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

Presenting "Ramsey's Porch ( Mourning Dove )" ... Although I finished this a week or so ago I have finally signed it making the painting officially complete. "Ramsey's Porch ( Mourning Dove )" Oil, 14 x 7 “Ramsey’s Porch ( Mourning Dove )” This painting captures one of those moments in life that are there for a short moment and then gone forever. My family and I were visiting my good friend Matt Ramsey and his family in Nashville, TN over Easter weekend in 2009. I met Matt while attending Virginia Commonwealth University, we where both art students looking to become illustrators. Things change… I of course am not an illustrator and Matt is an outstanding singer and song writer and that is why he and his family live in Nashville. I don’t get to see Matt very often so I cherish the time that I do get to visit. Matt and I were up early both with a cup of his strong coffee in hand, our wives are still in bed and my son and his daughter are sitting o...

I will be painting LIVE from my studio tomorrow Friday April 23, 2010 from 10am - 2 pm on my Ustream channel "Over the Artist's Shoulder." I am in the last few days of work of my current painting Ginter Mausoleum, and will be painting the 2nd layer of color on the bottom half of the mausoleum. If you decide to join in you can ask questions in the chat window and I will try to answer those for you while I work. I hope you join in.... "Over the Artist's Shoulder"   Ginter Mausoleum painting - In progress Adding color layer 1

Work in progress... The first layer of color is finally blocked in on my current painting Ginter Mausoleum and I have started to work on the second layer this morning. My hope is that the second layer won't take as long since I have a good foundation with the first layer. Video update part 4 on the Ginter painting.

Well I got a little tired of the look of my blog and besides not everything fit neatly into the postings so I decided to give it a new look! I still need to tweak a few things but let me know what you think. Thanks, -Robert

I found out last week, just before I left town, that I have been juried in as a “Signature member” of the Society of Animal Artists . Yes I have been a member in the society for a couple years now but as an “Associate” member. I am very honored to be part of the Society of Animal Artists as a “Signature member,” I join an extremely prestigious and talented list of some of the WORLD'S best artists. The Society of Animal Artists is an association of animal and wildlife painters and sculptors. Founded in 1960, the Society is devoted to promoting excellence in the portrayal of the creatures sharing our planet, and to the education of the public through its informative art seminars, lectures and teaching demonstrations. Some of the finest animal artists from the United States, Canada, Europe, Africa, Japan, and Australia are represented in the Society's membership. Over the past 40 years the work created by these artists has established new standards of artistic excellence...

I was hoping to finish this painting up in time for submitting it into this years Birds in Art at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum but unfortunately it dosen't look like its going to happen. But I do have a video update of the work in progress....

Art of the Animal Kingdom XV Bennington Center for the Arts Bennington, Vermont June 12 - August 8 "Contemplation (Chimpanzee)," Graphite pencil, 6 x 15 I have the honor to announce that my graphite drawing “Contemplation (Chimpanzee)” has been selected for inclusion in this year’s exhibit Art of the Animal Kingdom XV . The Art of the Animal Kingdom exhibit is held annually at the Bennington Center for the Arts in Bennington, Vermont. “Contemplation” is one of eighty pieces that was chosen from hundreds of submissions. Morten Solberg is this year’s guest artist who is also the juror for the show, it is quite an honor to be juried into an exhibit by ones artistic peer. In addition to being the guest artist Morten will also be teaching a workshop June 9th – 11th . “Contemplation (Chimpanzee)” is a graphite drawing on Arches 300lb. hot press water color paper. As with all of my graphite drawings the value is built layer by layer starting from the hardest grade pencil ...

I am continuing to work on the Ginter Mausoleum painting. Progress has been a bit slow on the mausoleum itself because I am working hard to replicate the texture of the granite. I describe how I’m creating the texture below in the video posting. I found it funny that when I started this painting I discovered that I was painting a mourning dove again. I then found out that Mourning Dove’s are among the most abundant and widespread terrestrial birds in North America.

Work in Progress... Blocking in the first layer of color, lots of texture on the granite of the mausoleum.