The Train Trestle

Recently Emily and Rick Mitchell purchased this painting from me. They were drawn to it because of a personal connection with the scene in the painting.

They wrote this for me to share.

      "Painting is a Bridge to the Past"

       It must have been the world's most scenic shortcut.

       Armed with a careful knowledge of the train schedule, my grandfather, Sam Mathies, walked across this trestle to and from work at Sunbeam Bakery every workday from 1919 to 1934. This view of trestle, trees, and sky hasn't changed much in all these years. We don't know what thoughts and dreams filled those walks for him, but we have only to look into the depths of this painting to share the view that was part of his workday for those years.

      Pop, we're looking over your shoulder. Hope you had a good day.
                                                                                         Emily and Rick (Fred) Mitchell

Kudzu

We all see a lot of kudzu every day in this part of the world--it gives the sides of some roads a shaggy, monster-like appearance. I cut some kudzu leaves and put it in a vase. Contained, it looks less like the plant that will eat a house in one summer, and more like interesting foliage.

I finished the painting today, 36"x36." I like the larger scale of the leaves.

October 2, 2012

Many people ask me how often I paint.  It's not much different than other jobs; I go to my studio in the morning and come home in the evening.  While there, I paint, I check Facebook, I eat lunch, I talk to friends at Kentuck, I procrastinate, I look for new music on Stereomood, I clean brushes. You get the picture: it's self-employment.
Here are a few new paintings from my studio.

This is "Zinnia Variations", 36 x36, currently at Four Seasons Gallery in Homewood, AL.

 

 

This painting is "Leaf Collection", 24x36, one of my leaves-in-jars series. It's at my studio right now.

 

I was asked to do a painting demo at an assisted living facility--this was my practice painting before I ventured the demo. The painting is 24x24; I enjoyed painting the super-bright yellows.  The demo went well and the people at the assisted living place were charming.