Painting, Photography and the Tallgrass Prairie are passions of mine. Finding time for all can be a challenge! Stop by from time to time and join me in the process.
Friday, May 6, 2022
Archival Works Friday - N0. 8!
Friday, April 1, 2022
Archival Works Friday - No.7!

As I mentioned before - I'll post a painting, drawing or serigraph (silkscreen prints) from the "archive" files of years past...and give a little back story on the work. I hope you'll find it interesting!
These posts are now on the first Friday of the month – lo and behold this one happens on April Fools Day! Ha! Well it may fit the circumstances somewhat – there were some big goofs on my part with this painting!
I really appreciate the opportunity offered by folks in our area, to allow me to have access and walk their properties. I'm not as big of a hiker as I once was but I still try when the opportunity arises. This property is one I'd hiked several times between 2008-2012. I still drive by there quite often and have done photography and artwork from the 'edges' on occasion.
This particular painting almost never saw the light of day. It was a beautiful and still summer morning...probably late August or very early September...judging by the vegetation I portrayed along the roadside edges. I remember there was a lot of ragweed present and that's how I painted it.
But as I said – it nearly never became a painting. Why? Well, even though I break my own rules sometimes, in general I don't usually paint a scene if my mind is set on recording it as a photograph from the beginning. I found myself on this small one lane dirt road at the SW corner of the owner's property and the sun was about to rise. I was in my old beater S10 pickup and climbed into the bed, as I often do – to gain a bit of elevation and perspective.
I had just bought a new camera...not a really expensive one but I had needed to replace my old Nikon D1X. The D1X was the flagship 'digital' Nikon that came out around 1999-2000. It had an “amazing” capability of 5.6 MP if my memory serves me correctly. Boy did things advance quickly after that! But I was still making calendar and magazine sales with that camera – it was top notch at the time. But 10-11 years later it was having issues and I had no choice but to become a camera consumer again...this new camera had 12MP, which was well over twice the old one...but nowhere near the head of the pack with all that were available then – but it was fine for me.
My new camera had good auto-focus capabilities and I was looking forward to that...these old eyes need any help they can get. Well, back to the pickup bed. I was setting up the tripod with my new camera and suddenly realized – I had totally forgotten my glasses! For crying out loud! I never had much trouble with 'distance', but closeup...looking through a lens or at the digital back screen – I was flying blind...big time Mr. Magoo...Then I though “Hey, this camera can be totally auto-focus, not to worry”!
I loved the composition of the scene before me, and the early light was great...the colors were just singing a song I couldn't get enough of! I wanted to catch the sun just as it broke the horizon and waited for it.
I set the tripod head to swivel the camera for 4 frames – I was visualizing a panorama and one frame just wouldn't do it. I could go heavy wide angle and get the panoramic view...but I'd have to crop a lot of stuff in the image to get what I was 'seeing' – and the size I wanted to output to (print) would have required too much enlargement of the small file to look decent. This is a camera technique I still use to this day – stitching several frames together can achieve a higher resolution for more demanding work.
But back to the camera...since my glasses were apparently still at home, I trusted the auto focus to do it's thing. It had worked at home the day before when I tried it out so I wasn't concerned...just still a bit disappointed in my dumb move. It was a great image – I was sure of it!
Well, I took the camera off and set the tripod over the side of the pickup bed and walked to the edge of the tail gate and hopped off onto the ground.
I remember just totally losing my vision to a bright flash of pain, then everything as quickly went black -it is hard to adequately describe. I came around and found myself on all fours just screaming in my head. “I shouldn't have done that.” went through my mind. Its like a traffic accident. You spend way too much time thinking back...trying to stop what had just happened. Needless to say – I didn't take any more pictures that morning.
The chiropractor saw dollar signs I'm sure when I limped with a cane into the office that afternoon. In all fairness I'm being facetious, but it was 2-3 appointments a week for a while and at least 6 months before I felt I had finally gotten through my injury.
