Larry DeGraff

Mt. Aetna from Monarch Pass

2012-01-04T18:13:00.000-06:00

COLORADO LANDSCAPE ART • SAWATCH • MOUNTAIN SUNSET

Day is Done, 6" x 12", oil on birch panel

This is another small painting revisiting my '09 trip to the Sawatch mountains. I'm still inspired by working on the miniatures for the Randy Higbee 6x6 show. Beautiful brushwork and capturing mountain hues and values were the emphasis. This was one of those scenes that was so magnificent that the challenge was making the painting believable and not fantasy art. Keeping the colors more accurate and less impressionistic helped. This was my first piece done on baltic birch sealed with shellac. I'm searching for the perfect (affordable) painting surface. I encountered no problems but it didn't wow me either. If you are in central Colorado, I highly recommend a trip to Monarch Pass to experience this view for yourself.

Day is Done detail

Wind Chill

2011-12-20T11:46:00.001-06:00

FLEMING PARK • LAKE JACOMO • MISSOURI PLEIN AIR

Autumn's End, 6 x 8, oils

I recently purchased new outdoor painting gear and was anxious to try it out. Destination: The rocky bluffs along Lake Jacomo. Since temps were in the 40's I didn't bother with gloves or a stocking cap. It took a few minutes to find a good composition and get setup. I soon wished I had taken into account the wind off the lake which was making my fingers and ears painfully numb. This would be a quick painting but I'll be better prepared next time.

Salinas Pueblo Missions

2011-11-29T16:20:00.001-06:00

NEW MEXICO • SOUTHWEST • LANDSCAPE ART

Mission Ruins at Quarai, 8 x 8, oils

In late August, I took a road trip with a cousin from Bakersfield, California to Joplin, Missouri. We took a day off to visit another cousin in the mountains of New Mexico. He wanted to show me some scenery that I might be interested in painting. In the morning we visited the Salinas ruins of Quarai and Abo. These were churches built in the 1600's by the Pueblo people under the authority of Spanish missionaries. The architecture was a synthesis of European and Pueblo. For example the church was cruciform but the structure surrounding it included kivas, round rooms that were used for spiritual purposes.

I painted this scene from inside the Quarai site based on photos. It's not a traditional landscape composition but I loved the interesting shapes of the light and shadow. Imagine how simple the scene would be without the breach in the left wall. The photo reference was cloudless blue but with such a low horizon line I had to add drama to the sky. It was a dreary late November day in Missouri when I painted this but with the sunny scene and a Tony Hillerman novel in the CD player, I almost felt like I was in the southwest.

The Randy Higbee 6 x 6 Show

2011-11-14T11:45:00.001-06:00

COLORADO LANDSCAPE • MISSOURI LANDSCAPE • MINIATURE • MOUNTAINS • OZARK STREAM

Antero Sunrise, 6 x 6, oils.

The Randy Higbee Show is an annual affair, held in Costa Mesa, California. All submissions must be exactly 6 inches square. This was my first time entering. All paintings were based on reference from various painting trips. The one above is of Mt Antero in the Sawatch Range from my trip with Ken Chapin in 2009. It was accepted in the show.

Peace Like a River, 6 x 6, oils.

For this piece I revisited Femme Osage Creek, near Augusta, Missouri. I have learned so much since painting there last May. It was also accepted.

Deep in Glacier Gorge, 6 x 6, oils.

Finally we have this scene from my 10 mile hike with Gina to Black Lake this past August. This piece was declined. Still, two out of three ain't bad and it was a good chance to practice rocks and distant mountains.

Great American Paint Out

2011-11-03T09:12:00.000-06:00

KANSAS CITY • COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA • OIL PAINTERS OF AMERICA • MISSOURI PLEIN AIR

J C Nichols Memorial Fountain, 8 x 10, oils

Oil Painters of America promotes group paint outs for it's members every fall. This year my friend Laura Kratz took the lead and organized one for the Kansas City area. The date, October 22, the Country Club Plaza. Over a dozen artists showed up at "the horse fountain" a real KC icon. The weather was great and we had lots of curious onlookers who could see first hand the awesomeness of painting from life. We broke for lunch at the Nelson Art Gallery's Rozelle Court and finished the day with more painting. A great way to promote visual arts in KC and I was able to hand out a few business cards as well.

Big Cedar Paint Out plus Matt Smith Workshop

2011-10-21T11:10:00.002-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • OZARKS • FALL • ALPINE VISTA

Owen's Sweet Ride, 9 x 12, oils.

As we were approaching our destination, I told Jeff that I really wanted to paint a rusty old pickup but good luck finding one at Big Cedar Lodge. The place is impeccably landscaped. Not a blade of grass out of place. But as we were driving down a one lane road on the property, Jeff yells "Stop! there's an old yellow truck!" And there it was, partly hidden by the dense woods. The biggest challenge painting it was the constantly changing dappled light through leaves and branches.

Braided Path, 8 x 10, oils

We spent most of Friday painting in Dogwood Canyon. I chose one of about 20 stone bridges as my subject. Again, dappled light was an issue. One minute the bridge was light against a dark background, the next it was dark against light. I settled on the latter with some light patches.

Last Light of Day, 8 x 14, oils

Friday night was the nocturne competition. We had two hours to turn in a painting but after one, I had run out of things to paint. On Saturday we turned in our paintings for judging and took it easy. At the awards event the competition was strong. I took no hardware but the yellow truck painting was purchased by Big Cedar. My three day workshop would begin the next morning.

