Blog

  • Art on the Border, only TWO WEEKS away 🙂

    We’ll be Ft. Smith Bound

    Rob’s coming too and we’ll make it an overnight trip so I’m not going out in the wee hours of Saturday morning to get back over there …

  • Ozark Autumn Morning

    Ozark Autumn Morning

    I managed to get this painting’s final touches put on Saturday while at the art market, before the wind became problematic. It’s a landscape on a 10 x 10″ cradle board of an Ozark autumn morning with mist on the …

  • My mind is on art, even while digging ditches, it seems

    Even while doing sweat-inducing work totally unrelated to being creative, my mind is on art. Look at the color I found while I was digging a ditch 🙂

  • Selective weed-eating, moth, and painting

    Yesterday morning, while it was still cool, I did more weed-eating. This morning, I moved to a different section and weedeated some more. I don’t clear cut everything because there are some things that grow in the edges that I …

  • Ooops! I Accidentally Hit Publish.

    Earlier today while working on a draft for a project I am thinking of doing, I accidentally hit the Publish button when I meant to hit Save Draft.

    So, if you’re a blog subscriber, you got a notice of a …

  • Progress on a Painting, or Two

    Progress on a Painting, or Two

    Yesterday at the studio, I worked on two different paintings. One I needed to begin, and the other needed progress towards finished.

    Painting to Start

    The first one I worked on is the one I needed to begin. It’s a …

  • An Earthy Palette for Nature Art

    An Earthy Palette for Nature Art

    Nature and biodiversity reigns supreme at Wild Ozark, and an earthy palette, like the one pictured below, is perfect for capturing it in a painting.

    Scraping rocks with Ozark earth colors. I make nature art with an earthy palette of natural colors native to the region of the scene I'm painting.

    It’s only lacking a couple of things… white and blue. I could do without the …

  • Slow Art, Back to Nature Art

    There are a lot of parallels between the kind of art I make and the Slow Food movment from a decade or so ago. My style is also very much ‘back to nature’.

    Why is it ‘Slow Art’?

    Just as …

  • Wearing Many Hats & Vacuuming the Cat

    Wearing Many Hats & Vacuuming the Cat

    First of all, let me say that vacuuming the cat went way better than I expected it would. This post is a departure from my recent types of posts. This is me practicing getting a blog post written, about whatever …

  • What Makes the Art My Own?

    I’ve been struggling with a decision about whether to purchase blue pigment or continue using the indigo. While I can source local indigo or grow my own, it isn’t a permanent pigment. Does it matter if I use outsourced pigments? …

  • A Pastoral Scene in Progress

    A Pastoral Scene in Progress

    There’s something magical about the way it looks on a misty Autumn morning in the Ozarks. Several years ago, I took a photo of my neighbor’s field towards the bridge for Felkins creek that’s near our house. While going through …

  • Seeking Nature and Biodiversity?

    Seeking Nature and Biodiversity?

    Everything about my life is influenced by the nature and biodiversity out here. When it comes to real estate, properties with soaked with both are my favorite ones to show. I’m probably the biggest tree-hugging nature lover in our office.…

  • Sweet Little Grass Snake

    Sweet Little Grass Snake

    Tuesday on my way home from post-license classes, there was a sweet little grass snake on the road. I moved him out of the way, in case someone coming through later might not see him. Or worse, might wish to …

  • A Skink in Ozark Pigments

    A Skink in Ozark Pigments

    Last week in my garden, all of the reptilian (and one amphibious) creatures were out and about. This handsome skink came out to pose for me, so I figured I’d paint his portrait.

    A Little About My Paint-making Process

    Since

  • Gone to Ground

    ‘Gone to ground’ usually means someone has gone into hiding.

    The phrase originally referred to a fox going into his hiding hole when he was being chased during a hunt. From this perspective, it seems more like seeking the safety …

  • Going Down Rabbit Holes

    I’ve got several small panels in 4 x 6” size, and I want to get a few of those painted before the June art festival in Bentonville. So, I think I’ll paint this plant, and some of my other favorites …

  • Busy Times at Wild Ozark

    Busy Times at Wild Ozark

    Spring ushers in busy times at Wild Ozark. I’ve got a host of things I’m working on, and Rob does too. Most of mine are real estate, art and garden related, and most of his are solar and homestead tasks.…

  • Ginseng Unfurling 2024

    Ginseng Unfurling 2024

    This year the ginseng is unfurling a little earlier than it has in recent years. I was surprised to find it already coming up when I checked yesterday. Here’s a blog post I just made over on my nursery website:…

  • Felkins Creek, Madison County AR | Ozark Pigments in Oil

    Felkins Creek, Madison County AR | Ozark Pigments in Oil

    The beautiful Felkins creek is located in Madison county AR. These rocky shores supply me with many of the rocks I use to make my paints. This photo is one of the favorites I’ve ever captured at a particular spot …

  • Bentonville Fine Art Festival | Nov 9-10

    I’m really happy to announce that I was accepted to the new Bentonville Fine Art Festival. Many thanks to the jurors! Since I only submitted to the oil painting category, I won’t have watercolors with me.

    Location & Date

    Nov
  • My Opening Routine at the Studio

    I usually try to get to the there a little earlier than opening time on Saturday mornings. It’s calming to settle in before the day’s work begins. When I’m there first, there’s an opening routine at the studio.

    First things

  • Cooper’s Hawk | a Blue-eyed Juvenile

    Cooper’s Hawk | a Blue-eyed Juvenile

    Currently on my easel is a portrait in progress of a gorgeous blue-eyed juvenile raptor. It’s a painting of a Cooper’s hawk. As he matures, his eyes will change to yellow, orange, or red.

    A photo of a Cooper's hawk by Tamalyn Wortham.

    Tamalyn Wortham, Photographer

    “The story behind

  • Art on the Border

    Art on the Border

    I’m thrilled and honored to have been accepted into the Art on the Border art fair in Fort Smith. This event is juried, and a percentage of sales are put toward donations to charitable organizations that serve the local area.…

  • A Tipi Painting for Karter

    A Tipi Painting for Karter

    My granddaughter Karter’s birthday is coming up soon, and this year she wants a painting of a tipi. I love the evolution of subjects the kids choose as they grow up and I hope they never grow tired of getting …

  • Paint-making in Little Rock | Workshop

    Paint-making in Little Rock | Workshop

    I’m excited to be holding a workshop at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock next month.

    Living Craft Workshop in Little Rock

    10 am to 3 pm
    200 E. Third St., Little Rock, Arkansas, US
    Phone: 1-501-324-9351 | Fax: