Paintings from a Small Town

Cloud study

2012-01-18T17:55:00.002-06:00

Cloud study | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-21T18:31:00.000-06:00

The 2011 Vander Stelt Gazette

It is hard to believe another year has passed us by again. We have a lot to be thankful for here at the Vander Stelt household and looking back on the year we have some really great memories. If you click on the photo above, the link is suppose to open a copy of our annual Christmas newsletter. I'm not sure if I got the code embedded correctly, so if it doesn't work I guess you're out of luck.

I need to admit that every year I complain and threaten that this is going to be the last year I write it because it is too much work. We send out more of these than I'd care to admit. I suppose it is my yearly contribution to help save the United States Postal Service.

This is the 23rd consecutive year for the Gazette. We always save at least a couple copies of each issue, and each year when I begin writing, I grab all the old issues to get inspired and to reminisce a bit. It always brings a smile to my face as I read stories of the vacations we have taken or of the things the kids have done over the years.

Typically we start working on the content a week or two after Thanksgiving, and try to publish by mid-December. It has always been a two page document, but it started in black and white 23 years ago and in 2000 it was upgraded to color. You can also see the improvements in computer technology, printing and probably my design skills because looking back at some of the early issues, they look pretty crude in style compared to issue 23. But even though it is 23 years later, it is still an awful lot of work. Maybe I'll give up doing it next year.

Merry Christmas from the Vander Stelts

The Angels' Song

2011-12-05T20:34:00.012-06:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas is less than three weeks away. Our little town is rather known in the area as a place to come and view outdoor Christmas lighting and displays. I have shown some of my lawn displays in the past, and decided to paint a new one this year.

I also thought it might be fun to take a few snapshots of it as it progressed so you could see how it developed. Above you can see the first shot I took.

This is at the point where I started to block in the fiery bright angelic colors. It started to come to life a bit more at this point.

Here is a close-up at an early stage of a shepherd's face. This particular shepherd is probably my favorite. I didn't put a lot of time into any of the figures, mostly because people are almost always driving past and viewing it from the road. Viewing from that distance forgives a lot of errors.

This is a closeup of the lower part of the angel. This was probably the most fun to paint. Free flowing paint and brilliant colors.

We put it out in the front yard on Wednesday of last week. The paint was not fully dry, but we put it out anyway. It snowed 3-4 inches this weekend, so it looks really nice surrounded by a fresh layer of the white stuff.

The Angels' Song
Here is a little better look at the entire finished piece. It is what I would call a very traditional interpretation of this scene–one you might see in a Sunday school classroom. I think people are drawn to the traditional images and music that permeate the Christmas season.

If you are in the area, I invite you to come view the lights as well as the new painting at the Vander Stelts.

Santa Fe

2011-11-16T18:59:00.006-06:00

Here are a few photos I shot on a trip that Denise and I took to Santa Fe, New Mexico this fall. It is a place I've always wanted to see and it lived up to my expectations. The color, architecture, culture, food and art were all wonderful.

The Taos Pueblo

El Sanctuario de Chimayo
I've been working on a large new painting for Christmas. I hope to have it done soon so we can put it out on our front yard for display this Christmas season. Stay tuned.

Dad's Profile

2011-09-12T20:30:00.002-05:00

Dad's Profile | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard
My Dad is always a good subject for a portrait. He has had a big white beard for many years and turns the heads of a lot of small children at Christmas time.

I remember drawing his profile when I was a kid. I don't know if that drawing is still around or not. There is something I like about a profile. The window light streaming into the room really worked perfectly in adding dimension to his face. This was based on a photo I took after a Sunday dinner at my brother Bruces' house.

Todd's Cottonwoods

2011-08-01T21:11:00.009-05:00

This is a quick sketch I did as my contribution to a 50th birthday scrapbook created by many of my co-workers for our company president and friend, Adrie Groeneweg. Adrie likes nature and particularly trees. I even did a tree commission for him a couple years ago.

I based this sketch on a photo posted on Facebook and shot by another friend, Todd Thompson. In addition to being a great writer and friend, Todd has a good eye for photography too. He says about these trees "My two favorite trees in the world. Cottonwoods. My great uncle L.D. moved here in 1914 and he said they were big trees then."

Chicago

2011-07-05T21:03:00.008-05:00

I hope you're having a good summer. It has been busy here, but good. A little over a week ago I was fortunate to be able to attend a design conference in Chicago–what a great city. While there, I squeezed in a few hours at the Art Institute, which is one of my favorite museums. I had not been there in many years so it was a real treat to see some of my old favorites as well as see the new modern art wing and find a few new gems.

Penitent Saint Peter, Jusepe de Ribera
Of all the pieces I viewed during my visit to the Art Institute, this is the one that really grabbed me this time. I am not really familiar with this Spanish artist who painted this around 1628, but the face of Peter was just amazing.

Penitent Saint Peter, (detail)
To me, the artist captured vividly just what Peter must have felt like after denying Jesus three times.

Cloud Gate (aka "The Bean") by Anish Kapoor
This sculpture in the Millenium Park, next door to the Art Institute, is truly a magnet for people. I was drawn to it numerous times during my four day visit. It's hard to describe the experience or even why this huge chrome bean is so appealing, but if you are in the windy city, it is worth stopping to see.

A Slice of Tuscan Roma

2011-06-09T20:15:00.012-05:00

A Slice of Tuscan Roma | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

I've been thinking about painting a slice of Pizza Ranch pizza for a long time, and when fellow artist and friend, Darren Mauer, recently painted a slice of El Fredos pizza (a Sioux City landmark) it got me motivated to tackle the subject.

I shot a few snapshots of this slice a few weeks ago one night when we were having dinner at the Ranch. The Tuscan Roma pizza is a simple classic that combines tomato and spinach toppings with an alfredo sauce on a crispy thin crust. It's one of my favorites. The lighting was poor for shooting photos, and it made using the reference photo a little more difficult.

I do wonder if a slice of pepperoni may have been easier to paint.

Interested in buying this painting?

View of Landscape West of Maurice

2011-05-25T20:57:00.008-05:00

View of Landscape West of Maurice | 30"x40" | oil on canvas

This is a fairly large work that I recently bartered for a new custom iron railing created by, Lauren Ochsner, a talented local artisan. His acreage can actually be seen in the distance toward the far right of the painting.

Lauren stopped me on the street not long after I delivered the painting. He said he had already framed it and hung it in his home. One of his adult sons saw it and said, "Dad, I'd like to have that after you and Mom are gone." Well, we both had a chuckle over that, but it did make me feel pretty good.

I think it's one of the things I enjoy most about being an artist–that hopefully many of my pieces will be enjoyed long after I leave this earth. I know I still continue to get constant enjoyment out of viewing the paintings of my grandfather, and he has been gone nearly 40 years already.

This painting reminds me of those 17th century Dutch landscapes that I love so much. Flat land with big billowing clouds.

Sold

The Monoprep

2011-04-28T21:02:00.002-05:00

The Monoprep | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Recently I received an e-mail from, Erica, one of my blog readers who is a marketing specialist for Arcadia Publishing. Arcadia is best known for its popular Images of America series, which chronicles the history of communities all across the country. Each title celebrates a town or region, bringing to life the people, places, and events that define the community.

Arcadia is releasing two new titles, both featuring Iowa. One is Eastern Iowa's Aviation History and the other is a postcard history of Waterloo. Erica sent me advance copies of the books and I decided to paint one of the images. Both books are packed with wonderful historic images of their subjects.

I chose the Monoprep to paint. This plane cost $1650 and was ordered from the Velie Company by Glen and Ada Phelps of Davenport. Quoting from the book:

The Phelp's Monoprep was completed in March of 1930 and flown to Davenport's Cram Field. Glen surprised Ada, who had not seen the completed airplane, pointing it out as they drove over the hill on Division Street toward the airport. "See that down there? That's ours," he said.

Book covers

Submit a comment or send me an e-mail to be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a copy of one of these books.

Both books will be available May 2.
Eastern Iowa's Aviation Heritage, $21.99, Arcadia Publishing. Available at local retailers, online bookstores, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or (888) 313-2665

Waterloo, $21.99, Arcadia Publishing. Available at local retailers, online bookstores, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or (888) 313-2665

Interested in buying The Monoprep

Orange and Blue

2011-04-25T19:33:00.000-05:00

Orange and Blue | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

A little orange and a little blue. This is a painting I completed some time ago, but had not yet posted.

