Tom McGregor - Paintings

2012-02-23T13:18:00.005-06:00

River Flats, Oil on Linen, 12x16

In a location better known as a great place to watch the big jets take off and land at MSP, I was treated to a sunset chorus of coyotes howling. Overlooking the Minnesota River, I had to remind myself how close I was to the downtowns of Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Bloomington. You are looking at the results of decades of sedimentation; sediment that, in all likelihood, once covered farmers fields.

2012-02-20T13:11:00.000-06:00

Early Morning Melt, Oil on Linen, 16x12

It's feeling very Spring-like for the middle of February. I hiked up to the top of a bluff just as the sun was making its entrance. Low and behold I was not alone. Who can resist mid 40s in February. Still I found myself drawn to the last lonely fragments of snow. Two to four inches are expected tonight. I hope they're right for a change. We could really use the snow.

2012-02-17T15:37:00.000-06:00

Snow Pass, oil on linen, 12x9

(revised 2/22/12)

You don't expect to get overheated when you go out and paint in the middle of the winter in northern Minnesota, but that's exactly what happened on our second morning out. Lee Englund and I had all our winter gear on when we started up the trail to this overlook on West Bearskin Lake. By the time we reached the pinnacle, we had shed layers and were sweating profusely while carrying half our clothing as well as all our gear. We learned a valuable lesson about winter painting. Have an extra bag for extra clothing. Carry your gear to your location and THEN put it on.

2012-02-16T15:36:00.001-06:00

Rendezvous, Oil on Linen, 12x9

We've been back from the Winter Paint Out on West Bearskin Lake for a couple weeks now and I am just now getting around to posting this painting from that trip. I was struck at how small the people appeared beside these ancient behemoths. This trip to the north woods was an excellent reminder to keep a proper perspective.

2012-02-07T15:38:00.001-06:00

So Warm for February, Oil on Linen, 9x12

(revised 2/16/12)

The only true blue sky painting of the week was painted after we had left Menogyn and took a little side trip up the Superior coast.

2012-02-06T10:48:00.000-06:00

West Bearskin Lake, Oil on Linen, 9x12

We just got back from the boundary waters. We were part of the Grand Marais Art Colony Winter Paintout at Camp Menogyn on West Bearskin Lake about 40 miles up the gunflint trail and a mile from the Canadian border. It was 6 days of painting with a great group of artists, making new friends. I had my first Finnish sauna followed by not 1 but 2 polar plunges. We ate and sang music, had intense conversations, and ate very well thanks to the staff of Camp Menogyn. This was all in some of the most pristine wilderness there is. This painting is hanging at the Grand Marais Art Colony Gallery through the month of February or until it sells. Thanks to Kjersti, Neil, Sandi and everyone at the Art Colony for sponsoring this great event.

2012-01-23T16:08:00.000-06:00

Superstition, Oil on Linen, 12x16

I no longer feel guilty about working on this one for 3 days. The painting is a lot better than it was 3 days ago even though I thought it was done then. I've sort of made up the rocks based on a group in the Superstition mountains of Arizona. You would think that would give me a lot of latitude in shaping them, but this is really not the case. The forces that shape mountains do so in a very specific way, and if you try to reshape them without considering how they were created, you will end up with mountains made of Play-Doh.

Another challenge with this painting was shooting a photo of it. Months ago I thought I had figured out a technique to shoot my work, but recently I've changed how I apply the paint to the canvas, and as a result, there is more of a sheen to deal with. This is my best shot of this painting to date but I'm still not satisfied. The learning goes on.

2012-01-19T13:10:00.000-06:00

Tea Pot Rock, Oil on Linen, 11x14

Again, this is painted right on top of one I did three years ago while on a painting excursion to Sedona, Arizona. "Why not just start a new canvas?" you might ask. Because, besides the fact that I don't like to waste resources, I don't like to have bad paintings around; especially ones I painted.

2012-01-16T15:19:00.000-06:00

Arizona 1, Oil on Linen, 12x16

(revised 1/17/12)

Three years ago we were in Arizona painting. The other day I was going through the reject pile and pulled out several from the Arizona trip. My goal this week is see if I can bring them to life.

The original painting underneath what you are seeing here was kind of washed out and lackluster. I hadn't really captured the day and the rocks looked kind of loaf-like. This is a complete re-do of the original.

2012-01-12T13:20:00.000-06:00

Dan Patch and Lafayette, Oil on Linen, 12x16

Another reworking of an older painting, this one is from July of 2010. I was not satisfied with the sky in the original painting. I've since learned a bit more about making less go farther.

2012-01-12T10:15:00.000-06:00

Ice Break, Oil on Linen, 12x16

(revised painting. The original was painted in February of 2011)

They had not yet begun construction on the Lafayette Bridge in Saint Paul when I painted this on location last winter. Yesterday with yet another snow storm avoiding us and with nothing to look at but barren frozen ground, I got out some older paintings that were crying for some touch-up work. This one was high on my list. It needed some color adjustment and got it.

