Where did the Summer Go?

I look back on my Summer and ask myself where it went. June and July were typical with a couple of day trips here and there and time spent in my studio, and preparing for our trip to France in August. Suddenly that trip was upon us and we flew out on July 29th. We had an extraordinary time with a quick visit in Paris then a three week residency in La Maison de Beaumont in the heart of Provence. It was everything I could have hoped for and more. Following our time there we had a few days in Arles. It was so beautiful and inviting. The old Roman ruins, the narrow streets, the places where Vincent Van Gogh hung out and created some of his most famous works. How could I not love it?

Now here I am back in S CA, back in my studio preparing for my next great adventure-my first truly solo exhibition at CASA ROMANTICA in San Clemente, CA. The opening reception is Thursday Sept 24th. Details can be found on my EVENTS page. I will have 12-14 pieces on display through Nov 15th. In October I will offer a 2-day workshop in location. What an incredible opportunity this is for me-Thank you God for your goodness!

My gallery at Backstreet Art District will be open as well-when I am not in San Clemente. Though many of my larger pastels will be at Casa Romantica there will still be plenty of pieces on display. thank you for your continued support-I look forward to seeing you at an Art Walk or possibly on the 24th if you decide to make the trip to San Clemente.

Welcome to Spring 2026

Sometimes it seems as if the world is blowing up around us. Depending upon your worldview this can be a very depressing time. I know that in this world there will be strife and suffering and anger, but my worldview is grounded in grace and love that comes from our creator and my Savior. I know I can only impact the small place that I occupy for a short time on this earth. And the best way I can do that is through my art. It is my witness and testimony of a better place to come someday. I am taught to lay up treasures in heaven which is eternal rather that here on earth which is temporal. The gift of art that has been bestowed on me is not of my doing and therefore I choose to give it back to Giver. I am merely a custodian of all that I create with my pastels.

This Spring wraps up my last year with the California Desert Choral. Now that my art has become a fulltime adventure, I simply do not have the time to adequately serve the chorale. I will miss the choir and the singing, but I will have opportunities for singing at my church that will require less time. My most exciting art event this Spring will be “Art Matters 2026” on May 29th. This is such a lovely event, and I am so honored to be a part of it. Two other virtual events will be closing in the next few weeks and there are more quality exhibitions I am entering. I will be devoting as much time as possible on the easel with so many landscapes and still life’s I have lined up to create. Keep coming back to my website to see new pastels as I am able to complete them.

Have a Blessed Spring…

Happy New Year 2026

As I write this it is 3 days before Christmas, and we are preparing for a Winter storm that will drench Southern California. As a result, we are staying home and planning to enjoy a quiet Christmas Day. That does not mean I am not a busy guy as December comes to a close. I am working on a new major pastel that I plan to enter into the California Art Club’s 115th Gold Medal Exhibition. This is my second year of eligibility since becoming an Artist Member last year. I am applying for several juried exhibitions in 2026 and look forward to being juried into some very important events. January will start off with the Desert Plein Air Festival. I am excited about participating and displaying my art at the Artists Center in Palm Desert. Following that event will be “Nature’s Bounty” Exhibition with the California Art Club, showing at The Old Mill in Pasadena. I am excited to share that I have received an invitation to apply for “Art Matters 2026”. This will be my third time being a part of this wonderful fundraising event sponsored by the San Marino League. It is a one evening private event held this year at ArtCenter College of Design. Locally, I am now a Gallery member at The Desert Art Center in Palm Springs. I am currently exhibiting there and I will be conducting a Masterclass 2-day workshop there the end of February. January 23-25 is Desert Open Studios and GALLERY3 is participating again this year. It is a great time to meet artists all over the Coachella Valley and enjoy (or purchase) their art.

Needless to say, the Lord has blessed me mightily. I have dedicated my talent to Him and want to Glorify Him with every pastel I create. I am excited about what 2026 has to offer and I am committed to making the most of it. I thank you for all your support and encouragement.

Best Wishes…

Autumn 2025

We are already a month into Autumn, and the season has turned mild here in the desert. This past weekend we celebrated the Fall version of “Moderism” Palm Springs style. The galleries were all open at the Backstreet Art District and many visitors came to Gallery3. It is a never-ending pleasure to share my God given talent with art admirers.

I am currently showing art at several exhibitions and next month will be the opening of the Joshua Tree National Park Art Expo, as well as the much anticipated 97th Grand National in New York City. My piece “Valley of the Gods Sunrise” has garnished a fair amount of attention, having appeared in Southwest Art Magazine which did a one-page write-up on the 97th Grand National. It was so exciting to see my art on the pages of this national publication.

I am very busy with the Desert Plain Air Association as I am now a board member and responsible for creating a bi-monthly newsletter. We are gearing up for our annual Plein Air Festival in January 2026. This event is fast becoming a nationally recognized festival celebrating painting in plein air. Artists from across the country will be converging on Palm Desert and the exhibition itself will be held at the Artists Center in Palm Desert. I am excited to a part of this pretigios event.

I continue to create new works in pastel and look forward to another “High Season” in the Coachella Valley as our beloved “snowbirds” return. God is good and I am so thankful for His unwavering Love and Grace.

Happy Painting.