Trout Heaven, 9 x 12, oils

Matt Smith is one of America's premier landscape painters. His paintings are noted for their natural color and beautiful brushwork. Seeing the originals up close is a joy; backlit rocks with airy shadows filled with reflected light. Mountain peaks separated from the viewer by five miles of air. His paintings are stunning. He is also one tough instructor. He doesn't throw out many compliments, instead going straight after what is wrong with your painting. When he does offer any form of praise it means a lot. The piece above was painted in Dogwood Canyon at a place called "The Glory Hole."

Alpine Study, 8 x 10, oils

The final day of the workshop was cold and rainy so we stayed indoors and worked from photos that Matt provided. I'm glad it worked out that way. In painting large mountains I have had difficulty getting the feeling of atmospheric distance. Painting distant horizons in Missouri is not the same. Matt really helped me figure some things out. Put simply, I can't wait to tackle my next Colorado painting.

Harvest Time

2011-10-06T12:11:00.012-06:00

VINEYARD AND WINE ART • GRAPES • MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART

Liquid Sunlight, 11 x 14, oil on hardboard

"Wine is sunlight, held together by water." - Galileo

For the last ten years I have wanted to participate in the harvesting of wine grapes. That dream came true last month as several local wineries not only let me paint or photograph their vineyards but also let me help with the picking of six tons of Cynthiana grapes and the crushing/destemming of a half ton of Cabernet Franc grapes. Many wineries have volunteer days during harvest and I highly recommend it for anyone interested.

Back in the studio I committed to making September "Vineyard Month" as well. The painting above is from Michael Amigoni's just after sunrise. It was completed in one long and inspired session. The big wedge shape, impressionistic color (light) and expressive brushwork bring drama to a scene that could easily be overlooked.

Ripe for Harvest, 16 x 20, oil on canvas Hidden Gold, 16 x 20, oil on canvas

After painting vineyards from just about every angle, I decided to move in close and study the clusters themselves. For these two pieces I broke away from tradition and painted them three or four times actual size. On the wall they have a more graphic/contemporary feel. Red and white grapes courtesy of Stonehaus Farms Winery.

Still Life with Personal Nostalgia

2011-09-15T15:29:00.008-06:00

MISSOURI STILL LIFE • SIXTIES • MARBLES • SODA POP • 45 RPM RECORDS

Childhood Artifacts, 9 x 12 oils

Nostalgia: A bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past. - American Heritage Dictionary

I originally had no intention of showing or putting this painting on the market. I chose objects that took me back to the age of innocence, that period between the age of 6 and 12 when it seemed my life was a state of constant wonder and simple pleasures (it was an era soon to be replaced with awkward puberty and the realization that my family had issues.) The regional soda bottle and 45 meant something to me but I wasn't sure if it would resonate with anyone else. Then I posted it on facebook and had one of the biggest responses ever. I've been told that it dates me, so be it.

So who is the artist on the 45 record? It could be the BeeGees, Iron Butterfly, Cream, The Who or others. It's whoever it is to you. For me?

"It's getting near dawn, when lights close their tired eyes..."

Plein Air Rockies 2011

2011-08-31T08:28:00.008-06:00

COLORADO PLEIN AIR • ESTES PARK • ROCKY MOUNTAINS • LANDSCAPE ART

Lazy Stream, 9 x 12, oils

I was honored to be selected as one of 30 artists participating in this years Plein Air Rockies event. I would have two weeks to paint in and around Rocky Mountain National Park, one of my favorite places on earth. I had rigged up a backpack that could carry all my gear so that, in theory, I could paint anywhere I could hike to. Where to start? I began with a winding section of Fall river in Endovalley with Deer Ridge in the distance.

Morning at Nymph Lake, 9 x 12, oils

For the next piece I got off to an early start, hiking a mile up to Nymph Lake from Bear Lake trailhead. My first memory of this lake was many years ago. I was irritated that with all the natural beauty they should have water lilies as well. Couldn't us flatlanders have something to ourselves?

Fire and Ice, 8 x 14, oils

That afternoon I setup near Storm Pass trailhead. One of the best vistas in the park with a commanding view of Otis Peak, Hallett Peak and Flattop Mountain.

Morning at Copeland Falls, 9 x 12, oils

I failed at my first attempt at painting Copeland Falls. I arrived at Wild Basin too late and there was no parking left at the trailhead. That's typical for August. You have to get there by 8 a.m. to get a decent spot which I did the next day.

Crossing Paths, 4 x 6, oils

The Cultural Arts Council provided each of us with a 4 x 6 inch panel to do a miniature painting that would be judged as part of the show. I chose a footbridge near a picnic area. Being so small I knew it had to be a simple scene that read instantly and had lots of color. At that size there was no excuse for not shoveling on thick paint, which I did with a palette knife. It sold immediately.

Nightfall, 11 x 14, oils

One evening was designated for doing nocturnes. I'd had the idea of doing Estes Park with the front range looming behind it for several years and found a nice vantage point east of town. The painting captures the feel of evening over a two hour period, not just one moment in time.

The Quickdraw: You have 90 minutes

The final morning of the event was The Quickdraw. All artists setup in a downtown park and have 90 minutes to turn in a finished painting to be auctioned on the spot. I originally found a river scene that I was comfortable with but then challenged myself to do an outdoor restaurant instead. I was lured by the saturated colors of the umbrellas and flowers. Out of small panels, I had to do a 12 x 12. I used my largest brushes throughout to cover the canvas in the shortest amount of time. I'm pleased with the results and the painting generated some lively bidding at the auction.

