[ f e a t u r e d a r t i s t ] J O H N B U R T O N !

Changing Tide by John Burton
Changing Tide by John Burton

John Burton’s work really catches your eye. It’s the way he captures the light. Most paintings seem to be the western part of the country, but look at this jewel that I ran across… I love it! I would guess this is Maine? But its purely a guess…

John has several pieces headed to the Mesa Verde Foundation… From John’s Facebook page… (Image and words):

Last spring a select group of artist were invited to paint the Mesa Verde National Park. We had incredible access to paint inside the Native American ruins. This October 22nd we will be exhibiting our paintings in Denver. Here is one of the peaceful early mornings I witnessed.
To see more go to…
http://www.mesaverdefoundation.org/News-Events.aspx

John Burton painting from Mesa Verde National Park
John Burton painting from Mesa Verde National Park

Just look at that light! Isn’t it remarkable? Such nice texture and distance, you get a feel for how big this park really is! I encourage you to take a peek at John’s website… wonderful!

Read a blip about John from the Bonner David Gallery website:

John Burton is an American original.   After years of being an accomplished figure painter he changed gears mid career to focus on the incredible landscapes of the American west.  He has the ability to capture the essence of a landscape through the poetry of his brushwork.  Mr. Burton says, “It has been an incredible opportunity to hike out to the Pacific Coast or deep in the Sonoran Desert with a canvas and paints and walk out with art.”                

A Westerner at heart, art has always been in the soul of John Burton. Whether it’s a figurative work of Native Americans or a plein air oil of a desert or coastal landscape, John’s paintings are always filled with life, light, and color. Having lived his whole life in the West, John graduated from Arizona State University and continued his formal studies at the Academy of Art in San Francisco to study oil painting. John commented, “It was my Utopia, surrounded by people who loved art and had the same high level of dedication.” Upon graduation he realized that it was just the beginning and that “art is a lifelong study.” John considers himself fortunate to have studied with such noted artists as Scott Burdick, Morgan Wiestling, and Kim English. An avid traveler, John has painted worldwide, having been highly influenced by such movements as the Russian Impressionists specifically artists Nicolai Fechin and Dean Cornwell. Today, John is an artist of note in Arizona, as to see the West captured through the eyes of John Burton is a true privilege.

The depth of feeling he inspires with his brushes has won him many accolades. Just recently he placed third in the national Oil Painters of America show in Taos, NM and and second in the National Oil and Acrylics Painters Society’s annual competition. His work has been juried into the Arts for the Parks Mini Fifty show, the Howard Mandville Gallery miniature show in Kirkland, Washington. In 2003 he was invited both into the Tucson Plein Air Show and the Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters where he painted side by side with other artists who also had a quest for painting western landscapes.  

Artist’s Magazine sums up John’s passion for painting, “I can’t live without it. I paint all day long, even at night, and I just can’t imagine doing anything else.”   Collectors and art critics from across the nation appreciate his work, Art Talk calling it “must see” and The Arizona Republic named him one of the 5 artists to watch in 2004! His work has been exhibited at over a dozen galleries and museums throughout the nation.

A much sought after teacher as well, John has taught workshops in San Francisco, and multiple locations in Hawaii and the Valley of the Sun.

All images via  BurtonArtStudio.com and John Burton’s Facebook…

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…       Trillium Soaps located in Rockland, Maine!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…   View from the Grand Hotel porch… Mackinac Island!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

[ r e c i p e ] T U N A C A S S E R O L E – Seriously, the best in comfort food!

