"My first commission, which is taking me a very long time to complete. Thankfully it's for a relative that has been very understanding. This is a very challanging piece with lots of Hudson River School characteristics. I hope that it is another milestone work for me. While the land scene is largely referenced from an actual photo taken from on top of this mountain, the sky is referenced from a picture taken by my wife. She saw this cloud pattern and captured in with her digital camera... so I incorporated it into this painting. Even though it's a commissioned piece I have put myself into the scene and so I am very connected to it. And I am making improvements to the composition as I go... nothing drastic, but subtle changes that I feel add to the scene."

"I wanted some mystery in a painting and this piece feels mysterious to me. I am only using Ivory Black and Titanium White. The ruins, the omninous sky, and the tropical foliage (to be painted into the foreground) make this painting feel more like Classical Realism than traditional Hudson River School... but I like it!" I started this piece in 2008 but put it down while I focused on more traditional landscapes. But it's back on my easel in 2011 and on it's way to completion. There is a lot of detail in this piece and I review every piece of rock, every cut stone, every leaf with scrutiny."