Petunia Pandemonium, 12 x 12, oils

Most of these paintings are hanging in the Cultural Arts Council Gallery in Estes Park through October 2 (along with paintings by much better artists.) Special thanks to Linda Vogel, all of her volunteers and the great patrons of art in Estes Park.

Project Reclamation or Why Would I Paint a Landscape on Broken Furniture?

2011-08-09T14:08:00.008-06:00

JOPLIN • TORNADO • CHARITY • OZARKS • SHOAL CREEK

The Leedy-Voulkos Gallery in KC is partnering with Spiva Art Center in Joplin to have an art auction raising funds for Joplin's art community. The twist is that the art is being made from tornado debris. Pictured above is the debris pile that the artists had to choose from for their projects. It smelled terrible. Photo courtesy of the Leedy-Voulkos Gallery.

Not being a found object artist, I chose the side panels of a dresser drawer that had blown apart. Note the dovetail joints. First I cleaned it with bleach water and a scrub brush. Then I took it to woodworker Roy Wall to join the two pieces together.

We were told that the artwork did not need to be related to Joplin and should reflect what we normally do. In the summer you are most likely to find me painting Missouri streams. It just so happens the nearest clear streams are near Joplin. In this case Shoal Creek. I sealed the wood with medium (Galkyd Light) and tried to paint in such a way as to show as much wood grain as possible. Warm midtones like tree trunks, foreground water and some leaves were just left as exposed wood.

Morning in Montserrat

2011-07-25T08:40:00.005-06:00

MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART • VINEYARD • WINERY • WINE ART • GRAPES • BRISTLE RIDGE

Morning in Montserrat, 9" x 12", oils

This piece was painted from photos taken on a visit to some local vineyards while looking for painting inspiration. The most extreme heat wave in over decade has made painting outdoors very difficult. Instead of the studio, I decided to do this piece downstairs (coolest room in the house) with my outdoor painting setup and a large window for natural light. In the past I've had difficulty coming up with strong compositions in vineyards as well as painting those endless rows. This scene solved those problems with it's steep hill and architectural interest.

Third Time's a Charm

2011-07-08T14:38:00.003-06:00

MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART • KANSAS CITY • SKYLINE • URBAN • SKYSCRAPER

Plein Air Study, 6 x 8, oils

This is the first painting I have ever done three times. Many years ago I worked in North Kansas City and would sometimes take lunch breaks at Water Works Park. It was a cool combination of nature and city. This spring I was thinking about the place and thought it might be a good subject for a painting. I was glad to find the it still there although the trees had grown a bit, making the job of finding an expansive view difficult. Setting up on the edge of a frisbee golf course, I heard guys cry "Fore!" more than once. I told them that I did not mind being hit in the head with a frisbee. The study went well and I knew it had the makings of a nice piece.

3 Hour Demo, 12 x 12, oils

A few days later I was scheduled to do a live demo at my local gallery, Leawood Fine Arts. Armed with my study and a photo I was ready to go. I decided on a 12 x 12 square format and the demo went well considering the time constraint and having people watch and ask questions. But after staring at it for a few days, I came to the conclusion that I could do better.

City on a Hill, 16 x 16, oils.

For the real deal I went even larger. It was a bit hard to get started but before long it felt like a new painting. This time I changed the composition slightly, emphasizing a path that I had edited from the first two and altering it's course to cut back to the left so that it would not take the viewer out of the picture. I went with even thicker paint and really tried to push the atmospheric distance between the foreground and background. I'm happy with the finished result but feel that I could have pushed it even further.

Revisiting Water Lilies

2011-07-06T16:02:00.008-06:00

LILY PADS • MONET • POWELL GARDENS • MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART

Water Lilies III, 18 x 24, oil on canvas

For my upcoming show at the french crepery Chez Elle, I had a lot of wall space to cover and thought that a large painting of water lilies would be appropriate. The place is a renovated old theatre from the early nineteen hundreds and being french made me think of the impressionists. A big Monet exhibition was in town so it seemed like a good fit.
Monet is one of my biggest influences and about every five years I find myself painting water lilies. I always go to Powell Gardens which has many types and is not far from where I live. The Monet painting that inspired me the most for this piece was "The Cloud." I loved the idea of using the reflections to show an inverted sky/landscape and was fortunate to have a partly cloudy day for my visit. I was shooting photos for a studio painting and with the sun almost directly overhead I was able to combine almost any photo into my composition since the lighting would be the same. I ended up using five different images. This is one of my larger paintings so I mentally broke it into smaller bites by painting each 'raft' of lily pads separately and then filling in between with the water. Making the pads look like they were going back in perspective was critical.

Water Lilies III, detail.

I finally get around to painting the Lees Summit Train Depot...

2011-07-05T15:53:00.005-06:00

MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART • TRAIN ART • TRACKS • SUMMER • SUNSET

"Coming Home" 12 x 24, oil on canvas

Over ten years ago, my wife Gina told me that I ought to do a painting of the local train station. She worked part time for a local gallery and said that people come in regularly asking for paintings of it. Sounded like an easy sale so I went over and checked the place out, came home and said "It's boring." A few years later Gina and my youngest daughter were riding home from St Louis on the Amtrac so I was there to pick them up. It was a hot August evening right about sunset and I was struck by the look and feel of the midwest mugginess. It had a timeless quality that took me back to childhood. There was something unique about the color of the sky and the foliage that I hoped to someday be able to capture in paint. Fast forward to this past June. I was driving through town and looked north up the tracks. There was my composition. I went back a few days later to photograph the place at sunset and was blessed with a bonus train plus a mother and daughter that were walking by at the same time. I decided to add both elements to the painting. I did the piece in the studio from my photos but kept trying to remember the subtle colors that cameras can't capture.

