Columbia MO Glass workshop

Probably the most intense, challenging workshop I have given to date, this group came through with a wealth of new watercolor experience. We went into overtime every day, and worked through lunch, but I finished my demo before I packed up for the weekend. Everyone else was a step behind me, but they all got pretty close to closure on some great paintings!

"Compulsion" 40x60" watercolor

All of the dull gray outside makes me go overboard searching for color and warmth. For the last 20 winters I have turned to glass still-life paintings to take advantage of the strong winter light that floods my studio. I tend to get more technical with each piece and very involved with the details to keep my thoughts away from the frozen gloom outside my studio. If I paint even larger pieces I might be able to block out winter altogether! :)

Many of my upcoming workshops will explore the technical aspects of painting glass, and I'll be using versions of this image for my demo paintings. If you are taking my workshop...don't worry! I will show you how to simplify this process and create glowing glass images of your own.

"Right Place, Wrong Time"

The winter has been brutal, and I have been hibernating in denial. I try really hard not to look out the window when it is icy and cold. I miss being outdoors, but my dread of winter makes working in the studio so much easier.

This latest painting, "Right Place, Wrong Time", (26x40" watercolor) is a tribute to one of my favorite musicians, Dr John, aka Dr. John Creaux, aka Mac Rebennack, aka the Nite Tripper.

I was lucky enough to catch Dr John at the new Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, Florida last October. It is a fantastically intimate venue, perfect for truly experiencing any great musician. For those who know Dr John, this image will ring true to nearly every concert he has done in the last twenty years. He has a look that just resonates with me. I think he would like it.