My old house has window wells in the basement, lined with cinderblocks.  Sometimes when the sun shines from the west just so it illuminates the window well quite nicely, and I took a photo one day when it did so with a bouquet of daffodils. 

Bill's Bell Pepper

 

My med school classmate Bill recently turned 60, so I made him a card.  HBD, Bill!

Sunlit salt and peppermill

 

Sometimes in the winter when the trees to the west are bare and the sun is out, we get a brief blast of warm sunlight in our kitchen window. 

Kauai rooster

 

From a photo on a trip to Hawaii several years ago.  Kind of digging the open acrylics I bought a year ago, pretty similar to oils with easier cleanup.  

Figure drawing practice

 

Winter in the pandemic for me means I've tried to polish up my figure drawing skills.  It's a lot more fun when you get a little better at it, and if I say so myself I've improved over the past two years of Covid craziness. 

Gladioli

 This is a little 4x6 oil I did over the holidays from a photo reminding me of warmer times.  Kind of proud of the composition of this one, and what Kevin MacPherson calls the "magic grid" effect wherein the verticals of the flowers are echoed in the trees, and the horizontal elements are more or less parallel.  

Ann and Kent's Place

 Last year I painted a picture of our friends cabin in Wyoming, as a thank you for letting us stay there en route to Yellowstone.  They liked it so much they asked me to paint a picture of their house here in town, which I've been pecking away at all summer off and on.  This is the almost final version--I may tinker with it some more although I'm pretty sure I've reached the point where it's probably more likely I'll make it worse instead of better.  It's 11x14, oil on Raymar linen panel. 

Sunken Garden Lillies

 

My city, Lincoln, has a terrific garden area near a busy intersection.  I'm told that back in the day it was a dump on the edge of town because it was a naturally low lying area; for as long as I can remember it has been a public garden and is now a beloved attraction year round.  It's called the Sunken Gardens because it's a few feet below street level, but that simply serves to limit the traffic noise a little.  I ride my bike past there regularly and sometimes stop to sketch, or just relax for a minute.  This one is from a photo I took recently; it's oil on canvas board, 8x8. 

 This is one I did trying to use my left (non-dominant) hand as much as I could.  It really makes you slow down and consider every stroke, which is good (but sometimes frustrating).  It about 9x12, oil on museum board--"about" because I bought a cheap frame at Hobby Lobby and then cut the piece to fit it before I painted.  I'm actually not so poor that I can't afford standard sized frames, but the bargain lover in me can't resist a low price sometimes. 

One glass left...

 

Earlier this spring I was walking through my kitchen as the sun beamed through to west window, striking this bottle of chardonnay sitting next to my toaster on the butcher block.  I was struck by the light as it moved through the bottle and the way the reflections bounced off the toaster, so I snapped a pic and painted it last night.  I'll probably give this to my wife for mothers day--don't spoil the surprise!

Angie's chickens

 I painted this from a photo my boss Angie took of her chickens.  I find chickens to have a lot of personality and a certain presence.  

Kalispell on the couch

 

Yesterday I finally got to give my daughter this painting of her dog Kalispell that I made for her birthday awhile back.  Her 29th birthday was back in January but due to Covid we didn't get together until yesterday.  Kali is a very pretty and well behaved dog, although she seemed pretty scared of me.  I got carried away with the orange in her face and oversaturated id, but you probably get the idea.  

 One of the last marigolds from a prolific pot on the front walkway that I diligently watered all through the summer heat.  Even thought I did it from a photo reference this painting brings just a little bit of that warmth back when I see it.  

 From a photo taken on our vacation to Montana in July. 

 Produce at our local farmers market is especially beautiful this time of year, and yesterday I brought home this gorgeous pepper.  

Ralph's sunflowers

 

Painted from a reference photo Ralph sent me last summer.  Trying for a more pixellated look in order to keep myself from over working.  

Bob's tomato

A week and a half ago, we went to our friends Bob and Staci's place in the country outside Lincoln for a socially distant dinner.  After dinner Bob gave us a tour of the garden and chicken coop, and shared a few of his spectacular heirloom tomatoes.  Such a great part of summer!

Florida clouds at dusk

I fine tuned the one I thought was a little better, and am generally pleased with the result.  Available for $75 by clicking the Purchase link above--price includes shipping.

Seeing double

I did this one twice, the one on the left first.  Not sure that the second one was much better than the first, but it was a learning experience.  Based on a photo I took from a friends place in Florida a few years ago. 

Diner dreams

I miss sitting down in a restaurant. Available for purchase by clicking the link above--$40