Anticipating the growing season....and Zinnias!
Topic: The Artist's Studio
Pittsburg is a tough place to grow anything, especially flowers and vegetables. Temperatures are cold, the growing season is short, and the soil conditions for productive growth are quite harsh. We're talking very little loam...and rocks....lots and lots of rocks!

So, it's not surprising I have very few varieties of flowers growing in my yard. I've had to choose only the tough varieties....rugged flowers that can deal with the north country reality, and still withstand a severe deprivation of water, and a significant lack of attention. The only flowers known to have survived on my porch, have been petunias, pansies, marigolds, and zinnias. You know, the die-hard survivors that can simply grow on their own.

Of the four, Zinnias are definitely my favorite. I love Zinnias. Despite everything, they still bloom beautifully....big bold blossoms of assorted color, all summer long....even when I forget to water them. They make wonderful subjects for paintings, too!

"Red Zinnia", 9 X 12 Oil on Canvas



My most recent painting, "Red Zinnia", is a tribute to one of last year's survivors; a bright red zinnia, blooming brilliantly among the pink. Talk about a reality show! Any flower that blooms under such conditions, deserves, at the least, to be painted!


The time has arrived to dig out the planters, and sow some new seeds. Tiny seedlings should be popping soon, and by mid-July, my porch should be full of color again. I'm looking forward to the new growing season, with new zinnias; new survivors; new subjects that deserve to be painted.

Til' next time,
Happy Creating!

If you're interested in seeing this painting in person, it is currently being displayed at the Ammonoosuc Artists Gallery, 111 Saranac Str., Littleton, NH.

"Red Zinnia", Description and Price

Oil Paintings and Portraits
Graphite Pencil Portraits

Signs of Spring
Topic: Life in Pittsburg
The official first day of spring was marked on our calendars well over a month ago, on March 20, 2006. Since then, we've had some wonderfully warm days, some cold rainy days, and some blustery snow days, just to keep us guessing. But, that's what makes spring in northern NH so intriguingly interesting. It's certainly never boring! The good news is, despite the roller coaster weather conditions, there are definite signs to show we are slowly wading through mud season, and will eventually arrive in the season of summer.

With the sun shining, and the sky blue, I decided to go for a walk this morning, taking along my camera....just in case. Sure enough it didn't take long to find the signs I was looking for. Brilliant, tiny red maple buds, bursting against the sky, with the determination of growing into green. Only a short distance further, I found a small group of trillium growing at the foot of a spruce, the small buds, young and green, sure to bloom into crimson red.







It's amazing what a simple walk can do for one's spirit, especially when it's still cold outside! I've no doubt, the roller coaster ride we're on will eventually end in summer. In the meantime, taking the time to notice some of nature's little blooming things, sure helps decipher the hope from the mud. What a great way to start the day!

Season's Past
Topic: The Artist's Studio
With spring finally breaking through the colder temperatures, and Easter coming up on Sunday, I couldn't help but reflect on the ending of one season and the beginning of another. Such is the inspiration behind my latest painting entitled "Season's Past".


9 X 12 Oil on Canvas

Last October, a good friend and I decided to venture into northern Vermont, for a much needed road trip. The temperatures were just turning brisk, but the sun was bright, and it turned out to be a perfect day for a photo shoot. We stopped at several different spots, enjoying in the beautiful colored foliage, and quickly replenishing my supply of potential painting subjects.


One such subject, turned out to be a little old barn, surrounded in reds and golds, and nestled in the foreground of a morning fog, rising from the valley behind it. It was apparent the barn had seen many seasons over time, including the recent hay season, now concluded. The harvest was done, for one more year, celebrated by the brilliance of the autumn landscape.


Now, at the other end of this long ending winter, the sun grows warm again, and we are heading back into the coming seasons of beginnings, growth, and eventually, harvest. It's amazing how quickly years go by. In just a few short months, the little old barn in northern Vermont will have stood through another hay season....just as it has in so many other "Season's Past".

Have a pleasant Easter, and til next time,

Happy Creating!