"Avalon Dunes" oil

There are very few things I like better than to hit the beach early in the morning with my box of paints. These dunes greeted me before I even hit the beach.

Pixie 12"x6" (sold)

Sometimes I can get my teenagers and their friends to model for me and create several quick sketches in oil paint. I love the process of capturing them in their natural youthful gestures.

"January"

So this painting isn't "fresh off the easel" but relates to my last posting called "Caldwell Lily Pond." I thought I'd show what Caldwell looks and feels like in January. January in Chicago is not my favorite weather conditions for plein air painting but the lighting on those very cold days is rather uniquely silver. So I put on my kids old snow pants, boots, gloves and grab my largest brush or palette knife and paint quickly before freezing to the ground.