Wells Fargo Strongbox

 

I made this Strongbox from lumber, hardware, and leather.  I added an antique lock to make it look official.

Wooden Orca Carving

I used scrap-wood to make this Orca wood carving.  On our cruise out of Seattle last year we saw several Orcas up close.  Fascinating creatures.  Many of them looked like this in the water.

The Great Wave Off Kanagawa

The "Great Wave Off Kanagawa" is one of the most famous works of art in Japanese history.  I tried to recreate Katsushika Hokusai's 1831 woodblock print with watercolors.  I omitted the three boats that are in the original as I tried to focus on the waves themselves.  The detail of the claw-like waves was very challenging and time consuming.  Mount Fuji is in the background.  You can see the original below:

Wooden Whale Carving

We recently took a trip to New England to see the fall colors.  At a restaurant, I saw a wooden, (I think it was drift wood) statue of a whale who was fluking.  Grey Whales migrate up and down the California coast and we were fortunate enough to observe them one time.  I liked the statue, but since it was not for sale, I decided to use some scrap pine wood and make my own statue.

      The original.                                                Mine before staining it.

"Hunting Hearts" Sequel to "Hunting Hollywood"

 

In the sequel to Hunting Hollywood, Slate Granger becomes a famous movie star.  His celebrity status gets him into precarious situations as he risks everything for the woman he loves.  Not only does his acting ability garner him recognition, but it also puts him in a position to help save the world from tyranny.  Rebecca's good intentions put her in a most difficult place.  And McKenzie and Craig's relationship at Troy Studios continues to take many twists and turns.  Set in the 1940s, this fictional story will keep the reader turning the pages to see what happens next.

Available on Amazon.com

"Wastin' Away"

 

This is Jimmy Buffett.  Hard to get the twinkle in his eye.

Our neighbor has a band called Salty Dog.  From left to right, Glenn, Brad, and Dave.

"Ladies and gentlemen--Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young"

 

CSN&Y are  my favorite group.  So many of their songs take me back to places in time.  Suite Judy Blue Eye is my #1.

Woven Paper

 

This is my first attempt at Woven Paper.  It is fun and loose and easy to do.

Railroad Bridge over the Harpeth River near L.L. Burns Park

 

I enjoy fishing at L.L. Burns Park in Kingston Springs, Tennessee.  Adjacent to the park is an interesting railroad bridge over the Harpeth River.  In the winter time, the whole place is void of colors except brown and grey.

Pansies in a Glass Vase

 

Tinker Bell--Amelia

 

The daughter of a neighbor asked me to paint a picture of her as she was playing Tinker Bell in a children's production of "Peter Pan."  I think she liked it.

Bubba Miller, Philadelphia Eagles

I had the honor of coaching with Stephen "Bubba" Miller for two seasons at Battle Ground Academy.  His son was on our team.  I also got to know his wonderful family. Bubba played center at the University of Tennessee when Peyton Manning was the quarterback.  He then played for the Philadelphia Eagles and finished his career with the New Orleans Saints.  He is such a knowledgeable coach and I learned a lot from watching him work with our players.  He is a great coach and a great person.

Odalisque In a Purple Robe (Copied from Henri Matisse)

I was inspired to do this watercolor when I was at the Coffee House in Franklin, Tennessee.  In their Library Room, my granddaughter and I were looking at some art books they had on the shelf.  One was about Henri Matisse.  On the cover of the book jacket was his painting, "Odalisque In a Purple Robe."  Inspired by the color and the relaxed pose of the subject, I thought I'd give it a try.

The original is below.

Become a Head Football Coach

 

This book is designed to give high school assistant football coaches the tools and advice they need to achieve their career goal of becoming a high school head football coach.  The subjects covered include where to look for a job, how to apply, interview suggestions, sample interview questions, as well as how to organize a football program.  The advice is from the author’s experiences in coaching high school football over several decades.                    AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM

Doug Thompson, Quarterback, Fountain Valley High School

This is a photo of a photo of a painting I did of Fountain Valley H.S. quarterback, Doug Thompson from the mid-1970s.
 

Almond Grove in Bloom, Central Valley, California

My tribute to all the farmers in California.

Wood Carving, Half-Hull Model, "The Sloop John B."

This is a Half-Hull Model of the Sloop John B.  This boat was the subject and title of one of my favorite Beach Boys songs.

The hull is made from Mahogany and is mounted on a pine plaque.
 

Firing On Fort Sumter--"You Started It"

Having grown up and gone to school in Southern California, the Civil War was just something that we read about in our history books.  Now living in Tennessee, I have found that the Civil War is still going on!  There are many Southerners who still refer the war as the Northern Invasion and how Confederate soldiers were just defending their homeland.  There are a multitude of memorials to the Confederacy honoring the insurrection that only lasted four years.  Somewhere in their re-written history, they forgot that THEY started the war by firing on Fort Sumter.  This is just a little reminder that "You Started It." And General Sherman finished it.

Tipis at Sunset