Happy New Year!
After a five-month hiatus, I’m thrilled to share what I’ve been working on since my last post in August 2025.
Below is a painting of Davenport, Iowa’s riverfront, originally photographed in 2013. When I first took the photo, I immediately felt drawn to it and knew I wanted to paint it—but at the time, I wasn’t ready to take on a piece of that complexity. So I set it aside, knowing I’d return to it when the moment was right.
That moment finally came.
This painting ultimately took 2,100 hours to complete. I could have easily continued working on it longer, but there came a point when it simply felt finished. The canvas measures 12 x 36, and every inch of it holds time, patience, and growth.
I began the piece using lighter colors, staying close to the original photo. As the painting developed, though, it started to feel flat—like it wasn’t quite finding its voice. I made the decision to push the color in the sky, but something was still missing. It wasn’t until I added the clouds that everything began to click. Suddenly, there was movement, energy, and atmosphere.
The clouds themselves were inspired by a walk I took along the river that day—white, wispy forms scattered across the sky, quietly commanding attention. Once they were in place, the painting finally felt alive.
All in all, I’m happy with the outcome. This piece challenged me, tested my patience, and reminded me that sometimes the most important part of creating is knowing when to step back, wait, and trust your growth as an artist.
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| Finished “Davenport Riverfront Casino” |
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| Inspirational photo captured with my Canon EOS Rebel |
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| Pictured above is my process of the varies stages this painting went through |
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