2012-01-06T15:36:00.002-06:00

Picking Up Two, Oil on Linen, 18x24

(revised 1/9/12, 1/12/12)

Again, I'm working from a painting I did a couple years back. That painting was more of a mid day painting. The sun was over my right shoulder at an angle that obliterated just about all the shadows from the rocks and there was no tug boat. The tug came as I was finishing up, so I snapped a reference photo. This time, I wanted to get more of a late afternoon feel with long shadows on the rocks. So I put the sun over my left shoulder and reversed all of the shadows and warmed the colors from the previous painting.

2012-01-03T12:34:00.001-06:00

Spring Melt, Oil on Linen, 18x24

(revised 1/12/12)

Happy New Year. We finally got a coating of ice and snow over the New Year's weekend, followed by strong cold winds. So I decided to stay home and do some studio painting. Spring Melt is based on a smaller field study that I painted in March of 2010. Every now and then it's good to check your progress as a painter. Although I did a fair job on capturing the day on the previous painting, it lacked a bit in anatomy. Perhaps it's just that this is a bigger painting, or that I took my time getting the drawing right, but I tend to believe that the reason it is better than the painting I did two years ago is that the lessons of four and five years ago are finally starting to sink in.

2011-12-29T14:04:00.001-06:00

Orange Ya Glad, Oil on Linen, 12x16

This time of year I should be painting snow scenes, but alas we have very little of that. There is another painting underneath this one of the exact same subject but mostly in beige and grey. It was painted in the late afternoon just as the clouds rolled in and grayed out any lighting effect worth painting. As we were cleaning up, the setting sun popped out again giving everything a warm glow. I put a couple of color notes on the painting and packed it away. The next day, I looked at the painting and the only thing I liked were the color notes, so I redid the painting on top of the grey and beige one incorporating the sunset colors throughout.

2011-12-21T14:44:00.003-06:00

Left Behind, Oil on Linen, 11x14

After a Spring and Summer of incredible floods, we just experienced the driest Fall on record. One of the results is that there is more exposed drift wood in the Mississippi River than I ever remember seeing. This time of year should be all about snow paintings. Last year at this time we had about 30 inches on the ground, which, by the way, also was a record. The little snow we've received so far has melted except on icy patches of rivers and lakes.

2011-12-16T16:24:00.000-06:00

Fog Lifting, 18x24, Oil on Linen

Details shot by Tom Shearer, Duluth, MN

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tshearer/

2011-12-13T15:23:00.002-06:00

Pepin Heights, Oil on Canvas, 11x14

(revised 12/27/11. 12-29-11

This canvas was started on location a few years ago. I don't remember why I never finished it. Not one to waste canvases on unfinished work, I got it out the other day to see what I could come up with working from memory and imagination. This is what I remember. I might have a bluff or two in the wrong place. So be it. This place probably does not exist in its natural state anymore. As I recall, it was all being parceled out for development.

2011-12-07T10:31:00.001-06:00

Breeze in the Meadow, Oil on Linen, 16x12

Painted earlier this Fall, I finally got around to fixing a few minor details today.

Sky paintings are a challenge because the subject is constantly moving and changing. I worked on the bottom of the painting until the clouds and light seemed to be about as interesting as they were going to get and then I attacked the sky with vigor. Afterwords, as I was cleaning up, the setting sun and sky put on another fantastic display but that will have to be painted from memory.

2011-12-02T15:03:00.001-06:00

Calm Waters, Oil on Linen, 18x24

(revised 12-5, 12-14, 12-29-11, 1-3-12)
(FINAL repairs 2-23-12)

As you can see, I have returned to this painting quite a few times. It's kind of a testing ground for some new methods I am trying out. As I learn more, I add to the painting. At some point one needs to say it's done. It's Done. There, I said it.

2011-11-17T13:59:00.001-06:00

Warm in November, Oil on Linen, 12x16

(reworked December 2. More sunshine added December 14.)

Anticipation was the name of the game here. There were just enough clouds in the sky that I suspected that the the golden hour was going be fantastic. So I set up in a location where I figured I would have a good composition and color without being blinded by the setting sun. Then it was a matter of planning the painting so I would be able to capture the illusive colors as quickly as possible when they appeared. I was constantly asking myself questions like, "where will that shadow be in an hour? What color will the grass be when the sky turns yellow. When you look at a plein air painting, you should be able to tell what time of day it is. Forget the fact that it took the artist 3 or 4 hours to complete the painting, during which time the lighting was constantly changing.

There is a great video you may have seen on public TV this week. It was made during the Grand Marais Paintout this summer. I competed in that paint out but not the "quick paint" portion which the video focuses on. I think the producers did a great job of capturing what a plein air painter is up against. Click here to watch the video. You'll see some friends of mine in action.

2011-11-08T12:54:00.000-06:00

Lion's Park, 12x9, Oil on Linen

There's an Outdoor Painters of Minnesota show that will be opening soon at the The Frameworks here in Saint Paul this weekend. The reception is Saturday, Nov. 12 at 7pm, The FrameWorks, 2022 Ford Parkway. I am going to enter several paintings including this one, so you might see it there. If not, it will still be a good show to see. We have some extraordinarily talented members.

