Old Stagecoach Road Stream

24x36, acrylic on canvas, © 1989
Collection of the Artist

This subject was taken on a trip to Colorado Springs to see my brother. Our family went up to Pikes Peak and on one road—Old Stagecoach Road—we saw this scene. It was just right—the light I mean. This was the last one that I painted at Halsey with Tim Saska. He demonstrated some of the foliage in the middle ground. A principle that he taught here was that you have to have areas of darkness so that the viewer has somewhere to go in the painting. He also added some of the colors from the foreground into the trees to harmonize the painting. I also remember finishing it at home after the workshop.

A fellow who came to our house for dinner was talking to me about what I did. I told him, and I said that I painted also. He said, "Oh, what do you paint?" I said, "Well, I painted this one." He got up and took a closer look at the brush work. He said that he had wondered why I had a "cardboard" painting in the home. I took that as a compliment.

Montana Stream

18x24, acrylic on canvas, © 1989
Collection of the Artist

This subject was taken from a railroad calendar and painted at the Halsey Art Workshop with Tim Saska. Tim demonstrated some of the shadows and trees in the background. It was great working with Tim and watching the demonstrations with other students.

Desoto Bend

18x24, acrylic on canvas, © 1989
Collection of the Artist

I took a picture on a beautiful autumn day at the Desoto Bend Wildlife Refuge. I went to Halsey to study with Tim Saska, a painter from Lubbock, Texas. I had seen his work in the Artist's Magazine and wanted to see him work. Tim helped by demonstrating some leaves in the foreground trees. I learned that acrylic paint, to work well, must not be too liquid. That is so that you can drag the paint and let the support do most of the work for you. A great lesson. Tim has since passed—it was great to paint with him.