Academy Ruins Series

Academy Ruins III

6x8

One of my favorite things about the city of Vancouver,WA is its wonderful historical architecture; and of the list of great structures, my all-time favorite to paint is the old laundry building at The Academy.

The brick behemoth, that has been condemned for a number of years, may not be suitable for human habitation anymore, but its rugged character and adorable charm make it a painter's and photographer's dream. It's beat up brick, run down trim, and broken windows make it a joy to paint. All i have to do is pick the time of day, set up, and sling away.

Academy Ruins IV

6x8

There are so many compositions that i want to paint here, that i think i could use this building as inspiration for a number of years. One of the building's finest assets are it's exterior conduits. Along with the dormant ivy, the old pipes - that seem to run like a maze, make for some fun lines and add an interesting strength to a composition.

This scene here, in painting IV, i have had my eye on for a while and i am likely to paint this view again.

The Academy Ruins Series is turning out to be very special to me and i have three rules for it:

1) Must be 6x8 (or 8x6)

2) Must depict this building only

3) Must be painted plein air, alla prima

I am excited to paint other scenes of this building in larger format; they just won't get the unique tag of, Academy Ruins.

I Salute You.

Old Glory I

11x14

After painting my previous post's work, i sat in my jeep to warm up and think of what to paint next, where to go..... Just north of my ponder lied a modest building. Atop the structure, jetted a stout pole adorned by a large American flag that rolled about with the fluidity of an ocean wave in an almost non-existent breeze. I decided to study the flag, study its motions, study it's struggles to stay a flutter as the wind came and went.

As i studied the flag and its movements, i became mesmerized by its reactions to the light breeze. At times during it's dance recital, the red and white stripes flowed as if ribbons of silk were being pulled from a never ending bobbin. It was truly stunning. I decided right then and there that i was to put together a collection of portraits of our nation's flag in different poses.

On my way home last night, trying to figure out which painting to blog about, the profound remembrance and importance of December 7 came over me, and i felt my decision made. In an effort to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to our nation on that fateful day so many years ago, known to all in two words as...... Pearl Harbor. I offer this humble rendition of Old Glory in your memory and my way of publicly saying, thank you.

Texture of The Academy

Academy Ruins II

6x8

SOLD

Over the Thanksgiving Day weekend I painted quite a bit, which allowed me to get into a painterly groove. I could see my vision alter in just a short period of time where i would see things in brush strokes or slabs of color and not so much as subject. I find that when i get on a roll and have some intense time with paint and brush that i start to walk or paint on that knifes edge of where things come easier. Unfortunately due to a full-time job, those zen-like states-of-mind are harder to come by than i would like.

One afternoon i went back to the The Academy and painted this scene that has been on my mind ever since the original Academy Ruins was painted. The rundown brick structure is a perfect subject for painters and photogrophers, and i will most certainly return for yet another view of this lovely building. Come to think of it, i will create a collection of Academy Ruins with various compositions of this building. Sounds like fun huh?....

Why paint something cute and pretty and clean when i can bang shoulders with something that's been around the block. Something that's tough and hard, something that's full of history and texture, and doesn't care if i put my elbows on the table as i mowe down another pizza painting. Load me up! and pile on the toppings, its time to eat.....I mean paint.

Brushes Up! Now pass the napkins....

Is the Art in your Heart?

photo taken from my booth

The Art in the Heart Event took place this last weekend in Downtown Vancouver,WA and it was a great experience. So many incredible artists that double as great friends really enhanced the entire weekend for me. Getting to know Bud Fields, Marilyn Hocking, Oleg Ulitskiy, and catching up with Mike Rangner, Celeste Bergin and Gene Wigglesworth were highlights.

photo of me in my booth by David Burbach

I wanted to give my booth a real studio feel to it, and with the tremendous help from my wife, Vicki, i think we pulled it off.

part of Historical Series on walnut slab One way i decided to display my many unframed pieces was to build some tiny easels which worked great and added to the artistic feel i was going for.

Academy Steeple

9 x 12

Academy Steeple, is a special painting for me. Not only did it make its way onto the Art on the Boulevard mailer, but it was a pre-sale. So, although it never hung in my booth, it found a good home. Thanks Gemma! And thanks to the others who became inspired enough to be caretakers of the other 3 pieces.

photo taken by David Burbach Although the photos don't show it, the event was bustling with people, especially friday night. I would like to thank the many friends and family that came to Art in the Heart in a great show of support. A tremendous thank you goes to Kevin Weaver, the Director of Art on the Boulevard Gallery, for having me in the event.