There are paintings that I complete and am excited to post, and then there are others (like this one) that end up in a different place than I would like – in other words, I don't like it. For whatever reasons, this piece didn't end up a masterpiece, but I thought it might be a good thing for me to show you a piece I'm not happy with.

Show and Tell

2011-04-07T20:12:00.002-05:00

Dordt AIGA Poster

Last week I had the pleasure of speaking at the Dordt College AIGA meeting in Sioux Center, Iowa. The AIGA is a national association committed to the advancement of design. David Versluis invited me to share my story of art and design with the group.

I am not a speaker, but thought this would be a non-threatening group who share my interests and passion for art and design. I loaded a box full of paintings, printed catalogs, advertising and even the Pizza Ranch NASCAR car I designed. To me it was a bit like Show and Tell in grade school. Do they still do that in school?

If you'd like to read more, here is a link to the notes taken during the talk and posted on the Dordt AIGA blog.

Coke Red

2011-04-04T20:23:00.002-05:00

Coke Red | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

I was walking through the grocery store with my wife a few weeks ago, and spotted some classic Coca-Cola 8oz. bottles alongside these sleek new red aluminum versions. I love the look and shape of the old iconic bottles, but have to admit these sleek red containers are very cool looking. I thought it might make a good painting so I picked up one of each.

SOLD

Haman's Ear

2011-03-18T21:14:00.000-05:00

Haman's Ear | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

The festival of Purim is celebrated every year on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. It commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in Ancient Persia from Haman's plot "to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day." My wife recently led a Bible study on the book of Esther where the story unfolds. This year Purim is celebrated March 19 beginning at sundown.

On the final day of the Bible study, Denise, baked these Jewish cookies called Hamantashen, which translates means "Haman's Pockets or Haman's Hat", but in Israel they are gleefully tagged "Haman's Ears." The name comes from a legend describing the evil Haman as a man with ugly, twisted ears.

I thought they were beautiful cookies, so why not paint one?

Interested in buying Haman's Ear

Zippo

2011-02-24T21:00:00.006-06:00

Zippo | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

I found a new painting challenge website this week, and was drawn to the image like ...a moth to a flame. A Zippo flame that is. The classic shape of the Zippo lighter was created in the early 1930s and was popularized throughout America and the world after American soldiers carried them in WWII.

Part of the painting challenge was to paint the photo using only three colors–Ultramarine blue (a deep royal blue), Burnt Sienna (a deep rusty color), and Titanium White. You can check out a ton of other interpretations by going to the DPW Challenge. There are currently 99 versions, and counting.

Interested in buying Zippo?

Bill's Apple Blossoms

2011-02-07T20:59:00.007-06:00

Bill's Apple Blossoms | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

It seems like the right time to post something that gives us all a little glimpse of spring. Especially considering it is 4 below zero outside as I type this.

My neighbor has a couple young apple trees and these blossoms are from this past spring. It won't be long and we'll be looking at them in bloom once again. Right?

Interested in buying Apple Blossoms

Milwaukee Wiener House

2011-01-27T18:55:00.003-06:00

Milwaukee Wiener House | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a Sioux City landmark. The Milwaukee Wiener House has been an institution in Sioux City for over 90 years. There are a few historic hot dog joints in the city and a nice article describing them was published in the Sioux City Journal recently.

Old advertising posted on the wall of the Wiener House boasts that it has served 4,000,000 hot dogs, but Gus Demetroulis says that statistic was true when he and his partner Thomas Eliades took over the restaurant in 1960. Today, Tom's sons Mike and John run the place and estimate that the current tally is likely close to 10,000,000 wieners sold.

I also should mention that it was featured just last week on one of my new favorite blogs called Iowa Backroads. The blog features a daily photo of an Iowa building and also a brief history of the building or the community it is in. Ironically, they featured the Milwaukee Wiener House last week at the same time I was starting this painting. What are the chances of that happening?

Let me know if you're interested in buying the painting of Milwaukee Wiener House?

Amy Van Roekel

If you recall, Amy Van Roekel, from Orange City won the drawing for the painting recently. She was so happy to receive the painting and is going to give it a nice home on her mantle. That makes me happy.

Peanut Butter and Jelly on Toast

2011-01-11T19:31:00.000-06:00

Peanut Butter & Jelly on Toast | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It's one of my favorite things in the world. Peanut butter and jelly on toast. I've seen a number of other artists tackle peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as a subject, but toast is my preferred platform for the famous combination.

I used a reference photo I took on a sunny saturday morning as I prepared my breakfast, with the warm sunlight skimming directly across the plate of toast. I'd like to think that sunlit feeling comes through in the painting.

I picked strawberry this day, but I think grape may have been a better choice. Perhaps another time.

Interested in buying PB&J on Toast

Gray Day

2011-01-04T21:53:00.003-06:00

Gray Day| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

We've been having our fair share of gray days lately. I don't mind them occasionally, but I think they do begin to affect my mood when we have too many of them in a row. It was good to see the sun today.

I suppose it is ironic, because gray is actually one of my favorite colors. The simple composition and color scheme of this piece are appealing to me.

SOLD

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T10:17:00.005-06:00

Saturday Evening Post cover 1945 - Norman Rockwell

The new year is officially here. The guy in this Rockwell cover from 1945 seems to be contemplating what lies ahead of him on the first day of 1946. Whether it is 1946 or 2011, we all have some of those same feelings as we anticipate the start of a new year and the opportunities, challenges and successes that are sure to be a part of it.

Thanks for the many extra comments and words of encouragement about my Snowy Creek near Maurice painting. I did the drawing for the painting yesterday, and the painting is going to Amy Van Roekel. Congratulations, Amy.

Happy new year.

Snowy Creek near Maurice

2010-12-21T20:44:00.004-06:00

Snowy Creek near Maurice| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It is the season of giving, so I think I'll give this painting away. All subscribers to the blog will automatically be entered in the drawing and if you make a comment on the painting (below), I'll throw your name in the hat a second time. It will double your chances!

This is a small creek one mile west and two miles south of town. Winter officially arrived today and it looks and feels like it too.

Another year has flown by. Thanks for taking the time to view my work and a special thanks to those of you who have written kind comments and sent e-mails. They mean a great deal to me.

Merry Christmas, and may you have a blessed new year.

I will do the drawing for the painting on December 31.

Highway 20 Motel

2010-12-06T21:52:00.003-06:00

Highway 20 Motel | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This hotel is located somewhere east of Sioux City, Iowa on Highway 20. I remember it being on the top of a hill possibly near Moville. It's one of those old fashioned motor-lodge kind of places that we stayed in occasionally when I was a kid. They were Mom and Pop kinda places owned by the locals rather than being a chain of carbon copy Holiday Inns.

This one, like many in this style, is a single story tall and room after room is stretched out next to one another. Those repetitive doors and windows, combined with the symmetry shown here make it visually appealing to me.

Interested in buying Highway 20 Motel

Red Pistol

2010-11-29T21:40:00.001-06:00

Red Pistol | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

I enjoy going to auctions occasionally, and this old red tin pistol was in a box of "treasures" I bought at a sale in Ireton quite some time ago. It is metal and looks like it is probably from the 1950s. It says that it is a water pistol, but I sure can't figure out where you put water in the thing.

I like the sleek styling, and thinking about the fun that some young boy had playing with it. I'm guessing this gun came out after the traditional western guns with holsters and if you had this sleek sidearm, you were definitely the cool kid on the block. Looks like it got played with a lot.

The strong sunlight cast a hard shadow, and I liked how the shadow echoed the shape of the gun. I have a couple other small paintings started as well. It sure feels good to be in the studio.

Interested in buying Red Pistol

The Artist's Voice

2010-11-15T21:51:00.004-06:00

Artists' reception held Saturday evening

I entered a piece in the show that is currently on display at Northwestern College in Orange City. The reception for the show was held this past Saturday. It was fun talking with fellow artists, friends and others. Here's the press release that went out regarding the show itself:

The work of nine regional artists will be featured in an exhibition held Nov. 11-20 at Northwestern College's DeWitt Theatre Arts Center in conjunction with the college production of The Seagull. "The Artist's Voice" is being presented by the Orange City Arts Council.

An artists' reception will be Saturday, Nov. 13, from 6:30 to 7:25 p.m., prior to a performance of The Seagull. The public is invited.