STEMS Plein Air 2011

2011-06-16T14:41:00.006-06:00

OVERLAND PARK • KANSAS CITY • ARBORETUM • JOHNSON COUNTY • PLEIN AIR • MISSOURI

It's hard to describe the three weeks that encompass the STEMS Plein Air Event. I was off to a great start by winning the opening night sunset paint out. This was a $500 purchase award by Peggy Rice of the Rice Gallery. The celebration would be short lived.

Before the Storm, 8 x 14, oils

The next day an EF5 tornado devastated my home town of Joplin, MO. From Monday through Wednesday I was in a STEMS workshop led by Phil Starke. Phil is both a great artist and teacher and I took lots of notes, unfortunately the weather was very unstable and on Wednesday we had to run for a tornado shelter as a small tornado touched down south of us and the funnel went right over our heads. I was done.

The View from Aunt Twyla's Apartment

I spent the rest of the week in Joplin supporting family and friends as well as helping an aunt salvage whatever we could from her heavily damaged apartment. I was eventually able to get back to painting and was able to submit three paintings to the STEMS event. All three made it in the feature show, "The Journey Begins" won third place in oils and "Inside Out" sold. This is funny because I felt that "Hanging On" was the best of the bunch. There is nothing more subjective than judging art.

Hanging On, 9 x 12, oils

Inside Out, 11 x 14, oils

The Journey Begins, 11 x 14, oils

Step-by-Step Ozark Creek Scene

2011-06-07T14:49:00.007-06:00

MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART • OZARK • STREAM • AUGUSTA • SYCAMORE

In May I did several small studies at Femme Osage Creek, two which included this impressive sycamore. I also took photos for future reference which is what this painting is based on. I grew up swimming, fishing and floating clear streams like this one. After a spring filled with plein air painting it was nice to come back to the studio for this one.

I started by tinting a 16"x 16" canvas a cool and warm yellow and then knocked it back with a paper towel. I then did my underdrawing in brown with a #8 flat. I don't normally do such detailed starts but the root system was very complex and the whole painting depends on it.

I then layed in all of my midtone shadows, covering up most of my initial drawing. I could still see it well enough to proceed. I saved the highlights on the roots.

At this point I restated all my accent shadows, this time much darker. I then took the tree to near completion and added the highlight through the trees. This gave me a complete value range.

After that it was just going around the painting taking each area to the level of detail desired while trying not to overwork it.

Joshua Been Workshop

2011-05-14T12:04:00.014-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • LANDSCAPE ART • OZARK

After the Augusta Plein Air Event I was home for a few days and turned around and went back for a three day workshop with an artist on the rise. I've competed with him at five plein air events since 2008 and always been impressed with his work. He had me rethinking everything about the way I paint through discussions, demos and guidance on the small timed studies we did (he would usually give us a 30 minutes to one hour per piece.) I ended up doing 7 paintings and would have done more but I opted to watch him do demos instead. The four pieces reproduced here were each done in an hour.

Bamboo Path, 6" x 8", oils

I love exotic gardening and bamboo can actually do well here if you can handle how invasive it is. The Augusta Brewery has a nice grove started and has cut an inviting path through it.

Ancient Roots, 6" x 8", oils

This piece and the next were painted at a lovely section of Femme Osage Creek. This massive sycamore will probably show up in some future paintings. Make that definitely.

Looking Upstream, 6"x 8", oils

I was spoiled to grow up surrounded by Ozark creeks like this. In KC they are all muddy gray.

Tree Skeleton, 6" x 8", oils

This was painted in the backyard of my host family, Jan and Jim Rohfling (thanks again.) They have a beautiful home and a great view of the Missouri River valley. The subject is probably something only another artist will appreciate (i.e. not very sellable.) I learned way more than I was able to process during the workshop, am still putting all the pieces together and expect upcoming paintings will really show what I got out of it.

Augusta Plein Air 2011

2011-05-03T11:01:00.009-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • LANDSCAPE ART • OZARKS

The weather was not great. A few nice days were outnumbered by the rains that are causing so much flooding and hardship. But it did force me to find creative ways to keep on painting in spite of adversity, which I'm thankful for. Let's get right to a few of the keepers from my 10 days there.

In the Zone, 9"x 12", oils

I tried to paint out on the deck at Montelle Winery but eventually the rain forced me under the covered area to start a new one. Other artists had staked out all the best spots so I was up on a dark balcony and decided to paint fellow artist, Daniel Fishback. Not bad considering the circumstances.

Vulture Vantage, 11" x 14", oils

Klondike Park is a geologic oddity just a few miles east of Augusta. Rolling hills and picturesque farms are replaced with jagged limestone and sandtone cliffs and a clear green lake with a white sand beach. It was once a mining operation using the sand to make glass products. I learned my lesson from Montelle and set up under a picnic shelter with a view of a prominent cliff owned by a group of vultures. The dead tree on top suited them well and gave them a commanding view of the area. There were usually four up there but my inner greeting card artist painted two hoping some couple might relate to this pair.

