In the Studio Today...Elephant Mt. Cyclist; Day 1

Thursday, June 18th, 2009
"Dwarfed by Elephant Mt." 30" x 30", o/c, Day 1. Click Photo to enlarge.

Starting on my series of "Cycling Through Landscapes" for the Mill Valley Depot show, September 2009. I love this drive out towards Pt. Reyes, and the feeling of emense mountain awe you get when you round the bend on Platform Bridge Road headed towards Pt. Reyes-Petaluma Road, and see Elephant Mt. (Black Mt.) for the first time. The day I was out there to take this photo, I had pulled my car over and was taking pictures from the side of the road when this cyclist came by. I knew I wanted to paint this image right away. More details to come...

In the Studio Today...Second Commission of Two & Christin Coy Summer Workshop

Detail: "Bike at the Cabin"; Original painting 12"x 16", o/c, 2009.

I have created paintings that inspired a commissioned copy of the original, sold painting. This time, I was asked to create 2 of the same painting; one for a client and one for her brother. The painting request was from a combination of photos taken at a summer cabin in Vermont, but the client did not have a photo with the lake behind the cabin... this was my job, to paint the lake in to make it look like the cabin was on the lake... which it is, but the photos were not taken to show this properly. I am glad to finally be done with the second version of this painting.

My June news is that I will be taking a summer workshop with Marin Landscape Painter, Christin Coy, beginning in July. I look forward to getting out of the house with my paints for 5 weeks, and hopefully, I will be able to use the time to work on my landscape paintings with bikes in them, for the Mill Valley Depot show in September. Please save the date for a September 1st, 6pm reception at the Mill Valley Depot.

I visited Mill Valley yesterday to measure the walls at the Depot Cafe & Bookstore, and plan out my show. I am looking forward to filling the space with Marin cycling related scenes. It should be a lot of fun for me, and hopefully too, for the great cycling enthusiasts in the Bay Area.