2011-11-08T11:53:00.002-06:00

The River, Oil on Linen, 12x16

The last couple of paintings were painted incredibly fast as the light conditions had changed before I even had a chance to set up. I had to mix up piles of color and just put color notes around the canvases. What happens is that you will second guess yourself once the light has changed. When the clouds move in, you see tons of detail in the shadows you never saw when the scene was brightly lit and you can hardly believe that the brilliant colors you have on your palette were actually there a few minutes ago. When this happens it's time to trust your instincts more than your eyes.

2011-11-08T11:41:00.001-06:00

From the Fort, Oil on Linen, 12x9

Painted in August, I realized that I had not shot it yet. I have now.

2011-11-04T17:21:00.000-05:00

Cherokee Bluff, oil on canvas, 12x16

I'm grateful for each additional day that there are Fall colors remaining. I painted this yesterday. Last night was clear and cold.This morning as the sun came up the brilliant yellow maple leaves fell en masse. The world is suddenly without yellow. Tomorrow, strong winds are predicted. Oh well, snow is another favorite subject. It shouldn't be too long now.

2011-10-30T16:39:00.000-05:00

The Last Color, 16x12, Oil on Linen

A couple more strong winds and it will all be gone. Oaks are pretty much barren already. These were down in a ravine where it was a bit more protected.

2011-10-27T09:52:00.003-05:00

Valley Below, 12x16, Oil on Linen (SOLD)

After a summer of battling with those tricky greens that abound here in southern Minnesota, it feels good to dip into the cadmiums of autumn. I was struck by the contrast between the cool minty green and the warm yellows and oranges of this location.

2011-10-25T15:22:00.002-05:00

October, Oil on Linen, 12x16

Another beautiful day to paint; 65º and calm and a wedding going on behind me.

2011-10-17T14:55:00.001-05:00

Mid-morning Moonset

On the way to the Parley Lake Winery paint out we were stopped dead in our tracks by this scene.

2011-10-17T13:45:00.001-05:00

Bringing in the Crop

Painted this weekend at the Parley Lake Winery, I was setting up my easel as these guys were picking the last grapes for the season. I was there as part of the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota paint out.

2011-10-05T11:30:00.001-05:00

Loring Alleyway, Oil on Linen, 16x12
By Tom McGregor

Purple Bells, Bee Balm and Daisies, Oil on Linen 16x12
By Jerri Jo Brandt

Saint Paul Art Crawl this Weekend, October 7-9

Fri. 6-10pm, Sat. 12-8pm, Sun. 12-5pm
See Jerri Jo and me at our studio in the Northwestern Building.
275 East 4th Street, Suite 705, Saint Paul

2011-09-27T10:48:00.000-05:00

Rieck’s Lake, Oil on Linen, 9x12 (SOLD)

Once, Rieck’s Lake was an open body of water. Settlers cleared the trees and plowed the land. Without the protective cover, soil from the Buffalo River watershed filled Riecks Lake. In 1935 Lock and Dam 4 was built. The Mississippi River submerged Rieck’s Lake with eight feet of water. In the years since, erosion is again filling Rieck’s Lake. In 2003 landowners, with a DNR grant, installed 42 erosion control dams and 24 acres of grassed waterways to slow the erosion.

2011-09-22T09:51:00.000-05:00

Raising of the Flag, Oil on Linen, 12x16

The vast majority of my plein air paintings are done in the late afternoon and early evening. If you are going to paint in the morning and capture the good colors, you have to get up pretty early. This is one I did last Friday morning at the Fort Snelling Historic Site. I was pretty much done with the painting by the time they shot off the cannon and raised the flag. I liked the way the light only shone through the very bottom of the flag leaving the rest sort of muted and understated. I didn't want to do another flag waving proudly in the wind painting. That wasn't the day. It was quiet and serene with practically no wind.

2011-09-20T17:45:00.000-05:00

Dodge in Gold, Oil on Linen, 12x16

There is starting to be a backlog of paintings in my studio that were painted on location and need a little studio touch-up and photo documentation. It's always hard for me to paint indoors when the weather is nice, but I have to. The Saint Paul Art Crawl is Oct 7-9 and I want to have a lot of new art for it.

You have one more week to see the PAN show at the Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson, WI, and the same for the show at the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery in Grand Marais MN.

2011-09-14T12:53:00.000-05:00

The Backwater, Oil on Linen, 24x36

Yesterday my wife reminded me that I haven't posted anything in quite awhile. It's not that I haven't been painting; I have. I just haven't finished one in a while. This painting is a perfect example. It still needs something, but today I was pleased enough with the progress so far that I decided to share it with you in it's incomplete state.

This 24x36 painting is from a 12x16 I did last year. On that painting, I painted the egret while she fished. That's easy to do; they hold perfectly still while they stalk their prey. But while I was painting, a second egret flew into the scene. At the time I thought it would make a nice painting. This is what I remember seeing.

2011-09-07T12:06:00.000-05:00

Pigeon River, Oil on Linen, 9x12

Lake Kimball, Oil on Linen, 9x12 (SOLD)

Devil's Track River, Oil on Linen, 12x9

Above is a small sampling of the paintings from the Grand Marais paintout. I apologize for the quality of the photos. I was shooting them at our camp site as I framed them.

If you are up in Grand Marais between now and September 26, be sure to take in the show at the Johnson Heritage Post Gallery. Somebody can correct my numbers but I'm guessing there are about 200 paintings by about 30 to 40 artists that all took part in the event.

