Portfolio
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St. Francis Xavier – 12x9
This tiny church in 'Chippewa City' on the edge of Grand Marais is not only a simple country church – it is simply beautiful inside. And the childhood home of the famous (native Ojibwe) artist George Morrison. I only had a short amount of time to sketch and paint this interior view, so it's a little rough and ready. But so is the actual interior!
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Forming Loaves - 24x30
The joy of baking bread – at Great Harvest, my favorite bread shop in Duluth. See the News page on this website.
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A Clear View - 16x12
A clear view across the Glensheen Historic Estate toward Chester Congdon's boat house.
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Minnesota Slip - 14x11
Painted during a rough weather day of the Duluth Plein Air festival, along Minnesota Slip.
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El Galeon - 16x12
A faithful replica of a Sixteenth Century Spanish Galeon docked in Duluth Harbor during the 2016 Tall Ships festival.
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Leonora The Llama - 8x10
How long will a llama sit to have her portrait painted? Just long enough, it seems. Painted on location at the Lake Superior Zoo.
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Middletown at M - 16x20
The American Victory (former Middletown) sitting unused at Elevator M in Superior, Wisconsin.
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Twelve Ton Duck - 14x11
Inflatable, adorable, and weighing in at 12 tons, this 'world's largest' rubby ducky delighted tens of thousands visitors in Duluth Harbor -- as well as this plein air painter.
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113 Years And Counting - 12x16
That's the J.B. Ford -- built in 1903 -- waiting to be scrapped, but in no hurry to die.
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Harley's World - 12x16
A Purchase Award selection at the 2015 Grand Marais Plein Air Competition and Exhibition.
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Street Artist at Night - 24x30
A Florentine artist creates a new work in the evening, which will be washed away in the morning by street cleaners.
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I Love Duluth - 11x14
One of four metal fish sculptures protecting Duluth's infamous blue Minnesota Slip Bridge.
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Printmaking - Studio oil painting, 16x20
That's Jerry Riach, a seasoned printmaker, working away in the Print Studio at the Grand Marais Art Colony – a center for fine arts education and exhibitions since 1947.
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Turning Bowls - Studio oil painting, 18x24
The North House Folk School in Grand Marais seems to have a daily blur of craft and artisan activity. Wood turning is one such example.
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Bartholdi Fountain - Studio oil painting, 16x12
This elaborate fountain – donated by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, designer and sculptor of the famous Statue of Liberty – reminds me of fountain scenes painted by John Singer Sargent in Italy.
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Doing A Painting - Studio oil painting, 18x24
The setting is in Leif Ericson Park in Duluth – depicting the act of an artist painting en plein air. This painting received the "People's Choice Award" at the annual Members Show of the Duluth Art Institute (see News page).
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Hanging Art in the Met - Studio oil painting, 18x24
One moment, a blank space on the gallery wall... the next moment, two stealthy curatorial assistants remount a painting for public viewing – at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
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LaFarge Reworked - Plein air painting, 11x14
Now the site of the new Pier B Resort hotel and marina, the Lafarge Cement Terminal was once an industrial landmark of Duluth.
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Misty Mountain Top - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
A cold, windy and drizzly day at Lake of the Clouds in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park of Michigan. The day was documented in the local media world (see News page).
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Serpentine Valley - Plein air oil painting, 11x14
A favorite serpentine scene in the Flat Tops Wilderness of Colorado.
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Bullers Island - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
The coastal landscape along Canada's half of Lake Superior is rugged and composed of magnificent wilderness. Bullers Bay is a particularly favorite spot for me.
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They Come From Montreal - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
Within Grand Portage National Monument are a series of reconstructed settings that depict life during the voyageur days. This scarecrow stands guard next to a summer kitchen garden. This painting was a Finalist – Second Place – in the 2014 Red Suspender Invitational (see News page).
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Visit Duluth - Plein air oil painting, 11x14
One of three brilliant lighthouses that mark Duluth's iconic and historic ship canal.
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Summer Porch - Plein air oil painting, 16x20
Painted on location at Glensheen Historic Estate. The beautiful west porch of the mansion was a favorite hangout of the Congdon family.
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Friday Night - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
What better to do on a Friday night in Grand Marais than to wash your car! ... and to paint a nocturne. This painting was an advancing entry in the 2014 Red Suspender Invitational (see News page).
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Pointe Aux Chapeaux - Plein air oil painting, 11x14
Hat Point, just up the shore from Grand Portage National Monument, was named by the merchants and voyageurs of the historic fur trade during the Eighteenth Century across the lakes country of North America.
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Painting in Spring - Studio oil painting, 16x20
The first in a series of paintings based on the theme of "DOing". This is my friend Kevin working on one of his first ever plein air paintings... and appropriately dressed for the weather.
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Open til 9pm - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
The Blue Water Cafe in Grand Marais ... shortly before closing time.
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In the Parlor at Glensheen - Direct oil painting, 16x12
The first canvas in a series of 'Inside Glensheen' paintings; scenes from within the Glensheen Historic Estate in Duluth, Minnesota.