The juried show includes work by Joanne Alberda and David Versluis of Sioux Center; Glenda Drennen of Le Mars; Cathy Reed of Meriden; John Vander Stelt of Maurice; and Mark Alsum, Ken Fry, Dan Landegent and Susan Moon of Orange City.

"The Artist's Voice" exhibition complements the production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, in which one of the themes is the tension between being truthful to an artistic vision and making art that relies on conventions. Exhibiting artists will include brief statements on the tension between convention and vision in their work.

Artwork in the show includes aquamedia; textiles; silk painting on silk; photography; digital/ giclèe prints; and acrylic, watercolor and oil paintings.

The Storm

2010-07-29T20:44:00.009-05:00

The Storm | 8"x10" | Sharpie on paper

It hit a week ago today.

I was fast asleep when my wife nudged me. She had heard the wind and rain outside our bedroom window, but now there were voices outside that same window. She peered out the blinds to find firemen with flashlights roaming about. We looked out our front door and a huge limb had fallen out of the tree directly in front to of our house, and a massive ash tree belonging to our neighbor had also fallen across our driveway and blocked the road.

It was very evident that a serious storm had blown through Maurice, and our once picture perfect town had been changed in an instant. One family in town lost their home. A handful of other buildings destroyed too. Countless trees snapped off, uprooted or seriously damaged.

At daybreak, cleanup began and the days that followed showed the kindness of strangers, the strength of the midwestern work ethic, the beauty of small town life and the definition of community.

I thought it was fitting to sketch this in black and white today. I really didn't enjoy creating this, but felt the need to create it and post it.

It has been a week filled with a variety of emotions for me. I was sad the day after the storm. 80-100mph winds had shredded parts of the town I love. But life goes on and with each passing day things look more normal around here. We will all get use to the new normal after a period of time–and God is still good.

NASCAR Design

2010-06-14T18:51:00.009-05:00

The Pizza Ranch Racing show car hauler

My family spent most of last week at the Wisconsin Dells last week, attending the Pizza Ranch summer meeting. One of the highlights of the week for me was seeing my design work on the 2010 NASCAR Pizza Ranch show car and hauler. The basic design of the car is the same one I created last year, but the hauler is a new creation for this year. This car and hauler will be traveling to about 40 different Pizza Ranches in the midwest throughout the summer. You can check here to see if it is going to be in a town near you.

The Pizza Ranch Toyota comes off the hauler

Joe and Jack help push the car into the exhibit hall

Pizza Ranch has partnered with Joe Gibbs Racing again this year, and our new driver is a young driver named Matt DiBenedetto. He had his first top 10 finish a couple weekends ago, and will be driving the Pizza Ranch car this coming Saturday at the Nationwide race in Wisconsin. The race will be televised on ESPN2 at 2:00 Saturday afternoon. Tune in and check out the action...and of course the car!

An Update

2010-05-04T19:35:00.006-05:00

My painting table

Well, it's been nearly a month since I've posted last, so I thought I should let you know that I have not fallen off the edge of the earth. Rather, there are a few other things that have kept me from the blog.

Spring is in full swing and with that comes a life outdoors. Jack and I have been throwing the baseball on a nearly daily basis this past month, and I actually rode my motorcycle to work for the first time again today. Gotta love that.

Spring and summer will probably be a bit more sparse on postings. I'm hoping you have missed seeing them on a weekly basis and I hope to perhaps get back to that routine in the fall. Meanwhile, I'll be re-charging my creative batteries.

3 Cherries

2010-04-06T21:14:00.008-05:00

3 Cherries | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Three juicy cherries. We've renewed our efforts to eat healthier at our house this past week. So rather than painting candy bars and bags of potato chips, cherries are a much more nutritious subject to paint. Dieting...it's the pits.

Last of Winter

2010-03-24T21:17:00.006-05:00

Last of Winter | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

Spring has finally arrived and while all but a few piles of snow are gone, the snow is still a not so distant memory. Right? So this is one final look at the winter landscape for another year. Farewell.

New Prints Available

2010-03-15T20:00:00.005-05:00

Twin Bing | 5x7" image on 8x10" art paper

Time to roll out some prints. Four different paintings and each is 5x7, printed on a heavyweight sheet of 8"x10" art paper. Easy to drop into a standard 8x10" frame (as Jack demonstrates above).

Each will be hand signed in the lower right corner. I picked four images I liked and they will be available for $25 each. An extra $5 to ship it to you if necessary. Also add sales tax if you happen to live in the great state of Iowa. You can find the original posting of these at Twin Bing, The Blue Bully, A Little Faith, and Birthday Cake.

Want to buy one? contact me

These four prints are now available to purchase

Want to buy one? contact me

Allendorf Elevator #3

2010-02-25T20:06:00.018-06:00

Allendorf Elevator #3 | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Allendorf Elevator #1 and #2

I just returned from a quick trip to Charlotte, NC. Travel always stimulates my creative juices. It's great to see new things and experience life in another part of the country. When we were driving home from the airport today, my love for good ole Iowa was renewed as I gazed at the fields, farms and small towns.

I posted Allendorf Elevator #1 in October, and Allendorf Elevator #2 in November so figured it was time to move to variation #3. This one starts bending those straight lines and starts to flatten some of the planes.

Iowa. Home, sweet home.

Interested in buying it?

Cornstalks

2010-02-23T19:46:00.004-06:00

Cornstalks | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

This winter seems like it has had an abundance of gray days. Gray, snowy, overcast and frequently foggy. While a sunny day is almost always a welcome sight, I have developed an appreciation for the grayness of this kind of day. The whiteness of the snow combined with gray skies gives everything a gray muted tone. Even a bright red stop sign becomes muted on a gray winter day. I could imagine artist Andrew Wyeth painting a scene like this if he had lived in Iowa.

I was driving home from LeMars recently (on one of these gray days) when my eyes were drawn to these cornstalks in the field along the road. I returned later and shot some photos. I'm sure there were some other motorists who drove by thinking to themselves, "What is this kook doing shooting photos of an empty, snow-filled cornfield?"

I'm including another close-up so you can get a little closer look.

Cornstalks | detail

SOLD

Karin

2010-02-16T19:29:00.010-06:00

Karin | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a quick study. If you recall the recent artist portrait swap, it was organized by an artist named Karin Jurick. Coordinating 180 artists and the entire process I'm sure was a massive undertaking. As a surprise thank you, another artist organized 118 of the participating artists- and all 118 did a painting of Karin as a surprise for her.

I chose to paint mine really close-up, rather than painting her whole head. I thought that might make it stand out from the rest of the group. We all worked from the same photo of Karin, and it's interesting to see all the different interpretations. I'm not crazy about how mine turned out, but it was fun to loosely paint this. Click on the thumbnails below to peek at all 118.

Hershey's Kiss

2010-02-10T19:43:00.010-06:00

A Single Kiss | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

Recently, a friend and fellow artist, Darren Maurer, did a couple of paintings featuring Hershey kisses. With Valentines Day coming up this weekend and the fact that I seem to be in candy mode lately, I thought I'd paint a kiss as well. Capturing the reflective wrinkly wrapper was enjoyable.

Kisses have been around for over 100 years (since 1907) and Hersheys makes over 80 million of them every day. That's a lotta chocolate.

I also wanted to share with you an article that appeared in last weeks edition of The Weekender magazine. It featured a story about my blog and artwork. You can click here for a link to the story.

Happy Valentines Day.

Interested in buying A Single Kiss

Double Bubble & Cruise

2010-02-02T20:50:00.009-06:00

Double Bubble | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Add this to the list of candy paintings I've done. I enjoy painting these. I think it might be a combination of my love for art, graphic design, and a little candy nostalgia that makes it appealing to me.

It's easy to find beauty in the things we love. Sometimes I need to look harder to see the beauty in other things. The beauty is almost always there, but just waiting to be discovered.

It's been a couple of weeks since my last posting. It's mostly because we took a week-long Caribbean cruise with friends last week. Cruising is something I've never done before, but we had a great time. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Inquire about purchasing Double Bubble

Peanut Buttery

2010-01-20T21:15:00.002-06:00

Peanut Buttery | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

I love peanut butter. My wife, Denise, prefers the creamy variety (Jif), but for me chunky is the only way to go (preferably Skippy). There was a time in our marriage when Denise purchased only the creamy variety, and I silently ate it. Until one grumpy day when I lashed out and declared my desire for chunky. Ever since that day we've had a jar of each in the cupboard. Anyway, perhaps you can see that I opted for the chunky in this piece.

