Almost every year I escape the coldest, darkest part of winter by travelling to some exotic location. This year it will be South Africa, but that wont be until the end of January. That means I have to endure the brunt of the nasty. At least it is beautiful.
Over the years I have accumulated an immense collection of tropical reference photos. They make compelling subject matter for paintings. I have become very familiar with certain tropical habitats, and wildlife.
The problem is that most art galleries in Alaska want only Alaska subjects. That means endless paintings of bears, wolves, eagles, and moose etc. Most art buyers want some memento of theit Alaskan adventure. A bear symbolizes Alaska better than anything else. That is why I have painted hundreds of them, and I want to cry everytime I'm about to start a new one. Once I'm into the process it's not so bad.
Ocassionally I just have to paint a tropical subject. These paintings are very hard to sell. I'm hoping that the internet will one day become a steady marketplace for selling these things. I would paint many, many more of them if I could sell them.
The reason I am posting this so soon after my last entry is because I am bored, and it's a way to set up my next blog post which will be a new tropical painting. The following are a few old paintings. Most of which have still never sold, and never get displayed anywhere.
Laughing Falcon, 16x12" This painting is set at the Fortuna Waterfall, near the Arenal Volcano.
This is my favorite part of Costs Rica. Too bad so many other tourists have discovered the place also.
Another Costa Rican subject. Speckled Tanager, 12x16" This painting is set on the property of Alexander Skutch. He was the pioneering ornithologist, and author of the Neotropics. He died at age 100. I had the priveledge of meeting him twice, and getting him to sign his field guide for me.
Chestnut-crowned Antpitta. 10x8" These birds occur near Mindo, in Ecuador. The Mindo cloud forest is as good a birding destination as anyplace on earth. Another Ecuadorian bird that is found around Mindo, is the Plate-billed Mountain Toucan. 11x14"
The White-throated Toucan, 12x9", occurs in the Ecuarorian Amazon.
Also found in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Black-headed Parrots, 14x11"
Ocelots are another Neotrpical inhabitant. 8x10"
The big cat, Jaguar, 9x12". I have only found their tracks. One day I hope to be fortunate enough to see the living cat in the wild.
Painted Mud, 12x9" These Macaws, and parrots visit a clay lick in the Ecuadorian Amazon. How is it that this painting has never sold? What the hell is wrong with people? 
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