If you're in Hudson, WI, before September 25, be sure to take in the Project Art for Nature show at the Phipps Center for the Arts.

And of course, there is always the St. Paul Art Crawl October 7-9. Jerri Jo and I will be in my studio at 275 E 4th street in lovely downtown Saint Paul.

2011-08-22T15:18:00.006-05:00

Parley Lake Winery, Oil on Linen, 12x16

Thank you Parley Lake Winery and Deardorff Vinyards for hosting the August Outdoor Painters of Minnesota Paintout. We had a great time.

2011-08-22T14:50:00.003-05:00

Weathered Survivors, Oil on Linen, 12x16
Revised 9/23/11

The second barn painting in the same number of days. What can I say? I love shapes and barns have great shapes. This one's beauty is in its weathered sagging lines and patina of hard times. I'm also a big fan of wind mills and always on the look out for one that is still working. This one ,as is usually the case was missing several blades and had a definite list to the West which I've tried to faithfully render.

2011-08-15T14:08:00.003-05:00

Empties, Oil on Linen, 12x16

This is the fourth painting from this location. It's the first time I painted it in the morning. There were a couple fishermen who scared away the resident egret. We could hear her complaining from the other side of the trees.

2011-08-12T14:16:00.005-05:00

Minnehaha, Oil on Linen, 9x12

Improved 11-18-11

Originally painted in August of this year on location, I was quite happy with certain passages of the painting but always felt it needed something. Today I figured out what. This newly revised painting has less of everything; less detail in the water, less blue in the sky and less green everywhere. The only thing there is more of is the highlight on top of the bridge and there's more reflection on the bottom plane of the bridge. The painting has less and I like it more. This coming from the guy who is always saying less is more is boring. I might have to rethink my attitude.

2011-08-02T16:47:00.008-05:00

Disney's Lift Bridge, Oil on Linen, 9x12

There's tons of detail here that I could have gotten bogged down with. Instead, I decided to paint fast, thick and loose and not worry about the anatomy of all those boats. From a distance, I see boats but up close it's totally chaotic.

2011-07-27T17:33:00.003-05:00

Across the Wide Expanse, Oil on Linen, 12x16

Here is another view of Lake Pepin. I never tire of this lake. We saw a large flock of pelicans circling over us, more eagles than we could count, and dozens of song birds serenaded us while we painted. The deer got pretty close before they noticed us. I like that about plein air painting. You stand in one place long enough, animals will come right up close, either out of curiosity or because you are so quiet and immersed in your painting that they don't see you as a threat.

2011-07-19T14:07:00.003-05:00

Smooth Sailing, Oil on Linen, 12x16

Later in the same day we were on the Minnesota side of Lake Pepin when we came across this lovely view of the lake. it illustrates several of the themes I am concentrating on. This little native garden in the foreground with its long sponge-like roots absorbs pollutants before they reach the lake. The Kentucky blue grass with its short roots, does not. Pepin is a haven for sail boats, but trains regularily whiz along its shores and of course there are the barges (not shown) and pleasure craft of every description. Pepin, after all is just a widening of the mighty Mississippi, one of the busiest and most beautiful waterways of the world.

2011-07-19T11:28:00.005-05:00

The Bottoms from Above, Oil on linen, 9x12 (SOLD)

We got to this location early Sunday morning. It had just poured buckets. While we were setting up, the fog rolled in and obliterated the view for quite a while, and then the no-see-ums started gnawing at us. Despite all that, this was a great place to hang out for a few hours. I'm having a great time getting ready for the Project Art for Nature (PAN) show at the Phipps Center for the Arts in September. My portion of the show will concentrate on the area around Lake Pepin, one of my favorite areas to paint.

2011-07-07T16:39:00.006-05:00

Sheyenne Valley, Oil on Linen, 9x12

We just returned from a 7 day trip to North Dakota where we celebrated a milestone class reunion, visited with friends and relatives, rode ATVs, canoed, camped and still found time to get some serious painting in. I'll post some more once I've touched them up a bit, but for now, here's a sampling.

The grain elevator you see off in the distance is the only building in the hamlet of Catherine that is visible above the trees. It's a lovely little village in a beautiful river valley. The quiet was amazing! The only sounds were the breeze in the grasses and the chirping of birds. We saw a coyote, and several different hawks while scouting.

We came across the location for this painting the day before. At the time, the hills were dotted with cows. I love cow's structure and was really hoping they would make an appearance so I could paint them. It was beginning to look like they would not show, but just as we were about to lose our light, they came over the top of the hill and I got my chance. I actually like the painting better than if they had been more in the foreground thus becoming too much the focus of the painting.

2011-06-27T16:22:00.004-05:00

Big River Barges, Oil on Linen, 12x16

This summer has been very wet and grey. As a result, I've been doing more studio work than plen air.

There are many painters who prefer to paint on overcast days. Andrew Wyeth comes to mind; my friend who lives in Grand Marais. But not me. When I first started painting outdoors, I painted whenever and wherever I could. I remember my grey day paintings as being dismal affairs and so naturally I

gravitated towards painting outdoors on sunny days which I had better luck capturing.

