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

My studio newsletter "What, where, and when..." summer 2009 issue will be delivered to your e-mail in boxes next week. I will be highlighting my upcoming events like Birds in Art, the Virginia Museum of Natural history exhibit, and the Waterfowl festival. If you have not received prior issues, show invitations or studio announcements and would like to please sign up at http://bit.ly/7yX17 .

John Barber and Walter Cronkite I wanted to point out that I have added two new links, one in my Artists websites and the other in my Artists blogs list. Both belonging to a fellow artist and friend John Barber, a fellow Richmonder. When you have a moment please visit his website to see his beautiful work and his blog to read about his his days with Walter Cronkite. http://www.johnbarberart.blogspot.com/

Here is the 3rd time-lapsed video. This one shows the drawing "Contemplation (Chimpanzee)" from blank paper to the finshed drawing. I have now completed all 3 videos and they are ready to be sent to the Virginia Museum of Natural History so that they can be included in with the exhibit thats coming up in September. All of my videos can be seen at www.youtube.com/rlcaldwell Enjoy!

Here is the re-edited video of my "Reflected Green (Green Heron)" oil painting. I re-edited this video to make the type sections longer so that they can be easily read and to add some background music as well. (I got my background music from www.audiomicro.com) Enjoy!

In preparation for my upcoming Virginia Museum of Natural history exhibition I am re-editing my time-lapsed videos making them a bit longer (so you have enough time to read the type). And most importantly inserting some royalty free background music - thank you www.audiomicro.com! So here is the first newly edited video "Cow on a Hill."

Yesterday I went with my friend and fellow artist Paul Rhymer to visit the Virginia Museum of Natural History to check out the exhibition space for our upcoming four person exhibition at the museum. All I can say is WOW! The space is great and HUGE! The museum is just fantastic. The other artists invited to exhibit are Paul Rhymer a sculptor, Julie Bender a pyrographic artist, and Roger Martin a sculptor. The exhibition will open on September 26, 2009 and run through January 9, 2010. The exhibition will show allot of our original works but will also have displays (visuals) on our individual processes, so you will be able to see how we each create or pieces. Visit their website at http://www.vmnh.net/ to find out more about the museum and to see all the cool stuff! Also check out the other artist sites below. Paul Rhymer http://www.rhymerstudio.com/ Julie Bender http://www.juliebender.com/ Roger Martin http://www.rogeramartin.com/ Paul explain why sculptor is so great!

Here is the latest progress image of the Ibis's painting. Second layer of color is done on the background and foreground marsh grass and the water is also finished. I will go in and put some detail into the grass and water when finished with the birds, I can't do that now because the paint is still wet and I have learned to be patient and just let the paint dry before moving on to the fun detail work.

Working on several pieces at once now... Here's the progress on the Ibis's painting as of Wednesday afternoon. The background and the middle ground marsh grass both have the second layer of color on the canvas. This will be one of those paintings that will need some additional tweaking on a third layer of color because there is so much overlap of color that i can't get the results that I want without muddying up the colors already applied to the canvas. Hopefully by tomorrow afternoon I can have the foreground grass completed and have started on the water. Below is the piece that i just finished up on today. The under drawing is finished and I'll tone the canvas tomorrow so that it is ready when I'm finished with the 2 Ibis's and the sparrow with the red berries paintings. I have several deadlines coming up!!!