Tuna Casserole!
Tuna Casserole! Creamy (above) bake with lid, or bake without the lid for less creamy…

Don’t laugh! This is the ultimate in comfort food and sometimes its just what you need! I remember this from when I was a kid and I still love it to this day! One weekend Fred and I were brainstorming what to make for the week for dinner… I said TUNA CASSEROLE… Ick, pew, nasty and a bunch of other words popped out of his mouth… What? That’s when I realized the entire world did not love this as much as I did. How could that be? I looked up recipes for tuna casserole and the majority do not have cheese. Well… ick, pew, nasty comes to mind! NOW I know why people don’t like it… trust me on this… this will make you smile, it is delicious beyond belief… you can add the peas (or not)… I prefer them on the side… Fred likes them all mixed in… so we make it both ways. Its quick, easy and very good… even better heated up the next day… have this and a salad and you will be happy camper!

B E S T   E V E R  T U N A  C A S S E R O L E 

(click HERE to print this recipe, minus photos…)

6 oz. (½ package) Egg Noodles (I use Manischewitz or Publix brand)

1- 10 ¾ oz can Cream of Celery Soup

1 soup can of Milk (I use 2%)

8 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I use Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp 2%)

1 Small Onion, chopped

1 – 7 oz can tuna, drained

Pepper

Baby Peas (optional) – a handful or two

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the egg noodles…

Boil the noodles...
Boil the noodles…

 

While the water is getting hot…

In a large bowl, add the cream of celery soup, milk, chopped onion, tuna, pepper and peas (optional).

Ingredients in large bowl
Stir or whisk ingredients together in large bowl…

Once the pasta finishes cooking, drain it in a colander, and then add the noodles to  the large bowl with ingredients. Give it a stir.

Add hot noodles to soup/milk mixture...
Add hot noodles to soup/milk mixture…

Add the cheese and stir to mix, reserving a handful or two to sprinkle on top. Sprinkle with pepper and top with the remaining cheese.

Stir together, save a little cheese for the top!
Stir together, save a little cheese for the top!

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until bubbly. I usually keep the lid on because I like mine creamy. If you like a crunchy texture on top, you can bake it without the lid.

Done! Smells wonderful!
Done! Smells wonderful!

Serves 4-6

 

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…       Featured Artist… Dan Schultz!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…   Ahhh, nothing like a salmon color geranium!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

[f e a t u r e d a r t i s t ]: P a u l i n e R o c h e !

"The Costume Designer" by Pauline Roche
“The Costume Designer” by Pauline Roche

Magnificent! These dynamic colors just pull you right into this painting. Back in the spring/early summer this painting was part of the Oil Painters of America National Juried Ehibition of Traditional Oils held at Insight Gallery in Fredricksbury, Tx. What an honor! Such interesting subject matter, it makes you want to know more… what are the costumes for? Who is wearing them? This painting is by artist Pauline Roche. She has done several with a costume theme and they are utterly spectacular! Check out her work… beautiful!

Here’s a blip about Pauline from her website, its impressive… click HERE to read more:

Pauline Roche was born in London but grew up in Australia from the age of seven. In 1995 she moved to the United States. She lived for a number of years in Boston, and also in Tucson, Arizona, and has recently settled in San Diego, California with her husband and two children.

Pauline’s work has won a number of awards in juried exhibitions, including the Gold Medal of Honor at the Audubon Artists Annual exhibition, New York and others in exhibitions at the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, the Salmagundi Club and the American Artists Professional League, New York.  Her work was selected as a Top 100 Finalist in the Art Renewal Center’s International ARC Salon (2007 and in 2011-2012). Recently she received an Award for Artistic Excellence from Southwest Art magazine (2012) and won 2nd Prize in The Artist’s Magazine 29th Annual Art Competition (2012).

 She is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who of American Women. A feature article on Pauline’s work and technique, ‘Contemplating the Past, Painting the Present’ appeared in American Artist magazine (May 2007).

Pauline’s figurative pieces usually portray people in distinctive settings. She loves to capture the unique gestures of people in quiet contemplation and reveal a connection between the people and their surroundings. In particular, she looks for connections between her figures and art. Museum settings with paintings and sculpture, historical buildings with grand architecture, people involved in dance and musical performance are consistent themes in her figurative work. In addition to her figurative work, Pauline paints still life, and plein air landscapes. She believes in continually painting a variety of subject matter, enjoying the varied challenges and stimulation that different subjects offer.

