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Devil’s Tower, WY plein air 9 June 2021

In this short time, I have fallen in LOVE with Wyoming…my new favorite state (after Kentucky, of course). It’s time for me to head back home, but not before I visit and make a painting of the iconic, Devil’s Tower. The temperature today is in the high 90’s…probably comfortable weather for the devil…but hotter than I am used to.
Here’s my sketch…let’s start painting!
my underpainting…next let’s add color!
The stone formation is an interesting color…i interpreted it as a purple and yellow orange.
The finished painting!!!!! I’m sad to leave Wyoming today, but happy to have this painting experience to have forever….And I will be back soon! Thanks everyone for cheering me on during my paint trip out west!
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Kepler Cascades – Yellowstone National Park 7 June 2021

I’m back in Kentucky after a wonderful and inspiring painting trip out west! Internet was hit or miss, so I didn’t get to share everything as it happened. Here’s the view of Kepler Cascades in Yellowstone National park–Let’s make an oil painting to capture the beauty…
…my sketch of the falls…time for color
i’m working out the colors of the painting…it’s not visible from my photos, but this is an EXTREMELY busy spot, there is a constant flow of people asking me what I’m doing–and giving compliments/encouragement. Most of my trip has been in wilderness–being around people again takes some getting used to.
The finished painting!!! I hope to show this (and the other paintings from my trip) this fall at the re opening of my studio at the pendleton art center. stay tuned for more details!
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Painting the Flaming Gorge canyon – Wyoming 5 june 2021

this is the east view of the flaming gorge canyon in South West Wyoming…it’s hard to photograph this incredible and wide view. thank goodness i’m a painter, and can squeeze it all into one scene.

here is my sketch.
my underpainting…really tricky to squeeze it all into one view.
starting to lay in colors…i’m still getting used to the atmosphere and colors of the west. This canyon is green on the left, then red and white rocks on the right.
almost done…just needs a few more details
here it is! The Flaming Gorge view from the east. Oil on hardboard 12″ x 24″
forgot to include my photo of the artist at work…so you have proof it was really me out there 🙂
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East of Eden, Wyoming wilderness near the continental divide

I’m in the high desert of Wyoming, painting the snow peaked mountains of the Continental Divide.
A challenge I have with plein air painting is to work FAST and capture the light (which is ever changing) I wanted to try something I have always been intimidated to do…paint during a sunset. The colors of a landscape are most brilliant during a sunset, BUT everything changes REALLY fast. Within 5 minutes, the scene can be completely different….ok, lets do it!!!
here is my sketch. I am interested in the mountains in the distance, contrasting with the desert landscape in the foreground
I have to work fast, this underpainting leaves a lot to be desired. When painting during a sunset, I can’t spend much time in details…i just mix and throw paint around, trying to capture the essence of the moment.
My first layers of color are down on the panel…I have never painted this fast before…I’m trying to capture the rapidly changing light of sunset
Here is the finished painting!!! I’m proud of myself. Sunset has always been intimidating because the light changes so fast. I want to work from life – and not use cameras…it IS possible!!!
If you think the mountains turning blue during the sunset was pretty, look at what was happening behind me while painting!!!
I forgot to mention, this location is the first place where I saw wild antelope. The first one i saw, i thought to myself, “well, that’s a funny looking deer!”
I forgot to mention, this location is the first place where I saw wild antelope. The first one i saw, i thought to myself, “well, that’s a funny looking deer!”
I forgot to mention, this location is the first place where I saw wild antelope. The first one i saw, i thought to myself, “well, that’s a funny looking deer!”
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off the grid in south central Wyoming

Good morning everyone! Greetings from off the grid, Wyoming! I love the way the sunrise gives shape to these buttes(?) Let’s paint it!
Here’s my sketch! Time to paint!
I got so excited about the sky, i forgot to take a photo of the underpainting…here’s the underpainting with some blue sky!
nice thing about being off the grid (no cell service) i can just tune everything out and paint. I REALLY enjoyed this one!
Hello! Wish you were here painting with me!
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Clear Creek Canyon – Golden, CO 3 June 2021

