In the Making: Volume 4

A closer look at what's been on my easel lately.

Springtime is HERE and I can feel myself coming alive with the warmer weather. I love Spring. I may have terrible allergies, but I simply do not care. Flowers are blooming, our front yard is turning green again, the sun is sticking around after hours, and things are looking up.

Meanwhile in the studio I am wrapping up one commission, starting another, and plugging away on gallery paintings.

First up, a little 11x14 commission on paper. I don’t normally take on small paper commissions, but when a beautiful golf resort not far from here reached out to work with me I knew I’d say yes to pretty much whatever they wanted. This project had two components: the original painting, and access to purchase wholesale prints. The original will live in the pro shop, and prints will be purchased to sell in their shop as well as for client gifts.

Look familiar? It’s the third one of these I’ve painted this year. The first two versions of this painting were commissions, but this one will be part of a gallery collection I’m working on for June. This was a bit of a “read the room” situation… If I got multiple requests for commissioned versions of this paintings, there’s a good chance someone else may like something similar, too (watch this one sit unsold for a year, hehe).

Also for the gallery collection! I’ve said it before but a constant goal for me is to loosen up and let larger swaths of color take up more space, not getting so stuck in the details and rigidity of painting. I wouldn’t say I succeeded at this specific goal… larger color swaths, yes, but still very rigid. However, I actually really like this one. I love the little details tucked into the “seams” of the painting and that it feels a bit different for me. I’ll keep working on the ‘loose’ part of that goal.

Speaking of loosening up, I’m working on a (hopefully) looser, slightly more abstract horizontal version of this painting I did earlier this year of Jordan Pond in Maine.

And finally, I’m making progress on this 36x36” commission. The clients purchased a river painting I did several years ago and reached out to commission a complementary landscape painting in the same size and colors to flank an archway in their foyer. The older river painting was done in an abstract, piecey style that I haven’t used quite as much recently, so I’m referencing it a good bit to make sure the new painting feels fitting. They requested the landscape have a composition similar to an older painting from Switzerland, so I’m essentially recreating that scene in the colors and painting style of the river painting they already own. I’d say this one is about 60-70% finished…

That’s it for now! It’s looking like I’ll have a break in commissions the next few months, so I’m going to be focusing on the gallery paintings throughout the rest of April and May which I’m excited about. I do love commissions but they require a level of head space and consideration that other paintings don’t. With the gallery/website paintings there is much more freedom and lower pressure, so that will be a welcome change of pace for a stretch!

I also have one more major project in the works I’ll send more info about soon (it gets its very own bonus In The Making)… until then, have a lovely week! I hope you’re having some warm and sunny days where you are.