I’m fortunate to find inspiration for my landscape paintings so close to home. Here’s an early morning scene out our kitchen window!
From front to back: Lonepine Hill, Flathead Lake, the Mission Mountains, the Swan Range and Montana’s Big Sky, just before sunrise.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
Usually I paint from nature. Or more accurately I sketch from nature and then paint from the sketch in my studio. This one is painted from my memory of three huge poplars that grew behind our home on 6th Street.
The trees are gone now. But obviously I remember them!
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
This time of year is always a source of inspiration for me. The change of color is unpredictable. Here’s a sketch of three ash trees just west of my studio.
Two turned yellow and one stayed green a couple weeks longer! I have no idea why.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
This is as close as I’ve ever come to making a monochromatic painting. I had this on my easel for weeks. Looking at it. Considering the options.
Finally came to the conclusion that the painting needed nothing more at all! What do you think?
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
This is one of the smallest paintings I’ve ever done. 10×10 inches. Some of you may remember Chet Mahugh. The family home on 6th Avenue East has one of the earliest maples to turn, in a town with hundreds of maples!
And it is unusually pink. A highlight of early fall. Always inspiring.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
The three ash trees we planted in our west pasture are now a brilliant yellow! They’re always the first to turn color in the fall.
A week or two ago the foliage was a gorgeous shade of blue green. Like in my painting.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
There’s something about populus tremuloides that I always find inspiring. I suppose that’s why we’ve planted dozens of quaking aspen on the land around our home over the years.
The trees look great anywhere but I find them especially beautiful against a stand of Norway maples that have dressed themselves in their fall colors.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
There have been occasional barns, houses, and cows in my paintings but this is the first bridge that has snuck into my composition. Madison River fly fisherman might recognize Lyons Bridge, six and a half miles upstream from Windy Point.
About as pretty as stretch of river as can be found anywhere.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
I confess I have an addiction. I simply can’t resist buying any tube of red paint that I’ve never tried. Over the years I’ve acquired quite a collection.
Painting this fall scene I had a chance to use a dozen or so from my prized stash of red! I like it!
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
Here’s a stalwart old barn just south of my studio. I hesitate to guess how many thousands of times I’ve driven by the place! Still standing. Still a home for cows!
It’s kind of nice that not everything is rapidly changing here in the Flathead valley.
Let’s keep in touch,
Marshall