This painting has simple lines and geometric shapes with a big blob of peanut butter to balance the composition. The late afternoon light was coming through the window and I liked the shadows that were cast. I think there is also something interesting about the whole thing being shades of white and gray with the exception of the peanut butter. That lovely, yummy, chunky peanut butter.

Inquire about purchasing

Spillway Drive-In

2010-01-11T19:26:00.007-06:00

Spillway Drive-In| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

After the last couple weeks of winter weather and sub-zero temps, I figured we were due for a glimpse of summer. This is the Spillway Drive-In that sits on the south edge of Spirit Lake, IA. I don't think it has been open for the last couple of years, but perhaps someone will feel a bit of nostalgia and re-open it.

For me, there are two drive-ins that I frequent. Bob's Drive-Inn in LeMars and the Dairy Dandy in Sheldon. Both still have that nostalgic charm from a bygone era. My favorite menu item? They both make a very good peanut butter malt. Summer can't come soon enough.

Inquire about purchasing

Portrait Swap

2010-01-05T22:14:00.009-06:00

The woman that I painted and posted last week turns out to be Susan Lile, who resides in Missoula, Montana. Above you see the portrait that she painted of me. You can go check out all 180 portraits at the Different Strokes blog.

It is extremely cold these days, but the air is wonderfully clear and the bright white snow on a sunny day is stunning. This is a photo taken looking out my studio window.

Portrait of an Artist - 2009

2009-12-28T14:58:00.012-06:00

Portrait of an Artist 2009 | 8x10" | oil on hardboard

Some of you will remember that a year ago I did a portrait swap which was facilitated by the Different Strokes from Different Folks blog. Artists were asked to submit photos of themselves and in turn, received a photo of another anonymous artist to paint. It was fun last year, in the end discovering that the woman I painted was from Israel.

Once again this year, I do not know who this woman is, but hope to correspond with her after both of our portraits are revealed on the Different Strokes blog. I would encourage you to go there and see the wide variety of styles and interpretations. There are 180 artists participating this year.

I painted this on a little larger panel than my most of my other blog work, and it was a pre-primed panel that I had purchased. The surface was ultra-smooth and I struggled with that more than I thought I would. In the end, I think it came around fairly well.

Peace on Earth

2009-12-22T19:47:00.008-06:00

Peace on Earth | 4'x8' | oil on Upson board

This painting is another one that my Grandpa painted many years ago. It is just a few doors up the street from us and stands in front of my brother's house this Christmas season.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to check out my work in 2009. I truly appreciate every single comment and email I received. Merry Christmas.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests. –Luke 2:14

The First Christmas

2009-12-17T20:44:00.006-06:00

The First Christmas | 4'x8' | oil on plywood

I'm sorry to say it has been a busy December with not much time to paint.

This is the scene that we have in front of our house this Christmas season. I painted this quite a number of years ago and store it in my garage the rest of the year. It has seen its share of wind, snow and cold weather but remains pretty bright and colorful.

Maurice is once again decorated with lots of Christmas lights and decorations, so if you're in the neighborhood, please drive through and take a look.

Simply Winter

2009-12-08T21:30:00.002-06:00

Simply Winter | 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

Winter has officially arrived. I can hear the wind howl outside the window as I type this and I scooped a bunch of snow this afternoon with more to do in the morning. Luckily my boys have a late start for school Wednesday, so they will be enlisted to grab a shovel in the morning. I'm sure they'll be thrilled.

This is a corn crib and grain bin southeast of town. It sits alone out in the middle of a field. The stark contrasts and simple shapes again got my attention. Not much going on here, but I guess that is the point. Stark, cold and white. Welcome to winter.

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Slice of Life

2009-11-24T19:45:00.008-06:00

Slice of Life | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a painting that was commissioned by someone who had seen an earlier cake painting. That slice of cake stirred up memories for her of a special cake that was often baked by a loved one in her family.

Food conjures up memories for people. Do you associate certain foods with particular holidays or events each year? I'm pretty sure most of us do. For our family, this cake is always a birthday dessert created by my Mom and enjoyed by the whole family.

I plan on enjoying some great food at our family Thanksgiving dinner, and hope that you are able to celebrate as well. Thanks for viewing my work on a regular basis. I appreciate it.

SOLD

Wide Open Spaces

2009-11-19T20:03:00.001-06:00

Wide Open Spaces | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a loose painting where I had fun laying on generous amounts of paint. Especially in the lower part of the painting. I like the freedom to just push the paint around.

Most of this was painted with brushes, but I also utilized a rubber pointed tool/brush to add texture and actually scrape away portions of the paint.

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Allendorf Elevator #2

2009-11-11T19:37:00.006-06:00

Allendorf Elevator #2 | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

If you didn't look carefully, you might assume this is the same painting that I posted a couple weeks ago. This one has been simplified a little bit. I'm going to paint this a few more times, and simplify it with each version.

I am a believer in the saying "Less is more". I have to remind myself frequently of this simple phrase and remove things that are distractions or the things that just really aren't very important. That applies to both my art and other areas of my life as well. Remove the things that aren't important and it gives focus to the things that are.

Often the most elegant, refined and beautiful things are the ones that are simple. I can't say that I like this painting better than the first one, but it does have a different quality to it. I'm looking forward to seeing where this leads.

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America's Prettiest Towns

2009-11-02T21:00:00.004-06:00

Forbes Travel.com names America's Prettiest Towns

I've shared this news with some of you, but thought I'd share it with everyone. I was recently invited to be on the "Expert Panel" for Forbes Travel's selection of America's prettiest towns. Why me? Who knows–but the guy who wrote the story found my blog and asked if I'd be interested in helping make the selections.

It was difficult narrowing down America's towns to just a select few. I'm sure you have your favorites as well and of course everyone's definition of pretty is different. Take a look at the list and hopefully you'll agree with some of the choices.

Make sure you watch the slideshow as well if you have the chance, as that has some of my picks and quotes too. You can see the results online by clicking here.

I figure it's not every day that someone asks you to be an expert, right? Thanks for indulging me.

Allendorf Elevator

2009-10-27T19:44:00.006-05:00

Allendorf Elevator | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Allendorf is a tiny town in Osceola County. When I was a kid, my brother and I would spend a few days each summer at my aunt and uncle's farm near there. We would occasionally go to the little cafe that was in town at the time. The cafe is gone now, but the sign was still there when I snapped the photo of this place.

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The Daily Palette

2009-10-22T19:28:00.006-05:00

My work was just featured on the University of Iowa's website called The Daily Palette. The Daily Palette's goal is to heighten interest, awareness and appreciation of the visual arts and writing through recognizing the efforts of Iowa-identified artists and communities.

You can view the site by clicking here.

Twin Bing

2009-10-12T19:27:00.007-05:00

Twin Bing | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

The Twin Bing. A mid-west candy classic. You're not from familiar with it? The Bing was invented in 1923 by the Palmer Candy Co. in Sioux City, Iowa and it was originally a single lump of nutty chocolaty cherry goodness. But evidently it was so good it went to Twin Bing in 1973 (and in 1986 to the triple lump King Bing).

I remember buying them at Duane's Grocery store here in Maurice when I was a kid. I can't quite remember if they were a nickel or a dime back in the 60s. Cherry nougat center surrounded by chocolate and crushed peanuts. Good stuff; trust me.

It's the nostalgic packaging that still grabs my attention. It has not changed much, if at all, over all these years. I worked this painting longer than I intended to. I kinda got sucked into creating the multiple shades of red and the wrinkled wrapper.

I've managed to keep the candy bar in the package thus far, but I can hear it calling my name.

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A Servant's Heart

2009-10-05T20:07:00.001-05:00

A Servant's Heart | oil on canvas | 30x40

Here it is, the final completed painting. You've seen glimpses of the hands in the past, but here you can see them completely. Open, giving, serving hands–filled with things that represent what it means to be a servant.

Painting hands is a difficult task, and that was compounded I believe by painting them at this super-sized scale. My son Joe was my hand model and I think his hands worked well–although he wished I had done a better job of capturing his callouses. Tough critic.

My son Jack took the photo of me next to the painting. I thought it would help give you a better idea of the scale of the piece. Pretty large compared to most things you see on the blog.

In Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life he writes, "It is possible to serve in church for a lifetime without ever being a servant. You must have a servant's heart. How can you know if you have the heart of a servant? Jesus said, "You can tell what they are by what they do."

