About the Paintings

Most of my paintings are landscapes based on scenes near the Gunflint Trail, where my wife and I have a cabin; near Duluth; or in Hidden Falls/Crosby Lake Regional Park along the Mississippi in St. Paul. I admire artists that work outside, but most of my work is done in the studio using photographs as a starting point and then letting the work develop.

I also paint cityscapes. Currently I have three series: Dinkytown, near the University of Minnesota; Grand Avenue in St. Paul; and Uptown in Minneapolis. Most of them capture the lights of the city as night is falling, enabling me to use a broader spectrum of color than I typically use in my landscapes. People who are attracted to my cityscapes often have a personal story to tell connecting them to that location.

My portraits and figures are almost exclusively family members or commissions. Occasionally I’ll do one just for the fun of it, such as “Curve of the Earth,” or because I am struck by the character in a face, such as “Attitude (Indonesian Matriarch).” Portraits are the most restrictive painting that I do, but are rewarding because of the emotional impact they often have.

The Medium of Pastel
Pastels are like colored chalk. They are pure pigments held together in sticks by binding agents. There are two basic types: soft pastels and oil pastels. I use soft, or dry, pastels. The brands I use include NuPastels, Rembrandt, Unison, Schmincke, Sennelier, Daler-Rowney, and Terry Ludwig.

Pastel painting generally is done on paper. Pastel paper has a rough surface, called tooth, to hold the pastel. I use Canson Mi-Tientes and Wallis Museum Grade papers, both of which are acid-free.
While other mediums, such as oil painting, involve mixing colors first, then applying them to canvas, one of the exciting things about pastel painting is that mixing occurs right on the paper. This often gives pastel paintings a fresh, vibrant appearance.

Framing Pastels
Finished paintings are sprayed with a fixative to help the pastel powder adhere to the paper’s surface. Even so, a pastel would smear if a finger were rubbed across it. That’s why pastel paintings are sold framed under glass. I frame all of my own paintings, using conservation materials. I recently started using museum glass, the best glass available for UV protection and glare reduction.

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