Notes from the Studio: April 2026

Finishing the Beauty Mountain Overlook painting, 16" x 20". 

Painting Progress

My first painting in the New River Gorge National Park series is complete! I remember walking the trail leading to this view was narrow and grassy. We pushed toward the ledge through a canopy of rhododendrons. The trail opened up to this amazing sunset glow through spruce trees.

I used a limited palette of only four colors to complete this painting: Alizarin Crimson, Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, and Burnt Sienna. Using only these colors made it easy to pick up painting during a few breaks when life got busy this month. I’m surprised at the range of colors achieved and I’m excited to see how this palette unites this series as a whole. The crimson, ochre, and ultramarine make up the bulk of the colors, but the Burnt Sienna was mostly used to mix with ultramarine to create an inky black/dark brown.

Next, I’ll sign, trim, photograph, and scan this painting. It will be available for sale when the entire series is finished - my goal is to complete them by end of this summer.

I started sketching my next painting: the view of the New River Gorge Bridge from Bridge Buttress Trail. The subject matter includes a man-made structure, but the feeling of experiencing this view via the trail was similar to the last painting.

Sketch of my next painting: New River Gorge Bridge Buttress, 16" x 20.

Aerial View of Old Morgantown print, available in sizes from 5" x 7" to 16" x 20.

Print of the Month: Aerial View of Old Morgantown

I want to share a bit more of the story behind my earlier works as I work towards creating new ones. This print will be 20% off now through May 15. 

This painting started as a commission in 2018. Special thanks to my client, who gave permission for me to reproduce their original painting as a print. The client wanted a bird’s-eye view of Morgantown pre-1979, when Mountaineer Field was located in downtown Morgantown.

I referenced historical and present-day aerial images to create a sketch compilation of this unique vantage point. This was my first painting that was an artist’s rendition rather than working directly from a single reference image. It’s no surprise this is still one of my best selling prints.

Shop the Vintage Morgantown, WV Print

Reference images and sketches used to create the Old Morgantown print. 

In the Shop

I’m grateful that Spring often means that local shops are restocking their shelves with my work. We have been busy filling orders, which includes printing and packaging all of my prints in-house. You can find my work in-person at the stockists listed on my Shop In Person page, with a new addition: Harper’s General Store in Seneca Rocks.

I found a handful of old A2 botanical notecards and am working on listing them on my website.