Real servants make themselves available. (the watch)

Real servants pay attention to needs (the coins)

Real servants do their best with what they have. (the nut and nail)

Real servants do every task with equal dedication (the matches)

Real servants are faithful to their ministry (the ring)

Real servants maintain a low profile. (the shadows)

Whoever wants to be great must become a servant - Mark 10:43

Fields of Gold

2009-10-01T18:55:00.006-05:00

Fields of Gold | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It was my hope to post the completed commission piece this week, but I've had a tough time getting together with the buyers to deliver it. I figured they should probably be the first to see it. Right? Thus, I'll wait to show you until they have it in their hands.

So I decided I'd post this instead today. Fall is now officially here and things are changing quickly here in Iowa. The harvest season is ramping up into full swing and the fields look beautiful. Golden fields of soybeans are radiant on a sunny autumn afternoon.

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A Servant's Heart - Work in progress

2009-09-21T20:09:00.009-05:00

A Servant's Heart | detail | oil on canvas

So much to do and so little time. Time is truly a valuable asset. What we do with it is a measure of what is important to each of us. I've had people ask me how I find the time to paint. Usually it's not a matter of finding the time, it is that I make the time to paint. It's important to me.

The watch in the painting represents the fact that real servants make themselves available. They make the time to serve. Making ourselves available is not easy–especially making the time to serve in the right spirit. Do we serve without a hint of resentment?

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve - Matthew 20:28

It's almost time to show you the completed "puzzle" of these detail images I've been showing you this last while. I just want to put a few finishing touches on it.

Maurice Elevator at Dusk

2009-09-14T20:28:00.007-05:00

Maurice Elevator at Dusk | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This elevator is the one that stands right here in Maurice, just a few blocks from our house. It has of course been around for a very long time and the old tin siding has a beautiful tarnished silver finish. I have always admired the way the sun lights the building at different times of the day–particularly late in the day when the warm sunlight creates dramatic geometric panels of light and shadow.

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A Servant's Heart - Work in progress

2009-09-07T20:21:00.007-05:00

A Servant's Heart | detail | oil on canvas

Here's another detail of the commission I'm working on. It's coming along pretty nicely.

Servants do their best with what they have. The nut and the nail are the symbols which represent that in the painting. Servants don't make excuses, procrastinate or wait for better circumstances. They just do what needs to be done. They do the best they can with what they have. Less than perfect service is always better than good intentions.

Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. - Ecclesiastes 11:4

Vicks Corner

2009-08-29T12:37:00.010-05:00

Vicks Corner | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

If you're at all familiar with Okoboji, you know where Vicks Corner is. Although I have no idea who Vick is, this building is a landmark that has been a part of the Okoboji area as long as I can remember. A gas station, garage, bait shop and grocery store. It was a "convenience store" long before they started calling them that.

It also reminds me of other corners around here. My favorites are Perkins Corner and the Million Dollar Corner. Perkins Corner is near Hull and the once thriving town of Perkins. My Grandpa and Grandma Vander Stelt lived there for a time as a couple of newlyweds. Perkins is not much more than a few houses these days. The Million Dollar Corner is two miles north of Maurice at the intersection of highways 75 and 10. It was dubbed that because it cost the then astronomical amount back in the day when they built the intersection. Also the home of a gas station and cafe which had the same name.

What corners have special meaning to you?

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A Servant's Heart - Work in progress

2009-08-24T19:06:00.009-05:00

A Servant's Heart | detail | oil on canvas

Here is the second closeup detail of the commission I'm working on. This painting is 30"x40" and the quarter you see here is actually about 6 inches wide on the canvas. Each element in the painting is symbolic of a different aspect of being a servant.

Servants are always on the lookout for ways to help others. How sensitive are we to the needs right in front of us? Opportunities come and go quickly.

You can tell what they are, by what they do. - Matthew 7:16

12 Feet

2009-08-17T19:45:00.002-05:00

12 Feet | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

As promised, another Okoboji painting. I typically do not enjoy the task of titling my paintings. My titles often are pretty straightforward. But there are times like this painting where I find a title that makes me smile. I couldn't decide whether to title it "4 foot 8" or "12 Feet". In the end, 12 feet seemed like the better choice.

More cut-off figures. I like the composition, angularity and colors.

This was at the pool at our resort. We always stay at Triggs Bay Resort. It's one of the few family run resorts remaining at the lakes.

I've also been working on a new commission piece. I thought it might be interesting to give you a glimpse of it. (see detail below) This is a tight shot of a small section of the painting. It is a painting that focuses on the theme of serving others. It is coming along pretty nicely. I'll post more glimpses as it progresses.

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Beach Babes

2009-08-10T21:45:00.000-05:00

Beach Babes| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

We just returned from a week of vacation – our yearly pilgrimage to Okoboji and the Iowa Great Lakes. There are a slew of jokes you could make about Iowa and its' lakes, or lack thereof. With Minnesota hoarding 10,000+ lakes, it leaves very few for Iowans to claim as our own and even fewer that we can call "great". We always stay at the same family resort every year and this is a scene on the beach there.

The bold colors and bright sunlight create some vibrant contrast and make for lively color. While the woman and child are the focus of the piece, I like the swimmer in the water and the partial figure cut off on the right.

Beach Babes| detail

This detail of the swimmer shows how a figure can be captured in a few simple strokes, and the bright white highlight on the shoulder gives the viewer the impression that the skin is wet.

I hope many of you have had the opportunity to take a vacation this Summer. It's good to relax, recharge your mental batteries, and spend time with family.

Stay tuned for more Okoboji paintings.

Available for $100

Bale Out

2009-07-28T19:42:00.008-05:00

Bale Out| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

More round, er..uh...square bales.

I've never considered myself a landscape painter. My Grandfather was a painter of landscapes. He painted them almost exclusively. I'm not sure why they didn't become my passion, but I do enjoy painting them; especially at this small size.

Available for $100

Cake Walk

2009-07-20T20:05:00.008-05:00

Cake Walk| 6"x6" | oil on hardboard

In honor of my 50th blog entry, I'm introducing a new square format. Almost all of the paintings on this blog thus far have been 5x7" but I now have prepared a bunch of 6x6" panels so you'll be seeing square pieces now too from time to time.

A few weeks ago we had our annual church picnic. If there is any event that is quintessentially small town, it is our church picnic. Many of our traditions and community celebrations have come and gone, but the Maurice church picnic remains, even after well over 100 years.

I like taking photos at the picnic and this year was another beautiful summer evening. They block off the street and do a kids carnival, including things like a football throw, face painting, fish pond and more. The cake walk is always a hit. Both of my boys won a cake this year so we had a nice supply of cake...for a few days. My sons like cake.

This scene captures the long shadows of late day sunlight. Something about the cutoff figure at the top center kinda completes the composition nicely. It brings the eye back around in a circular direction.

Below is a photo of those in attendance at the picnic this year. A big group for a small town. Click on it for a closer look.

Fields of Green

2009-07-13T20:46:00.003-05:00

Fields of Green| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It has been a week of rain and stormy weather here in Sioux County. Fields near town were flattened by 70mph winds and other areas suffered the wrath of golf ball to softball sized hail.

These are fields South of Maurice that escaped unscathed, and are benefiting from the generous amounts of rain. Remnants of rain clouds hang in the sky. I like how the purple shades in the clouds contrast with the lush shades of green.

We spent the weekend in Des Moines, and on the drive home Sunday I was again inspired by the beauty of our state. How it ever became stereotyped as flat I will never know. I guess compared to Colorado we're flat. But if you compare us to Nebraska...

Available for $100

Field North of Maurice

2009-06-29T19:27:00.001-05:00

Field North of Maurice| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Here is a painting of a freshly cut field just North of town. The sky gives the impression that rain is looming and the combination of the two is a bad thing. It reminds me ever so slightly of one of my favorite Van Gogh paintings.

Wheat Field with Crows | Vincent Van Gogh

Wheat Field with Crows is one of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings and probably the one most subject to speculation. It was executed in July 1890, in the last weeks of Van Gogh’s life. Many have claimed it was his last work, seeing the dramatic, cloudy sky filled with crows and the cut-off path as obvious clues to his impending fate.

I saw this piece at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam over 25 years ago and still remember being struck by the dark beauty of it.

SOLD

Monarch Moment

2009-06-15T21:45:00.002-05:00

Monarch Moment| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

As kids we would spend lots of time chasing butterflies around trying to catch them; often without much success. And when we did finally catch one, we really didn't really know what to do with it other than stick it in an old mayonnaise jar with the token small twig and some grass in order to create a kids version of a natural habitat. Oh, and of course punch some holes in the lid with a nail.