Napoleon 12-Pounder's

Guardians

8x10

Sunday was a good day for painting. I got an early start at Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge and turned out a couple 6x8 landscapes. I was home by noon, had some lunch and had energy for more. So, i went to the studio and painted from a photo i took, of a pair of cannons that are stationed on Officer's Row. As i started in, i found myself wiping the panel clear of my poor lines a handful of times so i decided to simplify and exaggerate working the entire painting more than i usually do. Forgotten what a challenge painting oval shapes can be, i just worked back and forth, making, breaking, making, breaking and then making again. It turned out to be quite fun.

I did a little research on these beauties and found while they are replicas of the Napoleon 12-Pound Light Field Cannons, they have a great story. They were made by students of Mountain View High School (Vancouver,WA) from material donated by the City of Vancouver. The students used drawings and original photos so they could get as close to an exact replica as possible, however they do not fire which is probably a good thing; Great job MV and its instructors Larry Books and Darell Midles. The placement of the cannons was taken on as an Eagle Scout project by James Deuvall of Troop 328 (Vancouver,WA), way to go James. The cannons were dedicated on November 8,1991 in honor of four Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, and they are:

First Sergeant James M. Hill: 5th U.S. Cavalry, The Indian Campaigns, 1873. First Sergeant Moses Williams: 9th U.S. Cavalry, The Indian Campaigns, 1876. First Lieutenant William W. McCammon: 24th Missouri Regiment, Civil War, 1896. Bugler Herman Pfisterer: 21st Infantry, Spanish-American War, 1899

Present at the dedication was General Colin L. Powell and Major General Patrick H. Brady. In a book i have (Images of America Downtown Vancouver, by Pat Jollota) General Powell is pictured leaving the Marshall House.

Thank you to all who had a part in this memorial and thank you to all, past and present, who put their lives on the line so that i have the freedom and the right to post this entry.

Historic Hangar

Unique Aviation

10 x 21 7/8

The Pearson Air Museum was built in 1918 and used as a "cut-up" plant for the US Army's Spruce Division. It was relocated in 1924 to its current location, turned into an aviation hangar and has lived a very textured life. During World War II it was used to house Italian prisoners and on June 20,1937 served as host to the unexpected landing of the Soviet ANT-25 and its three flyers, Chkalov, Baidukov, and Belyakov. It wound up as the first flight from the Soviet Union to the United States via the North Pole.

The museum seeks to inspire and educate with its amazing display of antique aircraft and interactive attractions that include a movie theater, flight simulator and science area. Want to see a replica of the WWI plane flown by the "Red Baron"? Well, its here too.

As the nation's oldest wooden structure still used to house aircraft, Pearson Air Museum remains alive with many events during the year. The scene i depicted in the painting was from a photo i took on Memorial Day weekend this year during their "Open Cockpit" event where vintage aircraft offered thrilling rides to kids of all ages.

Check it out http://www.fortvan.org/pages/pearson-air-museum

Art in the Heart

http://www.artontheboulevard.org/

Recently i was invited to be a guest artist of the art gallery, Art on the Boulevard, for the annual outdoor art event and sale, Art in the Heart. It will be held in conjunction with First Friday on August 5th and 6th in Downtown Vancouver,WA.

I am so excited and humbled to be a part of this event as this will be my first time to showcase my paintings in this type of setting. Also to sit along such great artists as Mike Rangner, Bud Fields and Oleg Ulitskiy is a bit sobering.

Now, as you can tell from my blog entries, i have been painting local historical structures for the last few months, not with any particular event in mind, but this i feel is an opportunity to do exactly what this collection of work is intended to do; inspire, enlighten and engage people with the wealth of local and national history that is right here. I know we've all said it, Gosh, i haven't been there since i was in grade school, or i've never been there and i live in the same town. I guess this is my way of helping people over those obstacles and inspiring them to get energized about our city and its rich heritage, or just add fuel to their fire that was set years ago.

In any case, i have been working diligently and plan on having around 70 paintings on display or at least ready to thumb through in a bin.

If you are not aware, Art on the Boulevard art gallery is in my opinion one of the premier galleries in the whole Pacific NW. It represents some of the finest art and artists you will find anywhere. I urge you to click on the link and take a look for yourself or just make the short trip downtown and experience it in person. You will not be disappointed, but you most likely will get inspired.

I want to thank Kevin Weaver, the Gallery Director, for giving me this opportunity to take another step forward in making my dreams become real.

