How? What? Where? 2013?

What is in my mind when I choose what to paint in each state? I will say that my painting is like a well-thought out snap shot in that it is a particular day in a particular town on a particular corner at a specific hour. It is unlike a photograph in most other aspects.

Even my lightweight Guerrilla box full of pastels and the tripod that supports it is way larger and heavier than most commonly used cameras. It is a substantial investment in travel time as well as  having to carry the equipment through airports or down the beach or up several flights of stairs. And it is a commitment to spend an hour or four working on one small picture. 

I usually post one painting per state on this blog, but often I make more than one picture per state.

I am not interested in super-realism. I want to interpret the scene and make it my own as to color and "feel".

I love plein air painting for the same reason I love drawing...inspiration followed by time and attention devoted to close observation. Shapes and composition are important, but what my work is known for is the portrayal of light; that is what can turn your string of grimy tankers into a sparkling outdoor still life.

my car photo of leaving home in Vermont

California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Alaska! Those await me. With luck and surgical team skill I will have a new right knee to complete my project on. I'll be back on the road this summer to visit some of the remaining USA.