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Summer mornings are very special for me as I love being out with paint and canvas trying to capture the light and feel of a fresh new day.

I started painting part time in 1972, but, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t enjoy drawing and painting.  At one point in my life I was the battalion artist for an artillery unit in Vietnam – an interesting experience.

I’ve always had an interest in birds and in the early 70’s they became the focus of my art.  I admired the artist that could capture the birds with ‘every feather’ kind of detail and tried to emulate this style.

Jeane, my wife, and I took over the running of the family owned dude ranch in the early 1970’s and trying to run the ranch and paint did not work well for me and the ranch took over my priorities.  Soon, the responsibilities of my life put enough pressure on me that I just quit painting.  It wasn’t a conscious decision, it just evolved.

As my children, Jordan and Reed, became more and more involved in the ranch, I finally found myself with time on my hands and decided to begin painting again.  In 2005 I picked up oil paint wanting to learn to paint landscapes.  I’ve always loved the look of oil painting and in particular landscapes.  I wanted to be able to get the ‘feel’ I saw in other landscape painter’s works.

Painting full time has brought a true contentment to my life.  I look back at all of the years that I ‘wasted’ not painting and I realize a creative person is not truly happy unless they are involved in the creative process.

Jeane and I now live north of Big Timber in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains.  I feel truly blessed to have the opportunity to paint every day out in this beautiful country.