Here is a little snippet of a large steelhead portrait I'm wrapping up in the studio…stay tuned!!
SOLD
Congratulations to the new owner of Permit Notion!
Traverse City Art Walk, September 14th, 5pm-9pm
Downtown Traverse City is opening its doors for an Art Walk this Friday evening from 5pm-9pm. I was kindly invited to be the exhibiting artist at Streamside Orvis located at 223 E. Front Street. Several of my newest paintings will be on display so stop in to say hello, look at art, have a glass of wine, and even do a little shopping too!
Trout Abstract.
See it at ArtPrize, Grand Rapids MI, September 19th- October 7th!
Trout Abstract, 48" x 72", oil on canvas. Gallery About the Painting: Trout Abstract
I wanted to create a painting that commented on how my love of fish connects to the larger picture of how I find indescribable awe in the beauty of nature as a whole. I wanted to depart from any particular style of painting I have done in the past- and I love that ArtPrize is a platform to do whatever I want as an artist. For this piece, "Trout Abstract" I referenced 3 trout species: brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout. I have had a particular image of a brown trout rising out of the water that has captivated me for months. Many thanks to Kirt Moore for sharing this photograph with me:
The overall concept of this work was to paint the image of the brown trout I love so much, while using pattern, mark, and color of brook trout & rainbow trout to create the remaining environment surrounding the fish. I had no idea if this would work- but an artist must try. It wasn't easy, but the idea kept pulling me forward- I kept at it and suddenly everything came together. I had created an image which holds integrity to all 3 trout species (whether the references be literal or abstract) while also creating the feeling of an aquatic environment with the singular brown trout rising out of it. The parts are individual yet connected as one. In this way I have let the trout become the water, a literal comment on everything is a part of nature and nature is a part of all of us. The variations in trout species create their own dynamic between color scheme, yet creates the picture plane. Through this relationship of color and markmaking I hope to show how no one thing in singular in nature. Water alone has metaphoric qualities for me in my artwork; the passing of time, transcendence, a connection to the soul- it is up to the viewer to take these meanings in their own particular context.
This painting takes me in and out of an abstract world. I see the clarity of the dorsal fin of the trout, which leads me to the rest of the fish which begins to dissolve into a mirrored world of submergence, followed by the larger surface area of the canvas which now holds a dynamo of colors and marks- though holding onto just the slightest familiarity due to the references of other trout species. I see water. I see trout. I see something else. What I feel is power. The energy of the outdoors. I can't describe it but I can feel it- its a rush- just like catching the fish themselves…just like any moment when we connect to the beauty of the outdoors.
**You have to register in person in Grand Rapids, MI to be able to vote for ArtPrize. For more info click here
Posted in Trout
Tagged abstract fish art, ArtPrize Grand Rapids, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, fly fishing art, rainbow trout
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NEW Smallmouth Painting!
Smallmouth, 16" x 20", oil on canvas. Click on the image in the Gallery for more information.
I created this work in the manner of a study for a larger canvas I will create down the road. I allowed the features and anatomy of the fish to become my main focus as I studied the subtle contrast in color from the head to the body of the fish…but I couldn't ignore that unmistakable eye of the bass!
Brook Trout Painting, Abstract Style.
This is my recent commission work, Release, 24" x 30", oil on canvas. It is fun to collaborate with clients based on their interests and previous artworks of mine that they enjoy. For this piece, my client really liked my Brook Trout Spots and Brown Trout Abstract works.
The vision behind this painting is best described by what my client had in mind:
"The one mental picture/concept I do have is this; fishing to pods of brook trout on the Mason Tract on a sunny fall day, I catch a brookie and am admiring the colorations of the trout as I hold the fish in the water. When I release the fish there is a moment where the clear image of the fish is frozen in my mind (Brook Trout Spots) but with a quick flip (Abstract) of the tail the trout is gone and the clear image becomes a blur of color. It is that moment of releasing the fish that is in my mind for this painting – the title of the work would be "Release". The event that has triggered my interest in the painting is the birth of my son. The sappy side of me is thinking that I might end up giving this to him at some event (graduation/wedding…) and so the whole idea of "Release" would take on a different meaning altogether as he leaves to make his own way in life."
