"Afternoon Iris"
5 x 7
Original Watercolor
$65
I haven't been able to get out and paint on location the past couple of weeks for a few reasons. We've had very strong winds here in Las Vegas for quite a while and that put a damper on a couple of weekends. Also, I've been working fervently on new large studio paintings (and all the framing that goes along with that) to show at the Boulder City Fine Arts Festival on April 18th and 19th. I was determined, however, to get out of the studio and paint and so, I took my watercolors and moved to the dining room. I set a vase of flowers up on an old chinese chest we keep in front of a picture window, pulled up a chair, and painted this little watercolor. The background is from my imagination as the view out from the window behind the flower was actually our backyard block wall. Thankfully the winds have finally died down some and we'll be able to go on our regular jaunts once again.
Bill and I and Liz had a great time this past weekend out at the Boulder City Fine Art Festival in Boulder City, Nevada. It is sponsored by the Boulder City Art Guild and held on the shady lawns of Bicentennial Park. There were over 80 artists there, all of whom are creating art that is thought-provoking, genuine and well-made. We had many good conversations with our fellow artist-neighbors as well as the art patrons. Some of the conversations were quite light-hearted and funny while others were discussions on the current state of art education in the schools.
This is a photo of me walking back to our booth after being presented with the Cliff Segerblom Award. Cliff Segerblom was chief photographer for the Bureau of Reclamation Hoover Dam Project. Mr. Segerblom, as a photographer and a painter, and his wife Gene Segerblom, as a teacher, writer and historian, have a long history of service to southern Nevada. During my years as exhibition chairman for the Nevada Watercolor Society I had the pleasure of presenting this award to several accomplished artists. So it was an honor to be awarded with this distinction myself. I also had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Mrs. Segerblom during the art show. Nevada is fortunate to have such supporters of the arts in our state and I am most grateful for this award. 
This is a photo of an 18"x 24" watercolor titled "Sky Blue Pool". The photo shows the painting along with the ribbon which was part of the Cliff Segerblom Award which I received at the Boulder City Fine Art Festival. The painting shows a tranquil pool of rainwater I came across out at Valley of Fire State Park and my interpretation of the scene. 
