My favorite form of art is pencil drawing. My favorite subjects to draw are architectural. It is fun to tackle subjects that really require thought, careful design, and a bit of artistic license. It is highly satisfying to turn a vague idea from customers into something better than they envisioned. A customer presented me with […]
About My Cousin—a Quick Roadtrip
This post is almost entirely personal. My oldest cousin died, and his family and friends gathered to remember him. He was almost 12 years old than me. I always looked up to him, my big cousin, sort of intimidating, remote, distant. In spite of not really knowing him, I always loved his wife and felt […]
Better Bit By Bit
Dutch iris are my favorite domestic flowers. I’ve painted them multiple times through the years. Recently, I pulled one out of Kaweah Arts because I thought of a way to make it better. After sprucing it up, I thought you might appreciate seeing all the changes on this painting through the years. First time Better […]
Quick and Cold
The other day I had to go to Visalia (AKA Big Town) for the morning. In the afternoon, there were pressing responsibilities on the computer (scan some things, email them to folks who had requested such things, try a few more adaptations to the cover of the book I am working on (as editor and […]
Selling While Acting Semi-Retired
You may have noticed that I have been lollygagging quite a bit this year. I remember my dad describing himself as “semi-retired” when he was the age I am now. I think that is beginning to describe me. Go for a walk, hang out with some friends, organize some stuff, do a freebie job at […]
Using Tech with a Pencil Drawing
When one of my drawing students or I finish a drawing, we often like to get it reproduced as prints, notecards, for a business card or a brochure, in a portfolio of work. . . so many potential uses! Back in the olden days, pencil was very difficult to reproduce either on a copy machine […]
Buckling Down Further
I looked at this painting and decided it could wait. Instead, I decided to work on the marmot. And then the deer. Finally, I wanted to do something easy, so I put the first layer on these three paintings. I’d call that a productive-enough day! P.S. Probably shouldn’t have signed the marmot. His nose is […]
Back to Buckling Down
Here is the afternoon’s painting session after a morning of exploring around Lake Kaweah. I’m easing into the production of Mineral King paintings, with the workshop doors open to the greenery, flowers, cats, and sounds of leaf blowers, chain saws, a distant donkey, and the occasional vehicle. March is a month full of distractions and […]
March Forth on March Fourth
This pencil drawing was done from several photos taken in the campground Sequoia RV Ranch up North Fork Drive in Three Rivers. Like the other drawings used in the 2026 calendar, the original is on a piece of 11×14” archival paper. It is for sale. $375 (plus tax if you live in California) or make […]
Buckling Down
“Buckling down” is a weird expression. It reminds me of sayings such as “nose to the grindstone”, “shoulder to the wheel”, “eye on the ball”. . . How can a person accomplish anything in that awkward pose? It was a beautiful early spring day (Yeppers, February is spring in Three Rivers). After a fair amount […]