Gathering Storm

This painting is a quick composition sketch of storm clouds over Grantsville. It never progressed into a finished painting, as many of my sketches did... not. It's a nice composition though.

Desert Panorama

This is one of a series of paintings I did for a bank in Wendover. The photo doesn't do the painting justice. I felt that the sky was particularly successful. The colors in this one were subtle in ways the photo can't show.

Vermont Winter

Here is another quick sketch in which I was experimenting with color transitions. I was particularly pleased with the clouds in this one. The aerial perspective in the distant hills seems to be working nicely as well.

The Road Less Traveled By

I wasn't thinking of Robert Frost's poem when I painted this, but it seemed to fit when I sat back and looked at the finished product.

Summer Harmony

Once again it's disappointing that I never got a decent photo of this painting. The play of shapes and colors in this group of trees seemed to work together quite well. I had some of my own photos taken on the trail to South Willow Lake that served as raw material for this, but the final composition was mostly invented.

Peach Ranch Road

This painting was another in the series for the Wendover bank. I painted it from a snapshot taken near Wendover. The photo completely changes the colors but the composition is clear.

Top Notch Peak

I had fun developing the snow patterns here. There is a peak that is similar, but I basically redesigned it to suit my own purpose. There is considerable activity in the shadows of the trees that the camera couldn't read.

Idaho Winter Sunrise

This was painted after a photo I found in a magazine. My redesign of the river and snow shapes in the foreground worked out well. Working the lights and shadows in the snow was an enjoyable exercise.

Monticello

Thomas Jefferson's magnificent home in Virginia was an irresistible challenge. I painted this one from a snapshot I took on one of my delightful visits to the hilltop.

In the Pines

If I remember correctly, the photo that inspired this painting was on a Utah road map. I felt the dead tree was a point of interest not usually appearing in scenic photos.

Under an English Heaven

I honestly don't recall where this location is in the English Lake District. The peaks in the background would be easily recognized by those more familiar with the area. This painting was purchased by my dentist and he had it hanging in the hall in his office for many years.

Summer Bouquet

I painted this as an exercise from a painting I found in an art magazine. I love the colors and the freedom of the brushstrokes in the flowers. Great fun to paint!

Near Gilsland, Cumberland

This was painted very quickly as a demonstration in a painting class I was teaching. The subject is a farm not far from where Judy was born. This one was awarded a ribbon at the Deseret News Art Show in Salt Lake City.

Home

Here is the home I grew up in. My mother was born in this house at 132 East Main Street in Grantsville. She and her nine siblings were all raised here. Painting it was a delight for me.

The Orchard, The Avenue

When I was a missionary in England this impressive Tudor house served as our Mission Home. It had previously served as a Lithuanian Embassy. This painting won a ribbon at one of the art competitions I entered.

Moraine Lake - Canada

The poor quality of the photo nearly destroys the entire effect of this painting I did for a friend at work. It was a large painting of his favorite vacation spot. Getting the reflection right was difficult. Something I had never tried before. Beautiful location!

In the Clearing

I was very pleased with this one! The spacing of the light trees against the dark background is almost musical. I painted this one quickly and was thrilled with the result.

Carr Fork Mine

This is one of very few industrial subjects I have worked on. The supervisor of this mining facility in the mountains above Tooele was retiring and his staff hired me to do this painting for him as a memento. (I'm glad no one has ever given me a painting of where I have worked. What would I do with it?)

Independence Day

I did this painting of Marvin Johnson at the request of his wife. He was a man who was well known and respected in Grantsville. He always rode his horse in the 4th of July parade and his wife wanted this painting to remember him by after he passed away. She cried when I delivered the finished painting to her. I took that as a good sign. (It's disappointing that this awful photo really washes things out.)

The Space Shuttle

I was half finished with this painting when the Challenger disaster happened. Very sad. I have always been impressed with the tremendous power that was required to lift these huge vehicles into space. I think this painting captures the feeling of blast off quite effectively.

Imogene Lake - Idaho

This is another painting I did for a friend at work. This lake was near his boyhood home in Idaho. I painted it from the only snapshot he had of the place. Midday is not the ideal time for effective lighting, shadows, etc. but I think it turned out alright. He was happy with it.

Still Life with Green Bottle

This is the very first oil painting I ever attempted. It was an exercise in a painting instruction book I had. I fell in love with oil painting by doing this one because I was thrilled with the result. I sold it to a lady in Tooele. Since then I have wished I kept it.

Deseret Peak Winter

This portrait of my favorite mountain was a pure joy to paint! Everything went just as I had hoped it would!

Ibapah Horses

I painted this one for a Grantsville family who kept horses on the family ranch in Ibapah. They only gave me a small snapshot so it wasn't an easy project. They were very pleased with the result, which pleased me too.

Wen's Grainery

This painting was a labor of love! This old barn behind my boyhood home was the place I played most with my brothers and cousins. It was a palace, a castle, a robber's hideout, a military headquarters, etc. It served as pretty much anything our imaginations required. Painting it was pure enjoyment!

Great Basin

Here is another in the series painted for the bank in Wendover. I feel it adequately portrays the desert and salt flats around the Utah/Nevada border town.

Green's Ledge Light

I painted this one in about two hours. It was a quick exercise in contrast and tonality that turned out quite well.

Blossoms

This floral still life was entirely invented. I painted it as a study in light and shadow. The flowers and the jars are completely imaginary.

High Mountain Lake

This is another imaginary location. I painted it to see if I could produce a believable scene with no source material except remembered images of mountains and lakes. Quite successful I thought.

After the Rain

This one was painted very quickly from a photo in an art magazine. I painted it as a study in color harmony.

Grantsville Pavillion -- 1910

This was painted from a photo of an early Grantsville 4th of July celebration. The location is where the rodeo grounds are now. This photo doesn't capture the subtle nuances in the sky that I felt were particularly pleasing. I was awarded a First Place ribbon at a local art show for this one.

Crystal Creek Camp

I painted this one for my Cousin Beth Marshall as a gift for her husband Gene. The source material was a photo of Gene's camp on a hunting trip in Wyoming. Everything about this painting turned out just as I had hoped it would. One of my favorites.