Last Friday after a week of wet, grey weather, I decided to face my demons and embrace the greyness. You know what, to my surprise I kind of liked it. I liked the cool breeze on my face, the subtle gradation of tones in the sky and water and every now and then there was a slight opening in the cloud cover and some part of the landscape would get lit. That is what I tried to capture in this painting; the barges and industrial buildings on the distant bank are slightly lit, whereas everything else is under a dark sky. My wish is that seeing the sunlight in the distance gives the viewer a sense of hope. It did me.

2011-06-23T15:26:00.003-05:00

Bill's Roses, 16x12, Oil on Linen

You may recognize this house. It is my neighbor Bill's. This is the fourth time I've painted it. I love the way the late afternoon sun lights up the west wall and the roses leaving pretty much everything else in shadow. This is by far the simplest I've painted the subject. It has taken me a long time to learn what to leave out.

2011-06-20T15:31:00.003-05:00

Late Afternoon Calm, Oil on Linen, 12x16

revised 7/19/11

My commitment to the Project Art for Nature (PAN) was to choose a location that I will return to once a month for the next year. For me the obvious choice of location was Lake Pepin, which is actually just a widening of the River south of the Mississippi and St. Croix River confluence. Despite the fact that this is a working river that sees huge barges on a daily basis, there is still a lot of natural beauty to capture. PAN has a show at the Phipps Center for the Arts in September. I'm hoping that by then I will have captured a bit of this beauty to pass on to others who come out to see the show.

2011-06-16T15:41:00.007-05:00

Sunnies Are Just Fine, Oil on Linen, 18x24

revised 7/29/11, 9/23/11

Today is the first day of summer. Spring was noteworthy for flooding, snow, rain and a lot of grey days. The day I painted the 12x16 field painting this studio painting was based on was one of the few exceptions. The field painting was painted 2 weeks ago on the only day we went swimming so far this year. I guess this painting is my attempt to capture and hold a piece of summer we have seen far too little of this year. Rats, it just started raining again.

2011-05-23T17:01:00.009-05:00

Spring Floral, Oil on Linen, 12x16 (SOLD)

Yesterday I posted this painting. Immediately I realized I was not happy with it. Still, I shared it with the world warts and all. This morning I reworked almost the entire painting. This is the result. If you saw it yesterday, I'm hoping you will agree that it is improved. Anyway, I'm much happier with it today than I was yesterday. To me a painting is done when I can sense the place and there is a strong memory of being there, of breathing the air, listening to the sounds, feeling the sun. This painting takes me back two weeks to when I stood in this place.

2011-03-31T14:06:00.005-05:00

Good Craftsmanship, Oil on Linen, 12x16

revised 4/2/11

My good buddy Mike, who passed away several years ago, was a print sales rep by day, but if you really wanted to see him light up, you would ask what he had going on in his shop. He absolutely loved making fine working toys and mechanical devices out of wood. This little dump truck is a great example. The wheels turn, the side walls of the box can be removed and the box pivots up. You cant see a joint anywhere. Every piece fits perfectly. He was also into marquetry and just about anything that took extreme craftsmanship. I learned a lot from Mike about pride in workmanship and dedication to something you love. I miss my old friend.

2011-03-28T16:59:00.004-05:00

Hand Tools, Oil on Linen, 12x16

I found some more old tools in my basement. I love the worn handles, the patina that comes from decades of hard work, the iron and wood and steel.

I wonder how many of the tools we buy today will still be around in 100 years. The toaster my mom bought in a second hand store in the 1940s works as well today as the day she bought it. On the other hand, we've been through about 8 coffee makers in the last 10 years. The longest one lasted was about 4 years. It's hard to find a spade with the heft of the old ones. The steel is thinner, and I think weaker. Everything is made out of plastic.

This painting pays homage to craftsmanship, pride in workmanship and building things right.

2011-03-17T14:51:00.013-05:00

End of Winter, Oil on Linen, 9x12

revised 4/3/11

Recently I was accepted into an organization called Project Art for Nature, a collaboration of artists in Wisconsin and Minnesota, working independently and collaboratively to create artwork which promotes stewardship of threatened natural areas in our region.

2011-03-15T15:13:00.004-05:00

Poppies and Coffee, Oil on Linen, 16x12

Up until now, I've never considered myself a still life painter. I'd rather be outside. But painting this one was a fun way to spend a cold, grey weekend. I can definitely see myself doing more of these in the future. It was a collaborative effort with my wife, Jerri Jo. She laid out the objects, making her what I guess you would call the "painting stylist". Originally there was an old TV tray with a rosemaling pattern on it but the colors didn't really do it for me so I switched that out with Jerri Jo's painting of the poppies. Yes, there's a painting in my painting. It was a real challenge to copy her style but I had fun trying. Below is a photo of her painting. Keep in mind that I photographed her painting in balanced light but I painted my painting of her painting in incandescent light, thus the color shift.

Poppies, Jerri Jo Brandt, Oil on Linen, 12x16

2011-03-11T15:01:00.010-06:00

Cold Brook Farm, Oil on Linen, 24x36

This is painted from a 12x16 field study I did on location in June of 2007. Although it is sometimes difficult to look at older work, I wanted to see what I had learned in the last 3 and half years. One thing I realized was that it's very different to paint 1 inch cows than it is to paint 3 inch cows. Any cow-like creature will do at the smaller scale, not so true of the bigger ones.

