#149 “Up River From Madison” 11x14 oil

   This 11x14 oil was painted from a photo I took while visiting friends who have a home on the Ohio River. This is the view from their place. I love looking down river and watching the barges round the bend going both up river and down river.

#148 “Crossroads” 14x11 oil on linen panel

This one was quite a challenge! There were many problems to solve. For the most part the painting came together rather quickly. However, as a result of the perspective of the photo that was used, the grain elevator "leaned" to the right. That was corrected by measuring the upper right hand corner of the building from the corner to the edge of the canvas. Using that measurment I marked a spot on the canvas at the bottom of the building that was the same distance from the edge. I think it was about a half inch. I simply matched color/value and extended the building. That problem was solved! The second issue was the sky. When looking at the photograph, it was a sold blue with little change in value. It was boring. To fix that I ever so lightly lightened the value at the horizon line and gradually blended into the darker blue above. That worked but again, it was just this boring blue. I decided to add some wispy white clouds! Bingo! Done!

* "Crossroads" was selected as the cover for Airstream Life Magazine Winter 2022-2023

#146 “Salt Creek” 8x10 oil on linen panel

Driving thru Brown County in southern Indiana, I happened upon this beautiful winter scene. I hopped out of my car and took a few shots. Sometimes, the elements that can make a great painting are all there. Southern Indiana is beautiful during all four seasons!!!

#145 "Moonlight View" 14x11oil on linen board

Moonlight View 14x11oil

A few weeks ago I got up around 4:00 AM and went into the kitchen to get a drink of water. As I entered the kitchen I gazed out thru the dining room window and saw the full moon casting a beautiful reflection on the water. Terranea Resort sticks out in the distance. The dark foreground is the local golf course and the sand traps can be seen dotting the landscape. I thought it would make an interesting painting. Once again, I'll live with it before I go in and make some edits. I can already see a few very minor changes that I think will enhance the piece.

#144 “On the Road Again” 11x14 oil on canvas

It’s been almost a year since my last painting. I’ve had absolutely no motivation as a result of being relatively confined because of COVID. I finally decided to brush off the cobwebs. It did me a world of good to get back at it. 

We just returned from a trip in our Airstream. We traveled up the eastern slopes of the Sierras to Silver Lake which is in the June Lake loop. On the way home we decided to spend a night in the Alabama Hills just outside of Lone Pine. This painting is from a photo I took as we were traveling up the Whitney Portal Road.

#143 “Fishing the Yellowstone”

“Fishing the Yellowstone” 8x10 oil

While visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Montana last summer, I watched from a small bluff along the Yellowstone River which borders their ranch, as Jim fly fished. Didn’t catch anything that day but it didn’t matter. Just being there was reward enough!

#142 "Oklahoma Sunset" 20x16 oil on linen panel

"Oklahoma Sunset"

"Oklahoma Sunset" was inspired by a photo sent to me by a friend of ours, Kenny Ruzeka. We bought our Airstream from Kenny. He travels the US constantly searching for old vintage Airstreams to restore. Recently, on a trip thru Oklahoma, Kenny and his daughter stopped at a relative's ranch. That evening they went to watch the sunset at the edge of a lake adjacent their property. Kenny snapped a photo of his daughter and sent it to me. I couldn't wait to paint it!!!

#141 “Airstream” 20x16 oil

“Airstream,” a 20x16 oil on a linen panel, was done from a photo I took on New Years morning,  2019 in Palm Springs , California. I just thought it was an interesting perspective. 

“Airstream”

#140 “Woody” 16x20 oil on linen panel

This is Woody! Woody is the Nickels family's French bulldog. I was trying to think of something special as a gift for Christmas gift this year. Woody brings such joy to their family so why not paint him!            
                                                                                            
                                                            

Since Linda and I were headed for Indiana for the holidays this year, Matt, Darcy, Ella, Moose and Charlie came for an early Christmas. We baked cookies and opened a few presents.

                                                      Opening their Christmas present!

Watch Darcy open their present.

#138 & 139 “ Alex and Anthony” 8x10 oils on linen panels

Alex

A couple of boys fishing! This is Alex and Anthony Eder. They are Linda’s grandsons which makes them mine too! The boys love to fish! These paintings now hang on a wall in the Eder family home in Greenwood, Indiana.

Anthony

#136 "Bluebird" 7x5 oil on linen panel #139 "Ella Fishing" 8x8 oil on linen panel

"Ella on the Dock"

I haven't painted much since knee surgery last February. We've been traveling so much I just haven't had time. Here are two little warmups I've done just to make sure I remember which end of the brush to hold! The painting on the left is an 8x8 oil on canvas. It's of granddaughter Ella fishing off our dock. She caught a total of 7!!!

The second painting below is a 5x7 oil of a Bluebird. Mom really loved this so it sits in her living room keeping and eye on her! I hope to get back to my studio this fall and really get it to it a bit!

"Bluebird"

#135 "Simplicity" 16x20 oil on linen panel

"Simplicity" 16x20 oil on linen panel

Moved a bit outside my comfort zone with this one! I merged a bit of Modernism into Impressionism. Not sure if your supposed to do that but I did it anyway.  What started as a total impressionistic painting ended up combining the two schools. 

By placing the figure of the woman so boldly into an otherwise tranquil space added a whole new dimension to the piece. Truly it was an accident. At first I toned her down (following the rules) so that the sun and its reflection would be the focus. Having the sun and reflections more profound was my original intention. I started thinking, what if I tone the sun and the reflections way down and I bring up the silhouette? Heck the paint was still wet so why not? My attention then went immediately to the woman! Not what I had originally intended but I kinda liked it! 