 Pauline’s early art training was in the studios of practicing artists in Australia, where she received extensive training in traditional painting. Her subsequent art education has included studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston and The Florence Academy of Art, Italy.

 Pauline has exhibited her work annually in Boston since 1998 and has also continued to exhibit in Australia where she was the recipient of a coveted prize for oil painting in the prestigious national juried exhibition, The A.M.E. Bale Art Awards, known as Australia’s premier awards for traditional realism and figurative art. During her time in Tucson AZ, she was artist in residence at Ventana Medical Systems Inc., where she developed a number of paintings of scientists at work and created a portrait of the founder of the company, which now hangs permanently in the company headquarters.

Image via PaulineRocheFineArt.com

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…     Now this is one door to open!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… Artist to watch… Chris Groves!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Charlie Photo and Update…

Charlie nov09_03

This is the first time that we met Charlie… November 2009… he was scared of people (we were told later)… especially men. Hmmm, not sure what happened to the little guy, but someone didn’t treat him right… He went from this scared little puppy… to this wild little beast in no time!

Charlie in sprinkler

We’re so glad he’s home with us… he’s on the mend! Pancreatitis is a tough thing to watch your dog go through… Scary! Life is good…

Charlie on his way downtown

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…      14th Annual Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational (2012)

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…  Can’t get a good dinner quicker than this!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

[ e v e n t ] Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational – October 13-20, 2013

15th Annual Laguna Plein Air lpa fb

If you are in the Laguna Beach area, this is an event not to be missed! Do you realize how many fabulous artists are going to be in one place painting their hearts out? Lots… this is the LIST OF ARTISTS, and it’s a doozy!

Click here to buy your tickets (for lectures and collector’s party) – I saw some great photo’s on Ken DeWaard’s website, paintings from last year at Laguna as well as images of artist painting, it’ll give you a feel for how fabulous this event is!

Read a little blip from the Laguna Plein Air website:

Each year Laguna Beach, a famous seaside community and historic artist colony, turns into an outdoor studio with the always-exciting Laguna Beach Plein Air Painting Invitational. This event showcases the nation’s top plein air landscape painters who compete for prestigious prizes and participate in the week-long festivities including public paint outs, environmental awareness activities, and educational events.  Culminating with the highly anticipated Collectors’ Party and Public Sale.  Proceeds from this event will benefit Laguna Plein Air Painters Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art organization.

This year the Invitational will be held at the Aliso Creek Inn in the majestic Aliso Canyon – The “Yosemite” of Laguna Beach and the location of the area’s original homestead built by the Thurston family, the ancestors of current Laguna Mayor Kelly Boyd.  This event celebrates the artistic legacy of Laguna Beach.

 IMAGE VIA LAGUNAPLEINAIR.COM

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…      To do in Charleston… CHARLESTON TEA PLANTATION!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…   Artist to watch… Tom Curry!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Update on Charlie…

Image 1
Our visit with Charlie at Vet Hospital in Mt Pleasant. This is the first day that he ate!

Written Wednesday 11:30AM

For those of you who aren’t on Facebook… Charlie has been sick. Very sick. We took him to the emergency vet at 11:30 Saturday night and had to leave him at 2:30 AM, he was such a sick dog… vomiting, weak. He hadn’t gotten in to anything that we could think of. He was his happy self on Friday night, we went to bed and he hopped right in… we all slept. Saturday morning we woke up and normally he runs to his food dish… not this morning. No food. Later in the day he vomited… and that night he started and couldn’t stop… we took him to the er vet, they said he was in pain. Ugh…??? Their thought: Pancreatitis. Normally dogs who are given fatty table scraps are the dogs that get that. Charlie gets very limited table scraps and we don’t eat fatty… he eats mainly frozen green beans, carrots, lettuce and his dog food… but he does get a little smidge of cheese now and then…

