Welch

Today I had the chance to spend a little time in Welch, Mn and do a couple of paintings. Tubing on the Cannon River is a popular activity on warn summer days like today. The first is of the Welch tubing company bus. It made several trips up river with the tubers. I was able to catch it long enough while it loaded a new group. The second is a beautiful farm in the hills north of Welch. I love the layers of hills in this area. The couple who owned the farm came up and took a picture of me ant the paintings.

Tubing Bus

Welch Farm

Great Day Out

Last Sunday my daughter Leah and I took the afternoon to do a little painting/urban sketching. We went downtown Minneapolis by the Guthrie and Stone Arch Bridge. It was a perfect afternoon. We sat by the path leading up to the bridge, leaning up against the ruins of an old grain elevator. Not much better than a day of painting with family.

Gold Medal Building, Mpls MN. Casein

Had time for a quick sketch before the meter ran out.

Corner of Chicago and S. 2nd Ave, Ink in sketchbook

Leah's Sketch Mill City Museum

Leah's Painting, Watercolor

Memorial Day in South Dakota

Over the holiday weekend I took a 4 day trip to Wall SD where I painted in the Badlands National Park. It was a perfect time to paint the park; very little wind and temps in the 70s and 80s. Last time I painted there it was nearly 100° with 25+ mph winds. Rain threatened a few times but not much came out of it. I'm no meteorologist but it seems like storms build over the Black Hills but peter out when they get to the dry grasslands. The storm clouds made from some great skies.

Looking down at a dry river bed in an area called the Yellow Hills.

Drove off the main road onto a dirt road at the east side of the park. Saw several hikers passing below the base of this butte.

Had a park ranger tell me it was illegal to paint in the park without a permit while I was working on this one. I contacted the park when I was back home and they said he was mistaken.

Dozens of swallows would periodically fly out from under the bridge I was standing on while painting this one.

I love the dark contrast of the trees to the pastel formations. The land is so sun bleached they make a  wonderful subject.

This one sums up South Dakota to me; dirt roads, grasslands and distant storms. 

Wanted to squeeze in one more painting before the day's end. This is all about the sliver of light over the distant Black Hills.

I love the layers the landscape creates.

Squeezed in one in the Black Hills before the rain came. Back country road. Had no idea were I was going.

There was a hole in the sky. I stopped to paint it and hoped it would come my way. To the left and the right of me was thunder and lightening.

 Most are still available if you would like to purchase one. Just send me an email.