But back to the pictures I took. To add insult to injury, when I brought the image files up on the computer – EVERYTHING was out of focus...fuzzy beyond salvation! OMG...in my nearsighted blindness, I just could not make out the small print on the camera controls – I was sure I had selected “auto-focus” but apparently had disabled it instead. Aaccck!!!!!!!
I was a mess to put it mildly...no one should ever be seen by another human being when they get like this. Poor Georgie!!! (She sure puts up with a lot, let me tell you!)
Its bad enough losing a productive day, but losing nearly 6 months to rehab on top of it makes it grimmer. I don't remember how much time passed, but one day when I was about to dump all the files from that morning, I thought “If I could just work through the out of focus mess – this would make a beautiful painting!”
I really do not remember how long it took to have this epiphany, or how long I kept tossing this idea back and forth in my mind, before I committed to trying – but I eventually tried. I started the painting in January of 2012...I figured if the Mayan calendar was right and the world was about to end – then, hey why not. (Ya, that was really a 'thing'.)
It took a bit of work re-imagining the 'near' objects – they were just 'blobs' of shapes; the back ground was a bit easier but still no cake walk...the color was still there and the tonal range of the image was very helpful. I hacked my way through and finished the painting the first week of February – I was sooooo happy with what was brought back from a total loss and very pleased how well it was carried out.
I
should never have let go of this painting – I regretted it the
minute I spent the check! Seller's remorse – we've all experienced
it. But it went to a great home – an appreciative home...and made
for a very nice share of return business from this first-time client
from out-of-state. There's several silver linings – and complete
flops in this one painting!
"Southwest Corner Fence Line Along the Jordan" - oil painting © Bruce A. Morrison
(from a private Vermont collection)
Saturday, March 12, 2022
Winter's Last Breath? (Crossing Fingers!)
"Frosty Morning Light - Hay Rake" - oil painting - ©Bruce A. Morrison | |
Is it Spring yet?!!! One below zero Fahrenheit this a.m., but above freezing this afternoon...a good southwest wind bringing up the warm air - welcome! This is the beginning of several warm days in the 40's to 60's, so looking forward to it!
I've been cranking out winter themed work the past month...had to get them out of my system before work outside on the acreage presents itself. I don't do loads of winter artwork, but had these in my memory file; if I don't get them down I can lose them. I just have so much memory available in this old hard drive (my brain)...if something new or memorable comes by - something has to go. I find my brain deleting memories a lot these days...hey, it happens to all of us eventually.
The oil painting above is of my favorite acreage "prop"...I wish I had one or two more different types of old farm machinery that I could place here or there on the pastures, but this one is just perfect. The old John Deere hay rake came from an artist friend's family farm - he even remembers using it each summer, then bailing afterwards. It was his Grandfather's, then his Father's...his Dad just passed away about a month ago. Although it wasn't the purpose of the painting, I suppose you could think of it as a tribute to his Father and Grandfather, representing their farming heritage and years now finished.
"Litka's Winter Bales" - color pencil drawing - ©Bruce A. Morrison
The next artwork is a color pencil drawing that about finished off a couple pencils...especially the blue one...lots of shades of blue in there! This was a winter scene about 4 miles down the road from us...on a piece of property that the owner has let me walk for years.
We have not had much snow this winter...what we did get was fairly fleeting. So both works were done from older photo files I had to dig up from my system folders. Winter images aren't the best sellers for me but I'll admit that I'm not all about supporting this habit anymore. Life is too short and doing what makes me happy has become more pleasing and important for my well being. And if something "does" strike someone and goes to a new home - that's a double good thing!
As I mentioned, the winter has been a dry one...we did a pasture inventory yesterday afternoon and it is obvious we cannot burn this spring unless things turn around and the rain comes. We keep mowed paths between the paddocks, and along property boundaries for fire breaks...these are usually very green once the snow melts and the spring comes. Any burning we do is helpfully controlled by the green/short mowed barriers. These "barriers" are toast brown and tinder dry this Spring. Even with "all hands on deck" (my wife and I) there is no safe and secure way to burn right now. If the rain comes, maybe a late spring burn will be possible?
