wildflower center still lifes

I took a trip out to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Friday. I wanted to check out the exhibition space and meet Joseph Hammer. He is the individual who has invited me and is organizing the exhibit of my work out which will be presented there next winter.
While I was there I decided to search out new subjects for paintings. I was very excited about the pods I found. Pictured below is a buckeye pod with a few yummy brown-black seeds, and then the vibrant red mountain laurel seeds and pods. Its like a little treasure when you crack open the pods.

possum haw tree berries attempted

possum haw berries

Just the other day I was asked to exhibit my paintings at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center! I feel very honored.
In keeping along the lines of the Wildflower Center's mission, I went out this morning and photographed my native Texas Possum Haw tree. I planted it about 5 years ago, and this year it really did it's thing; red berries galore! Everything else in my yard looks horrible after the freeze, but the Possum Haw dropped all it's leaves but held onto it's vibrant red berries. It looks beautiful. I haven't quite figured out how to capture that yet, but I did so some Possum haw berry still lives.

#157 life energy (poppies)

I like January. Things slow down a bit and I can always find more time to paint.
I completed this painting this afternoon. Although I technically started working on it about 2 weeks ago, I feel like it has been in the making for quite some time.
It feels like it is reaching back to when I was 18 years old up through my present 46 years. It has something to do with the connectedness of all things. Visualizing the coming to be.

"life energy is the bridge between form and formlessness"
-eckhart tolle

#156 life energy mandala

palette knife

i've had this palette knife since i purchased it when studying in paris in 1983.

#154 life energy mandala

I just finished this piece this morning. Revisiting ideas from the past. This painting is 16x16 inches, oil on panel. The finish is fairly flat. I think the next one will have some glossy areas and maybe some overlays.