Concentration

I came across this Golden Retriever cavorting in a stream while his owner threw a ball for him. Watching him brought back memories of my own Golden, Chauncey. There was something almost humorous about his single-minded focus on that ball. Water, rocks, current—none of it mattered. There was only the ball. But there was something […]

Fishing with my Brother

Last Fishing Trip with My Brother This painting is based on a photograph taken during the last time my brother and I went fishing together. It was on Payette Lake, north of Donnelly, Idaho, where he lived. It was a crisp winter day. The lake was quiet, the air cold, and we spent the day […]

Chauncey

Chauncey was my constant companion through some of the happiest years of my life. We explored countless trails together, and watching him run freely through the woods was a joy I’ll never forget. This painting is more than a portrait of a dog—it is a remembrance of those days, the places we shared, and the […]

Portrait of Nancy

Portrait of Nancy This portrait was an experiment in restraint. Rather than completing a fully rendered color portrait, I began with a traditional grisaille—a monochromatic underpainting that establishes the structure, light, and shadow. Over that, I applied only the slightest hints of warm blond tones, allowing much of the original grayscale to remain visible. The […]

Shallow Stream

This shallow stream runs along the road on the drive out to the coast. What drew me in were the scattered stones — some catching the light above the water, others glowing softly beneath the surface. The water is clear enough to show the warm, earthy colors of the submerged stones, while the exposed rocks […]

Above Astoria looking South

From the top of Astoria, most visitors turn their gaze north toward the iconic bridge spanning the Columbia River. But looking south reveals a quieter beauty: another river winding its way through the hills, just visible as it peeks through the trees. On the day I painted this, the sky pressed low with soft gray […]

Shadyside Rooftops

Painted during my grad school years, this view from my Shadyside apartment window carries with it the weight of a difficult time. I was feeling low and decided to let the mood pour into the canvas. It’s one of the few paintings I painted alla prima — thick, direct strokes of oil laid down in […]

Wall Creek

A quiet ribbon of water winds its way toward Haag Lake, glimpsed faintly in the distance. The creek slips through dense foliage, carrying with it reflections of the sky, flashes of blue caught between greens and shadows. In this painting, the moment feels both intimate and expansive—an ordinary stream transformed into a luminous pathway of […]

Autumn in Tice Woods

Autumn in Tice Woods captures the fiery glow of a fall morning in the lowlands. On a sunny walk with my grandson, I came upon this scene where the light ignited the grasses and trees in bursts of orange, red, and gold. I knew I had to translate it into oil paint, letting the textures […]

Lowland Autumn

Oil on canvas, 16×20, Sold Captured during a fall visit to Tice Woods, this painting evokes the dazzling brilliance of Oregon’s lowland autumn colors. Sunlight filters through the trees, igniting the golden foliage in a radiant glow that spills into the field below. The composition invites the viewer to step into this quiet space and […]

Stream Shadows in Rock Creek

This painting captures the long, crisp shadows cast across Rock Creek on a clear day. The trunks lean and stretch toward the water, while their reflections break the stream into abstract forms. The contrast between cool blue water and glowing gold foliage creates a rich balance of light and dark. Personal Note: Rock Creek is […]

Entanglement

Oil on canvas mounted to hardboard, 13 x 21, $350 This view of Baker Creek at Ed Renfrew Park first drew me in because of the way the trees seemed to tangle together, framing the quiet water below. At first, I painted it larger on canvas, but the composition felt adrift, with too much open […]