This 36 x 36 oil on canvas depicts a massive storm cloud that stretched across much of the smoke valley in central Kansas. There was a dense energy in the air that day and rain was not far off.

Old Matfield Green--Oil on Raymar Panel, 6 x 8. This painting depicts a small  stretch of Kansas Highway that barely exists any longer--A large chunk of the ranch land surrounding this area has been purchased and re-landscaped. This piece of the road always reminded me of old-time America. William Least Heat Moon chronicled this part of Kansas--Chase County--in his book Prairie Erth. To purchase this painting, please click the CONTACT THE ARTIST link.

Last Rays is a small painting that really came more from the hip than from pure observation of the real world. I would describe this painting as a choreographed emotional sunset, rather than one based on a real-life visual experience. Still, the emotions are there and I believe that it speaks to our romantic notion of the end of a long pairie evening.

I have been wanting to infuse a little more narrative into my paintings lately. Sure, they continue to be about land, light and space, but lately I have wanted to include details which capture a different part of our imagination. Instead of just feeling the air and admiring the light, many of my newer works include other aspects of a landscape: three cows in this example; a freight train in another recent work. These tiny additions alude to the outer world, but also to a quiet presence and the knowledge that we share this planet, and its great wonder.

"Crossing" is a painting that I completed almost a year ago. I pull it out now because I'm reflecting on simple composition and the power of dynamic lighting. Here is a "scene" that is replicated thousands of times over in the U.S., especially here in the Midwest. What I have attempted is to take this very common occurance and tease it with various elements of design to create a pleasing image. It maintaines its simplicity, but is charged with a dynamic sense of lighting and composition. For purchase information, please contact The Rice Gallery: www.thericegallery.com