Out on a limb
Rye Fields, 1878, Ivan Shishkin Yesterday, a reader wrote in response to my Winslow Homer post, “I find rocks difficult, too, and trees. Trees are my nemesis.” Made me smile because I was drawing a combination of rocks and trees at the time. I will soon show you a cute parlor trick that will simplify drawing …
The Lure of the Sea
Sunlight on the Coast, 1890, Winslow Homer I have been pushing myself to do a little more each day since my surgery, and yesterday I hit the wall—a persistent stitch in my side put paid to doing any more work. But at least I finished one sketch of a breaking wave. Whenever I consider painting surf, …
Aurora Borealis
Aurora Borealis, 1865, Frederic Edwin Church Strange, fiery forms uprise On the wide arch, and take the throngful shape Of warriors gathering to the strife on high,— A dreadful marching of infernal shapes, Beings of fire with plumes of bloody red, With banners flapping o’er their crowded ranks, And long swords quivering up against the sky! …
Artistic license
The Veteran in a New Field, 1865, Winslow Homer I’m preparing a drawing of a wheat field with hail damage. I started by considering the greatest wheat field painting I know. Winslow Homer’s The Veteran in a New Field is surely one of the iconic paintings of American history. Homer painted this in the summer …
Let’s all raise a glass!
Tom and Catherine Bullinger will open The Victor Brewery to the public this Thursday. Catherine Bullinger was the first person who ever signed up to take painting lessons with me. She still takes them today. She has an MBA and a very responsible corporate job, so when she told us that her dream job was …