Impressive isn’t it? Loose and fabulous! Look. At. Those. Eyes. Don’t they just draw you in? Don’t you wonder what she’s thinking? There is a story here, what is it? It’s fabulous when a painting can keep you locked in so your eye doesn’t just wander outside of the painting. This guys work is amazing! He has wild and fabulous brush strokes… and… you should see his portraits! Unbelievable! Paul Wright is an artist from the UK who’s work is wildly popular! There is a great article to read by Darryl McCarthy – it gives you a bit of a glimpse more about the artist… an excellent read!
This is the opening image on his website (as I write this)… I encourage you to check out Paul’s work, it’s amazing!
After training as an Illustrator, I have spent the last 14 years developing a painterly language through which I seek to capture a vitality beyond the establishment of a mere ‘likeness’ to the subject. Whilst I appreciate the importance of the individual being recognisable, the subjects are glimpsed rather than exposed, their inner selves hinted at but ultimately inscrutable.
Though I often work on a large, potentially imposing scale, the work remains approachable through fluency of brush mark and a rich palette. The spaces the subjects inhabit are often indeterminate, providing an atmosphere that allows for ambiguity of psychological state. The subjects retain their integrity and yet a sense of intimacy is evoked
Just look at these coastal landscapes. Pretty fabulous right? Artist Dru Warmath is known for her abstract work. Her abstracts differ from others because she paints abstract landscapes which makes them so interesting. Now is the time to purchase one of her paintings, she is still reasonably priced (very!), but her prices are going to be increasing soon, so if you’re thinking about it… now is the time! These paintings, along with others are available in Charleston, SC at Galerie on Broad. If you’re in the area, check them out in person. They are large impressive pieces (40×40). They make a statement for sure!
Charlotte, North Carolina artist Dru Scott Warmath has been a full-time, professional artist since 1990. Her artwork has won major awards in numerous regional and national shows. She is an elected member of the National Watercolor Society. Warmath employs an interesting division of space and odd, personal shapes to carry highly sophisticated color relationships in her paintings.
This painting has such a nice autumn feel to it. I feel like I could be driving down this road on the way to the cider mill to get some wonderful crisp apples, a glass of cider and one of those wonderful little cinnamon sugar doughnuts to go with it. All that happiness squeezed in to this painting and no calories! I could look at this painting all day… the wonderful warm colors, the shadow and light, the distance that you feel… nice! This painting is at ART ON THE BOULEVARD in downtown Vancouver, WA. There is a first Friday reception November 1, 2013 from 5-9PM. If you’re in the area check it out, otherwise check out Romona’s website!
Romona likes to trick the eye, using muted colors and blurred contours painted as softly as a whisper. But in reality her canvasses are a war zone and her weapons of choice-sand paper, ends of brushes, rags and anything unconventional she can employ in battle. She knows the skirmish is over when the painting has the power to speak directly to the viewer. When an onlooker can not resist stepping into her world full of atmosphere, mystery and a mood that takes you back to days gone by, she knows the battle has been won.
Her studio is tucked away in the lush Red Hills of Dundee Oregon, overlooking flourishing vineyards and breathtaking landscapes. Much of her inspiration comes from her surroundings-be it a weathered farmhouse, an ancient alder standing alone in resplendent autumn hues, or a muted meadow that pulls one’s thoughts to a conscious digression.
Self taught with nature as her classroom and the great masters her teachers, she knew at age four that painting would be her calling. Today you’ll find her paintings as far away as Germany, London and downtown Manhattan. Her works have been published in the premier art magazines including Southwest Art, American Art Collector and Art Talk.
Such bright vivid colors make Lynn’s work so happy to look at! These chickens have ATTITUDE! Lynn captured the light perfectly… this is a great painting!
This painting was accepted into the American Impressionist Society’s 2013 show held at M Gallery of Fine Art (soon to be named Principle Gallery). Fine work indeed! If you’re in the Charleston, SC area, you can still see this painting, the show runs through October 30, 2013!
Everything we do through out our day influences our moods and actions. Viewing art can set the tune for an entire day. I believe that people should surround themselves with art that makes them feel good and emits positive energy. A good piece of art can take us out of ourselves and transport us to a different season, place or time.
Landscapes and color are my passion. I travel the back roads looking for new places to paint. One of my favorite things to do is to hike in the woods. The forest surrounds me, holds me, and envelops me. Standing amidst the encompassing forest trees is an awe-inspiring experience, bringing me closer to my higher power. When I paint the landscape, I hope to create a scene that one can walk into and feel. Feel the light, feel the dimensionality and the universality of nature. The hues I see are intriguing, and it seems like the harder I look, the more colors I see.
