Floating along the River

Copeland Boat Houses 11x14

An iconic part of living on the west coast of Wisconsin are the boathouses on the Black River by Copeland Park.




Not to be confused with houseboats.
They don't actually house boats, but afford those lucky few with a getaway right on the water.

Fall on the River 8x10 

These unique floating cabins are what's left of family havens on the river. Those that remain are grandfathered in and many are slowly disappearing.




During the summer you see large family groups gathered, cooking out and splashing around or fishing from their tiny platforms. Looks like a lot of fun on a hot day.

Black River Bridge 5x7

As they say here in La Crosse, Summer on the River and Some are Not.






So it's time for us to go a float with a cruise. Will return blogging with lots of drawings from my upcoming adventure. Bon Voyage.

What to pack for art supplies? 

Camera, extra batteries, extra SD cards, paper, pens, pencils, markers, pencil sharpener, eraser.

Puzzled A Bit

Trempealeau Bay-1 8x10 

I know it takes time to master a new technique, but it also takes time to find out your style.


Each one of these paintings is from the same scene overlooking Trempealeau Bay at Perrot State Park.



So I began the first painting with he same approach that I'm trying to master, which gives a lot of detail.

Trempealeau Bay-2 8x10

For the second style I held back more, to what usually happens toward the beginning of a painting, and then tried to finish off the lines and with the simplest of details.

Trempealeau Bay-3 8x10

Then It tried to do again what I did in the first painting but with more restraint and softer with less detail.

Trempealeau Bay Before Wax

 Now for my last attempt, you could almost consider this a style something very abstract, but it was really the under painting for my next experimentation with cold wax. A product you add to the paint to thicken it creating a more imposto texture. It also makes the painting more matte. You use any tool at hand to apply or remove as needed. The under painting then can be revealed if needed.

Trempealeau Bay-4 8x10

So the fourth is highly textured and so much looser in identifying the landscape.


So which Style do you prefer?

 Inspired by Kevin Macpherson who did 366 paintings, one each day of the year. Yes it was leap year. He used the same pond setting and accomplished this over several years noting each day he had done a painting. The variety of weather and light was amazing from the few paintings I've seen. I hear he even made a coffee table book about this artistic endeavor.

A gift from the Larson's

So as you can see I'm a bit puzzled. 

I know I just had to get this cute little image in my blog somehow. Thanks for indulging me.

2020 or MMXX

Trempealeau Passage 11x14

Moving into the new year I need to ask myself,

What's Next?

It will be a year of questions and queries on how I develop my art. After a first one hundred paintings in 2019 I'm already at another 28. But whose counting, me of course! I need to monitor and measure my progress or regress which ever the case may be.

Bluffland Bounty 8x10

I've added a variety of sizes to my studio works, going with standard framing sizes of 11x14, 8x10 and 5x7. Since I don't sell my artwork framed, unless in an exhibition, it keeps the price down and everyone has a different idea about framing.

Wine Time 5x7

I started to do a few groupings of paintings using all the sizes. This posting I've chose several photos from areas around Trempealeau, Wisconsin. The Mississippi River lock and dam and the local Elmaro Winery. 





So the question I pose to those reading this post is-

Does Size Matter? 

Would love to hear your response!