Yellow Nomad Dreams...

I took a photo of this car last Summer when I was at the Swisher Car Show in Iowa.  I really fell in love with this beautiful 1955 white/yellow Nomad.  I could easily see myself cruising down a two lane highway in it.  The "station wagons" have always had a special place in my heart.  No surprise there when you consider I've had three different station wagons and they always have room in the back to stow a bicycle which is my first love. lol

Photo: "Yellow Nomad Dreams"; watercolor on 11" x 14" paper.
SOLD.

I think it's ironic that just as I am finishing up painting this beauty, I end up seeing the same car at the Houby Days Car Show.  It's a small world sometimes. lol I gave the gentleman a business card and asked him to check out this site within the week.  But I got so enthused after seeing the car again that I went home that evening and finished the painting.  Here's some photos of the painting in process...

Photo: Prelim background work and sketching.

Photo: About half way done...

Photo: Almost there...

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

"A Royal V Eight"

I finished another painting this last weekend.  This has been on the back burner for almost a year.  I've played with the idea of doing this painting shortly after I took the photos of the 1954 Dodge Royal V Eight at one of the Thursday night cruises in Cedar Rapids early last Summer.  In fact, while I was playing with this ideas for the Demon painting came into being.  Then, I ended up getting some other commissions and other projects.  This painting ended up getting set to the side.  Now, I finally had the time.  Here it is...

"A Royal V Eight"; watercolor on 16" x 20" cold press paper.
Available for purchase.

It was fun playing with a bit of a different style on this one too.  I welcome any comment you may have and thanks for stopping by!

A Green Thunderbird

With Jazz, my black lab, finally getting more settled in.  I'm finding more time to paint.  While she chews on a rawhide, I'm able to sit quietly in my studio.  I finished this painting the other night.  It's based on a photo that I took last Summer while spending the day at the Good Guys Car Show in Des Moines Fairgrounds.  I believe it is a 1964 Thunderbird.  Here's the painting...

Photo: "Green Thunderbird"; watercolor and ink on 11" x 14" cold press paper.

And here's the photo of a photo that I based it off of...

Photo of a photo of the car at Good Guys.

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

Memorial to Triton....

It's been awhile since I've posted here.  I've been training a dog and had my hands a bit full; still do but not quite as bad.  Back at the beginning of the year, I had my friends ask me to do a commissioned piece for their dog Triton.  The sad tale is of a dog's life shortened quickly and too soon by a tumor in the brain.  Here's the finished Memorial painting....

Photo: "Memorial to Triton"; 11" x 14" watercolor on paper.

They were very happy with the painting.  In fact, there were tears in their eyes as they looked at the painting.  I hope it brings them good memories for years to come.  Here's a close up of the painting that I took...

And here's the photo that I used to do this painting...

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

A Red Barn...

It's been a while since I've posted anything on here.  The New Year 2015, has been a bit of a rough start for me.  Mr. Motorhead and I have broken up.  I came down with a nasty cold.  Then, adopted a dog and returned it because of a severe case of separation anxiety-- it chewed up some new vinyl floor, a wooden/wicker chair, and some curtains.  The dog was getting to be too expensive.  I'm still looking for a dog and hope to have one to enjoy my new home with soon.  But while I was home sick, I did manage a small painting.  I HAD to do something I was getting bored. :)  But here's the painting...

"Red Barn in Brown Field"; watercolor on 8" x 10" paper.

I'm hoping to turn this year around soon.  Keep your fingers crossed and I'll keep you posted.  Hopefully, I'll also find more time to paint and be motivated soon too.  Thanks for stopping by and I invite any comments you may have!

Chevy Breeds Racing #1 and #2

Another commission finished just in time for a Christmas gift.  These 2 paintings are based on a father and son's cars and was commissioned by a daughter/sister for the pair.  She wanted both the paintings to look as much a like as possible and have the cars racing.  The loaded question was whose car should be out in front.  She said her brother's which is a 1968/1969 Chevelle SS.  Her father's car is a 2012 Camaro. Here's the final paintings...

"Chevy Breeds Racing #1"; Watercolor on 8" x 10"

"Chevy Breeds Racing #2"; Watercolor on 8" x 10" paper

I started out with this as an original photo to work with...

Original Photo worked from

 From there I worked out 3 options and this was the one that was decided upon...

Option #3- drawing that was chosen.

It was decided that there would be a "grill focus" in the upper corner of each painting to make it special gift for each receiver.  Here's one of the paintings in process...

"Chevy Breed Racing #1" Watercolor painting in process.

Then I took what I thought were the finished paintings to show to the Sister/Daughter and there were a couple of things that needed to be fixed....

"Chevy Breeds Racing #2- What I thought was done?

It turns out that the father's car had a black stripe for part of the hood.  That was an easy fix.  The other error that was discovered is that the brother's car now had a 496 engine instead of the 396 engine that was showing in some of the other photos that I was given.  Oooopss!  That was a bit more of a challenge.  Because it's not so easy to erase or paint over with watercolor.  I ended up doing a bit of improvising and this what was the result...

"Chevy Breeds Racing #2"; final Watercolor on 8" x 10" paper

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

Happy Holidays!!

Wishing you and yours the Best of this Holiday Season!
These are most of the paintings that I've painted in the last year.  It's always amazing to look back on a year and see what has happened over the year.

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!