We did do a couple limited fall burns last November though...I did an Elm sapling/volunteer killing campaign for some weeks in September and October. There were too many for me to keep up with so I went back to a woody herbicide I used many years ago for poison ivy...Garlon 4. I'm not fond of herbicides but I found myself completely at the mercy of the Elms - they multiplied exponentially over the past several years, and just plain got past me. The Elms on the neighbor's grounds are still supplying seed - even though they're all in stages of decline.
The Garlon 4 is sprayed on, so quiet mornings with no breeze is perfect as long as the volunteers have green foliage to take it in (although I believe epidermal absorption still factors in). Several trips of spot spraying over a few weeks was necessary because there are always those plants that eluded me and some volunteers that needed multiple hits. Once the pasture was speckled with dead reddish brown leaves and no green, then I set about with seeding plans for the late fall.
It was a busy fall in 2021 for seed gathering...mostly from our own ditches and the north pasture. It wasn't as much as I needed but seed purchases are off the radar here in these times of limited income. I was able to seed maybe 60% of the northwest pasture with what I had - I seeded on December 15th as there was a winter snowstorm coming in the next day. Well...the next day we got snow...horizontal snow...our first ever recorded "Winter Derecho" - very high straight line winds. I'm sarcastically guessing that ALL of my seeding was stripped from the NW pasture, as NO snow stuck to that pasture - it was as clean as a whistle after the storm...oh well - I tried.
We had a lot of limbs down after that storm but thankfully nothing serious. We lost part of our sheep barn's roof but nothing we can't fix this spring. In that effect we were very fortunate here!
We'll see down the road if any pleasant surprises still come about from the seeding I did. I'm not holding my breath though.
But Spring is coming! And we're looking forward to it!
Have a Blessed Spring out there...so many will not, especially in the Ukraine and possibly the Baltics...praying for peace in this world with all my heart.
Please be good to one another.
Friday, March 4, 2022
Archived Works Friday No.6!
Friday, February 25, 2022
Archived Works Friday - No. 5!
Friday, February 18, 2022
Archived Works friday - No.4!
Saturday, February 12, 2022
Archived Works Friday! (Uh...Saturday!)
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Prairie Landscapes and Birds - in the Studio and Our World
"Stream Side Autumn Ashes" - color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison |
After so much time spent rebuilding web sites - I've finally been spending time trying to be productive in the studio. I've managed to tick off some ideas that have been on my to-do list...mostly color pencil works, although I'm also working on an oil at the present as well.
One landscape is of some Ashes along the Waterman Creek, just south of us about 5-6 miles. I remember the ashes being in good autumn color - these trees always seem to be one of the earlier trees to turn around here and I've often lamented that it's also one of the more abundant hard woods around here - with Emerald Ash Bore only a breeze away now, soon they'll just be a memory...
This was a fun piece to work on, kind of a struggle at times to give the ash leaves the luminosity I wanted, but all in all - the piece worked out satisfactorily. And autumn is probably my favorite season! It was fun doing a pleasant autumn day in our valley while warm and toasty inside during some frigid winter days! ("Stream Side - Autumn Ashes" - color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison )
"Prairie Sunflowers" - color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison
The second landscape is a little different...more of a foreground subject with a slight bokeh to the background (more out of focus). I wanted to cast more interest and color contrast on the sunflowers and let the focal interest decline behind them. I may have spent too much time trying to delineate the type of sunflowers though...they are meant to be “Showy Sunflowers”...or as some call them “Prairie Sunflowers”...the scientific name would be “Helianthus pauciflorus “. I found it a bit daunting getting the leaves the way I wanted...should have drawn them before drawing in the background...its hard controlling color pencil when drawing over previously sketched areas...so spent a lot of time on damage control. These sunflowers have been known to hybridize with other types, so all this can get confusing! I'll just call 'em “Prairie Sunflowers” and let it go at that. (“Prairie Sunflowers” - color pencil drawing - ©Bruce A. Morrison)
"White-breasted Nuthatch - Portrait" - color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison
I just recently finished a White-Breasted Nuthatch "portrait"...these are a favorite from the early years - actually the first bird I ever photographed up close - with my first SLR and telephoto lens...back in 1963. Winter days always seem more uplifting with the pleasant nasal calling of these little guys...they're one of the friendliest yard birds as well - often still on the feeder when bringing new seed for the day, seemingly unconcerned with my presence. I portrayed this one “head down” as they are typically seen climbing up and down tree trunks, branches, and on the bird feeders! (“White-breasted Nuthatch – Portrait” - color pencil drawing - ©Bruce A. Morrison)
"Bobolink - Portrait" - color pencil drawing - © Bruce A. Morrison
The
last (but not least!) bird is my prairie favorite - the Bobolink! My
father remembers them on the farm in the late 1920's and early 30's
as the "Spink-spank-spink" bird. I get a kick out of their
call and antics; a birding friend mentioned he thought they sounded
like R2D2. Ha! He's right!