Something still wasn't right. The darker values were distracting as a result of paint strokes etc. So I blended the dark area and the sky with a big fan brush thus removing any lines or evidence of paint strokes. What had been a battle for attention between the woman and the sun, water reflections etc. ended! There she was, commanding attention. For me it immediately evoked thought. Who was she? Why was she there? She looks almost unworldly. Even though she was so bold, the overall feel had a quiet, peaceful quality. 

I realize this breaks the rules of true impressionism but what the heck! It's my painting!!!

 

I found a cool app that lets you take your painting and place it on a wall. Kinda fun!!!

PVAC Winter Show 2018

Great night at the opening of the Palos Verdes Arts Center 2018 Winter Show! Two of my paintings were selected for the exhibition. "Vintage" and "Kinsale Harbor" will be displayed thru January 3, 2019. Juror Dan McCaw took the time to discuss each painting and why he selected them.

Juror Dan McCaw  ("Kinsale Harbor" in background)

"Vintage"

             

#134 "Holiday Tea" 9x12 on linen panel

"Holiday Tea" 9x12 oil on linen panel

I went to my long time friend and fellow artist Ron Guidone's house a couple of weeks ago. We decided to do a holiday painting. He set up these pomegranates, a silver teapot and silver candle holder. It was difficult to make the pomegranates not look like Christmas tree ornaments! You can decide!!! Always fun painting with Ron...

Vintage Prints

"Vintage"

Hand signed giclee! 

As seen on the Fall 2018 cover
of Airstream Life 

Since being published as the cover of Airstream Life magazine, the response has been fantastic. I'm happy to say that, "Vintage" is now available as an unframed, hand signed 11x14 giclee. Shown is a sample of how it might look framed! The hand signed print is $75 + shipping and handling which is $10. Your total would be $85.

Here's the information on how to order, "Vintage."

Go to:

https://paypal.me/jcahillart

or you can email me at: 
my912c2gmail.com

#133 "Barn On Nineveh Road" 16x20 oil on linen panel

For more than 35 years, we've passed this barn that sits at the corner of State Road 252 and Nineveh Road in southern Indiana while on our way to the family lake cottage at Sweetwater. It's a landmark. It sits overlooking the corn fields and the subtle beauty of Indiana farmland.

I took the photo that was used to create this painting at about 5:00 PM while heading to the lake. I liked the way the evening shadow hit the barn. Far off to the south (not portrayed in this painting) there were gathering storm clouds. 

30 seconds of the sights and sounds of an Indiana summer evening. You'll see the barn that inspired the painting. Listen closely and you'll here the approaching storm, watch a down pour and then witness the night sounds as the storm passes and the moon appears from behind the clouds. Kinda magical.

#132 "Harbor at Kinsale" 16x20 oil on linen panel

For my 70th birthday we traveled to England and Ireland. It was a dream come true. While in Ireland we stayed in Dingle and then a week in Kinsale. We rented a 500 year old home in the heart of Kinsale and about a half block from the port. Every morning I would grab my coffee and greet the morning watching the fishing boats going our. It was magical.

"Harbor at Kinsale" 16x20 oil on linen panel

Here are some shots and short videos from that amazing trip!

Sailing the Celtic Sea 

My 70th birthday! Wow!!!

One amazing evening at Tommy O'Sullivan's Pub in Dingle, Ireland.

This is Tommy and a guest musician on the squeeze box.

Have a 20 second listen!!!

                                        

View from our bread and breakfast in Dingle, Ireland

Painting at the harbor in Kinsale, Ireland 2016

The best!

Small study

Irish Stew

#130 & #131 Studies "Indiana Winter" 8x10 oils on linen panels

"Winter Creek" 8x10 study

I've never had the opportunity to spend time at the lake in winter. My sister and I were called into action to help out our mom. I flew back the end of January, 2018, opened up the cottage and found it to be more than comfortable! When I arrived the lake was completely frozen over! It was 8 degrees. The temperature fluctuated from that cold 8 degree morning all the way to 70 and back down again. We had amazing snow and was snowed in on two separate occasions. So, what do you do when you're snowed in down at the lake? You paint a couple of 1 hour studys! I hope to do larger ones of the same subject matter! The following videos and photos were taken during those couple of months back in Indiana.

"Winter Feed" 8x10 study

Check out the two 15 second videos

The AW Kum On INN in winter!

Warm and cozy

Following a fresh snow

VERY cold this morning!

Such early morning beauty outside our window.

Ever wonder where Woody Woodpecker hangs out?

#129 "Vintage" 14x11 Oil on linen panel

This is our new/old 1967 Airstream Caravel. As of today, we still haven't picked it up as a result of the interior bathroom is being painted and a new awning has yet to be installed. I did get to pull it to the AAA to have it registered! Was a bit nervous but it pulls so smoothly, you really don't know its there!

This is the first of many paintings of this and other Airstreams I hope to paint. It's so fun and challenging  to paint the reflective surface. It will take a while to get the exact effect I'm looking for but this is #1.

This vintage trailer was found in Oklahoma back in September. As you will see, it was in pretty rough shape. We bought it in this condition as Kenny, assured us that when he was finished it would look quite different. Have to say he was right!

Here's a short video of some of our travels! https://youtu.be/t2j4rrUuRJw

UpdateI My painting of Vintage was selected for the 2018 fall issue of Airstream Life!