…I know, right?!!? Amazing.
To say this was an honor would be an understatement. As an artist nothing means more than to have people connect to my work, and for this client to allow me to bring his multilayered vision to life on canvas was a sincere privilege. Past, present and future is represented in this work. …And the beauty of brook trout of course!
Posted in Trout
Tagged abstract fish art, Brook Trout, Fine Angler Art, fly fishing art, Mason Tract, Trout Art
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Steelhead Painting, Chrome Skin on Canvas
Chrome Skin Abstract, 30" x 40", oil on canvas.
This is the first canvas created after my own first steelhead fishing trip. I knew I would really get into the abstract with this piece- this painting is about the journey, the whole thing: sighting the fish, fighting the fish, bringing it out of the water, aweing over the colors of the scales, the rush of the water, the cool breezes… yeah, the whole shebang. How lovely it all looks on canvas! There is a beautiful translucency to this piece that the camera unfortunately just cannot capture, in person there is an atmospheric quality to the work that really lets you travel in and out of the painting. Hopefully you will get to come visit me at one of my art shows this summer to see it yourself!
Below, here is some of my inspiration and some close ups of some of my favorite places in the painting.
Detail photo 1
Detail photo 2
Posted in Trout
Tagged abstract fish art, fish paintings, fly fishing art, steelhead
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A Vivid Brown
A Vivid Brown, 30" x 60", oil on canvas.
This painting developed essentially as a "follow up" to my Brown Trout Abstract, 2. One of the photographs I had used as reference just stuck in my mind- I had been attracted to the super glossy sheen of the brown trout's gill and back side, along with the striking contrast of the dark spots. The canvas had to be big, the colors bold, the marks….as intriguing as the natural beauty of the fish itself. Jason Tucker of Fontinalis Rising provided the source photo below. He has many great insights and photographs on his website, be sure to check it out.
Source photo: courtesy of Jason Tucker
Posted in Trout
Tagged abstract fish art, Brown Trout, fish paintings, fly fishing art, Fontinalis Rising
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Dorado Story
I’m always cruising fishing blogs and websites online- from time to time there are certain images that stop me in my tracks. Such was this image of a dorado caught in the Corn Islands. My many thanks to blogger and adventurer Nick Kuchmak… when I asked for permission to use his photo as a main source for a painting he was thrilled- and I was more than excited to reference this fish…the eye, the colors, WOW! I immediately knew a large canvas would be the way to capture all this beauty. I had fun playing up the colors and altering proportions that still conveyed the essence of this fish while keeping that open sense of wonder every time you look at it!
Be sure to stop by and see this painting in person at any of my Florida art shows (see Events page for more details).
And if you want to instantly get the urge to drop everything and travel the world, be sure to check out Nick’s blog: Around the World on a Toilet. It’s awesome!
Posted in Saltwater
Tagged abstract fish art, Dorado, fish paintings, Mahi-Mahi, theworldonatoilet.com
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“Permit Notion”
This new painting is one of my favorites. I have been obsessed with an image of a permit that my friend John Hohl of Alaska Fly Anglers had shared with me some time ago from his trip fishing for permit in Mexico.
John always captures the most beautiful photos, and this image imparts on me a feeling of peace and calm…with a mix of excitement as well. The dorsal fin on the permit is just so dynamic! And I love how the shape of this fish creates its own composition at the water’s surface.
“Permit Notion”, 36″ x 36″, oil on canvas. Gallery
Posted in Saltwater
Tagged abstract fish art, Alaska Fly Anglers, fly fishing art, permit, Saltwater fish
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