October Exhibitions

Me, pictured with a few of my paintings at the opening reception for the Farmland Preservation Artists at the Gamble Mill.

In my work this year I've really focused on two important themes: Landscapes inspired by central Pennsylvania's natural beauty and cityscapes that tell a story to the viewer. This month my work is in a few exhibitions where you can see these ideas in action. The first is at the Gamble Mill in Bellefonte, where I'm exhibiting with the Farmland Preservation Artists. These paintings showcase my emphasis upon skies and the mood that they set over the land. In addition, the Artisan Connection in State College is showcasing my paintings of Pennsylvania state parks. I've only lived in Pennsylvania about two and a half years, but I'm smitten with the variety and beauty of the scenery. The works in the exhibition are a combination of plein air pieces and larger pieces done in my studio. The most recent work in the show is from Ricketts Glen State Park, a national natural landmark.

And this coming week, I am exhibiting my cityscapes at the Armonk Outdoor Art Show. In my recent cityscape work, I've become increasingly interested in moody scenes with strong contrast between light and dark. I enjoy painting cityscapes because they provide me with an opportunity to do someone's portrait while putting them into a dynamic environment. I plan to focus more upon urban subjects in my work during this upcoming winter, when the weather is often too cold for me to work outside. Stay tuned for some new looks in my work. I have a lot of ideas that I'm anxious to paint after I get past this busy period.

Mountain Biking as Inspiration

My new yellow bike, in Scotia Range during a recent ride

When I was 17 I had a horrible road bike crash. I was racing a friend and as we rounded a sharp curve, we converged, locked front wheels, and we both went flying over our handlebars to belly flop onto the pavement. Unbeknownst to me at the time, I sprained my pelvis and forever messed up my left knee. Fast forward an undisclosed amount of years to present day, and I have almost given up on bike riding altogether because of the lingering physical effects of that crash.

But this summer I took a chance and invested in a mountain bike. I love bike riding and I've missed it tremendously, resorting to swimming laps when my old injuries kept me off of my road bike. I'd known for years that mountain bikes are designed differently from road bikes and I was intrigued by the possibility that such a bike may be more comfortable for my messed up hip and leg. Thanks to working with the sharp folks at Mount Nittany Wheelworks, I found a bike that fit me. And it's been a wonderful discovery. I can ride relatively pain-free and I'm absolutely loving the scenery along the way (The photo above is from a recent ride in Scotia Range, right near our house).

I'm still learning technical skills and other nuances. But since August, I've traveled over 200 miles on my new bike. We are fortunate to live a short distance from the Scotia Range as well as many beautiful forest areas in central Pennsylvania and it's been a fantastic opportunity for me to scout out new, secluded locations for my landscape paintings. I travel pretty lightly when I paint outside, and I'm exploring the idea of taking my stuff out on my bike to work outside. As the height of fall colors approaches, watch what develops.