I captured this one quite some time ago with my camera instead of a net. No mayonnaise jar required.

Available for $125

Trosky Elevator

2009-06-08T19:58:00.002-05:00

Trosky Elevator| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Back to the midwestern skyline. This was based on a photo shot from the car as we drove past Trosky, Minnesota last year. I know nothing about Trosky, but imagine it to be like Maurice in most ways. A small railroad town with the elevator dominating the skyline.

I have some other elevator paintings that will be coming up. I've heard them referred to as the cathedrals of the prairie, and I find that fitting. These old wooden elevators are a dying breed, but there are still many to be enjoyed and I believe most of the remaining ones are still being used for their original purpose. They store a small portion of the harvest, often positioned beside their much larger concrete elevator counterparts.

Available for $100

My Palette

2009-06-01T20:41:00.001-05:00

It has been a different week. Mostly because my Dad had heart bypass surgery this past Thursday, which many of you are aware. He is making some slow progress in his recovery but your prayers for him would be appreciated.

No painting this week. I thought I'd share something different. These are a couple photos of a recent palette of paint. For many years I have used 5 quart ice cream pail lids as palettes. I even have certain friends and family who save them for me and drop them off occasionally. They are a good size, fairly neutral in tone, easy to mix on and donated to me free of charge (a good thing for a Dutchman).

There is also something interesting about each one after they are filled with color. I have stacks of these painted lids in my painting closet. Someday I'm going to do something with them. Maybe staple them all side by side to a gallery wall or cover an old car in paint palette lids. It'll probably never happen, but the stacks are there if I become inspired.

Some artists have a set system of how they arrange the colors on their palette. As for me, not so much. I do have those colors that I lean on a lot. Colors I couldn't imagine living without. Prussian blue, raw umber, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cadmiums red and yellow, and cerulean blue to name a few of my favorites. It's rare for me to add new colors to the family of colors I use. I'm not sure why. It's probably like having a favorite sweatshirt that you love to wear. It feels like a part of you and the more years you wear it, the more attached to it you become. So a new one takes a while to break in and become comfortable with.

The Man of Steel

2009-05-25T18:52:00.000-05:00

The Man of Steel| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

"Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!"

On our recent trip to Tennessee, we were on I-24 between St. Louis and Nashville when we saw a billboard inviting us to Metropolis, Illinois, "Hometown of Superman - Exit now and see the giant statue of Superman". Well, how can a family on a road trip vacation pass up an opportunity as tempting as that? It was the perfect Clark Griswold moment, so we took the exit and followed the signs to the quaint town square in downtown Metropolis. What a great place. Quintessential small town America and the perfect home for "truth, justice and the American way".

Jack and Joe pose in front of Superman in downtown Metropolis

We got out of the car, took a bunch of pictures and quickly dashed into the souvenir store. Unfortunately, we were on a tight schedule, so we didn't have as much time to roam around as we'd like but it was great fun none the less. Then on to Nashville, faster than a speeding bullet...

The painting is from an unconventional angle, but I do like how it gives you a childlike perspective of this bigger than life super-hero.

Available for $125

Yellow Street Gallery

2009-05-18T21:42:00.003-05:00

Yellow Street Gallery| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a painting that is based on a photo taken by a wonderful photographer friend of mine. His name is Tom Becker and he is quite humble and modest about his great work. Tom and his wife Allyson took a trip to Mexico and that's where I believe this scene was composed. I liked the composition and light. The brightly colored yellow wall, the graffiti painting and the figure on the right (which is Allyson by the way).

Graffiti art has taken its place in the big time art world these days and is now considered "legitimate" art by many. I won't weigh in on my thoughts about that, but will say that in this painting, the doorway creates a frame of sorts and makes it a walk by gallery on this sunny South-of-the-border street.

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Pink Tulips

2009-05-11T20:28:00.004-05:00

Pink Tulips| 24"x30" | oil on hardboard

I recently posted a tulip painting and mentioned the local Orange City Tulip Festival. This coming weekend the festival will take place and as of today, the tulips are looking great. Barring a windy day or two, things should look great.

I grew up going to the festival and it is a celebration of Dutch heritage and a place to celebrate community. Seeing old friends, watching parades and eating the great food is all part of the fun.

This is a larger tulip painting that I did a number of years ago. If you happen to attend the festival this weekend, this painting and the earlier blog tulip will both be on display at the Tulip Town Bulb Company. Breng ons een bezoek.

A Little Faith

2009-05-04T20:07:00.004-05:00

A Little Faith| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This painting started out as another in my short series of birds. Prior to this you've seen a cardinal and a bluejay. It changed direction a bit when I was inspired by artist David Arms, who does imagery similar to this.

I hope you like it.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. - Hebrews 11:1

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The Time is Ripe

2009-04-27T19:28:00.006-05:00

The Time is Ripe| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Fruit is the classic still life subject I suppose. Artists and art students have been painting and drawing these for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years and they still are ap-peel-ing to look at (sorry, I couldn't resist).

I think part of the reason why is that they are simple shapes, yet they are still challenging to capture on canvas. To create the illusion of the third dimension is always a thrill for me, no matter what the subject is.

I should eat more fruit. I try to take a piece along to work each day, but as you can see by the condition of the banana in the painting, our fruit is not always eaten in a timely manner.

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Spring Chicks

2009-04-20T18:50:00.007-05:00

Spring Chicks| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

I started this painting prior to our vacation, with the intent of posting it for Easter. I ran out of time so I finished it this weekend.

I have childhood memories of going to Jim's Feed Store here in Maurice to see the chicks when the shipment arrived in the spring. Fast forward 40 years and I find myself driving my son and his friends down to the local farm supply store to buy chicks.

JBC (Joe, Branson & Caleb) Poultry Farm is what they've dubbed themselves and they certainly have an entrepreneurial spirit. They started off their poultry hobby with 9 full-grown chickens that didn't lay too many eggs, and now they own 100+ chicks that are growing rapidly and no longer look anything like these cute chicks in the painting.

I think we'll still be waiting a while to see the farm fresh eggs from these beauties.

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Tennessee Road Trip

2009-04-18T11:50:00.017-05:00

Hopefully there are a few of you who noticed that I didn't post a painting this week. Our family took an old fashioned family road trip vacation down to Tennessee this past week. We really had a great time and it was so much fun to see the sites, culture and people down south. We were primarily in Nashville and Memphis and they are two very different cities. I'm wondering if all of us Yankees should start calling each other "darlin" and "hon". Southern hospitality was very nice to experience, and I have to say that the food was wonderful too.

I've downloaded my photos and it looks like I limited myself to only 402 shots. I could have shot a bunch more, but I showed some restraint mostly due to the fact that I didn't have enough memory cards for my camera. My wife and boys always are patient with me while I'm shooting photos of everything in sight, no matter how odd it may seem to most people. They have grown accustom to my ways. Below you'll find 4 of the 402 pictures. There could be some paintings coming out of our trip. Y'all stay tuned...

Cardinals game in St. Louis on our way to Nashville

The Grand Ole Opry

Memphis BBQ at Rendevous

On the steps of Graceland

Mom's Bread

2009-04-06T19:36:00.005-05:00

Mom's Bread | oil on canvas

It was my Mom's birthday a couple of weeks ago, and I had intended to post this at that time, but of course it slipped my mind. So I thought I'd share it this week instead. This is a large portrait I did of her. Click on the photo to get a little closer look.

I featured Mom's cake on my very first blog painting back in September of last year. As I mentioned at that time, she loves spending time in her kitchen and homemade bread is one of her specialties. In the painting she's holding my favorite bread that she bakes. It's an oatmeal bread that is unbelievably wonderful....just like Mom.

Chapel of Love

2009-03-30T20:30:00.001-05:00

Chapel of Love I | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Chapel of Love II| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a small commission for a friend. She is giving it as a wedding gift to a couple who were recently wed in this lovely church in upstate New York. The church sits on a the edge of a lake.

I painted the more detailed version first, and then decided to do a version that was a little more loose and painterly. There are things I like about each version. I'd be curious to know which version you prefer, and why.

Sunlit Tulip

2009-03-23T19:45:00.002-05:00

Sunlit Tulip| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Spring is here. Whew–it was a long, cold and snowy winter here in Iowa so we're all ready for spring. I was just outside and saw that our tulips are just beginning to emerge from the dirt.

