Tellico Flow

This is a section of the Tellico River flowing through the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and North Carolina. I was attracted to the contrasts in light and dark, the texture and size of the rocks, the deep green of the dark woods and the sound of the water.

Old Cornplanter

This old farm implement sits in the leaves in Greenfield, Tennessee; the site of my grandfather's boyhood farm. I was looking in his attic one time and opened one of his old schoolbooks where he had written some random thoughts. This is one, "I walked all day behind a mule and my legs is so tired." Now I don't know for sure that this is the very implement that he walked behind that day, but I think it stands a good chance.

Those two upright disks lay down and make marks telling the farmer where he has been. The seed corn would be in those two hoppers in front.

I have painted and drawn this thing many times, but it never fails to catch my eye with all its angles and protuberances and hints of rustic history. This time I caught it in the orange afternoon sun of December. I couldn't figure out how to capture the orange glow on the rusty metal, so I broke from my usual practice and overlaid a little red prismacolor pencil here and there. That did the trick.

Pom Squad

We were at the Tiger Walk at Auburn University back in 2012 just before a game. My camera battery died, so I took a bunch of low res shots with my cellphone. I removed most of the people from this one and simplified the background. I loved putting the color into the long shadows. And by the way…War Eagle!

Mrs. Cardinal

Female cardinals are sometimes described as "dull" colored in comparison to their male counterpart. Well…the more I looked, the more colors I saw.

Quiescence

This is from photo-reference from last fall. I took a walk through Memphis Botanic Gardens and went through a section called the Japanese Garden. It is a beautiful place. Quiescence means quiet and still.

Storm On The Way

This is the sky over Auburn, Alabama. I was there visiting my son on the campus. Wet in wet watercolor can do some amazing things if you can control it.

Stone Path

Designed from photo-reference from a walk I took through Memphis Botanic Gardens a couple of years ago. I love everything about the fall…especially the visual feast of fall colors.

Wild Canadian Blueberries

This is designed from photo-reference taken in Canada. I was on a scout trip in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario. We camped on an island covered in wild blueberries. That is my hand you see holding one of many handfuls I picked that day.

Mississippi Gold

This is a tree I saw on a scout trip down in Camp Currier. I always love stark contrasts of sunlit leaves against shadows. Here in the south, you have to be careful. Ivy on a tree in the woods is often the poison variety.

Beech Snag

Here is a little tree terminology for you. A snag is a standing dead tree. Birds and other animals use them as shelter. A widowmaker is a large dead limb that may fall at any time. When I was a kid I used to go into the woods looking for skinny dead trees to try and push over. The problem was - as I was pushing, the top of the tree would start to wiggle and often it would snap off and come crashing down. I had to watch it and jump out of the way. Looking back, it was pretty dangerous. Anyway, this is a scene from Shelby Forest in West Tennessee. I love the contrasts between the tree limbs and the greenery.

Streambed Treasure

These are streambed rocks and pebbles found near a waterfall in east Tennessee. I am always on the lookout for hidden treasures as I walk along a creek or stream…can you find the treasure in this painting?

Path To The River

This is designed from reference gathered on a family trip to the Bankhead forest in Alabama last summer. I was interested by the contrasts in the leaves and tree trunks and the various shapes and textures.

Tennessee Pecans

A typical scene on my brother's land in Greenfield, Tennessee. I love the orange color of these winter afternoons and the deep blue shadows.

Tennessee Catalpa

I sat near a window in my brother's old farmhouse in Greenfield, Tennessee and painted this. Catalpa trees are plentiful in west Tennessee. I love their twisted drooping branches.

My 99 cent Ebay Auction

As I was placing my Red Grapes painting on Ebay, a little notice popped up and suggested I give it a starting bid of .99 cents to "draw more bidders". I was feeling reckless, so I did it…and added free shipping. Now with just three days left, I have one bid at 99 cents. This means that unless I get some more bids I stand to lose at least five dollars shipping it to someone. So maybe I am learning a lesson or maybe the painting is not as good as I think it is or maybe something else. So, if you are interested…here is the link. Watch it and see what happens…

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-Grapes-Original-Watercolor-5-x-7-inches-/261365009020?