They got him through until Monday AM where he was transferred to the Internal Medicine group. They did an ultrasound on him and confirmed pancreatitis. IV fluids, pain meds, anti-nausea meds, Pepcid. He hadn’t eaten since Friday at 3PM… he took his first bite, yesterday (Oct 8/Tuesday). He seemed so great when we saw him yesterday, a big difference from the night before. They’ve done an ultrasound each day, and the vet noticed that the lymph node near the pancreas is getting larger each day… not good. We just got the pathology report back and it showed no cancer cells! However, she said that cancer cannot be ruled out, so he will still be monitored and if the lymph node doesn’t start getting smaller then they will biopsy it.

Image 2

We let him know that his future diet would consist of low fat food, and he is ok with that…

He had a slight fever last night, but is otherwise doing great. Because of the fever we can’t bring him home this morning… We call at 3PM today (Wed) to see if we can pick him up!

LIFE IS GOOD!
LIFE IS GOOD!

WRITTEN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013  7:30AM

UPDATE: Charlie came home yesterday (WED 10/09) We all camped in the living room and he did well, he is eating on his own this morning (YAY!!) got all his meds and can feel all your well wishes!

WRITTEN THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2013  8PM

Charlie had a good first full day home! This morning he woke up raring to eat which was fabulous… then he kind of fizzled a little… no fever YAY! He rested all day and was very perky by evening… he’s now curled up sleeping unless someone walks down the street… then he needs to check things out, then goes back to sleep… he’s a happy little beast!

Thank you so much for all your good thoughts, prayers, vibes and anything else you’ve got! You’re all the best!

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…       Featured Artist… David Kasman!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…   Meatless Monday: Martha’s Tomato, Basil and White Bean Salad

Catch you back here tomorrow!

[featured artist]: Janet Ledoux!

"Jackie's Washday" by Janet Ledoux image: JanetLedoux.com
“Jackie’s Washday” by Janet Ledoux
image: JanetLedoux.com

I love this painting! It reminds me of an area on Monhegan where there are always colorful clothes or towels hanging on a line amidst beautiful flowers… what nice work by artist Janet Ledoux! I remember one of the first few paintings I tackled on Monhegan one year involved a clothesline… if memory serves me correctly that was the only part of the painting that I liked, ha ha… this is wonderful in every way. Janet captured a delightful scene… she also captured the movement, I swear I just felt the wind! Nice job, great work… with a touch of Sovek to it. Check out Janet’s website!

Read a blip about Janet from the Isalos Fine Art website:

After a career as an award-winning illustrator and art director, Janet Ledoux turned to full-time painting in 2000, working on the Maine coast and exhibiting her paintings, collages, drawings and monotypes in numerous venues. A graduate of the Paier College of Art, Ledoux is an elected member of the Ogunquit Arts Association and a recipient of a fellowship at the Vermont  Studio Center. She regularly paints in Stonington.

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…  TREATS of Maine located in Wiscasset. It’s a tradition!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… The magnificent homes on the West Bluff, Mackinac Island, MI

Catch you back here tomorrow!

[ r e s t a u r a u n t ] E V O P I Z Z A !

I wish I could give credit to whoever snapped this photo, pretty darn cool, huh! EVO Pizzeria Facebook
I wish I could give credit to whoever snapped this photo, pretty darn cool, huh?    EVO Pizzeria Facebook

WHAT A COOL PLACE! If you haven’t been to EVO Pizza (Extra Virgin Oven), you must go! I cannot wait to go back! We went with some friends and had the absolute best pizza and salad ever! Everything was top notch… The Farmer’s salad was so fresh, the roasted corn was delightful and the dressing was out of this world… We split the Margherita pizza and I have to say it’s the best we’ve ever had. Does TO DIE FOR explain how wonderful? I was so excited when the food came that I forgot to take a photo… that’s too sad, but it’s also a good reason to go back! Even the tea was remarkably good…  No bitter taste, just pure delight!

