Signs of Spring!

Nothing says spring like the annual show the male wild turkeys put on for the hens. We have been lucky enough to have them in our yard just about every morning.

As the snow melts it reveals our lawns ...

...and the forest floor, one of my favorite spring treasures is finding antlers shed by the white tailed deer during the coldest winter months. True luck happens when you find a matched set!

The sugar maple trees are giving forth one of my favorite treats, maple syrup! I have tried the first batch this year and it is amazing, a nice medium amber.

Even the goldfinches are putting on their best attire ready to show the brilliant yellow they are known for!

Hope everyone has a great Easter weekend!
-Bill

A New Painting!

Over the past few weeks I have been working on this painting every free chance I get. Its the largest painting I have ever done on canvas, 3feet by 4 feet.

Although it has been a long time since I have consistently painted week to week, I really feel like I am in the groove on this one.

I changed my mind 3 times until I finally committed to this farm layout. The original idea was to paint a street in downtown Portsmouth, NH. After taking many photos I was just not in love with the images, mainly because the original idea had inclement weather, they day I shot was clear.

The 2nd idea was based on a photo I took a few months ago of a barn on a hill, I really liked the image but felt like it was not very well suited for painting and would not allow me to enjoy the process enough.

 The second painting concept.

I finally found this farm right along side a secondary highway in Strafford , NH. I totally changed the landscape, and added snow and removed trees to get the feel that I was looking for. Have a look at the process so far.