Blue Country Cyclist

This was a commissioned piece that I just finished yesterday.  I'm currently working on another couple of pieces trying to get done before Christmas.  Oh, the stress of painting deadlines. This painting had 5 preliminary drawings that it went through before it became this finished piece.  I'm glad to say that Tim was very pleased with the finished painting.  He wanted something to remind him of cycling on RAGBRAI but in blues/grays with less riders.  LOL!

Photo:"Blue Country Cyclist"; watercolor on 12" x 16" paper
Commissioned Piece

You may notice in the sky of the finished piece a subtle cloud face.  That was added in the final painting and was an idea that we (Tim & myself) and thrown back and forth.  It's loosely based on Tim's face.

The last Prelim drawing for this piece.

Thanks for stopping by and I welcome any comment you may have!

Winter Wonderland Window...

Just before Thanksgiving I put up a Winter Wonderland Window at the Visitor's Center in Czech Village in Cedar Rapids.  If you get the chance swing by and see all of the Christmas windows in Czech Village and vote for your favorite one!  Here's a photo of the window I created...





Featured in the "CR is a Winter Wonderland" are some well know places of Cedar Rapids like: the Paramount, Theatre Cedar Rapids, and Brucemore.  Here's some prelim drawing of the stencils that I used...

The Paramount Theatre with Nutcracker Ballet...

Theatre Cedar Rapids with Shrek, a snowman, and a gingerbread man,

Thanks for stopping by!

Demon Four Pane...

The dust has finally settled and most of the boxes have been unpacked from my move.  In fact, I’m preparing for a little housewarming get together soon.  BUT the really important thing is that I managed to find my good camera and I was able to take some photos.  Here it is, in its entirety – The Demon Four Pane! 

"Demon Four Panes- four 8" x 11" paintings on paper.

 Here's them individually...

"Demon Logo"; watercolor on 8" x 11" paper

"Demon- Rear End"; watercolor on 8" x 11" paper.

"Demon- Side View"; watercolor on 8" x 11" paper.

"Demon- Front End"; watercolor on 8" x 11" paper.

P.S. Mr. Motorhead was VERY please with his paintings!  Thanks for stopping by and I welcome any comments!

A Halloween Move & Glimpse of Latest...

My favorite time of year - Halloween, and I will be moving into to new digs near the Czech Village area of Cedar Rapids.  No longer a renter, I'm becoming a homeowner.  Here's a photo of a current commission project that I'm trying to finish before my move.  I warn you, it is a poor photo.  Yes, the camera is packed and this was taken with non-internet-accessing-low-tech phone. As you can see my shadow above.  It's going to be a four pane of a red 1971 Demon.  This is for Mr. Motorhead to pay for a riding lawnmower at the new digs.  It's a big yard - I NEEDED it! Enough said :)

Photo- Prelim ink drawings for Demon four pane.

I hope to share a better photo of the real paintings soon.  Thanks for stopping by!

Breast Cancer Fall Bazaar-- This Saturday!

Hello!  Here's a slightly different slant for me of late.  I've been working on some flower paintings for a Breast Cancer Fall Bazaar that coming up this next Saturday.  It takes place in the Cherry Building in Cedar Rapids, IA from 9AM to 2PM this Saturday October 25th.  If you happen to be in the area swing by and say Hi!  Here's a couple of new pieces available for the Bazaar...

Photo: "Blue Stemmed Flower"; Watercolor and Ink on 8" x 11" Paper.

Photo: "Dear Karma"; Watercolor on 13" x 11" Paper.

Dad Had One...

Yep, Dad had one of these!  This is painting based on one of the several photos I took at the Good Guys Car Show this last summer in DesMoines.  I was drawn to paint this one because I remember my Dad had one of these Pontiac's.  It was a faded green too but had a great deal of rust.  We ended up getting rid of it because a passenger side door that would never stay shut.  I remember hanging on for dear life to my little brother, who hung on to my mom as she would take the left turns.  These were before the days of safety belts.  The final straw was the time Mom took a left turn on 1st Ave Cedar Rapids, I forgot to hold on, and I thankfully rolled over to the curb missing the on-coming traffic.  That was it and it was traded in for a newer Ford LTD.

Photo: "Dad Had One"; Watercolor and Ink on 8" x 10" Paper.

Thanks for stopping by, and I welcome any comments you may have!

Arts Festival This Saturday!

I will have a booth at the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival this Saturday from 9AM to 4PM.  If you happen to be near Mount Vernon, Iowa; swing on by and say "Hi!"  The weather promises to be beautiful for a late September day.  It's going to be sunny and in the upper 70's to low 80's.  So come on out for art, food, music, shopping... make a day of it!  Sounds like FUN to me! :)

Photo: A photo of the one of the billboards about the Lincoln Highway Arts Festival.

A Doggie Break!

So I felt like I needed a bit of a break from bikes and cars.  I happened to spot his adorable shot on Face Book of a friend's dog.  It was just too adorable and I thought that might be a fun break to paint a dog.  So here's a painting that I call ," Scruffy Dog"....

Photo: "Scruffy Dog", Watercolor and Ink on 12" x 12" Paper.

I sent a picture of the painting to my friend.  She was VERY please with it and said it was the cleanliest that she had ever seen her dog.  LOL!  I guess he likes to play in the dirt.  I will say it was quite a FUN break to paint this Cutie.  Here's a copy of the photo that inspired me...

Thanks for stopping and by and I welcome any feedback or comments you may have!

Comings and Going of a Black Hearst...

I saw this black Hearst a couple of months ago at a car cruise in Coralville, IA.  It immediately grabbed my attention because of the spider web detail on the head light.  It was SO "Halloween" and being one of my favorite holidays I took quite a few pictures of it.  It's a 1940's vehicle and I'm really unsure as to anything more than that.  I just thought it was rather neat and not of the "norm"; if you know what I mean.

Then, the idea of painting it came to me when I was looking through some of the car photos that I had.  But I didn't want to do it in a normal type of way.  So I played with a bit of drawing and came up with a cropped view of it coming towards you and another that's going away.  I call it the "Comings and Goings of a Black Hearst" and here it is...

Photo: "Comings and Goings of a Black Hearst"; Watercolor and Ink on 11" x 17" paper.

I welcome any feedback you may have.  Thanks for stopping by!

Old Chevy Pickup

I had a friend that teasingly challenged me to paint an old Chevy Pickup Truck.  I found a picture among some of the car shows and cruises that I've gone to with Mr. Motorhead.  I found this old Chevy Pickup among them.  I believe this truck is from the late to mid-1940's by the styling of it.  It was a copper colored on the top of it and black on the bottom.  I call this painting the "Black Bottomed Truck". Enjoy, here it is...

"Black Bottomed Truck"; Watercolor and Ink on 9" x 12" Paper.

So, Sal... What do you think of my version of an old Chevy truck?  Let me know! :) Thanks for stopping by and I welcome any comments you may have!