Bronze, 9″ H x 14″ W x 5″ D

Oil on linen panel     8″ x 10″

Cracker Jack is a registered trademark of the Frito Lay company. Its inclusion here does not imply their endorsement of this painting nor of the artist, but the aforementioned artist will always have fond memories of Sailor Jack and Bingo.

Sailor Jack and Bingo are registered trademarks of Cracker Jack and the Frito Lay company. Neither one of them was harmed in the making of this painting.

Quiet woodland moments, sheltered from an occasional drizzle by the canopy above. Sunlight dancing in and out as the clouds momentarily part, bringing the pallete to life. Surrounded by towering pines and firs, pillars of evergreen no matter the weather, no matter the season.  A few trees in leaf, none so tall as their always-green neighbors. Summer has lingered, the days have just started to go crisp and cool. And there, as a bit of sunshine breaks through, it catches the one tree that breaks away and runs ahead, shouting in a golden voice that autumn has begun.

Oil on canvas panel     8” X 8”

Carl Jung is said to have had in his office a plaque in Latin which read, “Vocatus atque non vocatus, deus aderit.” That translates as, “Bidden or unbidden, God is present.” That resonates with me.  And as an artist, finding my home in God and the inspiration for many of my works in His work in nature, to embody this truth in the depiction of a forest seemed simply and quietly appropriate. The trees and the sun—or is that the moon?—that accompany the text were inspired by my various aspen studies in the Wyoming Rockies.

Bronze     9-1/2” x  9” x 1”

I have painted in this spot twice and each day was markedly different than the other. This afternoon was hot and the light, fairly flat; the mountain slope beyond has almost no shape. Even the values of the trees at center are not too dissimilar. What stopped me this day was the strength and pride of the evergreens, tall and resolute, even the dry one at far right. The forestry road that winds through them caught a few lengthening shadows as the sun just began to slide towards the horizon and I once again found myself intrigued with what might lie beyond as it wriggled out of sight.

Oil on panel     12” X 7”

I am fascinated by the way sunlight teases and plays with us. I was standing in a small park in the foothills of the Rockies when I saw this small gravel road winding through it.  As I stood there, I noticed that the flat afternoon light had changed and that just around the bend and just out of my sight the sun was popping through. It reminded me of a story or a fairy tale where some traveler, wandering through the woods, feeling tired or lost, growing weak and ready to give up, suddenly spied a bit of light just out of their field of vision. And that warm light gave them hope and the energy to continue. It was the warmth and reassurance of a promise.

Oil on linen panel     8-1/4”  X  6-3/4”