Artifacts, Specimens and Landscape Studies

There are times when I must paint directly from life to refresh the eye after extensive work from the imagination. Painting historical artifacts, natural history specimens and landscapes allows me to collect visual information that can also be used in other compositions, permits me the opportunity to “paint history from life” and allows me to revisit natural light effects. As I often prefer to paint on sized, 140 lb cotton paper, some of the studies feature a faint manufacturer’s watermark on one edge.

Cecropia Moth and Quarter
oil on mounted linen
8 ¾ x 11 ½
2006