2010 Texas Stamp Paintings

Here are my two most recent paintitngs. The wigeon can be seen in the blog post below in progress. It will be the 2010 Texas Migratory Gamebird Stamp. The Cedar Waxwings will be the 2010 Texas Nongame Stamp.

Both stamps and prints will be released within the next couple of months will be used to raise monies to acquire and/or enhance wildlife habitat in the state of Texas. Currently there is more information available about these paintings on my daily paintings blog. As the dates near for the release of the stamps and prints more information will be available as well.
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7th Place - Federal Duck Stamp Contest

This wood duck is my entry into the recent 2009 Federal Duck Stamp Contest and it tied for 7th place. This is my highest finish ever and it was my highest point total ever. Winning the federal is one of the hardest things to do in the entire art world and, hopefully, I will get the chance to come out on top one day. Robert Bealle of Waldorf, MD won this year's competition with a beautiful painting of an American Wigeon. Fortunately, my painting placed high enough to travel with the top twenty on a national tour with the first stop being the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, MD.
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New Release - South Platte Sunrise artist proof prints

Image Size (unframed): 15" x 20"
Throughout the past year, the regular edition prints of South Platte Sunrise were used to raise money for upland bird habitat at Pheasants Forever banquets throughout the country. Now the remaining prints from the Artist Proof edition are available. The edition size is 50 prints and only 22 of those remain. To see more available prints, click here.
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Pancake Pear and Gambel's

American Miniatures at Settler's West Galleries is fast approaching and here is one of my paintings that is going to be included in this year's show. It's called Pancake Pear and Gambel's and measures 10"x8". I am madly working on my second painting which is a desert landscape and I will post it when it is finished. The show is February 14th at the gallery in Tucson, AZ. This year I will be in attendance and am looking forward to seeing this spectacular event in person.

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Preening Egret

This cattle egret is in it's breeding plumage. Normally, it is a pure white bird, but the orange tinge and wispy feathering shows up during the Spring to help attract a mate. The dark background helps highlight the subtle color differences of this elegant bird.

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Bewick's Wren

I saw this wren flitting and darting amongst a brush pile and thought he might look good against some reeds. The purpose of the reeds is not only to provide some natural habitat but to give the painting direction most of the movement follows the birds gaze. To see more information regarding this painting you can follow this link - Bewick's Wren.

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Mule Deer

A group of alert mule deer stand under a juniper tree in the fading evening light as the last rays of sun brush across the landscape. This is high desert country and these deer are located in the saddle of a butte. They are naturally wary because of their main predator in the area - the mountain lion. Their large ears focus for any unusual sound that may mean they could be in trouble.

This painting is 12"x24" and is an acrylic on board.

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Daybreak - Wigeon

These wigeon are coming into a pond that they use on a regular basis. Overnight it froze and although they will sometimes land on the ice, they usually head for open water. The coolness of the scene brings back memories of breaking ice while hunting so they do have a place to land.
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The Next Five

This is a private, local pond that is seasonal, so it dries up during the summer months. However, it is near the Willamette River and attracts good numbers of ducks when it holds water. This painting depicts a fairly typical morning. The flight is usually pretty fast and furious around first light and slows as it gets later. One thing that I noticed with this piece is that when it is in darker light, the landscape looks like it is earlier in the morning. If the painting is in brighter lighting it looks later in the morning. So, if you look at it in natural light as the sun comes up, it gives the viewer the feeling of actually being there and witnessing the sunrise.
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Orcas

A mother and calf orca search the lush and fertile Vancouver Island coastline. I saw these whales this past July and was awestruck by their beauty. Each time they surface they blow and the noise is incredible. With this painting I wanted to capture the feeling of the Northwest with the fog, clouds and abundant wildlife.
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Winter Wings

This scene of Big Darby Creek was inspired by a photograph taken by Jerry Swanson who lives near the river in Ohio. What inspired me to create a painting from his photograph was the cool, winteriness of the image and the fact that the geese were flying low to water that also seemed to be gliding along. The painting is an acrylic on board and measures 20"x30" inches.
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2008 Federal Duck Stamp Entry

Here is my entry into this year's federal duck stamp contest. With this painting I was going for a more romantic lighting. The habitat is classic Willamette Valley and was inspired from a private pond where I have the opportunity to hunt.My Website

Commissioned Painting

This painting was actually seen by Senator Frank Morse who has a place in British Columbia. A bear was trying to get to a moose calf while it's mother protected it. In brief, the gentleman approached in a boat and shouted. As he did so, both animals which were practically nose-to-nose, looked up right at him. The image was burned in his mind and now has become a painting that he will hang in his capitol office. For more information on commissioned paintings you can click the link below.

More Commissions

Hooded Merganser

This new 9"x12" painting is as much about the water as it is about the duck. While the hooded merganser is the main focal point of the painting, I really focused on the reflections creating a subtle swirl into the duck. Incidentally, his look assists with this directional movement. It's subtle, but it's there and it's intended. I think this helps add a bit of depth as well.
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Misty Morning Mallards

This 8"x10" painting of three mallard coming in at sunrise is along the lines of some of the more recent paintings I have been doing that are primarily a landscape with distant ducks as part of the scene. With this piece I was really going for the mood of the morning and to create the effect, a much simpler palette was used.
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Greenwings

Here is a painting of a low-flying flock of greenwing teal. These ducks commonly fly low and fast and can surprise you if you don't see them coming.
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Ending Rain

After experimenting with this painting for the past couple of years, I have decided to leave it as a painting of ending rain. The patterns of the water are the painting and I didn't want to take away from that or change the focus in the piece. I have tightened up the water ringlets and finished it. The painting is about the peaceful play of water.

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Clumber Spaniel

This commissioned painting of a clumber spaniel took awhile! Measuring 24"x36", it provided many challenges and pushed me as an artist - mostly because of the white dog on white snow combination. By pushing the colors a bit, the dog is able to stand out.
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Barn Swallows

This new 9"x12" studio painting depicts some barn swallows getting ready to fledge. They barely fit in their nest and are waiting for their mother to bring a meal. Soon they will be flying and catching their own insects. With the weather we've been having lately (snow, rain, and sleet) this painting brings memories of warm summer weather. Click here for more information.
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Canada Geese Painting is Finished

This pair of geese is foraging in a flooded pasture. The lighting of the scene is the maing focus of this painting which is being submitted to the 1st annual North Carolina Waterfowl stamp competition. The top 5 pieces will be announced at the Preview Reception of the East Carolina Wildlife Arts Festival and North Carolina Decoy Carving Championships on Friday, February 8th and will remain on public display throughout the show weekend. The winning painting will be announced at that time.
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