Eventually the high wears off and I go back to my studio and paint.
After graduating from Purdue University, I was an advertising art director for many years before picking up a paintbrush. Painting has been therapeutic to me in dealing with the loss of my son to childhood cancer. I donate a portion of my proceeds from the sale of each painting to Childhood Cancer Research.
Over the past few years, I have been lucky enough to study with Wolf Kahn in Vermont, Skip Whitcomb in Colorado and Michael Carter in Kentucky. I was honored to be one of the featured artists in the book “Painting Indiana ll” published by Indiana University Press.
Daniel Aldana has a fabulous style. I love his loose textured brush strokes as well as every subject matter he paints. This guy is good. I love his story, as told by Roger’s Gardens Fine Art Gallery. It shows how strong a passion for art can be. I think it’s great that he followed what he really felt in his heart… I think this is a good reminder to us all to be passionate about what we choose to do in life if at all possible!
That yellow light against the darkness of the house is stunning! It wasn’t easy to only pick a few, so be sure to check his website out for yourself!
The Morning Heat by Daniel Aldana
Another nice painting! Can’t you just feel the warmth from the sun? Lovely in every way! Be sure to check out Daniel’s blog, its wonderful!
Daniel Aldana is an early career artist living in Southern California. He has had a lifelong love of art and like many artists, spent his childhood drawing. After high school he attended a small liberal arts college and majored in art. His primary interest was art history and figure drawing. Unlike many artists, he then decided to go to medical school.
He attended Yale School of Medicine (1989-1993), which gave him ready access to a large Art school where he took classes between his medical studies, and to New York City with its art collections.
He began to paint during his internship, the first year of a three-year specialty training in pediatrics, and would paint when he had a chance (despite work weeks that sometimes stretched more than 100 hours).
After specializing in pediatrics at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital, he taught hospital management of children and evaluation and management of child abuse victims. His academic and patient-care activities left little time for painting, and when he married and had his first child, he found that the time with his family was also getting squeezed.
With the support of his wife he began a plan to leave his practice of medicine and become a full time artist. In the spring of 2005, he took a plein air painting class and became enamored with the challenges and opportunities of painting outside and realized that it afforded a setting to grow as a painter. That summer he began to paint full time.
Since that time Daniel has become a Signature Member of Laguna Plein Air Painters, received numerous awards and has become one of the leading plein air painters in the region. Daniel is one of the permanent artists on display throughout the year at Roger’s Gardens Fine Art Gallery.
Robert (Bob) LaDuke has some of the coolest art… what an imagination! Fun, happy, wonderful work that truly makes you smile! Check out his website for more information…
Painting by Robert LaDuke
This is another fabulous painting… it just feels like a good old fashioned happy home to me, complete with a full moon, lights on inside the house, cool old car, fabulous tree… I love this painting… and did you notice Bob’s signature… way cool!
Painting by Robert LaDuke – Daily Paintworks…
Robert also paints some fabulous smaller paintings that can be purchased through Daily Paintworks – Robert LaDuke, these paintings have so much character and they are FABULOUS! Most are sold, so don’t hesitate if you really love a piece!
Robert LaDuke’s paintings are identifiable for their crisp, clean style and colorfull scenes. Painting professionally for over 20 years, he began his journey as an artist by attending the School of Art Institute in Chicago. He received the Presidential Scholarship to attend.
His first gallery show was in 1996 at Mendenhall Gallery in Pasadena, CA and he has been showing his work ever since.
Meet Gus… a sweetie, right? Just look at those soulful eyes… this little painting caught my eye… If you haven’t checked out Margaret’s work, you just may want to! I love how she has a little description about each painting. That makes it so interesting.
Little Chickadee by Margaret Sheldon
This little chickadee painting is sweet and looks like it could be made in to wallpaper. Wouldn’t it be pretty in a powder room? Margaret paints just about everything, which really makes it fun!
Born in NYC, I studied Fine Arts at St. John’s University. There I had the privilege of studying with the brilliant and talented Claude Ponsot, beret and all. After graduating with honors and a BFA in Painting, I continued my education studying Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI. But after many years as an architect and designer, my love of oil painting resurfaced and has led me back to the easel. Where I intend to stay put.
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
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!
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.
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 TraditionalOils 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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
Apple and Angel by Ann Gesinger [image: DowlingWalsh.com]AMAZING paintings by artist Ann Getsinger, I’m telling you each one is so intriguing! Ann’s show opens this Friday, October 4th, 2013 at Dowling Walsh Gallery in Rockland, Maine. It is one spectacular show! If you can’t make it to the show be sure to check out their website!