I dug through my photos from last spring and found some I shot in Orange City. My good friends, Brett and Nora Mulder, are the owners of the Tulip Town Bulb Company and their gardens last year were in glorious bloom with every variety of tulip under the sun. I took a lot of photos there.

Brett could tell you exactly what variety this is, but I'll just say it is the red/yellow kind.

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Coffee Couple

2009-03-16T19:18:00.005-05:00

Coffee Couple| 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

The pleasure of a great cup of coffee is tough to beat, unless you combine that cup of coffee with the conversation of a good friend. Then it's even better.

I think I like the old lady and all the stuff in the background better than the figures in the foreground.

In the midst of your busy day today, take time to enjoy a cup of joe with someone. You'll be glad you did.

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When the Chips are Down

2009-03-09T21:30:00.001-05:00

When the Chips are Down | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

There are several flavors of Doritos these days, but my favorite is still Nacho Cheese. My wife's famous taco salad is the main reason we buy these, since we try to limit the junk food in our cupboards. I picked the empty bag up off the kitchen counter and was ready to throw it in the trash, when I was struck by the colorful shiny bag of reds and golds.

Maybe it's because I'm a graphic artist, but I love good packaging. I think when most people go to the grocery store they look at the food choices. I look at the color, fonts and design of the labels and boxes.

I like the contrast between the bright red sunlit side of the bag and the deep cooler colors on the dark side.

An empty Doritos bag and an economy in recession inspired the title.

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Picasso Coffee Pot

2009-03-02T19:30:00.006-06:00

Picasso Coffee Pot | 5"x8" | oil on hardboard

The percolator coffee pot. It was the common form of brewing coffee until the 70s, when the automatic drip pot became the brewing method of choice. Remember the Joe DiMaggio commercials for Mr. Coffee?

I picked this pot up at the Goodwill store in LeMars a couple months ago thinking it might be a good subject for a painting. This is a pot made by Hoover. The little knob at the base allowed you to make it mild or strong.

The title of the painting came from the first thoughts I had as I started to paint the chrome. I was painting the shapes and reflections as I saw them (see detail below), but when I'd look at the painting, all I could see were odd shapes of a variety of colors, much like a Picasso cubist painting. Then, all of a sudden those random shapes started looking like the chrome coffee pot I was attempting to create.

Picasso Coffee Pot | detail

You've got to admit that the shape and style of these chrome beauties sure are nicer to look at than a Mr. Coffee maker.

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Square Bales

2009-02-23T19:45:00.004-06:00

Square Bales | 5"x10" | oil on hardboard

The scene is one I drive past nearly every day on my way to Orange City. I glance off toward the south and see these long red buildings stretched out about a half mile away from me.

This is a painting I started a long time ago and it wasn't turning out the way I wanted, so it sat idle for months. Then a couple weeks ago I decided to just rip into it and do some major changes. I took a flat brush that is about 1/4" wide and started dropping in squares in the sky, giving it an almost pixelated look. (click on the photo to see them better) Then I used the same brush to add squares of yellow and green to the foreground to add some texture and contrast there. But the addition of the bales in the mid-section of the painting is what finally worked for me.

For the record, I miss the old days when the traditional rectangular or square bales dotted the landscape of Iowa. Over the years huge round bales have become the bale you now commonly see. I have to admit I have developed a love for seeing these big round bales as they create patterns in fields.

Ironically, by painting these round bales as squares, I get the best of both worlds. Round bales made out of squares!

Square Bales | detail of bales in field

SOLD

Anne's Barn

2009-02-16T18:39:00.007-06:00

Anne's Barn | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Anne Plageman is a talented artist friend of mine who lives on an acreage a few miles east of town. I'll occasionally drop in unannounced for a cup of coffee and some good conversation. A couple weeks ago I stopped and had a good visit with her and Mark.

A cup of coffee and a time to talk. Simple treasures. I based this on a shot I took as I left the yard that day. Her barn is abandoned and I suspect it is only a home for pigeons, swallows and perhaps a few rodents. I was drawn to the angular profile of the roof. Something about it that I like.

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Buick Eight

2009-02-09T18:57:00.009-06:00

Buick Eight | 5"x10" | oil on hardboard

This is something a bit different from anything else I've posted on the blog. It's a painting of the ornament that adorns the trunk of a 1953 Buick. They sure don't make 'em like this anymore. I'm not super happy with how the chrome turned out, but had fun painting it.

My Dad finished restoring the interior of this car last summer for one of his customers. Dad is an artist too, although he doesn't push paint around with a brush. He has been in the upholstery business for 50+ years and is a true master craftsman at his trade, and someone who can always find a creative solution to any project.

My Dad and the interior of the Buick

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Whiteout

2009-02-02T19:14:00.004-06:00

Whiteout | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

You know the old joke as a kid, where you showed someone a blank piece of paper and said it was a picture of a white cow in a snowstorm? Well, this is something along those lines.

A couple weekends ago my son Jack and I decided to venture out to take some photos of the winter landscape outside of Maurice. Little did we realize that the wind was whipping up a pretty furious amount of drifting snow and near whiteout conditions.

This is Pete Hibma's place which is on a gravel road a mile west of town. I hope the painting gives the impression of a whiteout kind of day. I like the three poles and blurry buildings on the left side of the road as well as the fact that there is really no horizon line. Simple and almost abstract I suppose. Click on the picture for a closer look.

Do you see the white cow?

SOLD

Painting Winner Announced

2009-01-31T11:30:00.008-06:00

It has been a great couple of weeks watching as blog subscriptions have risen dramatically. Thanks to everyone who shared this blog with others, and to all of the new subscribers who have signed up. I hope you will enjoy it. The photo above shows all of the names in the hat (a Minnesota Twins hat to be specific).

We held the official drawing at the Vander Stelt household this morning and the winner of the painting is Steve Martin of Sioux City, IA. Congratulations, Steve. This went so well that I'll probably do another giveaway sometime down the road.

Thanks again and I've got a new painting that I'll be posting soon.

Mickey's Diner - No. 3

2009-01-26T20:31:00.007-06:00

Mickey's Diner No. 3 | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is another glimpse of life at Mickey's Diner in St. Paul. I ended up spending a lot more time on this piece than I do on a lot of these blog paintings. Mostly rendering the details in the bottles.

Overall I'm pleased with the way it turned out and I think the sunshine coming through the window has a nice feel to it.

These links will take you to No. 1 or No. 2 of this series.

FYI - The entries in the painting give-away are still coming in. Thank you!

Win this Painting!

2009-01-19T21:49:00.001-06:00

The Train to Sioux Center | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Would you like this painting for FREE? Well, there's a chance it could be yours if your name is drawn out of the hat. Here's the plan:

If you are a current subscriber, e-mail this blog info to friends and family and encourage them to subscribe (and send a copy of the e-mail to me at the same time so I know that you are responsible for their subscription. My e-mail address is jdvstelt@mtcnet.net).

Anyone who becomes a new subscriber to the blog will have their name entered in the drawing, and if you are the person responsible for getting them to sign up, you too will have your name entered in the drawing. Get multiple people to sign up and you get your name entered multiple times. More chances to win. Your chances of winning are much better than playing the lottery, right? The drawing will be held on January 31.

It is a blatant marketing promotion, but I'm hoping it will increase my number of subscribers as well as traffic on the blog.

This past week was the coldest week in years here, so I thought I'd paint something that reflected that. This scene is about a block away from our house. Yes, we hear trains frequently every day as they rumble past.

It has been cold, but the landscape does look great all dressed in white.

The Tree

2009-01-16T20:18:00.008-06:00

The Tree | 50"x50" | oil on canvas

I thought I'd post a commission that I just completed. I don't paint a lot of large landscapes, but when asked to paint this tree I decided to take it on. I've had it on and off of my easel for months and finally delivered it to the client last week.

This is a huge cottonwood tree that is in their backyard and it is quite an impressive specimen. They were quite specific that they wanted the tree to be the lone focus, and I think that gives the finished painting a peaceful meditative quality. It is going in a great location directly above the fireplace in their living room.

Click on the photo for a closer look.

Toy Soldier

2009-01-12T20:06:00.000-06:00

Toy Soldier | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

My boys have hundreds of these that they play with in our basement.

This one happens to be gray, rather than the standard army green. I like the look and feel of these army men, and when you study them closely they each have some unique features. I especially like the extra edges of plastic residue left over from the molds they were poured in. I tried to paint some of them in this.