Fisher Cemetery

Schwoebel-Simmons-Knapp

8 x 10

I have been painting quite a bit of late, which is why my blog is suffering from larger than i would like gaps between postings. Last saturday i decided to spend the morning with the oldest public cemetery in Clark County, Fisher Cemetery. There is something deep, soulful and enriching about visiting cemeteries. They allow our thoughts to run rampant with the figuring out of who is buried there and how they ended up there; what is their story?

Headstones date back to the 1850's, some with beautiful carvings, some with amazing quotes, and some that are unassuming, but most possess names and dates that hit me like a sledge hammer. Why, for instance, on December 17,1903 did Clara Stamp die at the age of 24 Yrs. 6Ms. 11Ds....? and why did her mother parish the following year, while her father lived until 1920. These are questions that i just cannot put down, i have to know more. This is the essence of story telling in a most textured way.

Solomon Fisher and William Simmons established the Fisher Community in today's SE corner of Vancouver,WA along the Columbia River. There was a grade school, general store, blacksmith and a post office. Fisher built a riverboat landing where wood was sold to passing by steamboats. William Simmons donated an acre of his own land for the cemetery and named it in honor of his wife Ann J. (Fisher) Simmons.

In order to move forward, one must have balance, one must know where they have came from. In the case, where a community came from. It brings light and perspective to the senses, and frees our thoughts allowing forward progress.

Vancouver Train Station

Train Station

5 1/2 x 11

The Vancouver Train Station opened in 1908 in tandem with the train bridge which finally linked Oregon to Washington permanently for the first time. While this structure is not as vast as some stations it does have a striking appearance with great lines that were fun to paint.

I have struggled to find much in the way of its history, but i do know it was the local arrival place of some prominent people such as Empire Builder James J. Hill.

The station is owned by the City of Vancouver, and Amtrak still operates daily runs out of this location.

Careful restorations, mostly of the interior, were completed in 2008 and included refinishing the original maple floors, plaster repairs, custom solid wood doors, wainscoting and trim to match that of the early 1900's time period.

The Academy

Ancestry

16.5 x 20 More widely known as The Academy, The House of Providence, opened in 1873 as a school and orphanage in Vancouver, Washington USA and was said to be the largest building north of San Fransisco at the time. It was designed by Mother Joseph (sister of Providence) and built of bricks supplied by local Hidden Brick Company. The Academy operated as a school until 1966 when it was sold to the City of Vancouver. It remained dormant until 1969 when Robert Hidden, the grandson of Lowell Hidden (founder of Hidden Brick Co.) purchased it. The Hidden family still owns this prominent historical landmark where they lease out office spaces to local business, and has turned into a popular place for weddings. I have a personal connection to The Academy as my great grandmother, Mary Jane Vermeire, and her three siblings lived here shortly after arriving from Belgium and losing their mother in a typhoid epidemic early in the 20th century. As life often makes big changes hinged on curious ancestral decisions/occurrences, i feel i owe a deep gratitude of thanks to all who have had a hand in creating and maintaining this significant piece of local historical architecture. For, if not for The House of Providence and its mission, i may have never come to be and you would probably not be reading this right now.......

The Marshall House

Grand Marshall

16 x 20

I must admit, the idea of creating a series of paintings that showcased our local historical architecture actually started with The Marshall House. As my favorite house on Officers Row, i have often reveled in it's beauty of amazing lines, detail, and of course the wonderfully placed and signature turret.

The Marshall House was build in 1886 in the style of Queen Anne Victorian and was very popular with many aristocrats of the time. George C. Marshall lived in the house while stationed here as the Commanding Officer of the Vancouver Barracks from 1936-1938.

This type of history right here in our city is why i began this project, and i am so glad that the City of Vancouver saw the importance in restoring these gems of national historical significance for many more people to enjoy, get inspiration from, and learn from this living museum known as......... Officer's Row.

Vancouver Train Station Bench

Inspire

9 x 12

A couple weeks ago i visited the Vancouver Train Station and during that time i discovered a wonderful old bench with an amazing patina. What also helped was the timing of the day's light as the sun streamed in through the windows, placing it's mobile stamp of intense spotlight on the interior of the station. I took some photos as i knew i might be inspired to paint, not so much the interior, but that incredible bench that has obviously been around a while and possesses great lines and stunning architecture in it's own right. Sure enough, last Sunday was the day to bring this settle to life in the Historical Series. Now some may argue that it does not deserve a place next to the likes of St. James Catholic Church, The Marshall House, or The Academy, but i believe it does. Just because it's not boisterous in appearance, and takes a back seat to even the arthitecture of the Train Station itself, i felt it a lovely enough piece that it deserves an advocate.