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Marjorie's Favorite Corner - Direct oil painting, 20x16
The second canvas in a series of 'Inside Glensheen' paintings; painted on location within the Glensheen Historic Estate. Marjorie Congdon had a most beautiful bedroom, with a perfect corner for reading or simply enjoying the sun through the windows.
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Painting in the Library - Direct oil painting, 16x20
A third canvas in a series of 'Inside Glensheen' paintings; painted on location within the Glensheen Historic Estate. The library at Glensheen is not only filled with well-read books, the room is filled with great paintings and, for a time, this painter.
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The Fish House Replica - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
In Grand Marais, Minnesota there's a tiny fish house museum. If you look through the doorway you'll see Woolrich-clad mannequins filleting wooden fish. I love it!
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Twilight Enger Tower - Plein air oil painting, 16x12
Enger Tower, high on the great hill overlooking Duluth, has a vibrant green beacon. This painter, perhaps like a moth, was mesmerized by its luminous call to paint.
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Final Days - Plein air oil painting, 16x20
I love this painting. The Lafarge (Portland) Cement Terminal is slated for possible demolition or as a renovated landmark and part of a new hotel, marina and convention center. Either way, I will miss this down ‘n dirty (and colorful) landscape.
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Waiting All Year For This - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
It takes a while for summer to heat up the near shore waters of Lake Superior and the beach on Park Point in Duluth – but it’s well worth the wait. Residents and visitors alike enjoy beachgoing on a daily basis – for as long as they can.
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Elevator A - Plein air oil painting, 20x16
Industrial scenes in Duluth offer endless possibilities for a plein air artist. It’s only a grain elevator, but I think this General Mills landmark to commerce is as interesting of an example of architecture as any skyscraper in New York or Chicago.
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The Blue Heron Waits - Plein air oil painting, 16x12
She was only parked here for an hour or so when I set up my easel, but the Blue Heron captain and crew waited for me to finish the painting before casting off.
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Parked Cars - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
The sign says 'no parking' but these colorful, almost play-toy-like railroad cars along Railroad Street in Duluth beg to differ.
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Good Morning, William A. Irvin - Plein air oil painting, 16x12
A floating museum and a living snapshot of Great Lakes shipping, the William A. Irvin ore carrier sits handsomely in the Minnesota Slip in Duluth Harbor.
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Fitgers by Night - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
An 1885 renovated brewery located on the shore of Lake Superior, Fitger's is an historic Duluth landmark enjoyed both by day and by night. This was painted on a hot, steamy night in July.
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Sturgeon Fountain - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
The Fountain of the Wind sculpted by Doug Freeman is a uniquely inspiring public fountain found in Duluth's Canal Park... complete with a floating sea nymph and spitting sturgeons. It's engaging from all angles and at all times of day.
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Glensheen Fountain - Plein air oil painting, 16x12
I love to visit the formal gardens at the historic Glensheen Mansion in Duluth. On the grounds are an endless array of colors and shapes for an artist to consider.
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A Pleasant Path - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
A pleasant path in Lester River Park. The rich, vibrant greens and distinct shadows were stunning... and a joy to paint.
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Winters Night Light - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
A late winter snowstorm with those giant flakes we all love. And heavy snow laden bows -- made even more beautiful at night.
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On the Rocks - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Spring in the Bay of Duluth, with a migrating gull resting on the rocks.
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Time Marches On for The Armory - Plein air oil painting, 16x20
The historic Duluth Armory is coming up on its 100th birthday (2015)... a place of great history and inspiration. Just ask Bob Dylan and he'll tell you why this venue played a significant role in the fostering of his own legacy. Visit http://www.dulutharmory.org/history for more info.
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Of Limestone and Taconite - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
I found the shapes and colors of these grand material stockpiles to be inviting and perfectly beautiful for an oil painting. That limestone pile is pink, green, blue and and a lovely warm gray.
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Flowers for the Artist - Plein air oil painting, 20x16
A gift of flowers to be remembered forever – placed on a Chinese altar table, with a porcelain bowl. I loved painting the light penetrating the closed window blinds as much as I did the flowers.
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Loitering at Bentleyville - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Yes, it was a cold December night when this was painted – but I couldn't resist setting up the easel to capture this prehistoric scene at Duluth's "Bentleyville Tour of Lights" display.
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Albert Woolson - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
Mr. Woolson was the last surviving veteran of the Civil War, who died in 1956 at the age of 109. He was a member of a Minnesota regiment during the war. Another casting of this beautifully sculpted statue can be found at Gettysburg.
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Under the Bridge - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
This is under the bridge at Tischer Creek in Duluth. Fresh melt water produces my favorite color -- Indigo.
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Peace Bell - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Nearly everyone who visits Duluth's Enger Park comes upon this historic Peace Bell located in the park's Japanese Garden – and no one can resist the urge to strike the bell with its wooden log, sending out a deep resonant gong that permeates the air.
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Into the Zirkels - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Traveling into the Mount Zirkel Wilderness in northern Colorado is a special treat at any time of year. Yet, the golden orange aspen trees and ochre colored meadows are especially inviting for a painter.
