Happy New Year!

2010 is on it's last legs here.  As I write this entry we're in a unusual weather event...instead of a blizzard, it's pouring rain and sleet; soon to be just snow.  Weird stuff for the last day of the year to be sure!

I've been holed up in front of the easel for the past few weeks on commissioned work, and hoping to be back into work for the gallery here in the next 2-3 weeks.  There are some small color pencil pieces and studies evolving on the sidelines too, but "work for hire" is still the name of the game...and that ain't all bad!  :)

The video at the top of this blog is a scene taken out one of the studio windows...kind of a "snow globe"  gift to you.  If you are an email subscriber to this blog, the video won't show up...you can either go directly to the blog (http://prairiepainter.blogspot.com) or visit this link on You Tube -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzukbeAnzXs

I want to take a moment to thank all of you out there who have shown an interest in my work, a prosperous and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

See you in 2011!!!

Merry Christmas!

"Winter Along Bluebird Road"

Photograph © Bruce A. Morrison

Well the solstice is past us now...the days will start to get longer!  OK, not by much at first but it's the thought that counts!  Hope you had a chance to view the total lunar eclipse on the solstice!  That will never happen again in our life time.  I had all my camera gear set and ready to go but when I got up at 1:30 a.m. to check it out here, the sky was still overcast and not any sign of even where the moon was.  Luck of the draw I guess.

The native pasture here is now pretty much buried in snow since the last blizzard a week and a half ago.  I've been plastered to the easel and doing framing work and orders.  

The Christmas cards have all been printed, written in, and mailed!  That's quite a job, one I've been doing now for 46 years I believe.  I didn't do a painting this year as I am working on commissioned work their right now, so I printed cards with the header image above.

Georgie and I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a great Christmas, holiday season, and a wonderful and prosperous New Year in 2011!  It's hard to believe this year is almost history but that's what happens to you when you're busy I guess!  But it will be Spring again before we know it, so enjoy your holiday season and Winter while you can!

See you next year in the studio!

OK - Uncle!

 Blizzard view from the studio door

OK, I give up!  No leaving the premises today!  Anyone in the region knows what I mean; the blizzard did materialize and at this time the image above is what it looks like from the studio door (opened for a couple seconds)!  I cannot even make out a teeny bit of the house, which is only 75-80 feet away! 

 

Needless to say, the Holiday Open Studio was canceled this morning (Duh!).

But I'm taking this lemon and making lemonade!  Painting all weekend now...the wind is hitting 45-50 mph, so I don't even know when we'll start trying to dig out...let the fun begin!

Keep warm, stay safe!

Holiday Open Studios and a Blizzard!

"Prairie Skies" © Bruce A. Morrison

9X12" - Oil on panel - available at McGee's Gallery in downtown Peterson, Iowa

"Holiday Open Studios" and a blizzard...all on the same day!!!  How's that for mother nature cooperating with us!

Yes - you too can enjoy a good old NW Iowa blizzard while attending Holiday Open Studios in NW Iowa!  :)

I'm actually showing at a friend's studio and gallery tomorrow...Saturday the 11th - McGee's Gallery in downtown Peterson, Iowa.  But the weather...best laid plans ya know...oh well, Barb has promised me homemade beef vegetable soup for lunch and you should see the things Georgie had fixed for me to take down there!  Also, I made (ya me!) my favorite treat for this time of year, coconut joys...dark chocolate in coconut.  

We may not see a lot of shoppers in our "Holiday Open Studios", but I think there's enough to stoke up on to keep warm while the snow's flying!   :)

It's raining pretty good right now, just got back from Hartley a few minutes ago...the forecast is this rain will start freezing sometime tonight and then the snow begins.  Then while it snows tomorrow the wind is supposed to kick up to 30-40 mph.  High winds, snow, ice underneath...I think I'll be eating more than selling paintings.

By Sunday morning I'm hearing we'll be below zero Fahrenheit, so I guess winter is starting before the solstice as usual.  Winter on the Tallgrass, gotta love it!  (What else can you do?)

Stay safe - see ya on the Tallgrass!

A Tallgrass Year

Cope's Gray Tree Frog at Prairie Hill farm

Photograph © Bruce A. Morrison

Thank you to those folks who came to the Prairie Heritage Center for the Prairie program Thursday evening...although my voice gave out early on, you hung in there!

If you weren't able to make it to the center, I'm going to post the first part of the program which was a media program, recorded with images and audio from our prairie here at Prairie Hill Farm.  I should state "most" of the images were from here; they were all shot within a 35 mile radius of here but at least 90% were here on our property.  The music soundtrack was licensed through CSS Music, Inc.

The web address for "A Tallgrass Year" is -

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjlGSSd_0Uw

We're very busy here at the studio, with the Christmas season upon us, but if you're in the area and want to stop by, please feel free!

Stay warm!