I've only been able to put in a couple hours on the drawing board today as I spent some time earlier getting all my images from Florida onto disc and off the hard drive. So, here is where this pair stands at the end of work today. I hope to be able to work on it tomorrow, but since we are expecting ice/sleet/snow/freezing rain over the next 36 hours, who knows if my power will be on after midnight! Now, why was it again that I came back from Florida?

With deadlines looming, night time oil is buring in the studio. Here is the new work thus far. When complete, it will measure out to 6 1/2" x 19 1/2".

With snow falling again outside the studio (should've stayed in Florida!) I've been getting into the next work on the drawing board. So, here is a snippet of what is currently at work. Yeah, I know, what business do I have working on an equine with all of that wonderful, fresh bird subject matter reference at hand? Well, this one was on the work list before I left.

What a difference a week and about 1200 miles makes! This is the scene, above, I woke up to this morning. And the images below are from this same time exactly one week ago! At this time last Thursday, I was enjoying a delightful boat ride up the Intercoastal Waterway from Venice, Florida north to Sarasota Bay; along the way, enjoying birds and reference material galore, not to mention Florida sunshine. Well, such is life!

With snow and rain and slush accumulating outside the studio today, it's hard to relate to memories of just a week ago and spending ten minutes with this pair along the Gulf coast at a spot one of my artist friends referred to as Little Estero. What a wonderful morning that was, walking the beach bumping into egrets and herons and terns and gulls and diving pelicans. At the very least, I have those etched-into-my-brain images to draw upon as well as solid photo reference. But now the question is, where to begin? I will spend the day laying out plans for upcoming works and a review of established deadlines for exhibitions and jury dates. And then I can't wait to sit down to the drawing board and get back to work. There is a late March deadline looming and time is, just as these pelicans did shortly after this shot was taken a week ago, flying by!

For the past week, I've been enjoying a somewhat warmer climate than the 20 degrees I returned to on Sunday after a wonderful week on the southwest coast of Florida. Traveling with three other artists, we racked up miles, smiles and tons of photographic reference. Teaming with bird life, we hit some of the standard birding spots, like Ding Darling, Myakka State Park and other locations along the Gulf coast. We even hit the local dump where slews of vultures and wood storks and crows and gulls and even an eagle, delighted our zoom lenses. Reviewing the thousands of images shot, I have pulled out just this random sampling of images to indicate the great reference material I shall be working from for years to come!

New Year, New Faces

You may or may not have noticed some recent additions to my 'links' list to the right. I've added links to the blog pages of several artist friends whose work I respect, admire and appreciate to no end. First, V . . . Vaughan, a Texas friend who does the most wonderful paintings. I own several in my personal collection and never tire of looking at them. She not only shows new works on her blog, but quite often discusses her style, technique and reasons for doing what she does. Next up is a new friend, Julie Bender from Georgia. Her work is hard to describe, but suffice it to say she has 'fire' in her soul! She does the most wonderful works by burning wood. Yep, she is a pyrographer and her works just set me on fire! And finally, but certainly not least . . . Pennsylvania friend, Jim Bortz. His paintings evoke so much emotion in me and his writings on his blog also inspire and often cause me to ponder. I have yet to add works by either Julie or Jim to my personal collection but I have no doubt that day will come soon. Take a look at their blogs and go over to their web sites as well and just drool! Enjoy!

While wondering around Facebook this morning, I found an interesting posting from the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum related to the upcoming opening of the touring portion of the 2010 Birds in Art exhibition in Port Arthur, Texas at the Museum of the Gulf Coast. This link will take you to a page on the web site, The Record Live, with a surprising mention of my work, Puttin' On The Ritz, which is included in the tour this year. Needless to say, I was very pleased to see my work singled out, along with that of several others of the tour artists, from the 60 piece total touring show. If you are near Port Arthur, the exhibiton opens on Sunday, January 16 and will run through March 13.

Second completed work for 2011 - Cold Shoulder - image size on this one is just shy of 12" x 8". This work will most likely be going to the upcoming spring show, Modern Marine Masters, at the Maritime Gallery at Mystic Seaport.

Serenaded by Rosemary Clooney and Ella today in the studio. Lots of graphite being piled on here in my usual manner of layering to develop the darks, being mindful as I go of making sure to show distance between these guys; sharpest darks in the foreground animal and softening as they move back through the other two subjects.

A snippet of what is currently on the drawing board. Carly Simon and kd lang have been entertaining me in the studio today.

First work off the drawing board for the new year. A small work to start off, it generally takes me a bit to get back into the swing of things after I have taken a break from the studio, this one chimes in at just over 3" x 5". Perhaps something a little larger for the next work?

A little slice of what is going on in the studio today; Ottmar Liebert (Oh, that flamenco!) playing away in the background, sunshine outside the studio window, warm and toasty at the drawing board . . . a pleasant way to begin a new year of work!