Here's the field stud

y from 2007. (Sold)

2011-03-07T14:04:00.007-06:00

Tracks, Oil 9x12

The tracks seemingly go out to the middle of this field and end. Actually, whoever made them thought he/she would head across country, changed their mind and came back roughly the same way they went. I can see why- the snow was about a foot deep where I was standing. It was another beautiful sunny day with temps hovering around 30º yesterday. The snow will soon be gone.

2011-02-25T10:24:00.007-06:00

Winter Warmth, Oil on Linen, 12x16

revised 3/29/11

This was painted last Saturday in Lebanon Hills Regional Park during an Open Air Painters of Minnesota paint out. I was looking forward to the camaraderie of painting with a group of plein air painters and comparing notes afterword. That was not the case however. Our location was a bit isolated and by the time we finished, everyone had left. We never saw another painter all day, although hikers who stopped to chat reported sitings. You have 2 more days to see the OPM exhibit at AZ Gallery in Saint Paul.

2011-02-17T17:06:00.003-06:00

Frozen Falls at the Old Mill, Oil on Linen, 16x12

Painting number 3 from this past weekend was done down in Hastings. It was in the mid 50s and the light was soft and diffused most of the afternoon. I thought I would get down to the ruins for a second painting but this one kept me busy until sunset.

2011-02-16T10:40:00.005-06:00

Cups, Oil on Linen 9x12

I don't recall ever having done still lifes before. It's more of a challenge than I thought. The last couple that appeared on this blog were created in Richard Abraham's evening class. Stay tuned for more basement finds in the future.

I think these are family heirlooms too, although I must admit their significance is lost on me. Some have sibling's names and dates of birth; others don't have an inscription. I think they're akin to the bronzed booties people used to keep on their mantel.

2011-02-15T15:00:00.003-06:00

Ice Break, Oil on linen, 12x16

It was up in the 40s this weekend and sunny making for a 3 painting weekend. Around three o'clock on Saturday the sun popped out so I finished up a studio "memory" painting I was working on and had Jerri Jo drop me off on the Robert Street Bridge just as the colors were beginning to peak. It felt good to work fast. I covered the canvas in a little over an hour. Sometimes it just feels right.

I can't tell you how many times I've commuted over the Robert Street Bridge and wanted to paint this painting. By shear luck the light was absolutely perfect when I finally did. I was more than willing to put up with some pretty inane questions by passersby.

2011-01-26T16:11:00.008-06:00

Updated 2/2/11 (SOLD)

Working Late, Oil on Linen, 18x24

Oh the barges, the mighty barges. The season is short. The hours are long. It is a sight to behold these behemoths that navigate the mighty Mississippi. They slide through the arch of the Robert Street Bridge like thread through the eye of a needle.

2011-01-12T15:06:00.006-06:00

The Guiding Light, Oil on Linen, 12x9

Scrounging around the basement this past Saturday, I came across this old kerosene railroad lantern. My dad retired from his job as a conductor on the old Northern Pacific Railroad back in the early 70s. I remember him bringing this home about that time. I found ones like it being offered for a couple hundred dollars on antique auction sites. They were all made around 1909. There was still soot inside. I wonder when was the last time it was lit. I think I'll have to pick up some kerosene and a wick somewhere and try it out.

2010-12-27T15:51:00.007-06:00

Winter Light, Oil on Linen, 9x12

When I'm not shoveling, I absolutely love the way the snow piles up on everything here in Minnesota. The world looks like a giant meringue. We were standing in about 2 feet of snow but the sun was on our faces so we were quite toasty, in fact, I was a bit overdressed and had to shed a layer.

2010-12-21T13:02:00.005-06:00

Superior Spring Morning, Oil, 20x24

Revised studio painting from March of this year

You have a few more days to see my paintings at Golden's Deli, 275 E 4th Street, Saint Paul, MN. My paintings will be on view the month of January, 2011 at the Unity Church Unitarian, 732 Holly Avenue, Saint Paul. The public is welcome. Call (651) 228-1456 for public hours.

2010-12-20T14:15:00.004-06:00

Morning Haze Not Quite Lifted, Oil on canvas, 24x18

This is another reworking of a painting from 2009. I was somewhere on Superior's North Shore. I thought that what bothered me about the original were that the colors in the foreground were not quite right, but once I started to fix that issue, I realized that I had been chasing the light a bit as well- the foreground shadows were not in synch with the shadows on the main tree trunk. So I worked on that issue as well. Jerri Jo says she can't see what I changed but she likes it better - mission accomplished.

2010-12-10T14:35:00.003-06:00

The Swale and the Field, Oil on Linen, 12 x16

This is a reworking of a painting you may have seen on this blog in September of this year.

Farmers used to do more contour plowing to protect against erosion. There is a little swale that runs through this cornfield that the farmer had to plow around, making for a more interesting rhythmic pattern on the landscape. I'm always looking for cornfields that follow the form of the hills thereby helping to define their form. If you know of a nice cornfield, let me know where it is. You might see it here.

