My youngest son, O., had a blue smear across his face and so many blue dots on his forearms that Dale called him an Aqua Tiger at lunch this week. O. painted a minecraft diamond helmet that morning, designed from a Quaker Oats box. He was so proud to show it off to his small, but engaged audience of Dale, his big brother, F. and me. F. suggested several improvements, as big brothers do.
But there will come a time when O. will outgrow this helmet. His audience will expand, too. I look forward to that time, but I also cherish these days.
You have been my audience, many of you for decades. So I share this news with happiness, knowing you will understand and celebrate with me.
It’s time to sell my paintings in brick-and-mortar shops. This means I will no longer be able to offer you my wholesale prices for original paintings. I can see how shops need to know their investment in me is backed by my online shop offering the same price. Otherwise, it’s too easy for all of us to find a brand we like and then find it online for less. I don’t want to undercut the very shops that are giving me space to sell my work.
Therefore, on July 31, all my original paintings will increase to retail prices. I wanted to prepare you. The good news is, you have a little time. If there was a piece you’re particularly fond of, now is the time to purchase it! Shop all my originals here.
Now, a few stories from the studio.
Last weekend, I opened my studio to present a very special piece to the Reynolds family. This painting, like so many commissioned pieces, has a lovely story. Nate Reynolds build this small outbuilding on his parent’s land as a refinery for maple syrup. Dubbed the “Sugar Shack”, he constructed it for his senior project, it was the first post-and beam-project of the school. Today, their school finished their 50th post-and-beam project. You might not be surprised to learn that today Nate runs a construction company and builds luxury homes in Steamboat Springs. But his sugar shack in Candia, NH is still used by his small Christian school in Candia, New Hampshire to refine maple syrup. I visited this sugar shack with the boys last winter, met the principle of Jesse Remington High School, took the reference photos and worked with Nate and his wife Kira to create this larger piece. I’ve included some pictures of their family touring my studio. I offer professional prints on watercolor paper as options to all my commissioners. Nate chose several print sizes for family gifts and auction pieces for JRHS. I’m holding the largest in the bottom photo so you can see the size. Nate has provided permission for you to purchase prints of the Sugar Shack. You can shop all my prints here.
Do you recall the auction where I raised hundreds of dollars to provide for a hard-working single mother? Every single winner donated many more dollars to pass along to my friend. And one winner, R., took her prize painting “Goose Creek Ranch” and presented it to her longtime friend who is also a reader of this blog. So let’s follow the jet stream: Goose Creek Ranch was painted in Steamboat, Colorado. Then, I auctioned it from New Hampshire then shipped it to R. in California. R. then shipped it up to Oregon where “Goose Creek Ranch” will hang on the wall of one of my dearest friends and mentors. What a trip! You can see that jet-setting painting here.
I am celebrating two online sales at my shop in one week. I have never hit that record before. What’s even more incredible to me is that I didn’t know either of these customers before they reached out. I have been working on this website for over a year, but I’ve been painting daily for six. This marks a major milestone: customers are finding me! One purchased a print of “Four Points” for their home in Texas and another purchased a mini original to hang in a new bathroom remodel in California. And all last week! I was glad to send my paintings to these homes out West.
And now the pictures!
