In the studio with artist, photographer and instructor Robert Louis Caldwell

I will be out of pocket for the next three weeks. I will still be doing my drawing demo and attending the artist reception at the "Art at the Mill show" this coming Sunday.

I have started to lay in color on another barn painting. Below is the progress image - this is a good image to show how I move across a piece. The two boards on the left are completely blocked in while the next two boards just have the exposed aging wood blocked in and the next board has just the beginnings of color.

Here is the finished piece. "2008 ( Rat )" Graphite Pencil, 4" x 16" I did this this piece for a couple of different reasons but mainly because 2008 is the year of the rat, hence the title of the piece. Also I like doing odd sized pieces and the rat with its long tail made this composition fun to do. Thank you again to D and J for allowing me to use your lovely pet rat for reference. I hope I did it justice.

I didn't get a chance to post over the weekend so here are two progress images of the current work on the drafting table. The background is about finished along with the shadow under the rat. Now the fun begins with the details.

I thought I would do something a little different. Below is the composition sketch for a "portrait" of a rat which I still might mess around with a little. I wanted a spot light effect in the background but I am not sure if I like the hard edge on the right. And below the composition sketch is the start of the actual piece. When finished the drawing will be 4" x 16." This piece should move along fairly quickly which is good because I am entering it into a show in two weeks. And to the owners of the current subject - "Love the Rat!"

Below is the finished painting of the Blue heron leaping form its perch. This painting was influenced by a passing moment while canoeing on a stream in the Presquile National Wildlife Refuge. I love doing the large paintings but it seems as though I am getting nothing accomplished while working on them because of the fact that they are so large. So I will be working on some smaller pieces for the next couple months. "Blue (Great Blue Heron)" Oil, 48" x 32"