Home from the Lake

A long weekend at Lakeside Ohio for the OPAS Competition and I ended up with five paintings. These are my three favorites-- I am thinking about putting some gulls on the boat in front just in case it's not busy enough.

11" x 14" Portrait of Carmella -- a beautiful Italian Greyhound

This is T. & L. Torbet's dog-- quite a fiesty little thing with a wonderful personality.

Linda from our Saturday morning painting group

11" x 14" oil on linen over hardboard

Lake Waynoka Paintout

Here is the best painting I completed at the Ohio Plein Air Society Lake Waynoka Paintout held in Sardinia, Ohio near Cincinnati last month. This is 16" x 16" and I sold it the same weekend. It was a beautiful place to paint and I enjoyed staying with my hosts. The date for my Fall Painting workshop is set and it will be held at the Delta UMC, 1010 Northwood Dr., beginning Thursday, Sept. 30. The class is 6-8:30pm and will last six weeks. Here is a link to the syllabus: http://dancinglightstudio.com/painting-class.pdf

Lt. Col Tom Belkofer 11" x 14" oil on linen

This is the final version of Lt. Col Belkofer, of Perrysburg, Ohio, who died while serving in Afghanistan. I was told he was a strong Christian and a major Ohio State fan who took his OSU fanaticism with him wherever he was stationed. I placed a couple OSU icons in the background in an abstract way. Thanks for your service, Tom. May you rest in Peace!

Joel Gentz 11" x 14" oil on linen

This is the final version of Joel's portrait and I am pretty happy with it. I hope the family likes it. This was commissioned by the Legion Riders - a group of Harley-riding veterans associated with the American Legion. I am doing two of the Gold Star portraits for them for a Code of Honor ceremony this year. They take up a collection to pay me and whatever I get is fine.
I started the second one, of Lt. Col Tom Belkofer, from Perrysburg yesterday, and hopefully I'll be able to finish it by the weekend.

Gold Star Portraits

Here I am working on a portrait of 1st Lt. Joel C. Gentz, 25, of Grass Lake, Michigan, who was assigned to the 58th Rescue Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.. Airmen Gentz, a 2007 graduate of Purdue University, and a 2002 graduate of Chelsea H.S. in Michigan, was an elite combat rescue officer in the U.S. Air Force, who was known for his strong work ethic and commitment to doing his best. Lt. Gentz died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan June 9, 2010. Joel Gentz lived by the motto of the pararescue men: "these things we do, that others may live." It's an honor to be painting this portrait, one of two I am painting that will be presented to the families at a Gold Star Ceremony October 3, 2010.