2010-12-06T14:48:00.009-06:00

The Sun Between the Houses, Oil on Linen, 12x9

After shoveling out from the snowstorm this weekend, the next order of business was to paint something. One of my favorite things in the whole world is the morning light after a fresh snowfall.

The astute visitor may have noticed that this painting has been revised since it was first posted.

2010-11-29T14:14:00.003-06:00

Egret's Bluff (revisited), Oil on Linen, 12x16

This is a rework of a painting from a few months ago. I warmed it up, and while I was at it, I figured I'd add some people. Can you find Waldo and Hilda?

2010-11-08T16:50:00.012-06:00

Into the Light, Oil on Linen, 18x24

2010-10-27T14:12:00.005-05:00

Out of Commission, Oil on Linen, 24x18 (SOLD)

I hope this isn't the last hurrah of fall, but with this week's wind blowing the leaves half way to the Gulf of Mexico, it just might be.

2010-10-20T14:24:00.003-05:00

Commerce and Industry, Oil, 12x16

This fall my friend Joshua Cunningham was the poster winner for the Saint Paul Art Crawl. He won with a fantastic painting of some tanker cars in early morning light. I love the painting and it reminded me that my earliest memories are of drawing trains on the giant blackboard in the back of my Mom's beauty shop. I was probably 4 or 5. I wanted to be a railroader like my dad. I've always loved watching trains. I had thought about painting the train cars in this location for a couple of years but was not very confident in my ability to get the tracks right. Talking with Joshua, I learned that that was a challenge for him as well. He talked about painting beyond his comfort level. I thought about that for a few days. I realized I was avoiding certain subjects because I was afraid I might fail. That's not good at all if one hopes to improve one's skills. So here you go, my first railroad painting since 1956. By the way, "T56" on the upper right of the freight car stands for "Tom 1956" - a bit of a nod to myself at age 4.

2010-10-14T10:06:00.002-05:00

Lilacs on a Hill, Oil, 9x12

Painted this spring, I finally got around to shooting it in preparations for Art Crawl. Thank you everyone who stopped by. It was nice visiting with you.

2010-10-07T15:45:00.001-05:00

Mississippi and Skyline, Oil on Linen, 12x16

2010-10-06T13:42:00.004-05:00

Lonely Beach, Oil, 20x24

Sigh - no more swimming from this beach until next year. Still I love coming here after Labor Day. The sky and water colors are so rich, there's just a hint of change in the leaves and the undergrowth is like a dried floral arrangement.

We hope to see you this weekend at the Saint Paul Art Crawl. Go to www.artcrawl.org for more info. This painting was updated/revised 11/1/10

2010-10-05T16:58:00.002-05:00

Gooey, Oil on Linen, 12x16

The name refers to the way the paint sits on the surface of the canvas. The pink looks like some kind of gooey taffy. Come see us at the Saint Paul Art Crawl this weekend. www.artcrawl.org

We're in the Northwestern. 275 East 4th Street, Suite 705, Saint Paul

2010-09-20T17:25:00.003-05:00

Calming Waters, Oil, 12x16

We had a 3 painting weekend. That's always a good weekend in my book. Later this week we will be painting in the Grand Portage area for 4 days. Immediately upon my return, I begin a 3 day artist in residency. My students will be grade schoolers. I'll just be painting and they will be quietly watching - or so I'm told. I'm looking forward to it. Expect many new paintings here in the weeks leading up to the Saint Paul Art Crawl, October 8-10. You can find me in the Northwestern Building, 275 East 4th Street, Suite 705. For info go to www.artcrawl.org

2010-09-03T15:33:00.000-05:00

Kiting the Wind, Oil on Linen, 12x16 (Sold)

People think we're land locked here in Minnesota, but it's really not true, with all it's rivers and lakes including the worlds largest—Lake Superior. Lake Pepin is a widening in the Mississippi River where it is joined by the St. Croix River and dozens of smaller rivers. I love to paint the bluffs that border both sides of this incredible waterway.

2010-08-25T15:56:00.002-05:00

Ruins at QQ, Oil on Linen, 9x12

The ruins are in the upper right hand corner. The painting was more about the season and the time of day than the ruins, but I feel it's worth noting that there is a burned out brick structure - maybe a night club or restaurant; it's hard to tell.

2010-08-18T17:28:00.002-05:00

Three Great Flavors, Oil on Linen, 12x16

These three houses are only a few blocks from where I live, yet they have been on my list of subjects I have wanted to paint it seems like forever. It took three sessions to get them in good light. Twice clouds rolled in just as I was getting set up. Finally on the third attempt I had a perfect afternoon.

2010-08-11T16:33:00.002-05:00

Are there Fish in There?, Oil 9x12

Yes there are fish in there. Little Sunnies. They were fun to watch as they watched me paint.

2010-08-10T15:55:00.002-05:00

Backyard Profusion, Oil on Linen, 16x12

I like unusual color combinations - the faded green paint, the bright orange of the new wooden fence, mid summer greens and the pink - holy cow! The Pink! I had to add a red to my palette for this pink. I just couldn't get it with my usual reds.

