November Afternoon, Mt. Tabor (first stage)

All three panels are up on the wall, so that as I work on each painting, I can keep the composition of the whole in mind as the most important element. There are always surprises as the triptych develops--in this case, a switch of the "truck" panel from the middle to the left allowed for a much more interesting movement of scale and perspective across the image.

Sunday Sketchbook: Vermont

I've got my blog "Let Me Show You Vermont" up and running again! Click here to find out more about Mt. Tabor.

November Afternoon, Mt. Tabor (detail)

The underpainting for the middle panel of the triptych--as always at this stage, a one step forward, two steps back process of sneaking up on what it is I'm trying to say.

November Afternoon, Mt. Tabor (detail)

Here's the first stage of the left panel of my new "Mt. Tabor" triptych. The first two in this series were studies in summer sun and shadow, with strong rhythms of saturated color. This composition has the closer harmonies and quieter chromatic grays of winter light. Aren't painting and music twinned?

Mt. Tabor, Early Morning

The second triptych in this series.

Mount Tabor, Early Morning (detail)

A pellet stove, dumpster, and old shed stand like stolid sentinels guarding their mountain home.

Sunday Sketchbook: Vermont

I'm finishing up two triptychs, and about to start a third, inspired by this tiny industrial hamlet in the Green Mountains. These sketches sum up what I find so appealing--geometry, romance, history, perspective, mystery--about an ordinary place that it's easy to drive past without a second look.

Mt Tabor, Late Afternoon

I'm happily back in my studio after a time away on family business, and looking with a fresh eye at these landscapes I was working on before all my recent travels. I've decided they work best grouped in threes--and here's the first of the "Mt. Tabor" triptychs.

Mt. Tabor #7

Few things say "time and infinity" for me like a defunct train station and a disappearing railroad track.

Mt. Tabor #5

A gravel pile and box car on a late summer afternoon.

Mt. Tabor #4

Another arrangement of buildings, trees, mountains and shadow stripes.

Mt. Tabor #3

The next panel in this multi-part composition, with an old structure that looks like a sculptural collaboration between Richard Serra and Alexander Calder.

Mt. Tabor #2

I'm back at work on my nine panel "Mt. Tabor" painting, which is as much about sun, shadow and shapes as it is about the specifics of a place.

Mt. Tabor # 1

The first of nine panels that will explore light, color, and a forgotten Vermont crossroads.

Mt. Tabor study

Adding color shapes to the value sketch emphasizes the all-over design of this painting, and will help me keep the greater composition in mind as I'm working on each individual panel.

Sunday Sketchbook: Vermont

We have a few rainy days ahead, so I've started my next studio project, a nine panel polyptych
inspired by the freight yard and feed mills of Mt. Tabor, Vermont.