We also went to the EVO bakery located behind the restaurant… the best looking breads you’ve ever seen! We bought a loaf of bread and a few chocolate chip cookies that were the best… just like the kind you make without all the mess! That night I made a pot of soup and had a slice of bread… heavenly!! Not expensive… better than any store bought bread could ever be!

Here is a little blip about the restaurant from their website:

About Extra Virgin Oven, LLC:

In 2005, Ricky Hacker and Matt McIntosh wheeled a cart into the Charleston Farmer’s Market, built a fire, assembled an array of ingredients: handmade dough, homemade sauce, hand-pulled mozzarella and the freshest local produce. The result seemed simple enough: Extra Virgin Oven: fresh, honest, uncomplicated Neapolitan pizza. The line in front of the pizza cart grew longer…and longer. What was happening was delicious – and different.

EVO began as a family business in 2005 baking pizzas on a mobile wood-fired oven for farmers’ markets and catering.  In 2007, we opened our restaurant in lovely Park Circle to further pursue our passion with fresh, local, house-made, uncomplicated food.  We’ve been passionate about supporting local farmers and visiting farms since 2005 and continue to work closely with our local producers.

In addition to pizza, Extra Virgin Oven serves an array of homemade soups, salads, cured meats and paninis on artisan breads, fresh from our wood-fired oven. Artisan beers and distinctive wines are the perfect complement to our honest food.

We make our own quality ingredients in house with the freshest local produce and meat available. We prepare and pull our own mozzarella twice daily, as well as make our pizza dough twice a day; we bake our own breads in our wood-fired oven; we slowly cook our sauces and soups daily; we make our house-made sweet sausage daily; our aioli is hand-made each day; our dressings our house-made, not from a jar.  We believe it’s our job to let the essence of each ingredient speak for itself and know you will taste the difference.

Wow… after reading that you see that their food is REAL… it’s homemade and I swear you can tell the difference! EVO is located in the Park Circle area of North Charleston, SC, a very cool spot! – Check out their MENU!

There has been a lot of great press about this restaurant! I’m telling you, if you haven’t been… I would high tail it over there!!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…      Christopher Columbus… 1492!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…  Homes on the East Bluff, Mackinac Island, MI

October 7th… the 280th day of the year… and…

100_1864

I would like to dedicate this post to my mom… have I mentioned I have an uber cool mom? Actually, I’m very fortunate that both of my parents are really happening… they’re actually FUN to be around.

Well, today is my mom’s birthday!

H A P P Y   B I R T H D A Y   M O M ! ! !

Now that the weather is getting cooler in your neck of the woods, you need to come back to visit for some of this…

DSCN2010

and this…

Poe's Tavern!

and this!

DSCN2000

Wishing you the best birthday EVER!! Love you so much! xxoo, me!

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…     How did I get so lucky? (Mom’s birthday from a year ago)

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… Happy Birthday Mom!

A tad fickle?

IMG-20120922-02033

I love this cool building located in Wiscasset, Maine. I would like to live there! Right in the heart of town, a short walk to Treats for a chat and a cup of soup, a tasty sandwich and maybe a treat or two!

This is currently a business, but would make one heck of a house! Do you ever have dreams of packing up and moving on? We are usually ready to jump ship in the heat of the summer… swearing that we’ll move to Maine soon! Then winter comes and the weather is beautiful and we say to ourselves… HOW could we ever leave THIS? A tad fickle perhaps?

Catch you back here tomorrow!

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…     Photo weekend: Charleston… A walk downtown…

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… Coming Soon, the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure – Daniel Island SC (2011)

[ f e a t u r e d a r t i s t ]: H e n r y I s a a c s !

"Islesford Village" by Henry Isaacs
“Islesford Village” by Henry Isaacs

You can spot a piece of Henry Isaacs work a long distance away. With all the fabulous artists in the world its pretty cool when an artist develops a style that’s quite different and recognizable. Henry has done just that! Isn’t this piece wonderful? Henry has an amazing website, take the time to check it out!

