The Heron

The rocks in the main header came from this photo, taken in April at Midnight Hole along Big Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. 

Besides trout, birds are my second favorite wildlife creature. The Great Blue Heron being on the top of my list of favorite birds. I cant say this was painted quickly. It is only about 25% of the painting that I started with. My pencil sketch was intended for a linocut but I decided to try it in watercolor first. The idea was too linear and my brush couldnt achieve the results without using 3 rolls of masking tape. So I cropped without rEgret.

This print was designed by my nephew Riley who is a 5th grader at Adrian Middle School. We will be exhibiting work together in the upcoming Lenawee Artists All Ages Exhibition in June at the LCVA Gallery in Adrian. Anyway, I love the design. He came up with it after browsing through one of my Mimbres Civilation art books. I cut the block months ago but just now printed it. I’m actually going to rework the block and reprint this on better paper later on this week.

I just returned from the Pentamere Winery where they have graciously allowed me to have my first solo exhibition. The exhibition will be during the month of November in 2008. Thanks Pentamere Winery!

Version number three of Trillium Gap. Why? I’m just playing with new techniques.

I took the day off of work last Friday to do a little fly fishing on the AuSable River, or “the holy water” as some people call it. It was one of the best spring trips I’ve had. The weather was nice. The campground was quiet. My friend from work caught his first trout on a flyrod. When I got there on Friday I stopped at Gates Lodge to pick up some flies. While there I picked up Rusty Gates’ new book. At night I crawled in my warm sleeping bag, donned my headlight and read his book. When morning came I stoked the fire and started on some coffee. I listened to the Chickadees in the pines. Caught a decent Brown trout on a caddis fly size 14 along with a dozen beautiful little Brookies. One of these days I’m going to take a decent picture of a Brook trout. They have to be one of the most beautiful creatures on earth. When I’m not fishing I always say I need to take a picture. When it’s dangling there with a hook in it’s mouth all I think about is getting it back in the water.

The inspiration for this painting comes from a vacation last summer with my wife Kayleen. We took the camper to Wilderness State Park and got chased out of there by mosquitos. So we left and went to Leelanau State Park. Since we had our dog with us we were not allowed on the beach there so we went to the “local” beach at Christmas Cove. We spent most of our time there. Kayleen found a handful of Petosky stones. I took pictures and played with the dog. Lake Michigan has always been one of my favorite places. Being around water has a spritual effect to my body and soul. The sight of the sky, water and beach always put me in a state of peace and relaxation. So this painting is more about that feeling than the actual sky, water and sand. This painting will be donated to the Circle of Art Auction which benefits the Food Gatherers of Ann Arbor.

I thought I would add this to my photo journal. I spent the last two days painting. Painting the fence around my back patio is still painting. I thought this project was what I needed most and that was to feel the warm sun on my face. This photo really serves no purpose except to say that it represents my life for the past two days. There is repetition which there was plenty of. There is light which represents the sun on my face. And, there is shadow which comes from the Oak tree beside me, which was my constant companion.