Country Living

Growing up, I didn't live on a farm like my closest relatives did, but most summers, we'd visit my aunts, uncles, and cousins. There's something special about the rhythm of farm life and each season. The smell of freshly turned earth and manure after a plow – Dad used to say, "Smell that fresh country air." My gag reflex got the best of me back when I was a kid, but now, I don't mind the scent as it brings back nostalgic memories of simpler times. From the crack of dawn to the golden hues of sunset, farm life is filled with honest toil and simple pleasures. Whether it's tending to crops, caring for animals, or fixing up the old barn, every day presents its own set of challenges and rewards. And let's not forget those cozy evenings by the fire, swapping stories with family and friends. Farm life may be tough at times, but it's also deeply fulfilling and downright beautiful.

Birdhouse Mania

After crafting the cardinal bird feeder, I found immense joy in curating themes for birdhouses. One destination that has long intrigued me is "The Temple Bar" in Ireland. Although visiting remains on my bucket list, I channeled my enthusiasm by painting a birdhouse reminiscent of this iconic pub.

With a proud Irish heritage and a fondness for spirits, I felt compelled to create yet another birdhouse, affectionately named "The Shamrock Pub."

These birdhouses were a huge hit during last year's Christmas festivities, particularly during our family's white elephant gift exchange. Witnessing the excitement and banter over who would claim them was truly a delight. Ultimately, my eldest ended up with them all, now proudly showcased in her kitchen.

Following a special request, I embarked on another painting endeavor, this time capturing the essence of San Francisco, a city close to someone's heart. Each side of the birdhouse was adorned with beloved landmarks and cherished memories from the vibrant streets of SF.

Springtime Bird Feeder

Pre-sketch cardinals on surface

Apply acrylic paint

Turn a plain wooden bird feeder 

In to a hanging piece of art

 

Capturing The Sole Essence

This painting is of my late mother. I lost her in 2019 of Lou Gehrig's Disease or better known as ALS. Such a horrific disease to watch as your love one succumbs to this progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells controlling voluntary muscle movements. It causes muscle weakness, twitching, difficulty speaking and swallowing, cramps, stiffness, and respiratory problems. There is no cure, and treatment focuses on managing symptoms to improve quality of life. The prognosis of her disease grim but her sense of humor still sparked in her eyes until close to the end of life.

Creating this painting became therapeutic for me as all my emotions poured out onto the canvas. I wanted to capture her essence. Her eyes reflected a smile for a brief moment as depicted in the older photo. The other photos are of my mom as a child and another in mid-age. 

This painting should have been a real challenge since I have had very little experience painting with oil. However, I took to this project like I knew what I was doing but actually had no clue where to begin. 

When choosing pigments it became almost instinctive and were so different from what I generally used with other previous portraits. The deep purples and dark brown hues along with the dark corals seemed off putting in the beginning of the underpainting. Almost scary as shown below. 

The painting came together quickly but as each layer dried and more time passed between the layers. I was leery to continue adding more layers out of fear of messing it up. So it hangs on my wall, partially completed until I get the confidence to finish. 

What I love most about this painting; as I look at this painting in the eye's of my mother. I see her looking back at me with love and it feels like she is near. 

Weird but peaceful!

 

 

Oil Portrait

 

After finishing several oil based paintings I discovered
the water-base oil paints. I found they did a good 
job covering and clean up was much easier. 

Thin layers of water-based oil paint

Lean Over Thick

In oil painting, you may have heard of the principle "fat over lean," referring to paint consistency. Initially, I found "thick over thin" confusing and made mistakes in earlier works. Rushing the process resulted in dull colors as subsequent layers were applied before the first one dried properly.

Before starting this painting, I premixed my colors without adding linseed oil, my preferred choice for thinning paint. Then applied a thin coat of pigmented oil paint as my initial layer. Letting the layers dry in between. I also use liquid Liquin to help speed up the drying time. 

Shooting Subjects Of Interest

Rock and Mississippi River Photos