photo of Clear Creek Canyon in Golden Colorado
I’m at Clear Creek Canyon outside Golden, Colorado.
Going to start an oil painting!
sketch of clear creek canyon near golden colorado
got my sketch. now lets paint!
oil painting clear creek canyon golden colorado
Here is my underpainting — now it’s time for color!
i have some colors laid out. this is a tricky view, because i am looking into the sun and the canyon is backlit. makes it hard to see the painting in the photo too, but hope you get the idea
almost finished…this is a wild little painting of the wild west. because ive been looking into the sun all this time, i wont know what it really looks like until i bring the painting indoors
ok, its done!! im roasted…stick a fork in me and call me done too! on a good day i can get 2 paintings. today has been good. i am happy to be here! ill have to take another picture when its not in the shade…the colors are a lot of fun!
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i don’t know where i am…colorado somewhere near Denver

photo of peak to peak from bloomfield colorado
should i paint this view or nah?
sketch of mountains from bloomfield colorado
ive got my sketch! im in a fancy pantsy semi gated community, so i had better work fast before the hoa realizes im here and runs me off!
oil painting underpainting bloomfield colorado
hard to photo the background in my work in progress photos, im facing this way so the sun n isnt on my painting.
mountain view from overlook bloomfield colordado
first colors oil painting bloomfield colorado overlook
im not used to atmosphere like this….i am trying to copy what i see. i have the base colors down
oil painting work in progress bloomfield colorado overlook
im not used to atmosphere like this….i am trying to copy what i see. i have the base colors down
oil painting of bloomfield colorado overlook
ok, this one is a wrap! its special because its my first time painting the atmosphere of the western mountains. ive wanted to do this for a long time. im so happy to be here.

i joked earlier about the community running artists off. everyone has been extremely nice…but i still want to hurry to my car, hope i dont get towed! lol
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Stone City, Iowa 1 June 2021

photo of stone city iowa
Greetings from Stone City, Iowa.
Almost 100 years ago, Grant Wood made some famous paintings in this tiny town. It hasn’t changed much, I’m going to try and make a “soon to be famous” Ken Swinson painting of the same view. Stay tuned!
sketch of stone city iowa
Here is my sketch. I love the way the lines in the grass show off the contour of the land…and the road that goes up the hill. Lets start painting!
oil painting underpainting of stone city iowa
Here’s my underpainting! There’s a lot happening in this scene. Let’s hope I am able to hold it all together. Time for color!
oil painting first colors of stone city iowa
I have a little bit of color started. I hope you all like the color green, because this scene is 50 shades of GREEN!
oil painting of stone city iowa by ken swinson
was so into figuring the painting out, i didnt take any inbetween step photos. ill admit, it was a little bit intimidating to paint a view that was painted by a world famous artist. i know better than to compare my work to anyone else…im on my journey. here is the finished painting from that trip.
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grant wood studio, cedar rapids, iowa 1 june 2021

photo of grant wood's studio in cedar rapids iowa
greetings from cedar rapids iowa. im at the studio of one of my favorite artists, Grant Wood!! even though its a foggy morning, im going to try and pay tribute by painting the studio.
sketch of grant wood's studio in cedar rapids iowa
this is a tricky subject, so i did a few sketches. t think the vertical format will make the better painting…lets get setup!
oil painting underpainting of grant wood' studio in cedar rapids iowa
the underpainting. my first impression of cedar rapids…some of the friendly and nicest people i have ever met.
work in progress oil painting of grant woods studio in cedar rapids iowa
im at the stage of the painting where i add color,but theres a challenge, its a foggy overcast day (no sun) and the building is mostly grey and white. ive learned with plein air painting that i have to take whatever the day gives me. today its grey, lol
artist palette with different shades of grey
look at all the “colors” on my palette so far…i might have to title this painting, 50 shades of grey.
oil painting of grant woods studio in cedar rapids iowa
building up more and more “colors” and details…
oil painting of grant woods studio in Cedar Rapids Iowa
ok, im done painting, so now the sun can come out! hahahahahahaha!!!!!
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Lewis County Plein Air 30 May 2021

i needed a change of scenery, so i drove a few miles east to our neighbor, lewis county. this scene (especially the garden ready to be planted) would make a great plein air painting.
here is my sketch. lets start painting!
the underpainting took a little bit of squeezing to fit everything, but i think im ready for color!
i have some colors laid down,but there are some challenges. see the pretty blue peeking out at the top of the mountain? that wasn’t there when i started! lol. painting from life (no cameras) if nothing else, makes a painting dynamic
the light has changed again since taking this picture!!! its a wild day for painting!! would be so much easier to just work from a photo, but the painting is alive when i work like this. going to try and wrap it up in the next session. stay tuned!