Turquoise- my new "color crush"

Oil on canvas board, 16 x 20 in- Jan. 2012

This painting is pivotal to a recent transition in my work.  Yes, my palette is changing, and I'm excited to share some color studies with you soon!

The Wedge

This is the first painting that entered my subconscious and haunted my sleep.  The night I started painting this piece I had a dream I was trying frantically to seek shelter from a looming tornado...okay, so maybe it was more of a nightmare:)

This is the second painting in my skyscape series inspired by one of the storm chasing logs from my cousin and meteorologist, Brad Nelson.  To learn more about this wedge tornado from 2010 near Bowdle, South Dakota go to Eye on the Twister!  I continue to be drawn to the dynamic movement of the clouds fueling the storm and the abstract forms they create.    

Oil on cradled canvas panel, 16 x 20 in

The Forecast

Oil on canvas panel, 16 x 20 in.

We talk about it daily with strangers, we dress and make plans around it, we are happier when its good, yet we know the devastation it can cause....the weather.  

I remember as a kid, I'd stay up just long enough to watch the forecast on the local news station before going to bed.  I just needed to know the weather forecast in order to fall asleep...and now as an adult, I plan my camping and hiking trips around it.  Today, checking the weather is probably the most used app on my phone.  Its true, I have always had a small fear for what that summer storm is capable of given the right conditions...yet I always desire to watch it. 

My cousin is a meteorologist who not only covers the weather but seeks to experience it up close.  He spends his spare time chasing storms with his wife.  He shares his adventures via facebook, and I am always in awe of the storms they capture in photo and video.  Its pretty impressive to watch the home video of a tornado forming, with MaryLynn asking Brad in the background,  "Should we pull over here?"

This piece is inspired by and in respect for the volatile and sometimes beautiful storm.  It is the backside of wall cloud as it reflects the light of the sun setting.  Thank you Brad for the photo references!  

I recommend checking out Brad's website of his storm chase logs and photos! 

Eye on the Twister