Landscapes were the earliest paintings that I attempted as a young middle school and high school student. In fact, my very first painting was a landscape. I was involved in plein-aire painting in the middle 1960?s before such activity took on it?s recent popularity. I would bring an easel and backpack and go outside in all different weather conditions. Many times it would be so cold that I would have to go back into the car to keep warm. I suppose my feeling for the landscape went back to my childhood when the neighbor boys would play hide and seek in the 10 acre woodlot near us. We would walk for hours looking for those that were hiding. I can remember a total fascination with the beauty of this woodlot that was totally untouched. Trees supremely beautiful in all stages of growth and decay. Acid green moss, textures, smells, dappled sunlight through the woods all imprinting the sensations into a young child. After our move to Michigan from Ohio, I would seek out beautiful scenes along the Kalamazoo River. I can?t recall how many times the canvas blew off the easel. Now, I periodically return to the landscape and feel a special connection with my early efforts.