Wet on Wet, 9" x 12", oils

At the beautiful community of Augusta Shores I setup outside under threatening skies and was soon forced to retreat from a steady rain. With no shelters nearby I had to find some alternative to quitting. I ended up doing the painting from the passenger seat of my car with the window rolled down halfway while turning my head 90˚ to look at the subject. I was pretty cramped with my pochade box on my knees and in continual fear of getting paint on the upholstery. At one point I heard a knock on my window and it was director Vic Brown delivering a sack lunch. This is why we keep coming back to Augusta.

Morning Light, 6" x 8", oils

Waking to sunlight for the first time at this event, I got a quick start on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River "bottoms." I worked small and gave myself a one hour time limit.

Valley Vista, 9" x 12", oils

The last painting day was perfect. I found this scene high up on Schluersburg Road but it had no shoulder for parking or painting. There was a farmhouse getting the best of this view and an old man mowing the yard so I asked if I could set up there. He was very gracious and I later found out from him and his wife that this was a very popular place for artists. Even though I was on the highest ridge around, there was almost no wind. That's as good as it gets.

Since people ask, I'll add that I received no awards and made no sales at the conclusion. Sometimes that's the way it goes. It's not how I judge success. I challenged myself every day, made new friends and am pleased with what I accomplished. In closing I'd like to thank all involved in putting on this event and especially Jim and Jan Rohfling for their hospitality.

That's All Folks!

2011-03-31T18:31:00.014-06:00

After 15 years as a greeting card artist for Hallmark Cards, I will soon be leaving to pursue a career as a fine artist. I haven't posted lately because I've been too busy to paint. But I have been going through files and came upon some pieces that some might find interesting. Over the years it's been my pleasure to subject some national treasures to serious mischief. We'll start chronologically:

With apologies to DaVinci, this was created 100 percent digitally using Photoshop. One of DaVinci's goals on this painting was to show no brushstrokes which made digital the way to go.

Here we have Lola Bunny who was featured in the movie "Space Jam," and this painting. I painted it in acrylics using Boticelli's "grisaille" technique of a monochrome underpainting and then adding thin glazes of color. Next up, one of my beloved impressionists.

This was painted with acrylics on canvas. In the spirit of Van Gogh, I tried to lay it on thick. By the way Marvin's not angry, he's just very hurt.

This one did the best as a card. It's been on the shelves in various forms for over 13 years and was also painted in acrylics. The role that Tweety was born to play.

A Small Portrait

2011-02-15T20:48:00.007-06:00

MISSOURI ARTIST • OIL PAINTING • MALE FIGURE • TEA

Alan, 9 x 12, oils

My first portrait in oils after ten years of landscapes was a challenge. I started out wanting to be all loose but in the end it was whatever it took to get facial symmetry and a likeness. I was working from reference but wanted more than just a painting of a photo so I took some liberties. The scene was a cloudy day so I pushed all the highlights towards the cool side and made the shadows warm, changed the table setup for a more pleasing arrangement and simplified or edited what was not essential. I love how the sweatshirt bounces red ambient light into everything around it; wood metal, even skin.

Revisiting Maligne Canyon

2011-02-05T11:19:00.016-06:00

MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ARTIST • JASPER NATIONAL PARK • MOUNTAINS • RIVER • STREAM • FOREST •

Maligne Creek, 9 x 12, oils

We're snowed in here so I decided to revisit some of the photos I took on our trip to the Canadian Rockies last September. I didn't spend a lot of time on it. It's the kind of study I do to keep from getting rusty.

Appreciating a Winter Sunset

2011-01-16T13:16:00.011-06:00

MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART • OZARK • COUNTRY • RURAL • MIDWEST

160 to Frontenac, 6 x 12, oils

I was driving home from a short trip to visit family during the holidays and decided to take the back roads instead of mind numbing 71. I was soon stuck behind a slowpoke and regretting the decision. At the next major road I turned east towards the highway and caught the above scene in my rearview mirror. I've been to this corner hundreds of times and normally the only reason to stop is the red light. This evening I was stopped by a different light and took a few pictures. I did the painting a couple of days later while the experience was still fresh. The scene is near where I grew up and it feels like it. Try as it may, that junky corner with it's wrecked cars can't keep the sunset from being glorious.

Canyon Spirit

2010-12-16T17:51:00.025-06:00

MOODY • MYSTERIOUS • DARK • MISSOURI ARTIST

Last September, I was blessed to see some of the most amazing scenery while vacationing in the Canadian Rockies with family. There were soaring jagged peaks and fantastic glaciers but the place I wanted to paint the most was Maligne Canyon. It's a lush forested place accessed by a trail that crosses the chasm via six bridges. I didn't have my painting setup with me but took many photos. I came back and looked at them and at first nothing stood out. I finally settled on a concept combining cliffs and a large raven that followed us around for about half the hike. What I had in mind was very different from anything I had done before. I wanted more mood and looser brushwork but didn't know how to achieve it. Inspiration came while painting with artist and friend Jeff Legg in October. Besides painting I also benefited just talking about art and practical things like brushstroke variety. The final piece of the puzzle came from re-reading Richard Schmid's "Alla Prima." I could finally envision what this thing was supposed to look like and how I would get there.

After tinting the 11 x 14 canvas a warm gray, I made my first marks with a large flat brush. I tried to make every stroke accurate and visually pleasing. I was planning on leaving exposed areas showing the initial brushwork. I painted the bird as dark of a black as I could mix.

My next goal was to go for a finish on the background and rock face. I used large brushes (for me anyway) and thicker paint. I tried to mix some colors on the canvas, worked thicker still and finally went after it with a palette knife. I painted the negative spaces around the bird, defining it's silhouette. End of first session.