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Elk River - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
A swirl of late September colors along the Elk River in northern Colorado. The cottonwood trees were colorful magnets for painting.
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Fish Creek Falls - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
Deep in the canyon of Fish Creek Falls, a favorite destination for visitors to Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
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Rainbow Ridge at Buffalo Pass - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Yes, the autumn colors were really this intense at Buffalo Pass, at the southern edge of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Even the locals were commenting they hadn't seen colors this rich in decades.
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Hallett Peak Evening - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Hallett Peak is an iconic mountain that rises high above Bear Lake, in Rocky Mountain National Park. Quickly capturing the evening light in the Rocky Mountains is a dream for any plein air painter.
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A Stairway to Heaven - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
This painting was my Quick Paint entry in the 2012 Grand Marais Plein Air Painting Competition and Exhibition. It depicts a favorite location on the Artists' Point. The act of painting at this location was indeed a spiritual event.
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Closing Time at DQ - Plein air oil painting, 8x10
Out behind the Dairy Queen – late at night – in Grand Marais, Minnesota. This painting received First Place honors (Black Ribbon!) in the Night Paint category of the annual Grand Marais plein air painting festival.
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Croftville Rocks - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
The Lake Superior shoreline community of Croftville – just outside of Grand Marais, Minnesota – is home to this orange lichen covered rocky shore.
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Hidden Valley Gold - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
A late September trip to Rocky Mountain National Park was splendid for plein air painting. Vibrant aspen colors dotted the entire landscape.
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SHRINK Wrap Me - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
This is roadside advertising at its best – complete with black spray paint and blue shrink wrap plastic. I loved painting this scene.
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CrabbyBills (Nels J) - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
In a state of permanent dry dock, the Nels J – a former commercial fishing boat – now serves up hot dogs for visitors to Duluth’s Canal Park.
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Easy Bake Oven - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
The summer kitchen hand had just stoked that fire in the historically accurate clay baking oven – outside the Great Hall and Kitchen at Grand Portage National Monument. The smoke baited me to paint.
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Island Queen, Waiting for the Season - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
One of those lovely spring days in Bayfield Wisconsin. The “Island Queen” car ferry to Madeline Island patiently awaits at dock for the visitor season to begin.
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Spring Pine at Split Rock - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
On the way home from Grand Marais I stopped to paint for one hour at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. This pine is situated on the approach to Ellingson Island.
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The Cribs - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Also known as Uncle Harvey’s Mausoleum, the cribs is a relic of Duluth’s historic waterfront. In summer, teenagers jump off this structure into the cold water of Lake Superior.
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The Ancient Mariner - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
A detailed view of “The Determined Mariner” – one of several landmark sculptures located in Duluth’s Canal Park.
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Steerage Study (William A. Irvin) - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
The William A. Irvin – an historic Great Lakes iron ore carrier – is now a floating museum in Duluth Harbor. The entire ship is the color of iron ore, right down to the water.
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Fitgers - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
A quick study of the historic Fitgers Brewery complex in Duluth – from the Lake Walk in the late afternoon sun.
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Menogyn Cedar - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
It was cloudy for a solid week at Camp Menogyn on the edge of the Boundary Waters Wilderness – yet the subtle colors of snow and ice made this scene cheery.
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Snowbirds - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
After a long summer of paddling and portaging, these canoes enjoy the ‘rest’ of winter, while their occupants have flown to warmer climes.
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Early Autumn, Tuscany - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
The light, the colors – the grape vines, the olive groves, the cypress trees, the strade bianche (white roads) – are a few of the reasons why painting in Tuscany is so special. This is what it really looked like on a hot and sunny October day.
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Olive Grove, Tuscany - Plein air oil painting, 9x12
Forthcoming fierce winds and torrential rains meant I had to paint quickly at this olive grove. Painting on location – 'en plein air' – is not only challenging, it can be exhilarating and memorable. I think the storm clouds looming in the sky made for a wonderful painting.
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Radda In Chianti - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
Hewn stone streets and pedestrian pathways finger their way through the Tuscan hill town of Radda – a perfect example of a medieval fortified city. A magical place to paint.
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Tombolo Pond at Julian Bay - Plein air oil painting, 22x30
Julian Bay is located along the eastern shore of Stockton Island, a designated wilderness within Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The tombolo of Stockton Island is truly an 'Eden' on earth and a place that I will return to forever.
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Welcome To San Fedele - Plein air oil painting, 12x9
The white road (strada bianca) that leads into San Fedele descends a steep hill lined with cypress trees. The shapes and colors in this place are unlike anywhere else I've been.
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Alongside Susie - Plein air oil painting, 12x16
One must travel by boat and have permission from The Nature Conservancy to visit Susie Island (of the Susie Islands on Lake Superior, near Grand Portage, MN). Magnificently calm weather and beautiful light provided two days of good painting in the islands. This painting was included in the 2011 Grand Marais Plein Air Painting Competition and Exhibition.
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