White Nights of Summer in Alaska

8 p.m. Beautiful summer evening.
Warm.
Clouds dance on the horizon between the patches of blue sky.
Cumulonimbus towers above everything else and demands attention.
The mountains peak out occasionally from the curtain of clouds. The blue distant hills stand in front.

10 p.m.The low sun pours warm tones over the valley. The aspen tree trunks show off blue and [...]

The Story Behind a Painting

I start this painting with a sketch using bold colors. I put in the main elements. I want to show brushwork, keep it loose and portray the feeling of the big mountain.
This view of the mountain is from inside Denali National Park. There is a road that appears to lead toward the mountain. At this [...]

Spring Mountainscape

Spring in Alaska. There is more sunshine. Warm sunshine. Snow is still on the ground but there is the sunshine. It makes all the difference in the world. The nights are still cold and some of the days can be brisk and bite at your skin. But sunshine warms us up and improves our spirits [...]

Get on the Iditarod Trail

Running with Champions by Lisa Frederic takes you to the Iditarod trail. You are not just reading the news releases. You are experiencing the thrills and challenges of the trail. It is an experience of a lifetime. The cold bites your nose and you can feel the adrenalin race.
The Iditarod news updates are exciting. But [...]

Balancing Opacity and Transparency

What does your studio look like? I love to look at pictures of artists studios. I’ve seen hundreds. Historical artists and current artists. Paints, palettes, brushes, canvas makes me want to paint and it gives me ideas on how to organize my studio.
My studio. It’s not as organized as it could be. I would do [...]

Nightscapes, Nocturnes, Planets and Dreams

When the moon gets larger and brighter, get ready to paint nocturnes. The full moon lights up the landscape. Study the light, shadows and values. The patterns of moonlight and shadows are very different from daylight. The sky is not going to necessarily be the lightest light. Shapes and long shadows are soft and mysterious. [...]

Why Plein Air?

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” Susan Ryan.
Plein air is a lot like dancing in the rain. The conditions are never going to be perfect. It is either going to be too hot or too cold or too windy or clouds will be threatening [...]