Gleason Fine Art has an opening reception this evening from 5-8PM featuring Henry’s new work. If you’re in the Portland, Maine area stop in and check it out. If you’re no where near Portland… check it out via their website! Henry Isaacs exhibit runs through November 30, 2013, catch it if you can! This is going to be an amazing show!

Read a bit about Henry from the Gleason Fine Art website:

Cranberry Island artist Henry Isaacs paints with energy, passion, and self-assurance. His style—broken brushwork and a palette of delicate blues, greens, pinks, and yellows—marks him as one of the most recognizable artists painting in Maine today. In person, Isaacs is as engaging an individual as you will ever meet. He is both worldly and down to earth, both witty and self-effacing, generous with his time, and passionate about the dangers of the art world’s becoming overly commercialized.

 Isaacs and his wife Donna live in the village of Islesford on Little Cranberry Island, a small island located near the larger island of Mount Desert. But island living in no way inhibits Isaacs from going wherever he’s asked to paint. Recently, this was a commission to paint on the grounds of a large Namibian estate in southern Africa. “New Work” is Isaacs’ first one-person show in Portland, and for this special occasion, he has presented the gallery with nearly 20 paintings, some of very large in scale.

 Isaacs has had a varied and impressive education, including the Slade School of Art in London, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the Putney School in Vermont.  Isaacs’ teaching career is even more impressive and varied, with stints teaching anatomical drawing at Dartmouth, drawing and painting at the Massachusetts College of Art, and drawing at several European colleges.

 Freelance writer, and Portland Newspapers arts reviewer, Dan Kany uses high praise to describe Isaacs’ technique: “Isaacs’ approach to color is based in balancing warm and cool tones. He does this brilliantly with his ubiquitous whites and neutrals, and with his brighter colors as well. Like the French Impressionists, he doesn’t use black. [Isaacs’] handling of paint owes an unapologetic debt to the chunky boldness of the early 20thcentury Modernists and Fauves. The brushwork is strong, but primarily dedicated to the job of pushing paint around the canvas—an activity Isaacs clearly enjoys.”

 “Henry Isaacs: New Work” opens October 4 and runs through November 30.  Please join us Friday, October 4, from 5 to 8 pm to meet Henry Isaacs.  For more information, call the gallery at 207-699-5599, email us at info@gleasonfineart.com, or check out our website gleasonfineart.com. Gleason Fine Art, Portland, is located at 545 Congress Street.  Gallery hours are Wednesday – Friday, 11 am–6 pm; Saturday, 11 am–5 pm.

 Image: GleasonFineArt.com

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…       39 Rue de Jean, a fabulous Charleston restaurant!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…   Artist to watch… Betty Anglin Smith! October Skies Show (2011)

Catch you back here tomorrow!

[ h o u s e p l a n ]: Bay Point Cottage – Allison Ramsey Architects

HP- Allison Ramsey Bay Point Cottage 2 ara

I would like to start by saying that Allison Ramsey Architects are brilliant. Their website is over the top fabulous for those of you thinking of building a home one day. They provide so much information, photos, links… You MUST check out their site… amazing is all I can say! AllisonRamseyArchitects.com –  I would also like to thank them for use of their images… This house was built in Beaufort, SC and images of the interior are on their site at AllisonRamseyArchitects.smugmug.com. Wow, does it help to see actual images of the inside of this house. Not everyone is good at picturing the floor plan in their mind.

The windows upstairs make this the most charming house ever! I love how they open out, just like the old cottages that you see that are in pristine condition. It isn’t easy to tell if this house is old or new. It has wonderful detail and charm, something missing in a lot of today’s house plans. The Bay Point Cottage is a clear winner! It boasts a heavenly porch, screened porch, Master bedroom downstairs, and an open plan in terms of the kitchen, great room and eating area. I’m not at all concerned about having a formal dining room. It’s not a priority to me… we would rarely use it. We can always repurpose a room when the need arises instead of being saddled with an unused dining room all year long (if it’s not your thing).