When we first came here 20 years
ago, I found Bobolinks along several pastures...these birds are on
the list of grassland obligates in most trouble in North America. I
have been concerned with their situation for many years, and watched
their local populations in the "neighborhood" with
interest. Slowly I have noted nesting pairs disappearing in local
pastures.
We've always had Bobolinks in our south pasture...until last year. We share this pasture with a neighbor and last year they took out their fenceline bordering their crop ground and plowed into their edge to gain more ground and eliminate the weed issues the fence was creating, but then they went into the pasture even more. The small pasture apparently lost too much size and the birds never returned.
"Our" pair disappeared last year but
we still had a pair directly across the road to keep their song and
antics still in view. The pasture across the road had never been
mowed/hayed before the 4th of July since we've been here (now 20 years). I always
appreciated that! Not only does that protect nesting birds like Song
Sparrows, Common Yellow-throats, Meadow Larks, Sedge Wrens,
Dickcissels, and many others - but it also protected Bobolinks.
Bobolinks are curiously different birds - they are early arrivals - often
around the same time the Pasque Flowers bloom on the prairie slopes.
They get right down to pairing up, setting up their territories and
nesting. And they only nest "once" a season. Their young
hatch in late spring and fledge quickly. So many are lost to
haying...if their nests don't remain unmolested till around the first
of July - they are usually lost. Once they have fledged, they gather
with other birds and resemble "nomads" through the middle
of summer - traveling around in small flocks until heading out for
their winter homes in South America.
Sadly, last summer the
pasture across the road from us was mowed early...mid June. We
watched hopelessly as the adult male could be seen flying around in
the spot it's nest had once been. We don't know how the female fared?
The male left after a couple days...their nesting season was done.
Will this or another pair return to that pasture next year? It is
certain their progeny won't. Gradually, bit by bit this scenario
plays out across their nesting range. They are grassland obligates -
in need of conservation practices. Sure, there are still pastures or
small grasslands in the region that still support Bobolinks, but that
does not negate the fact they are noticeably vanishing from there
former ranges. I am still "sincerely" hoping that a pair
will return here for another chance...
I read last year that
Bobolink numbers have become so low in New England states that in
Maryland some regional farmers are being given a stipend or payment
for not haying before July. I don't know much about this effort or
what other plans (if any) are being considered to help this bird
remain on its former nesting sites for the future? I don't want to
sound alarmist, but I am concerned, and so are conservationists and
ornithologists familiar with the well documented decline in our
grassland birds.
I realize that our birds are all in decline,
recent reports from the past couple years are not promising. I'd like
to believe that we can still do something, but being a small witness
to this firsthand is hard on this old birder's heart.
(“Bobolink
– Portrait” -
color pencil drawing - ©Bruce A. Morrison)
It's still February but much warmer than usual and very dry...we've only had two snows this winter and the last one is about 50-60% gone. It makes for better farm chores for sure but we are still in a drought here...I sure hope March and April bring good rains!
Have a great February out there - please be good to one another!