2010-07-29T12:38:00.005-05:00

Plein air painters are totally into their gear. I'm no exception. Here's my set-up for Egret's Bluff. The umbrella bungied to my easel and bike was amazingly stable despite a stiff breeze that came up in advance of a storm. It was a godsend too because the temps were in the high 80s and I was standing in a huge parking lot.

2010-07-22T11:55:00.003-05:00

Wild Garden, Oil on Linen, 12x16 (Sold)

2010-07-19T19:05:00.003-05:00

Red Brick, 9x12, Oil

Jerri Jo and I love living on the Westside of Saint Paul. Our neighborhood is dotted with all these great old gems. We met the owners of this house. They were really nice people.

2010-07-13T15:27:00.003-05:00

Changing light, 12x16, Oil on Linen

Just before sunset, I was coming in the homestretch with this painting — anticipating the bluffs turning pink and golden. Instead, these wispy clouds moved in and became the star of the painting. I tried to capture the moment where the distant bluff was immersed in shadow and the foreground had kind of a strange light to it. It was changing minute by minute. In a few minutes everything would turn to a grey silhouette.

2010-07-09T15:22:00.005-05:00

Dan Patch and Lafayette, Oil on Linen, 12x16

(revised 1/12/12)

It's so nice to be able to paint until 9pm. It took a lot of will power to stick with the afternoon light. By sunset everything was glowing red and incredibly beautiful. The temptation was to change the mid afternoon light effect I'd worked so hard to capture. I resisted.

As usual, I met some nice people while I was painting including the guy who pilots the little tug just to the left of the crane. That's how I found out it was called the Dan Patch. In a couple years the Dan Patch and this bridge will be gone. The Dan Patch will go to a new home after its paint job. The Lafayette Bridge will go onto the scrap heap of history.

2010-06-21T16:33:00.001-05:00

Moon over the Marina, 10x20, Oil (SOLD)

2010-06-09T17:55:00.003-05:00

Old Blue Bonnet, 12x16, Oil

We went to the docks the other day in hopes of finding some cool old boats to paint. When we got there we were sadly disappointed in the selection of boats but fell in love with this old grader. I don't know how many years it's been since it saw any action but we noticed that it had been repaired many times with jury-rigged parts including the blue tarp that was unceremoniously duct-taped to the roof, I suppose, to keep out the rain.

2010-06-04T14:39:00.004-05:00

Rain, 12x9, Oil

It's supposed to rain this weekend so I'm putting together quite a pile of mostly finished paintings from this Spring that need a touch here and there. When I came across this one from a month ago I couldn't think of anything to do to it but post it. I prefer to finish paintings in one sitting. Rarely does that happen. I was quite sure this one needed work when I put it away a month ago. I don't know what I thought it needed. This is definitely the day I remember.

2010-04-01T16:00:00.005-05:00

Indian Mounds Sentinel, Oil, 11x14

In nature the light is so bright sometimes it makes you squint. Unfortunately, they don't make paint colors that bright. In order for the relationship between the creamy yellow house against the morning sky to work, I had to mix the sky color what seemed to be an incredibly dark color on the palette.

2010-03-25T17:07:00.002-05:00

High Water, Oil, 16x12

We painted these boathouses on a day when the Mississippi was flooding it's banks. But how would you know by our subject matter? The boathouses float on pontoons and and are attached to their moorings with oversized sleeves that allow them to rise and fall with the river. So unless you are a local, you would not know that normally you look down on the roofs from where we were standing. It's ironic that on a day when water was everywhere it should not be, we chose a subject that was barely affected by the flood.

2010-03-08T16:38:00.002-06:00

Another Vento Morning, Oil, 12x16

The lessons are starting to take. Thanks Joe and Richard.

2010-02-13T17:36:00.003-06:00

Our Grotto, Oil, 9x12

I love a sunny day any time of the year.

2009-12-19T14:40:00.005-06:00

Superior Fog, Oil, 18x24

2009-11-10T15:04:00.002-06:00

Fall Birch and Oak, Oil, 12x9

It's been a beautiful week in November with sunshine and temps in the mid fifties. It almost makes up for the grey cold October we just had. I paint outside as much as I can when it's like this. As a result this blog may seem kind of neglected as I am saving the studio fine-tuning for bad weather days.

This was painted en plen air in about an hour and a half. I could touch it up and improve the anatomy of the trees but why? It feels like the day.

2009-10-12T17:11:00.003-05:00

Harriet Island Docks, oil, 12x16 (sold)

Posted a bit out of sequence, I painted this about a month ago. I sold it yesterday at the St Paul Art Crawl. Thanks Steve and Sue. Enjoy!

2009-10-06T17:46:00.003-05:00

Caribou Ranch Park, Oil, 12x16 (Sold)

2009-08-06T17:22:00.000-05:00

Westside Pride, Oil, 11x14

2009-08-05T17:35:00.002-05:00

Ballet of the Coneflowers, Oil, 11x14 SOLD

2009-07-16T15:20:00.001-05:00

Kettle River Calm, Oil, 16x12 (Sold)

2009-07-07T17:32:00.003-05:00

Cannon River Hideaway, Oil, 11x14

You can't get here by car. We biked to this location hauling our painting gear in my bike trailer. We had this little stretch of river to ourselves for the entire afternoon.