I’ve been working (off and on) on the A Surprise in Surprise painting for months. What with various interruptions and a certain amount of getting stuck, I’m pleased that the final pieces fell into place. I first got excited about doing this painting way last spring. I accompanied Jim to the County Library in Surprise (northwest of Phoenix) for a talk he had been invited to give on the US Route 89 project and his photography. While he was working on getting all the technology set up, I wandered about the library. Lo and behold, there is a lake situated in a park right adjacent to the library. This was indeed a surprise to me. The light, the sky, the water reflections, the colors, the people! I raced to the car to get my little digital camera and proceeded to take lots of snapshots of the scene. This painting is the result.

At long last, A Surprise in Surprise

Now I just need to finish the other painting I’m working on on the same subject. I’m having a lot of fun using some special R&M New Age painting knives that were a birthday gift from Jim. Great for creating a variety of textures.

I think next I’ll resume the series on the Olin Library at Kenyon College. After the holidays.

And stay posted. The workshop series will be resuming in March. Val and I will be getting the information up on the workshop page in late January.

Have a great holiday!