I might be painting more of these. My son Jack says this is his favorite blog piece thus far. A high compliment from one of my favorite critics.

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Death Row Dessert

2009-01-06T19:00:00.003-06:00

Death Row Dessert | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard
Many of you have probably had the discussion with friends where the question is posed "If you were on death row, what would you request as your final meal?". A great conversation starter. Well, some of the main course options are questionable for me, but the dessert is a no-brainer. Cheesecake.

This is a piece of the cheesecake I received as a gift for playing Santa Claus at a family gathering. (That's a whole other story) Awesome cheesecake.

I think I like the way the blueberries turned out. Funny how canned blueberries look more purple than blue. At least they do to me. My family devoured the whole cheesecake in just a few days.

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Portrait of an Artist - part 2

2009-01-05T19:05:00.004-06:00

I thought you might be interested in seeing the painting of me painted by the mystery artist you received in my last posting. Her name is Carol Feldman and she is an artist living in Tel Aviv, Israel. Half way around the world. If you go to her blog you will see a watercolor portrait of me, as well as a preliminary sketch that she did.

It's hard to judge a painting of yourself, but I think she captured my likeness nicely.

I found it amusing that in the comments by readers of her blog, someone speculated on my identity saying, "I could be so wrong yet in this the guy I see an Israeli... the shaven head (style?), the checking-you-out eyes, the stubborn jaw. Whoever he is, your work is wonderful."

Well, they were a little off on the Israeli part, but the stubborn jaw part is on the mark. The comment made me look at myself in a totally different way.

I should remind some of my subscribers that you are encouraged to comment on any posting. You can do so by directly replying to the e-mail you receive, or by doing so on the blog itself. Under each posting there is a link that says COMMENTS. Click on that and you will be able to type your thoughts. I always appreciate your feedback.

Portrait of an Artist

2008-12-27T13:11:00.013-06:00

Portrait of an Artist | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This is a painting I just completed of a total stranger. Who is this woman with the lovely smile?

I was paired up with her on the Different Strokes from Different Folks blog. 130 artists submitted a photograph of themselves and in doing so, agreed to paint a portrait of one of the other artists. So this fine lady has been given my photo to create a portrait of me as well. I'm anxious to see it.

What is she thinking about as she studies the colors, curves and lines of my face? As I painted her, I tried to bring out the lively artistic spirit I sensed in her photo. I painted this on the standard 5x7" panel that I have been using for most of my blog postings. In hindsight, it may have been easier to paint this on a slightly larger size. I hope she likes it.

Star of the East

2008-12-22T20:01:00.012-06:00

Star of the East | 4'x8' | oil on Upson board

Something a little different this week. This is a Christmas scene that my grandfather, John Vander Stelt Sr., painted over 50 years ago. It was originally painted as a Christmas decoration for our church here in Maurice. After many advent seasons in the church, followed by many years in storage, I acquired this painting.

It is 4'x8' and painted on a heavyweight cardboard type of material called Upson board. It is framed in a shadowbox frame and lit from below with a fluorescent light. Then trimmed in garland and adorned with blue lights. The star is a single clear bulb. This is now on display in front of our house. Amazingly, it is in good (not great) condition for its age.

I love the fact that he painted this so many years ago and it is still proclaiming the good news of the Christmas story all these years later.

I'd like to thank all of you who have been viewing my work this year and for your words of encouragement. Your comments are appreciated and motivate me greatly.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." - Matthew 2:1-2

Merry Christmas.

The Blue Bully

2008-12-17T20:17:00.006-06:00

The Blue Bully | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

The cardinal posting last week inspired me to paint another bird this week. While it's tough to beat the striking red color of a cardinal, one of my favorite birds is the Blue Jay. Granted, the Blue Jay is a bit of a bully around the bird feeder, but I have always thought they were a great looking bird. They were one of my first subjects to draw when I was a kid.

I enjoyed painting a bird again. It was surprisingly easy as far as subjects go, and I'm not sure why. Maybe I just got lucky with this one. Sometimes the paint just flows out of the brush and things come together. While I like the blue in this piece, I really like the whites and shades of gray in the bird's breast feathers the best.

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Cardinal Red

2008-12-10T19:31:00.006-06:00

Cardinal Red | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It's been a busy week and I haven't had any time to paint, so I'm posting a small painting that I did last year and gave to my Mom for her birthday. Or was it Mothers Day? I don't remember.

Her favorite bird is the cardinal and they are few and far between here. It is really a treat when you see one outside your window. What a beautiful creature. This hangs in my parent's kitchen, so with this painting she gets to see a cardinal every day.

I'm not a wildlife painter, but I do like the way this turned out; especially the abstract shapes and patterns of the background twigs and blurry gray day.

Mickey's Diner - No. 2

2008-12-03T20:02:00.009-06:00

Breakfast at Mickeys | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Eggs, toast and a good cup of joe. A great way to start the day. Hopefully you can tell these are cooked just the way I like 'em. Sunny side up. This is a breakfast I ate some time ago at Mickey's Diner.

I think the angle and the tight cropping adds to the visual interest. It creates some nice shapes.

And for some reason, there are few things that are as good looking or feeling as a thick. heavy, curvy diner mug.

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A Walk on the Road

2008-11-21T20:29:00.006-06:00

A Walk on the Road | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

When you live in a small town, you think nothing of walking down the middle of the road. The definition of a small town here in Iowa is probably something under 500 people. Going to a bigger town for groceries (we don't have a grocery store in Maurice anymore) or to make a WalMart run means going to a town of 5,000-10,000 people. Going to the "city" is considered a population of 80,000-100,000+. Enough about that.

So walking down the street here in Maurice is one of the simple treasures we take for granted. Something I'm thankful for this week of Thanksgiving.

This is south of our house, about 3 blocks south of here...on the other side of town.

SOLD

Three Kernels

2008-11-16T10:34:00.009-06:00

Three Kernels | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This one's a little corny. I couldn't resist. I found these on the road, bright and yellow on the black asphalt. They jumped out at me. I took them home and photographed them on white in bright sunlight.

When you take something seemingly ordinary like a kernel of corn, and begin to study it closely you begin to appreciate its' attributes. Nothing else in the world that I can think of has this shape, and the shades of yellow range from rich deep golds to lemony bright.

I've included an extra detail image of one of the kernels to give you an extra close look. Click on the photo to see it even larger.

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Stoplight Bags

2008-11-10T19:00:00.001-06:00

Stoplight Bags | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Here's a painting I did for a blog called Different Strokes from Different Folks. A photo is posted weekly and it is then painted by a wide variety of artists. I'm posting the original photo below. Check out that blog to see a wide array of styles and interpretations.

I liked the positive and negative space created by the three figures and changed the handbags a bit to add some interest and to echo the stoplight across the street.

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Red Berries

2008-11-06T18:41:00.004-06:00

Red Berries | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Another result of my treks westward out of Maurice. I was walking out there on a particularly gorgeous late Sunday afternoon a couple weeks ago. The sun was illuminating everything with that warm golden color that is so wonderful. I noticed these berries growing in the ditch and decided I needed to run back to the house to grab my camera to capture these beauties.

I'm calling them red berries, only because I don't know their proper name. They were plump, red and looked good enough to eat (although I doubt they were). This week the plants are dark brown and the berries have shriveled up to nothing.

Beauty is fleeting.

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Reeses

2008-10-30T20:20:00.007-05:00

Reeses | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Well, what did you expect today? It wouldn't be Halloween without some candy. I picked one of my favorites, the peanut butter cup. For the record, I'm also a fan of Snickers and M&Ms (plain or peanut).

Have a safe and happy Halloween.

SOLD

Chuck, Frank and Joe

2008-10-26T10:47:00.004-05:00

Chuck, Frank and Joe | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Here's a painting based on a photo from our trip to Minneapolis last month. While there, I dragged my family to the art museum. The Minneapolis Institute of Art. The painting on the wall in this painting is titled "Frank" and is by my favorite Photo-Realist painter, Chuck Close. It's my oldest son, Joe who is inspecting the painting. Thus the title.

It is my favorite painting in the museum's collection and I always look forward to seeing it when we go there. If you go, make sure you check it out.

I also need to give credit where credit is due. One of my favorite artist bloggers is Karin Jurick and she has painted many, many great museum paintings similar in a style to the one I created here. Thanks, Karin.