As i think about the old bench, i am curious as to the thousands of people who shared a moment or many moments with the unassuming support or those who just flew by in a flurry of worry of missing their train and did not even give the welcoming friend a glance, much less a tip of the hat.

What stories the solid feature could tell, if only given the chance and that some one would take the time to listen.So many watchful, hopeful, and empty days and nights has it sat there just waiting and wanted to do what it does best - give you a rest.

The next time you go to Vancouver's Historical Train Station, don't forget to show respect and off a little time and thanks for all the self-less devotion any one bench can possess. I am thankful for the inspiration it touched in me.

Modern Hospital

Building 614

8 x 10

On Saturday i spent the morning with the Post Hospital near the Vancouver Barracks. Built in 1904 as a modern hospital that included drains and pipes for blood to flow, and large windows to allow light in for surgeries and fresh air for patients. Around 1930 the open decks were enclosed that creates a sun room effect on all four sides. The building has been vacant since the 1990's, but there has been much talked about turning it into an art space that would include studios, office spaces, galleries, and possibly even a museum.

The thought of having such a place here in Vancouver is exciting to me. Any way we can push the envelope, expand the arts and create awareness to the public is a great thing and needs to be pursued. There are a great number of talented artists in the Pacific NW that could use a space just like this, and encouragement for our youth must be woven in as well. i see this as another step towards doing just that.

In a society where budget cuts hit the arts hard, the rejuvenation of this great structure would lend itself well to pushing against the tide and get the Post Hospital back to doing what it was intended to do - help people. Maybe not in the purest sense, but definitely it would be a place of growth, re-birth, and inspiration - and i cannot think of a better structure to house such an endeavor.

Since my goal in painting these historical structures is all about creating awareness of the depth and texture of our city, the Post Hospital is a must in this passionate series of paintings.

Before it's too late.....

I-5 Bridge mid-Spring

8 x 10

While the I-5 Bridge is not an historical building, it is an historical structure and before it is replaced by something bigger and better, i wanted to include it in my series of paintings. So, this morning i worked on a Marshall House painting and as the dramatic sky revealed itself this afternoon, i knew i was going out to paint. I went down to the waterfront and carried my supplies across the foot bridge to look at the Fort which wasn't working for me today, so back across the bridge i went and i knew that i was going to have to figure out a composition of the I-5 Bridge. I found my spot, set up, and started in. The wind kicked up a few times, almost taking my umbrella with it, but i only got rained on a couple times. As the light and clouds were constantly changing, i had to work fast and mixed many of the colors directly on the panel, not thinking, just reacting to what i saw. Consequently a lot of energy went into this painting and i am really glad i've got my first I-5 Bridge under my belt, before its gone.

Shifting to 2nd gear

O.O. Howard House

6 x 8

I am getting into a groove now with the Historical Series of paintings. Early this afternoon i took a stroll around the Vancouver Barracks/Officers Row area searching for my next victim and decided on the O.O. Howard House. This historic home was built for the Civil War general O.O. Howard in 1879. While this is not the most popular of homes on Officers Row - probably for being just off the main drag, i felt it was definitely worthy of my attention and best effort.

General Oliver Otis Howard (1830-1909) was a Medal of Honor recipient who lost an arm during the Civil War, and was the founder of Howard University in Washington, DC. - and its president from 1867-1873.

As i ponder about this historical figure, i can only imagine the stories and lessons he might have had to offer, and i am humbled by the thought i could give light to such tremendous history.

When i started with the idea of painting Vancouver's historical buildings, my driving force was to bring awareness to our community's past; but i am finding that the list of prominent figures reaches well beyond household names like Marshall and Grant.

Historical Collection I

St. James Catholic Church

18 x 13 3/4

This is my second attempt at captivating the mighty presence of St. James. This structure has cast shadows for well over 100 years and is some of our most prominent architecture in Clark County. I have worked this painting off and on over the last ten days and it has been a great challenge. One reason i took this on was to push myself into creating a piece, something that most people have seen and know well, and making it look believable; a task, not easily accomplished. I'm not entirely sure if i will continue to work on this piece, i think i will let it settle for a couple days and review it with fresh eyes to see if there are any details i would like to change. I am pretty happy with the lines and dimensionally i think it's pretty sound. One thing new for me was the implementation of the #6 Round. I had never used a round brush with oil paints before, and the foreground retaining wall face, which i struggled with, owes all its marbling and texture to the rolling and sliding ability of the great.... #6 Round. Charles Hawthorne said in his book, Hawthorne on Painting, "Swing a bigger brush; you don't know what fun you are missing." While i wholly believe this, i would like to add that the versatility and creativity of the round cannot be understated either and i now have a new best friend in #6.