This was digitally painted, no photo manipulation...beginning as a traditional sketch, but on an Intuos2 Wacom tablet with wireless stylus. The musician is Howard Johnson, an amazing discography from Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich, to Paul Simon, Taj M... 

Plein air painted 2nd weekend of March, on route to another location in northern Wisconsin when I spotted open water. YES!!! A sign of spring...the sun was shining, which has been rare this winter, and had to set up to paint! 

The original was donated to the Ruffed Grouse Society for their annual live auction, to raise monies for habitat acquisition, improvements, and management.  

Another study for the purpose of experimenting, pushing ideas, this one the texture of the background creating an abstract environment which by comparison heightens the illusion of the realism of the rendered lure. 

Painting lures from life to push paint, experiment and try to force an idea in my head to my eye and hand. 

A sputtering, splashing, ruckus noise making surface lure that attracts the big freshwater predator...the muskellunge, or "muskie"...the grand daddy of the Pike fish family. 

This is one more of the grandchildren painted as a gift to my wife, to be framed and surround a painting of her. The aim was an infusion of realism and abstract by allowing the peripheral areas outside the focal to diminish and be suggestive 

This location is above La Salle Falls of the Pine River in Florence County, NE Wisconsin. About a two mile drive in on a dirt road, park and hike another mile in. Have painted there several times, this is an in-studio work. 

This represents a common and typical northern Wisconsin lakeshore. A lazy warm fall afternoon, trees and shoreline aglow from late sunlight. 

This is another study of a muskie lure, and having fun pushing some paint around... 

A work of abstract realism...directing the eye to that area of greater finishing, with gestural presence of nature beyond. 

Painted setup looking at last hour and a half of light, gorgeous greens illuminated by this late light, and rich shadows. Definitely a challenge and tough on the eyes, but such a delight to manage the palette and attempt to do justice on this moment... 

This was painted up at the Door County Peninsula Quick Paint event yesterday, two hours time limit. Lot of fun meeting old familiar artist/faces. The nearer sailboat on the right is the Hapuna Maru II and I saw a few people in it fearing, dang...th... 

Its one thing to take on the unknown window of opportunity of available light to paint a plein air, (a painting done set up on location)...but imagine that the aim is to produce an instructional video for dvd!!! A routine two hour painting extended ... 

One of my favorite of favorite places to paint, along the shores of Lake Superior, often tucked down in some hidden recess or spot of beach, and more often than not the subject backlit. Love the sound of the water pounding out its rhythm, and water ...