Still Life in the works

I thought I'd set up some of my toys to paint, as it was snowy and sloppy here in northeast Ohio today.. I'll finish it up this weekend.

Grand River Lighthouse

I finally finished this painting I'd started last year. I went fishing out on the wall past the lighthouse with my father and brothers starting in 1958. At that time there was a foghorn out there that would nearly blow out your eardrums if it started up, and you could hear it for miles inland. I miss the low moan of that horn, replaced by satellite navigation years ago.

End of the Road

This is a view of Hell's Hollow, one of the last bits of wilderness in Lake County. I painted it from the west bank of Paine Creek, looking towards the abandoned road that once provided access across this deep valley. The old bridge was removed years ago, leaving the stone abutments in place. I walked down what remains of the road on the west bank, which is heavily eroded. It had a heavy crust of ice on the snow, which helped me hike over a mile down to where the old bridge stood. After painting for about 2 1/2 hours, I packed up and left, but on my way out I found the snow had warmed slightly and now I had to plow through deep snow to get back out. I worked hard to get this one!