It was our final day in New York, visiting dear friends in the Hudson River Valley. We were less than a mile from the Appalachian Trail, and I was determined to squeeze in some trail time before we rushed off to catch our flight home. Jeff and I got up extra early, slipped out the back door and onto the greenbelt. Suddenly I saw all the inspiration for which the Hudson River School painters are famous. The lush greenery! The light, the shadows, the water! We made our way through dense patches of trees, past a little waterfall, some civil war ruins, and finally to this beautiful marsh. Everything was in shadow except the light hitting the water and the marsh in the background. It took my breath away. 

This painting, while it looks like traditional watercolor, was an experimental mixed-media technique involving pouring liquid acrylics, covering the pour with transparent watercolor ground, then painting in watercolor directly on top of the acrylics—exactly opposite how most mixed media pieces are created. It was a fun and challenging process.

This painting is on currently on display at the AmBank Invitational Show in Provo.

It was the most hectic of days: Record a podcast, after very little sleep. Fly to California, with all the stress that leaving town entails. Instead of lunch, sandwiched between these two major events, I was supposed to teach young minds how to paint. 

Thank heaven, I had scheduled this particular class as a plein-air (outdoor) session up the canyon, at Sundance. I could gradually feel all the grumpiness lifting as I wound my way up the canyon. The light and the color and the fresh air just made it all better, instantly. I was experiencing pure joy. This is what I created that day, alongside my wonderful students.

It was our first trip to Chicago. We saw the show Wicked, shopped at the famous Marshall Fields department store, and took a fabulous tour of Chicago architecture from a water taxi on the river. It's not hard to love the Windy City!

Nearly every morning we took a stroll through Lincoln Park. This particular image of the foggy skyscrapers hanging in the air behind the lake and the trees seemed to capture it. Chicago at its finest.

This was just completed, a mixed-media painting with a watercolor base and lots of spirited drawing on top. This will be in the UWS Cache Valley show, at Logan Fine Art, opening November 21st.

Just this morning I was talking to one of my students about what inspired this painting (and a number of other sea life paintings). Several years ago we went on a family vacation to Maui. On my favorite day of the entire trip, my father-in-law rented a glass-bottom catamaran and we went snorkeling near a huge coral reef. It was completely mind-blowing to find yourself nose-to-nose with this whole underwater world we'd never otherwise see! Once I caught my breath (!) I loved being surrounded by all these beautiful, tropical fish, visiting them right where they live. On the way back to shore, a big school of giant sea turtles followed our boat all the way back, swimming and bobbing alongside us like long lost friends. It was an unforgettable day! And so I bring you...Underwater Encounter, a UWS award-winner, and on display at the AmBank Invitational show opening Thursday, November 13.

It seems my paintings are everywhere this month! Two plein-air pieces from the week of sheer bliss I spent in Capitol Reef are currently hanging in a Faculty Spotlight at the Woodbury Museum through November 1. Come see these two, one of which (Capitol Gorge) won an Award of Excellence at the UWS-CVC Plein Air show in Logan last fall. I was enchanted by the way these massive rock formations hung together like a crowd of people arm-in arm. (You have to admit they look a little like a chorus line!)

I'm also part of the AmBank Invitational, a benefit show for the Susan Parkinson UVU Scholarship fund. The show opens with a reception on Thursday, November 13. I'll be posting those paintings soon.

Next week I'm entering the UWS-CVC show again, themed "Departures and Destinations," opening November 21st.

Last but not least, you'll see every single painting I have available (not committed to other shows) in a home show at Chez Parkin on November 29. That's right, I'm hanging my work on every single wall of our house and opening my doors to one and all. There will be brand new works, never-before-exhibited. There will also be unframed pieces, available at a slight discount. And of course the big award-winners you might not have had a chance to see yet. There will also be giclée prints, bookmarks, notecards, books, and gifts for every size and budget. So save some of your Black Friday (ugh) energy for Show Saturday! 

Click on the RSS Feed link at right if you want me to keep you in the loop.  :)