“Hometown Fair” was one of the first Impressions pieces to not only focus on nature but also to focus on people and the liveliness of community. The subject of people has not been a big part of my painting career and offered a unique artistic challenge to me… something I always love :)

Energy of Nature and the Crowd

This is the very beginning of the sketch.

Nature First

As with most paintings, I paint back to front and the nature set the rhythm to this painting. Starting with the blue sky and then moving into all of the trees and nature. I love to paint nature because it lends itself to a rhythmic, music-like movement of brush and paint onto canvas/panel.

Creating with an Audience

While creating this painting, I had quite the audience from quick passersby to more longterm spectators. Two featured guests in this painting are Townsend and Max standing under the oak tree. These two kids spent many hours hanging around while I was painting and asked if they could be in the painting… very intelligent, inquisitive and polite kids… they must have great parents :)

Some Real Mastery ;)

As an artist, I am always pushing myself to grow and the fence is a, one of many, clear moment within this painting that shows off my artistic ability. Negative space, the “empty” spaces between the object(s), the fence in this example, is one of my most proud moments as an artist. The difficulty and skill to render a fence with the ability to peek through and see all of the detail required a level of skill I just cannot convey through words… you have to see it in person to understand!

Creation in Process

Thank you Neil Boyen for the photo :)