Day in Vermont

I had the privilege and honor of spending this past Monday up in Vermont with some great painters (and ticks, mosquitoes, and black flies).

I joined Daniel Keys, Michelle Dunaway, and Putney Painters: Rosemary Ladd, John Smith, and Lori Woodward Simons in the town of Ludlow to paint an amazing apple tree in bloom, and then later in the day, a picture perfect farm (with clothes on the line!). Throw in a little lunch and antiquing for future still life elements, and it was just about a perfect art day.

Daniel Keys was up giving a workshop at the Village Arts of Putney, and from what I heard and saw, anyone would benefit from the insights and techniques of quite possibly the next big "master". Keep an eye on this guy . . . his amazing still life's are just the beginning.

Michelle Dunaway was most recently a finalist at the Portrait Society of America's annual competition, and her body of work is truly some great inspiration for me (and for you) as I try and focus on more figurative works. (that's Rosemary Ladd standing next to Michelle above)

Above is all of us lined up along the road painting the large apple tree, and below are the two studies that I painted (about an hour and a half each), definitely rough and not frame worthy, but hopefully they are either a good start or color reference for some final paintings.