It's been a labor of love as I really enjoyed painting this. It's always a challenge to orchestrate so many elements/buffalo and make them all work.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Admittedly remiss in posting to this page, I find myself doing a large commission of buffalo, 40.5" x 52.5" and thought I would show the process I use in planning a painting of this size.

After doing several small pencil sketches and a small color sketch in oil being accepted by the client, I started on my large canvas. I had it mounted on 1/2 " gatorboard rather than stretching it, partially because of the unusual size but also to avoid any slack in the finished canvas as a result of a fluctuation in humidity.

First I drew the main buffalo establishing the size and placement determined in the smaller sketch using the armature of the rectangle. I then took some brown paper and tore shapes to represent buffalo and moved them around the canvas to decide size and placement of the "minor players" in the painting.

Then I began painting the buffalo. Tomorrow I will continue on the buffalo and hopefully begin to get some paint in the landscape. I can already tell I want to move the buffalo to the left of the main buffalo to the right a little.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

"Running Paint"

11x14

Arts at Denver

Yes, it's that time of year already! The Christmas Mini-shows! But as artists, we've been thinking about the holidays for some time now, painting all those little gems, our deadline being right around Thanksgiving. It's Thanksgiving morning as I write, with the giblets simmering and the turkey waiting to be stuffed and put into the oven, anticipating the arrival of my family for dinner. I can't help but thank God for this wonderful life I lead as an artist. With all it's trials, insecurities and uncertainties (all you artists know what I'm talking about!), I am still filled with joy every time I put brush to canvas. I think I love to paint animals because their nature reminds me of what is truly important in this life, and the landscape is pure genius of creation. So Happy Thanksgiving to all!! Gotta go chop some celery and onion . . .

"Prairie King"

8x10

Abend Gallery, Denver, CO

"Partners II"

8x10

Evergreen Fine Art, Evergreen, CO

Saturday, September 10, 2011

The Coming of Autumn

There's something about September and the brisk morning air that draws me to paint buffalo. Perhaps it's the the sound and sight of tall, drying blades of yellow grass, waving in unison as the wind passes over them, or the changing sound of aspen leaves, flickering in the sun, foretelling of something to come. . . as if it were a mystery. The only mystery of course is when and for how long will the next season last. Fall is a season of preparation and change. So as I stock up on firewood and watch the horses blowing their summer coats and "hairing up" for winter, there is a sense of excitement and anticipation as everything in the wild world gets ready for winter.

"Prairie Peace"

8x10

"On the Prod"

8x8

"Prairie Son"

12x12

The top two paintings went to the "Artist's Gathering Show" at the Chico Basin Ranch this past Labor Day weekend and will travel to their show in Denver later this month.

The bottom painting is still at the studio awaiting it's frame and varnish.