Canyon Spirit, 11" x 14", oils

The next day I was happy to find most of the painting still wet and workable. Painting the highlights on the raven, every stroke was calculated and thought through. In my reference photo, I could just make out the highlight in the bird's eye but chose to leave it out in order to add mood and a sense of mystery. I'm sure that eye detail would have made the bird "cute" and I didn't want that. I finished up by pushing the highlights on the bird's rocky surroundings. I'm very pleased with the end result.

Canyon Spirit detail

Late Fall at Sailboat Cove

2010-12-11T15:51:00.007-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • SAILBOAT • FLEMING PARK • LAKE JACOMO • FALL

Brown and Blue, 8 x 10, oils

This piece happened quite spontaneously. I was working on a painting in the studio and was about done for the day. Getting ready to scrape the paint off my palette, I thought, why don't I transfer this paint to the palette of my pochade box and go knock something out instead of throwing it away. It was 57F outside, very warm for this time of year and I instinctively headed for Sailboat Cove. There was one boat in the water and I decided to do a symmetrical composition. I felt like one of the impressionists while painting the water. The boat was anchored but slowly turning in circles so I could only work on it when it was 'in position.' A good exercise in memorizing detail. I laid down most of the paint in an hour. I went back the next day to work on it more but the boat was gone and the wind made painting impossible. I ended up spending a bit more time on it in the studio working from memory.

The Big Cedar Paint Out

2010-11-01T23:00:00.015-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • FALL • LANDSCAPE ART • BRANSON

Autumn Gold, 9 x 12, oils

The Worman House, 9 x 12, oils

Hilltop View, 11 x 14, oils

Marina Nocturne, 9 x 12, oils

This was the first plein air event held at Big Cedar Lodge on Table Rock Lake in the Missouri Ozarks. Over 70 artists participated and the weather could not have been better. Jeff Legg, friend and fellow artist joined me for the trip. Except for completely bombing out on the "Quick Paint" competition (why did I pick roses?) I felt confident painting and learned a lot that I want to apply to future efforts. Doing a practice nocturne a week earlier really helped. On awards night I won Second Place for the Night Paint Out and sold a large painting. Jeff won Second Place Best of Show and sold two paintings. Special thanks to Jeanie Morris, Lyn Phariss and Louise Thies for making this thing happen.

First Nocturne

2010-10-30T15:08:00.006-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • NIGHT TIME • KANSAS CITY • MISSOURI RIVER • URBAN • LANDSCAPE

Riverfront Park, 6 x 8, oils on hardboard

The original definition for "nocturne" was a piece of music evoking the evening. James Whistler named several of his paintings nocturnes and so now we can apply it to the visual arts as well. I've always liked them and have wanted to do my own, especially from life. This is a trick to do and the traditional way is to use spelunkers headlamps. I could tell that wasn't going to work for me so I came up with my own setup using two booklights clipped to the top of my easel. One has a tungsten bulb and the other two LED lights. This gives me balanced light and makes it so that my hand doesn't cast a shadow on the palette or painting. My daughter (and good luck charm) Annie joined me for my first effort down at the Berkley Riverfront Park in Kansas City. We found an old industrial building that loads and unloads railroad cars with the Broadway Bridge and lights of KCK in the background. We started painting after the sun was down but while there was still a bit of color in the western sky and when we finished about an hour later all we could see was city lights and their reflections on the water. You can't tell for sure what your painting looks like until you bring it into the light later but somehow the colors all held together. This was really fun and I plan to do more.

Borrego Palm Canyon Demonstration

2010-07-31T09:44:00.012-06:00

PALM TREES • DESERT • SPRING • LANDSCAPE ART • DEMO • MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ARTIST

This will be my first step-by-step posting. A 20" x 20" studio painting on canvas based on my own photographs. The scene is Borrego Palm Canyon, a beautiful oasis in southern California that I hiked back to last March. After working out a square composition at 8" x 8" I scale it up to the big canvas by drawing a grid. I do this because it's hard to see a large canvas all at once and very easy to get proportions out of whack. I start on white gessoed linen and do the under drawing with a thinned down brown tone using a large brush. I don't want to get too caught up in detail because I'm going to cover everything up with thicker paint.

Now it's time to squeeze out some serious paint. I begin blocking everything in the scene that I perceive as in shadow. If you think of white as 0% and black as 100%, I'm painting everything that's darker than 50% gray. I'm going pretty quickly here, thinking more about big shapes and not details. Everything lighter than 50% I leave as canvas white for now.

The next step is to paint all the lighter areas of the painting in the same manner. My goal in this session is to get the entire canvas covered with paint. No details yet, just major shapes. I know, the triple palm looks silly without any trunks but I would rather paint the distant hills as one mass and then paint the thin trunks than try to paint inside the little negative spaces between them and try to make it match. This is the part of the painting I'd rather not have someone looking over my shoulder. After finishing this block in, I can already see values and hues that I'm going to have to adjust. To put it bluntly, there are some things here that bug me. But that's what I like about oils. I can add more paint.

What was bugging me the most was the big white rock pile in the middle. It was stealing the show so I knocked it back with some warm and cool grays. I've also added those palm trunks as well as details in the background, the rocks on the upper left and the water.

In this session I finished the water feature and tuck lush foliage all around it to emphasize it's life giving power. The goal here is to contrast the water and foliage with the surrounding desert.

At this point I started to sense a composition problem. My eye wanted to flow from the upper left to the lower right and out of the picture. To fix this I added some palm foliage above the big rock on the right to hold everything in. Finally I go all around the entire canvas, taking each area to the level of finished detail that I feel it needs. I then sign the lower right and call it done.

