An Invitation to Archaeology Day!

On Sunday Sept. 25th 2011, A unique event will be held at The Gander Mountain Store in Middletown N.Y. The public is invited to bring in thier collections of prehistoric and historic artifacts that they have collected. Members of the Orange Co.Chapter of N.Y.S. Archaeological association will be on hand to identify and date them.There will be displays of archaeological material,flint knapping demonstrations, old books and publications. This very popular event is free and will be held in the store lodge. Come and celebrate your prehistoric and historic culture here in the Hudson Valley...

Appearing at Drop Point Hunter

I am very pleased to announce that those folks interested in my work will now have a place that they can visit in my home town of Pine Bush N.Y. DropPoint Hunter.com is at 61 Main St. Pine Bush, NY 12566. The quality of the knives that this shop is carrying is well worth the visit. Being a Sportsman and growing up in the Hudson Valley it didn't take long to discover the deep rooted knife making industry that was so important to this area. The closing of the Schrade plant in Ellenville a few years back was a tough blow to the community and a sad note to a century old tradition. I still have my first Schrade Knife, a folding lock back Trapper that is long ago worn out. It accompanied me on many days afield and is a cherished relic of my younger days. Eventually I would encounter my first Schrade Walden Sheath Knife, a proud yard sale moment to say the least. I love finding these travellers in time and like many artifacts from my collection it finally made its way to my still life bench,where it could be explored. I remember how glad I was to hear that craftsman from the Schrade plant were working together and had formed a new knife works called Canal St. Cutlery. Their output now can be viewed at DropPointHunter along with several other brands. This Saturday Nov.13th,2010 Pine Bush will be hosting its Arts Walk and I will be on hand at DropPoint to greet the Public. I would like to invite everyone to stop by and see the work.To view the shop online go to www.DropPointHunter.com The above still life oil on canvas board is a study of a vintage Schrade Walden Sheath and can be seen at the shop.

The Wildlife Art Class First Exhibition

Why do artists want to take students? Some years back a chance glance in the daily paper became one of those pivotal moments in your life when I read of a Wildlife Artist that was opening a gallery in my town, Pine Bush N.Y. I had been making a serious attempt at art in those days I was 28 and had alot of ambition but was lacking in experience. When I read of John Hamberger's Bison Art Gallery, I grabbed my best works and was out the door! I walked into the gallery and introduced myself and was led down a gauntlet of fine art paintings by Kuhn, Schelling, Beecham to name a few. I almost wanted to turn and run but it was too late. I had arrived at John's Studio..... A few weeks later I received a postcard invitation to become a student and so I spent the next two years of Fridays learning the ways of a wildlife artist. I remember exactly where I was some years later when I learned of John's passing and the Wildlife Art world had lost a great one. But it kept going as it always had and will, from the great prehistoric cave painters of Europe to the present artists who strive to capture the great animals of our world in lines and paint.

When artists take the time to teach, they enrich the art world by helping others to reach their potential. They also pass along some of themselves and their style. It really is a tradition. Wildlife art is the hardest art form. Many artists try animals but it is not their calling. It is believed that this calling is something that you are born with. Artists who learn to paint animals because they want to sell can be spotted a mile away. But those artists who sacrifice greatly to communicate that which is great in an animal are the real deal.

In 2007 I founded the Wildlife Art Class at Gander Mountain Store in Middletown N.Y. Here students are taught the fundamentals of oil painting and are led to paint accurate depictions of wildlife in their native habitat. This November we are celebrating some of the works of these artists. Please join us on Nov.22nd from 6.30 -8.30 pm for a reception. The show will be at Gander Mountain Store Lodge at 100 N. Galleria Dr. in Middletown N.Y. 10940. The show will hang from Nov.22nd -Dec13th 2010. Please contact me at kstorms@hvc.rr.com for more information. The one thing that all great wildlife artists have in common is that once they start to paint the animals they never stop.

Ducks Ready to take Flight

Ducks Ready to take Flight
While continuing my pursuit of new ideas, I happened across "acrylic on erasable marker board". I enjoyed the quick dry time and fact that I could employ some scratchboard technique to the piece afterwords. The fluid quality of the paint when first applied to the resistant surface caused some interesting effects which were incorporated into the design, so allowing the picture to develop I indulged into one of my favorite themes "the morning waterfowl marsh."
5x7 dry erase panel and acrylic

Red Briars at Sunrise a Monoprint

Red Briars at Sunrise
A recent departure from oil painting found me in the printmaking mode where I came up with the the concept of Red Briars at Dawn. If I could pick a morning to set out upon such a scene it would be a brisk February morning as the dawn is breaking, In the east sky the last of the storm clouds are drifting away having deposited a few inches of fresh snow. This is not a crowded place just some crows taking to the sky and a few cottontail rabbits sitting in their forms. A Beagle Hound opens up from the side hill and this is good.
Red Briars at Sunrise - 5x7 monoprint with colored pencil embellishing

Belle Boyd Pretty or Plain?

Bell Boyd... Pretty or Plain?
When on the Civil War track an artist can study thousands of characters whose faces glare out from the history books and shout "Me! Study Me! and then there are those who quietly glance off to the side and wait patiently until some one flips the page and says "Who is this?" So was the case one day when this artist was reading along and came upon the portrait of Belle Boyd Confederate Spy! Upon reading of her many exploits I was surprised to learn that she was not pretty. What an interesting attribute I thought. So began the search for more images and finally I decided to paint her picture and see for myself. Using period photographs of the day I realized The long exposures (12-15 seconds) reveal quite a bit of character that was delivered in the quarter minute visit with the lens. Even after repeated attempts I could not find the woman not pretty, not that she was beautiful but that she just wasn't not pretty. But I do admit that her photograph did have some kind of ability to stop me and make me want to get involved. So is this the power of a women who could become a Confederate spy. I think perhaps so.

Using the standard famous pose for Belle I carefully consulted all other photos I could find before finally arriving at the image I produced. When upon showing this painting at various Civil War Art salons I was told that I had been very kind to Belle. I replied that I had really been fair. I wondered if I would divulge any Yankee secrets to her if she sent me a thank you letter. I am grateful I will not have to deal with this. Incidentally I was reading some more about Belle Boyd recently and was amused that the author remarked what a pretty women she was known to be......

A View from Scotchtown

The hot hazy summer of 10 has made it difficult to work on vistas here in the Hudson Valley but a favored painting place of mine is usually available during my travels and I took advantage of a clear day recently to stop and do a field sketch. The view is long here reaching across the town of Wallkill towards Warwick and beyond. I am never disappointed at this stop and have enjoyed the many moods this place provides. it is not hard to notice the change and growth around this place, but a historian does not have any trouble locating the historic hamlet which remarkably contains many of its original buildings. The historic cemetery atop this hill is a constant thru time and one can view the gravestones of some of the original settlers and sadly enough, even a few friends. I know I will return and try another day but one of the great rewards of roadside field studies is the capture of "Sense of Place" which I believe I accomplished this particular day. I am pleased to offer this "view from Scotchtown"
6x8 oil on board