How creative is this painting? You see the angel… and the apple… the fabulous trees, the moonlit water, the rocky coast… what’s not to love about this?
Ann Getsinger grew up in Watertown, Connecticut, studied in San Francisco and has spent most of her life either in the Berkshire Hills of far western Massachusetts or in coastal Maine.
The youngest of five in a creative household, as a child she often spent time either at the dairy farm next door or in the surrounding woods where natures creativity influenced her powerfully. After attending Paier School of art in New Haven, CT, and the San Francisco Art Institute, she settled permanently in western Massachusetts where she studied with realist artist Sheldon Fink.
The coast of Maine has been a lifelong love beginning with family vacations as a child and now continuing in her family’s home near Port Clyde. The experiences of sea and shore, along with views of Mosquito Island and Head , have been incorporated into Ann’s work countless times in all weather, seasons and circumstances. From the age of twelve, exposure to the artwork seen in the nearby Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, Maine, especially the work of the Wyeth family, has been pivotal.
The artists’ home and studio, since 1988, is in the rural Berkshire town of New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Ann’s oil paintings have been exhibited in museums and galleries and hang in hundreds of homes.
“Trunks and Sky in Winter” by David Grossmann [image: Abend Gallery]This is not a pretty painting… David will know that I’ve read his NEWS page “What not to say to an artist”. It made me smile. This isn’t a pretty painting, no… that’s not how I would describe it. A brilliant painting? A unique perspective that I absolutely adore, something fresh and different, that’s how I would describe this painting. I enjoy David’s style, very nice!
Read a blip about David from his oh so nice website(and be sure to check out his NEWS page, its fabulous!):
Art has been a constant presence in David Grossmann’s life. Drawing was his favorite activity as a child, so he spent much of the time exploring his imagination through pencil and paper. David’s family consistently encouraged his love of art, and some of his first art lessons were from his grandmother, who taught him to use oil paints when he was ten years old.
A love of the outdoors has also been a life-long companion for David. He lived in Chile until he was fourteen, and the towering Andes, the vast ocean, the barren deserts, and fertile valleys shaped his appreciation for the beauty of nature. When he left Chile and moved to Colorado, the majesty of the Rocky Mountains brought a touch of familiarity through the time of transition and culture shock. At that point, David continued to study art and also began taking art-related jobs, including painting commissions and a series of illustrations for a publishing company.
While still in high school, David studied drawing with artist Valorie Snyder. He went on to earn degrees in business and Spanish, and then attended a classically-based art academy in Boulder. It was at the academy that David had his first class in plein air (outdoor) painting. He responded immediately to the challenges of this new method and the way it fit perfectly with his love for the outdoors. David’s dedication to landscape painting kept growing, eventually leading him to study with renowned artist Jay Moore.
Since then, David’s work has been included in many exhibitions, including national shows sponsored by Oil Painters of America, The American Impressionist Society, and Salon International. Southwest Art Magazine featured him as one of their “Artists to Watch,” and David’s work has also been included in Plein Air Magazine and American Art Collector Magazine. In her description of his work, acclaimed artist Nancy Guzik said that he “goes beyond his paint by bringing a sensitivity that appears to be magic.”
David continues to find inspiration from all over Colorado, the western United States, and wherever else his travels may take him. His adventures have spread from Patagonia, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Central America. No matter what location inspires his work, David’s paintings are noted for their understated sense of tranquility: “I like to think of my paintings as prayers and as visual poems. They are simplified rhythms of color, light, and shape. On the surface they are quiet whispers, but I hope that they convey a depth of emotion to anyone who takes the time to stop and listen.”
Jon Redmond has been described as a “poet of light and shadow” and I would say that’s a pretty accurate description. This guy’s work is absolutely out-there-amazing! The way Jon can simplify a scene, quite like Edward Hopper, keeps his paintings contemporary and unique in style. Each and every one of his paintings is unreal! This is only one of the paintings that Jon is exhibiting at the Somerville Manning Gallery located in Greenville, DE. There are so many wonderful paintings it was difficult to choose only one! If you’re anywhere near Greenville, DE, make your way to his show if at all possible! The opening reception is Friday (today!!) and the show runs through October 12, 2013. If you aren’t in the area, then check out Jon’s work on the gallery’s website!
“Jon Redmond is a poet of light and shadow, whose paintings reflect a range from the clarity of Vermeer to the palette of an impressionist. He is a master at capturing the natural beauty and wonder of the Brandywine Valley, and he has also encompassed the essence of landmarks and scenery he has encountered in his travels to Philadelphia and Maine”