Rocky Bay Sunrise

Sunrise shines through parting clouds on the Chesapeake Bay, illuminating its peaceful waters. Waves no larger than ripples lap at the old rocks of a forgotten, submerged jetty at high tide on this beautiful morning.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17" (framed)

Zion - Last Light

Zion National Park was the first one our tour group visited during my trip out to the American West in June of this year, and it is a place of great beauty. Colorful sandstone rocks set against an azure sky, all laced with green trees and plants ranging from cottonwoods to cactus. Above you, the cliffs tower, while all around you is life and beauty, nurtured by the Virgin River that flows through the park. Zion is also very accessible for a such an overwhelmingly pretty place, though this does lead to some crowding on nice days during the warmer seasons. Our hotel was right outside the park in Springdale, UT, and from my hotel room, I could go outside and watch the sun set on the canyon walls. Words and photos don't do it justice, so I've tried to capture those long sunsets in this painting.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Patapsco Waterfall in Autumn

Patapsco state park has a small, rocky water fall not far up the hill from the Swinging Bridge. The waterfall, while small, drains into a cluttered rock pool before splashing down a cascade of rocks into a small stream that enters the main river. This scene is inspired by that waterfall, though idealized - the actual waterfall rarely runs this dramatically and the pool has been cluttered with fallen trees in recent years. Here, we see what can be - the little waterfall running strong into a deep pool of cool water under the golden leaves of autumn.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Towering Mountain Majesty

This is my first painting of a mountain-focused landscape after being fortunate enough to participate in several weeks of online, interactive seminars taught live by well-known landscape artist Johannes Vloothuis. He taught about 100 students a night for several hours each night throughout December 2010, and each session was incredibly informative.

The focus upon proper composition through use of well-defined value planes, each designed in a pleasing abstract shape, was eye-opening, as were the little technical details, such as the proper way to paint underwater rocks, as shown in this painting.

Acrylic Painting: 14" x 17"