Bay Point Cottage Allison Ramsey ara

This floor plan is roughly 2300 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. It is in Allison Ramsey’s “Carolina Inspiration Book I” Page 35 (C0058).

Contact the architects at info@allisonramseyarchitect.com or 843.986.0559 to verify square footage, house dimensions and additional information or to purchase a set of plans. Their house plans show how their attention to detail time after time makes them a great architect to choose!

AllisonRamsey BayPoint Upstairs ara

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…      Featured Artist… Robert Norieka!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O…  A Stay at the Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island, MI = HEAVEN!

[ f e a t u r e d a r t i s t ]: T o m P e r k i n s o n !

Distant Snowfall by Tom Perkinson
Distant Snowfall by Tom Perkinson
10×10 oil on panel

Tom Perkinson’s paintings are magical. Each one has an element that takes it over the top. The texture in this painting is amazing… and that orange… ahhhh, that orange is the part that takes it over the top for me, well, that and the clouds… I love how that wonderful orange light is reflected in the sky a bit. This is such a striking painting!

Norman Kolpas from Southwest Art featured a fabulous article about Tom this month, it’s a good read!

Moonlight, New Mexico by Tom Perkinson
Moonlight, New Mexico by Tom Perkinson
Watercolor/mixed Media 28×38

To me, this painting is magical. The full moon, the moonlight reflecting on the tops of the clouds,  the small cabin with the smoke billowing out of the chimney just makes me really wish I was there… hunkered down with some great food, a bottle of wine or two and a book… and of course Fred! It would be worth staying up to watch the moon until it faded away.

It was really exciting to run across Tom’s work, I’m a forever fan!

Read a bit about Tom from his website:

Tom Perkinson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1940. He was raised in the country, and developed a love for the natural landscape. He discovered that he had a talent for art while in elementary school. Art quickly became his chosen passion. During high school he studied at John Herron Institute of Art in Indianapolis. After high school, he studied at the Chicago Academy of Art.

He left Indiana to pursue an undergraduate degree in Oklahoma. Each year while attending the university, he was invited to stage an annual exhibit of his work. His early work focused on the landscape, but also included still lifes and city scenes. At that time, his favorite artists were the early American painters, like Homer, Sergeant, William Merrit Chase, Potthast, and the painters of the Boston School. Particularly influential to him were the early painters of southern Indiana who painted the landscape in which he grew up; painters like T. C. Steele, Vawter, Schultze, and Forsythe.

After graduating, he moved to New Mexico to pursue his Master’s Degree in Fine Arts at the University of New Mexico. During graduate school, he was creating large-scale works that had a foundation in Surrealism, using detailed and highly rendered images. But he still continued to paint the landscape, which now reflected his new fascination with the southwestern landscape. He found that the drama of light and shadow, and the mystery that characterizes the New Mexico landscape held great appeal to him. He recognized that he had found an infinite source of inspiration in the panorama of the southwest landscape.

He taught art at the University of New Mexico for two years after receiving his Master’s Degree. In 1970, he committed his life to painting full time. His work is included in private and public collections across the globe, and he is represented in the collections of many museums, including the Museum of New Mexico, Santa Fe; the University Art Museum, Albuquerque; and the Eiteljorg Museum of Western Art in Indianapolis. He has lived in Corrales, New Mexico for over twenty years. His work is included in the May 2006 book titled “Landscapes of New Mexico, Paintings From the Land of Enchantment”, authors Suzan Campbell and Suzanne Deats, published by Fresco Fine Art Publications LLC.

All images via TomPerkinson.com

F L A S H B A C K

O N E   Y E A R   A G O…  The Laura B – Monhegan Bound!

T W O   Y E A R S   A G O… Sunset on Mackinac Island!

Catch you back here tomorrow!