Hobbes & Madeline

Finally got to work on two of my favorite people - Bray & Kajsa's children: Hobbes and Madeline Wilkins. I still find portraiture very scary - particularly of family, but Kajsa has wanted these two in pastels for some time. They look a lot older today, but these paintings hopefully stop time, for their parents. (Done on 400 sanded paper with Rembrandt pastels: black, gray, and white.) Love these kiddos!

Christmas Clearance

We're doing a massive clearance on everything!! Prints, deluxe and basic cards are all on sale. Click here to shop. We'll be adding more and more stuff so check back!  (Some things are just pictures as we're working on getting paypal linked for everything.)

Or email directly with questions: trgprints@gmail.com

Painting Lessons with Grandpa

I'm sneaking in to post some pictures of the kids getting painting lessons with Grandpa! Asa said he painted a chair and the sky.

Bristol Harbor Blue Boat

Bristol, England: an old, but still very busy harbor. It was a wonderful mix of classic boats and old cranes, with lots of warehouses and sheds, alongside huge, new cranes and freighters. How could I resist? I took some liberties in reducing the clutter a bit and amping up the colors (not to mention eliminating tourists, like us) in the scene. American harbors don't have quite this same charm...sorry.

Wood Duck Solo

This is a first for me - pastel on 400 sanded paper! Who knew? Thanks to Jan Perley for the tip to use sanded (not sand paper) paper, made just for pastels. So after she showed my art class this amazing product, I had to have some! This poor wood duck was all by his lonesome on our nearby pond - the other, much less colorful ducks, wouldn't let him play duck games. So he's my first subject on this material - albeit a quick study. Onward and hopefully upward...

Stairway In Wells Cathedral

My second European trip painting, but my first watercolor, and my first painting since I put in hardwood floors in our study (not that that really should make a difference in the painting thing!). I loved these steps (yes, they are really that worn) and the light coming in from the windows. The stairs curve sharply up to the right into a large, round room. They also climb up to a mysterious door through the archway. Can't figure out what the little steps on the left are for...to look out the windows?

Watermill In Bayeux

My first painting (in pastels) of a site we saw in France on our way to Omaha Beach. It was actually kind of a fortunate stop, in that we actually had a few minutes to look around before leaving on the next leg. I liked the composition, colors, and water with buildings rarely fails to grab my attention. So here you go...I'll dedicate this to our good (French) friends, the Foucachons!

Gone With the Wind

I freely admit this is kind of weird. I saw the original photo on Emma's facebook post weeks ago and liked the strange coloring and pose she and Monique had. I decided to paint it as a departure from my normal (no-people) approach. It was a fun diversion...nothing against the gals, but I think I'll stick to ships and buildings...

Kambry's Flat

This is the second commissioned flat (London apartment) I've done this summer - the two families knew each other and both wanted a memory of their time in Britain, since they both moved to Dallas. A fun deal was that when Julie and I were in London (with Mark and Carolyn), the bus we were on leaving the city drove down this street! The iron railings were different in each set of row houses, too. This piece is also 16 X 21, on 180 lb Arches.

England & France Part II

The Tower of London and the Tower Bridge...

On the Tower Bridge...over the Thames. Unreal.

"Tuppence the bag..." Only no pigeons in sight.

Outside of Bristol Cathedral.

Inside of Bristol Cathedral...

Looking for someone we knew in the churchyard...didn't find any relatives or even friends.

This is a piece of tram (rail) that was blown into the lawn of St. Mary Redcliff by an bomb during the Blitz (1942).

Oxford. Need we say more?

Possibly the lamp post that inspired Lewis...because right behind it...

Are fauns!

Mark's college in Oxford - we are so proud!

Why can't I take it home? It might fit in the overhead...please?!

Oh yes - us, Lewis, JRR, and Sayers - here we all are, sort of...

Since we spent a lot of time on trains, this is my artsy shot of one.

Mark and Carolyn's flat is the second floor windows. Nice spot.

Wells Cathdral - small town, huge church building!

England & France Jaunt, Part I

Arriving in London - greeted by Carolyn and Mark

Waiting for the Queen, outside of Buckingham - she didn't show.

Trafalgar Square - with Lord Nelson perched high, and a large ship in a bottle...really.

A picturesque scene in France, on the way to Normandy. (Might have to do a painting...)

On Omaha Beach - very moving and sobering to be there in person, after teaching about it for 25 years.

The cliffs (now covered with vegetation) the Rangers had to climb, under fire.

This says it all.

We were going through the subways of Paris and saw this poster (Joel is a student at Logos, for those who don't know.)

A quick walk around Paris between trains - kind of a famous church...

Back in London and our first pub experience...

It's not Big Ben, it's the TOWER of Big Ben (we learned) - he's the BELL.

Westminster Abbey - whoa! They don't allow photos taken inside. Walked over Charles Dicken's grave...respectfully.

Oh yeah!

This is on the botton left front of Westminster - they borrowed the Logos School logo!

Fish and chips, of course (Mark doesn't care for fish...)

In Churchill's War Rooms, underneath White Hall. All as they were left (largely) after May 8, 1945.

Churchill on the 'hot line' to FDR. Ok, a pretty good wax likeness...

The map room - there was even a doodle of Hitler someone had sketched...

The communications room...