Morning Joe

We left early on a Saturday last April to drive down to Cincinnati to see our “fourth son,” Joe. He was diagnosed with thymic carcinoma and we wanted to visit with his family. As we headed out, we saw this wonderful morning sunrise that gave us a sense of promise and strength. It seemed appropriate to name the acrylic painting after Joe.

Joseph Molter, Oct. 1, 1983 – Jan. 19, 2016

Joe lost his battle with cancer on January 19, 2016…our hearts are broken. Joe moved in next door to us when he was in third grade and became our youngest son’s best friend and protector. We loved him for his megawatt smile, personality, and pure heart. He definitely was my favorite friend of all our sons. He was just eight weeks older than Travis and we took him everywhere with us. These boys never fought or argued…They were inseparable.

Joe moved back to Cincinnati when he was in sixth grade, so we spent the next few years meeting in Polaris to exchange the boys for a visit. As they grew older and in high school, activities took their interests in other directions.

When Joe met his wife to be, Tawanna, Travis was later asked to be in his wedding. There was no doubt how much Joe loved Tawanna and soon he had two amazing children…he was so proud of these beautiful children.

I cannot make sense of this, nor do I have answers to why, none of us do. It is heartbreaking for everyone, his wife, children, mom, dad, brother, and all his friends. All we can do is try and emulate this beautiful young man who was quick to offer a smile, some encouraging kind words, and friendship to all.

We love you Joe.

View From Above

“I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.”
e.e.Cummings

I wanted to create an acrylic painting to honor a family friend, Bob Andrews, who lost his battle with cancer last July. The painting had to be optimistic because that was Bob.

When searching for the perfect inspiration, we went to Allardale County Park on Remsen Road. We climbed the highest hill, stood on a bench, and photographed the rolling hills. It was a perfect day and it felt like Bob may have had the same view as we did…seemed like he might be watching over all of us.

The acrylic painting title had to be, “View From Above.”

Hometown Beauty

The clouds that gather round the setting sun
Do take a sober coloring from an eye
That hath kept watch o’er man’s mortality.

William Wordsworth

I was returning home near sunset after a brief rainstorm, when I caught this beautiful cloud formation. The sky was just about to let the last light of day disappear into the horizon, and this beautiful thunderhead reflected that last light of day. I wanted to simplify the composition and removed much of the street clutter that was in the photo that I took. The street is positioned to lead the eye to the focal point…the thunderhead.

 

Hope From the Heartland

Oh! “darkly, deeply, beautiful blue,”
As some one somewhere sings about the sky.

  Lord Byron

“Hope From the Heartland” was inspired from a trip to Amish country in Ohio. I used photographs and created many drawing revisions before starting to paint this large vertical. The size of this acrylic painting is 36″ x 48.”

This acrylic painting was sold to a private collector.

Wake Up America

We often praise the evening clouds,                                                                                                  And tints so gay and bold,                                                                                                                  But seldom think upon our God,                                                                                                        Who tinged these clouds with gold.                                                                                            Walter Scott

 

Our country is in trouble…many of us seem to be asleep and uninterested in the challenges that we face. We are in debt, cities and states face unfunded liabilities, we have lost our leadership here and abroad, we lost many of our freedoms, and we are inundated with multiple scandals and government takeovers. I believe in American exceptionalism and know if we all pay attention, we will solve our challenges.

I have often said that my interest in the sky paintings is that they mimic life. We face stormy times, followed by blue skies. I decided to create this acrylic painting of an Illinois landscape in the winter at sunset. Illinois is my home state and is in serious financial trouble. Title of the painting is, “Wake Up America,” size is 3′ x 5′.

 

 

Saffron Sunrise

“Bursts of gold on lavender melting into saffron. It’s the time of day when the sky looks like it has been spray-painted by a graffiti artist.” Mia Kirshner

“Saffron Sunrise” is a small acrylic painting, 8 x 8, from the sunrise series. I used gloss super heavy gel in the paint to create gradations of color in the lavender, gold, and saffron.

 

The Dawn is Clearer

“You must not blame me if I do talk to the clouds.” Henry David Thoreau

“The Dawn is Clearer” is another acrylic painting from the sunrise series that I am creating. The colors at dawn are often as spectacular as sunsets.

The size of the painting is 8 x 8.

The Tints of Morning

“The true harvest of my daily life is somewhat as intangible and indescribable as the tints of morning or evening. It is a little star dust caught, a segment of the rainbow which I  have clutched.” Henry David Thoreau, Walden

“The Tints of Morning” is an acrylic painting from a series of sunrises that I am creating. There is a wonderful encouraging feeling that I have at sunrise. It is a new day, a promise of opportunity to build on the day before, or start anew.

The size of this painting is 8 x 8.

Crimson Sky

“A cloud lay cradled near the setting sun; A gleam of crimson tinged its braided snow; Tranquil its spirit seemed and floated slow; Even in its very motion there was rest…” John Wilson

“Crimson Sky” is an mixed media acrylic painting with Japanese rice papers. We often travel on Granger Road and I photographed this beautiful sunset during the winter. I worked from the photographs to create this painting and the size is 24 x 48.

The Eye of a Storm

“My experiences remind me that it’s those black clouds that make the blue skies even more beautiful.” Kelly Clarkson

“The Eye of a Storm” is a mixed media acrylic painting from the “Kiss the Sky” invitational exhibit at Summit Art Space for the celebration of the reopening of the Akron Art Museum in 2007. This unusual vertical composition format commands the viewer to look up and makes the sky more dramatic. It was inspired by photos taken right out my front door in the Fall.  The ominous looking storm had a small break in the clouds where the sunset peeked through the clouds and looked like an eye.

This is a mixed media painting with Japanese rice papers used for additional texture and is a gallery wrapped canvas, so the painting continues on all sides. There is no need for a frame. The size is 24 x 48.