Blue Sky Birches, 12 x 16 oil on canvas

I finished this painting in early summer, and now that we have so much snow on the ground, I miss the blue blue skies of summer, among other things. Winter has it's positive points too and I am doing my best to appreciate all the seasons.

Each time someone purchases one of these abstracts, they tell me they get lost in the painting, or that looking at it makes them happy. I hear these comments again and again. What more could an artist ask for?

I've been asked about the term "plein air" many times. It does seem to get thrown around alot. I must clench when someone requests a "plein air frame." It's an incorrect use of the term.

En plein air is a French expression which means "in the open air", and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors. So next time I blog or facebook about plein air painting, you can most likely find me out on a hillside, or down by the lake with my easel and paints. Quite simply put, painting outside.

This small but colorful birch was finished in August. The sky was blue and the late summer colors were blazing.

Panoramic Birch. This painting was meant to encompass a range of colors and the feeling of distance.

Okay, so I learned something today. Someone made reference to my paintings as "kiss ass paintings". It put a shock wave through me and I just couldn't figure out what they meant by that. So after some sweating and searching the new age description was this: "All kiss ass paintings are of the highest best quality and standards".

That's nice to know, but I have a time keeping up with these new age phrasings! Thank goodness for Wikipedia!

Painted this plein air several weeks ago. It was a beautiful warm day, and the smell of the budding flowers and the river were unforgettable.

Circle of Arts, Charlevoix, MI

I was asked to jury a show for the Circle of Arts. The show was entitled "Translucent".
What a lovely experience this was for me as an artist. I was on the opposite side of the fence for a change. Let me explain.

As an artist, when you enter juried shows, you are constantly wondering what does the Juror want to see? Who is the Juror, what kind of things does he or she like? If you don't get into the show, you blame the Juror.

So as the Juror, I was experiencing all the empathy for the artists that I experienced when I enter shows. Yet it is a weighty responsibility to make sure the show is the best it can be. The trust has been put in me by the show's directors to uphold their reputation, and also putting my own reputation on display.

The entries were very nice watercolors, stained glass, blown glass, and some painted glass. Once again I experienced that proud feeling of how many talented artists live in our little neck of the woods.

The show will is on display at 109 Clinton St., Charlevoix, MI.

This is Turkey's Restaurant in Harbor Springs, MI. The food is terrific, and especially the pizza.

Autumn Foliage. Out of season, I know, but it's so nice to see some color after the blah of winter.

Winter Splendor. Are we saying goodbye to winter? It's a beautiful spring day. Although early warm weather is here, we all have the feeling that it isn't to last. It does make you want to get out there and paint though. I may do that this weekend!

A miniature birch. These have really done well in the few months I've been selling them! Like the abstract florals, they seem to touch a cord. People just have to have them.