Early Art 2: The Sequel

2010-07-11T15:46:00.002-06:00

Beneath the Planet of the Apes, 8 1/2 x 11, Bic pen on hotel stationery, 1970

The other piece of childhood art. This one was saved by a schoolmate, passed on to a cousin and finally came into my possession two years ago. I did the drawing when I was ten after seeing the film at the old palatial Fox Theatre. It was one of the few places in small town Missouri where a kid could get a real sense of awe. The thick asian rugs, the tapestries, the statues and finally that immense ornate ceiling. It made every matinee movie seem important. The drawing was most likely done at our dining room table with a stack of "Famous Monsters of Filmland" magazines for reference. With crosshatching and very light pressure, I found I could get a full grayscale of values.

Early Art: From Aunt Esther's Kitchen Table

2010-07-06T19:59:00.002-06:00

Anachronism, 8 1/2 x 11, Bic pen on typewriter paper,1969

I only have two drawings from my childhood. This one was saved by my Aunt Esther. It was done when I was nine years old on a stormy summer weekend when we were forced to entertain ourselves indoors. My influences at the time were a stack of old Mad magazines and the film "The Planet of the Apes." As if combining Taylor, the Statue of Liberty and a few Tyrannosaurus weren't enough, I've also turned the torch into an ice cream cone.

Studio Stuff pt. 2

2010-06-29T20:47:00.012-06:00

WINERY • VINEYARD • CALIFORNIA • GRAPEVINES • MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ART

Alexander Valley, 11 x 14, oils

The scene is Geyser Peak overlooking Alexander and Dry Creek valleys. All part of Sonoma wine country. I include the photos below to help show the process of rearranging elements, removing elements and even making things up (like the grape clusters.) It's an unusual composition, but my goal was for it to be about the repetition of the vines and rows, with enough other things for the eye to follow to be interesting.

Photos by Terry DeGraff

Studio Stuff pt. 1

2010-06-27T13:52:00.009-06:00

COLORADO • CLOUDS • SUNSET • MISSOURI LANDSCAPE ARTIST

Wilkerson Pass, 12" x 16", oils

This is a much larger version of a painting that I did in January. I've always like big sky paintings with low horizons. I started this central Colorado scene months ago but wasn't satisfied with it so I just let it sit on the shelf for a while. I would come back to it when I knew what it needed. With time I realized that the two cedars in the lower right were the center of interest but they weren't, well, interesting. There wasn't much to go on from my photo reference so I did an image search on cedars to get a better feel for them. I didn't copy the new reference, I just let it advise me on what was needed. Here's the original study piece:

Wilkerson Pass, 6" x 8", oils

STEMS Plein Air Part 2

2010-06-08T18:34:00.012-06:00

PLEIN AIR • OVERLAND PARK ARBORETUM • KANSAS • LANDSCAPE ART • MISSOURI

Water at Play, 11" x 14" oils

I worked on this waterfall scene for a couple of hours until the morning light changed and I had to quit. I came back the next day to finish only to find it was bone dry with a fat water mocassin crawling right up the middle of it. I'm sure he was as confused as I was. I can't begin to describe how empty a dry waterfall is. You even notice the lack of expected sounds. It's a landscaped feature and a staff member told me that the water is pumped up from Wolf Creek so if we don't get enough rain, it quits. It was almost a week later when we got some rain and it was once again a thing of beauty. I'm so glad I had the chance to finish it.

Both nights he noticed me up on the bridge.

For my next painting I hiked down to Wolf Creek to paint an interesting bend in the river. I worked on this for two sessions in the evening. On both occasions the same deer came down for a drink at exactly the same time. The only difference was the second time a raccoon was sitting on the opposite bank. They noticed each other and froze for a few seconds (of course I forgot to bring my camera.) I guess if you want to see wildlife, go out to the country near sunset and just stand quietly in one place for an hour or two.

Raccoon Rendezvous, 9" x 12" oils

In the end I chose to submit the first three painting for this Kansas show. I still like the last one but it doesn't feel finished and I was out of time.

STEMS Plein Air Part 1

2010-06-01T18:59:00.014-06:00

PLEIN AIR • SUNSET • MONET • KANSAS • LANDSCAPE ART • MISSOURI

Day's End, 9" x 12" oils

On May 22 I joined approximately 100 area artists, kicking off the STEMS Plein Air Event with a sunset paint out. It was a bit of a reunion painting along side so many artists I have gotten to know over the last twenty years. The location was the Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Garden in Johnson County, Kansas. At 6:30 we were off and had two hours to turn in a painting. I've had bad experiences trying to paint actual sunsets before so this time my target was the southern sky where the light doesn't change so fast but still has all the color. There were very few clouds so there wasn't much drama but the golden hour with it's lengthening shadows made for some interest.

The Monet Garden, 12" x 12" oils

Gina joined me for Sunday's outing. After we toured most of the gardens, I settled on painting about the most complex scene there. And it probably would have been a disaster if not for the bright overcast sky. As it turned out the light changed so little that I was able to spend 5 hours on it. Cloudy days are great days to paint.

More Spring Plein Air

2010-05-10T19:13:00.008-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • KANSAS CITY

Forsythia, 6 x 8, oils

This was painted during a couple of lunchbreaks right outside of where I work.

Red bud, Lowenstien Park, 6 x 8, oils

Both these paintings were done on cloudy days. In spring you can still have a lot of color without sun.

