I took a road trip to Winthrop, Washington just about a month ago. It is an annual fishing trek with a couple great friends, different destinations.
Driving home on the back roads to Idaho gave me a chance to soak up the landscape. Explosive sunlight and massive clouds drifting across newly green fields. I love traveling through big desolate spaces especially if the roads are also empty. Nature always better sans people.
This is a painting from March that I sold at Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, South Carolina. A great gallery owned and operated by a talented husband and wife team. They are both excellent artists and their space and collection are top notch. I hope to continue sending them art and visit their gallery and historic town (preferably during the dead of North Idaho Winter).
I am fickle about the tools and brushes I use. They generally have to get heavily broken in before I like them much. This new brush though has made It into constant rotation and I recommend it. It is a No. 12 Qualita FLAT By Creative Mark.
I was inspired to paint a few forest scenes. I live in a heavily timbered part of the planet. This first painting is reminiscent of the view from a small window in my studio. I like the wall of trees and occasionally spot turkeys, grouse and deer passing through on their way to the water.
Beautiful interior design from Courtney Equall ( Instagram @girlandgrey). So excited to see some of my prints from minted.com featured in the space!
Another small painting as I prepare some larger boards. This isn’t a standard size so if I frame it I will have to order a custom frame. Soon I will have to decide what will be needed at my Astoria, Oregon solo show. That is happening in 6 weeks, suddenly coming up fast.
For the next few days I am just going to paint and focus on what I love. Meanwhile Alberta is burning, shocking to see smoke in North Idaho already.
I found a couple small boards in my studio. Now they are cloudscapes!
Another small study potentially leading to a larger work. I have worked up a few of these little waterscapes now. I am going to begin a larger painting this Memorial Monday, along these lines.
I finally captured a proper photo of this painting. I am starting the process of sorting through my work in preparation for my next solo exhibit. The show opens July 13th at McVarish Gallery in Astoria, Oregon.
It is almost June now so I am really on deadline for the July show. Yesterday I shipped off the last of my commissions. I still need to get work to a couple galleries in the next month besides my personal show so I am going to be painting constantly! Honestly I am not complaining, I am thrilled! Doing what I truly love after 25 years working on digital art, I am so fortunate. On a long weekend dedicated to the memory of soldiers that sacrificed everything, my life is so ridiculously easy.
I finalized work on another commission. I intensified the colors and mounted the painting in a floater frame. They wanted a “Montana” inspired grassland, I made light the star of the show. I really like the loose quality of the grass, some really fresh color blends.
Shipping this painting to Western Washington and a couple small works to Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, South Carolina. I have been working nonstop so hoping to relax a bit this Memorial Day Weekend. I hope everyone else enjoys a long weekend!
brian sostrom 