Wash Day

Many thanks to Vincent Whitehead for allowing me to use his wonderful photograph as a reference to create this painting. I tried to capture that warm July feeling when the sun is shining and the birds are singing.

18"x 24"oil on canvas

Amish Country

You're not supposed to take pictures of the Amish people; they don't like it. So I was careful to never take any direct pictures when we visited Penn Valley in the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country, but I did take a number of photographs of the buggies from far away. This woman drove by in her buggy and up into the driveway of a farm I was painting en plein air and I took a picture quickly. This is a Nebraska Amish farmhouse. Our innkeeper told me the difference between the Lancaster Amish and the Nebraska Amish was apparent from their buildings. The Nebraska Amish do not adorn or paint their houses and barns. they keep them "plain".

11" x 14" 

Nebraska Amish Farm

Another Portrait of the Preacher in the Farming Outfit

I am calling this one "Friend of God" and I don't think I'll sell it. It's life size, 16" x 20" and looks exactly like him, although I would be hard pressed to explain how I did that in 2 hours. Maybe it helped to have painted him once the first time. This is a different angle and I have included the pitchfork this time,. he looks as if he is ready to fight off some evil-doers! What I like best is the textured mustache. Gives it that 3D quality I am always trying to achieve in my alla prima work. It is 16" x 20" oil on canvas-- I have to glue to a board because I used a loose piece of canvas.