Sky Bucket No. 3

Sky Bucket No. 3  |  18 x 36  |  oil on canvas

Karen, my brother Doug and I went to the North Georgia State Fair in the fall of 2014. I brought my camera hoping there may be some future paintings at the event. At one point, as the sun was beginning to go down, we got in line to ride the sky bucket above the fair. While we were waiting I looked up and saw the people that had completed their ride coming back down to earth. I really liked my vantage point and started taking as many pictures as I could before it was our turn to get onboard. In total I took about 100 photos that evening, but when I got home and checked those images there was nothing in there that really excited me with the exception of five of sky bucket images. I felt three of those were very paint worthy. This is the third. When I do a painting that is out of the ordinary, but the gallery owner is still willing to give it a chance, I don't do that subject again unless the painting sells. This is the third, so obviously the first two did sell. I hope this piece will have the same fate.

Pool Bowl No. 46

Pool Bowl No. 46  |  12 x 12  |  Oil on linen 

It's been a while since I painted a bowl of Pool balls and it's also been a while since I've painted on anything other than a panel. Karen and I were at Blick the other day and as we were walking through the canvas's, we came across the linen section. Neither one of us had ever worked on linen before. I always thought it was too good for "me". Plus it was expensive, but that day we both decided to take the leap and we each bought one. It's really nice. I'd forgotten how fun it was to drybrush across a textured surface. I still love the panels, but think I'll incorporate a linen canvas into the mix from time to time.