Old Buildings Room

"It has been a long time since I've used a structure for a painting subject. That seems a bit strange because I started this watercolor journey painting old buildings. This old school house is from a photo I took while living in Alabama. Most weekends, my friend Mic Bryant and I would get our touring bikes out and cruise the back roads around Montgomery. We would always run across abandoned buildings, and whenever I wasn't too far behind, I would stop and take photos. I left Alabama in 1987, and even after painting all these years, I still have many subjects waiting for a painting."

It is always interesting to inwardly watch my evolving technique/style. I see different things happening, but don't have much of a clue about why I paint like I do. I don't say to myself, OK, handle this particular part of the painting this way--I just paint, following my instincts and what feels right. As the painting evolves, I make adjustments here and there--kind of go with the flow of what is happening. It is hard to describe.

I think most of us have something inside that connects us to our roots. We may end up living thousands of miles away from where we grew up, but there is always this haunting call echoing in our mind, speaking to us about our past. This painting was commissioned by a father for his son, and although I don't know the particulars, it seems fitting I title it "The Bonds of Home."

At this writing (3/7/98), it has been about a year since I've used the abandoned building as subject matter. This is the subject matter that got me started on my watercolor journey and it still intrigues me. As I paint these things over the years, I'm always interested in how my artwork evolves. Look at the painting at the bottom of this page (Somehow The Times Were Hard) which was painted around 1991. Some differences and some similarities.

I'm always amazed at the creative process. I carry my camera with me most of the time when I travel--and I took a photo of this abandoned house over 20 years ago. I've looked at the image many times over the years, and although I liked the house, I just couldn't decide what to do with the whole composition. Then the other day I was looking through my photos for something to work on and this just seemed to jump out. I quickly drew the old house on watercolor paper and was off and running.

Several weeks ago (Jun 1997), an artist friend and I went of on a picture taking adventure. Sometimes we have in mind where we want to go, other times we just drive around the local area. This particular day, we were cruising along when we came to this old farm house. I couldn't pass it up, and got out of the truck to knock on the farm house door. A lady came to the door and I explained that we were artists, taking pictures for paintings. She gave me a funny look, but said we would could take pictures of her barn.

This is an abandoned gas station near Altus, Oklahoma. I took the picture for this painting and completed a painting of this gas station in 1976. I wasn't satisfied with the original painting, so completed this painting in June of 1996. I'm still not satisfied that I have done justice to the whole thing and will probably do another--wonder if it will take me 20 more years.

This old house/shack was located at the top of Dallas Divide, near Ridgeway, Colorado. The painting was completed around 1981/1982. The house is no more, and has been replaced by a modern monstrosity that attests to the affluence of someone. I preferred the old house--not only because I'm an artist looking for subjects, but because it fit in with its surroundings. The replacement can't say the same.

About 7 years ago, I took a trip to Virginia to visit some artist friends. After the visit, I drove the back roads on my return trip to National Airport. Whenever I saw an old broken-down barn or house, I stopped and took a picture for future reference. This painting came from that trip.

I found this house in the back country around Montgomery, Alabama. Every time I see a scene like this, I'm filled with thoughts of the stories that could be told about such a structure and the folks that lived there.

There are times when you are walking along and see value shapes and patterns that just grab your attention. This painting resulted from that happening. I was visiting a friend one day, and as we were sitting in the backyard, I was struck by the way the shadows from the trees were falling across the buildings and yard.

I'm love big juicy skies--they either happen or don't, but they sure are fun to play with. I've done a few paintings with these kind of skies, but I think this is one of my better ones. My wife really likes this painting and has it hanging in her room at the school where she teaches. I hope she doesn't find out I uploaded this image and presented the painting for sale. I could be in big trouble.

We return to Montgomery, Alabama. Before I left Montgomery to live in Utah, I took a number of rolls of film, recording many of the old buildings in the city. I'm sure I missed more that I care to think about. However, I have enough to give me many paintings in the future.

This deserted ranch house is near Soda Springs, Idaho. It seemed such a lonely place. I think I drove by this place three times before I managed to stop and take a picture. I sometimes wonder about all the great subjects I've driven by while moving from one place to another. Even though I have hundreds of photos of many different subjects, I still kick myself about all the good ones I've passed up.

This abandoned house was located near Altus, Oklahoma. I haven't been back there since I left--which goes on 30 some years. When I look at this particular painting, I'm reminded of how I got started on this watercolor journey. I was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and stationed at Altus AFB, Ok. I picked up an advertisement announcing a watercolor class. I had always been interested in art and had painted a few oil paintings over the years. So I signed up--and here I am 30 some years later. I haven't painted an oil since.

When I lived in Alabama, my friends and I would go biking in the country. In that area, old sharecropper shacks abound--this is one of them. The biking was wonderful, but I always looked forward to the next bend in the road--there had to be another great subject waiting for a painting. Of course, it isn't quite that easy. It takes more than an artist and a subject--it takes emotional connection. Fortunately for me, these subjects seem to grab me emotionally.