ONEKAMA DRIVEWAY

This is a sight that stirs my heart and holds the promise of recreation and good friends. I'm bringing my art supplies up to Camp Tosebo and hope to have some new things to post soon.

ONEKAMA PINE

One of my favorite views in Onekama, near Camp Tosebo.

VIEW FROM THE PLANE

An aerial view of Portage Lake done last year after a flight with my nephew, the pilot.

TOSEBO SHADOWS

This painting was done about this time last year. It was done on site, plein air. The trees were just budding out and the forget-me-nots and trillium were going wild. Before the influx of summer people, the place is so quiet!

This is the last Tosebo related post I'll make until I get a chance to go up and paint something new! Well, maybe just a few more!

THE TRUNK HOUSE

This is a view through the arch to the Trunk House. We often stay here when we're up at Camp Tosebo. The upstairs is a charming one room area that has all the conveniences and three big skylights. It's called the trunk house because when this was a boy's camp, their belongings were stored here in trunks they brought from home. It's a lovely spot to wake up.

TOSEBO GARDEN SHED

This is a photo of the garden shed at Camp Tosebo. I haven't ever painted it. Maybe on our next foray up there I'll do a plein air alla prima (outside all done in one session) before the vines get this advanced!

I haven't had much time to paint or blog with our daughter's graduation open house coming up! Lots to do.

FORGET-ME-NOTS

This is a plein air painting (that's French for " painted outside while on site"). I did it last year. This is the Craft House at Camp Tosebo. The Forget-me-nots that carpet the ground up there this time of year are amazing.

CAMP TOSEBO MAP

This is a map of Camp Tosebo that I did last year when there was a reunion for former campers and other people for whom this was an important place in their lives. It was an amazing time! The history of the place is fascinating and is being kept alive by the current owners ~ especially Dave Wallace who has recently published a little booklet with history and stories contributed by many people touched by this place.

CAMP TOSEBO

Here's a view of Portage Lake near Onekama, MI from the lookout at Camp Tosebo (painted a few years ago) - one of the happiest places on earth! (go to www.tosebo.com for more information) We spent the weekend there this weekend and once again were taken in by the place and the people. Rainy, but still beautiful. Spring slowly coming up to Northern Michigan.

REFLECTIONS ON AN O'TOOLE

This is a little pastel from a few years ago, never framed (or rejected). The tulips are reflected against a painting by a dear friend who died about ten years ago.

I've been in touch with a few artists I respect around here and a couple were totally "not accepted" too. One had one piece accepted, one rejected in both shows and the joy of that is that you have to make three trips to each! Yikes!

On another note, I bought a ton of flowers and perrenials yesterday and planted them all in their spots in the garden. And today, lots of rain. Perfect! That's creative energy we'll enjoy all summer long.

FENNVILLE WOODS

I just got 'Not Accepted' notices for the two paintings I entered into the Muskegon Regional. Here's one. The other is the Zinnia and Rooster below. This art business is very random. First you carefully prepare your work and choose your best. That piece gets framed with care and at a certain expense. You pay your money to enter a show, you get the not accepted postcard and no other comment, they keep the money and you have to drive to out there and pick them up. It will be a while before I get my checkbook to have this kind of fun again!

LOWELL FIELD

This is a painting I did last fall. It's going to be in the 2006 Festival Show in Grand Rapids. Since two pieces of my work were 'not selected' last year, it's good to get one in. It's such an unpredictable business!

RED TULIPS

MONTE CARLO TULIPS

Definitely Tulip Time in Western Michigan!

ZINNIAS AND FOUR FRIENDS MUG

I know zinnias are an August flower... but that last post got me thinking about zinnias. This is one of my favorite paintings. Maybe because I love seeing it in the hallway at my niece's house. Also, because it was fun to paint ~and the flowers are in a vase that my Dad gave my Mom a long time ago.

The Four Friends is a great coffee house in Grand Rapids. Started 8 years ago and was just about the only place down there you could get a latte. Now there's a Starbucks down the street, a new Beaners on the corner and at least 5 other coffeehouses within walking distance! What is this? Seattle? How much coffee can these people drink!

ZINNIAS AND ROOSTER

I think this is the first still life I've put on here- mostly landscapes so far. This is from 2005. A little unfortunate glare, but you get the idea. I've got more Lake Michigan horizons in progress in the studio. I probably ought to be painting the spring- it's a riot of color and flowers in Michigan right now!

FINISHED!

This is the final version. Time to move on to other paintings! Thanks to my friends at www.wetcanvas.com!

TAKE #3

I think this is getting close to being finished.

CHANGES

I changed the sky. Here is is so far.

LAKE MICHIGAN HORIZON #3

This one is hot off the easel! A work in progress.