Amigoni's Cabernet Franc, 6 x 8, oils

Mr. Amigoni gave me a personal tour of his vineyard and let me paint the new growth on his vines. European grapes growing in western Missouri. He's a pioneer. http://www.inlandseawines.com

The Augusta Plein Air Event

2010-05-09T09:47:00.004-06:00

MISSOURI PLEIN AIR • OZARKS • VINEYARD

Becky's House, 8 x 10, oils

New Growth, 8 x 10, oils

Take the Long Way Home, 9 x 12, oils

Like last falls trip, bad weather was a major factor in this event held in beautiful Augusta, Missouri. I'm sure the locals were impressed to see dozens of artists painting in the pouring rain. Still I was able to get some painting done and submit three pieces for the show.

About the pieces: I noticed that another artist had painted the same house. He was from nearby and said "Oh, that's Becky's house." I asked who Becky was and he said "I don't know, that's just what everyone calls it." The twisted vines were painted up at Sugar Creek Winery. It went on to win an Honorable Mention and was purchased in a silent auction. I started the third one in the rain and went back and finished it a week later.

The Augusta region is a beautiful place to paint. I feel like I've just scratched the surface. I also thoroughly enjoyed hanging out with so many great and friendly artists and volunteers. I will definitely go back next year.

Left to right: Me, Laura Kratz, my son-in-law Alan and my daughter Annie.

Combining Two Passions

2010-03-21T11:44:00.003-06:00

Verasion 8" x 10", oils

All red grapes start out green. Verasion is when they begin to take on take on their true colors. They won't taste good or make good wine for a while but I just love all of the intermingled colors. Zinfandel grapes growing in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California.

A Place that could be Almost Anywhere...

2010-02-23T19:36:00.002-06:00

Another scene from central Colorado. This is a photo of Willow Creek west of Poncha Springs. As the title suggests what attracted me is the near universal appeal. Little streams like this can be found everywhere and capturing something that so many can can connect with can result in a more powerful painting than a specific place like, say, the Grand Canyon. The first challenge with the scene is that it's too complicated. I would have to simplify the shapes into larger masses and save the details for the center of interest. The next challenge is the stream itself. I've had little instruction on how to paint water but have found that it's a tricky balance between painting the colors exactly as you see them (water is not always blue) and exaggerating colors, especially cool ones (like blue!) Then there is that gray log. I wanted it in there but it would have to be seriously toned down to not draw too much attention. The last touch was punching the contrast and color where the creek disappears in the distance.

Willow Creek, 6 x 8, oils

Missing fame by just 29 feet

2010-02-16T20:35:00.001-06:00

Mt Ouray from Marshall Pass, 6" x 8", oils

I'm still mining last years Colorado trip for painting subject matter until warmer weather arrives. For my second effort using the thumb box I chose a photo of Mount Ouray from the dirt road to Marshall Pass. At 13,971 feet, Mount Ouray is just shy of the magic number that would make it the goal of thousands of more hikers, climbers and photographers. It still looked huge and majestic from where I was standing. Painting note: on these 6 x 8 pieces I'm starting out on a white background. For years I've been painting on a warm gray surface. I had good reasons for doing this but began to have problems with them being too dull and the values all jammed in the midrange. Though the results are a bit lighter or higher key, I really like the cleaner colors and greater contrast.

A Big Thumb's Up for Small Paintings

2010-02-13T12:21:00.000-06:00

The Thumb box. Pictures don't really show how small it is

Last September when Ken Chapin and I were painting as part of the Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest, we decided to hike back (and up) to Agnes Vail Falls on the southern flank of Mt. Princeton. For me it meant carrying my pochade box, heavy tripod, supply bag and camera, about 20 lbs. I look over and Ken is carrying this tiny sketch box. It was a Julian Thumbbox, and every jagged, uneven step of that hike I became more jealous. During that week he did a couple of really nice little paintings with it. This was quickly becoming something I 'needed.' Besides, Kevin MacPherson once said that he learned to paint by doing about 1,500(!) little 6"x 8" paintings. So after a couple of hints to my wife, I found one under the Christmas tree.

The coldest, snowiest winter in recent memory has made taking it out in the wild difficult, so instead I've been painting indoors from photos. Here's my first effort:

Late afternoon at Wilkerson Pass, 6 x 8, oils

Colorado Mountain Plein Air Fest

2010-02-08T20:28:00.001-06:00

COLORADO PLEIN AIR • ROCKIES • LANDSCAPE ART • MISSOURI ARTIST

My painting setup next to the Arkansas River

In September, fellow artist Ken Chapin and I participated in this annual competition in the mighty Sawatch and Sangre de Cristo mountains. The constantly changing weather made for great photography but perhaps the toughest painting conditions I've ever faced. We had rain or snow every day and the lighting never settled down for a minute. We got started on top of Monarch Pass at sunrise in freezing rain, the sun cutting in and out of ragged drifting clouds. It was the highest elevation I'd ever painted (11,312 ft.) During the week our painting efforts took us to locations along the Arkansas River and it's tributaries, to a waterfall, an abandoned mining town and getting caught in a sudden blizzard at Great Sand Dunes National Park. We didn't win any hardware at the gallery show but Ken did win 1st place in a 'paint out' in Buena Vista. Big thanks to artist, Joshua Been for organizing the event and loaning me his tripod.

Mt Aetna from Monarch Pass at sunrise, 8x10, oils

Ken Chapin putting down those first brushstrokes

Arkansas River near Buena Vista, 9 x 12, oils

Painting always attracts curious onlookers