Salt Shaker

I finally finished my degree program and am a certified elementary teacher. It has been my lifelong ambition to give back to the community what it gave to me; an education enriched by the personal 'outside' talents and experiences of my teachers. So to Mrs. Fuller, my sixth grade teacher who often brought her Down's Syndrome daughter on field trips . . . to Miss Kroll who saw my clownish antics as an indication that I might possess theatrical talent . . . to Mrs. Williams, the first grade teacher who helped me discover a wonderworld through reading . . . I celebrate you. You were the salt of the earth.

"Cornflower and Queen Anne's Lace" 6 1/8 x 1 1/2" oil on 3/4" hardboard. $45

I loved getting in the car. It almost always meant fishing or picking berries if Dad was driving. The trip there was as much a part of the adventure as the expidition itself. I know they're only weeds, but cornflowers and Queen Anne's lace were two of my favorite sights along the road. I grew up in that netherworld between "children are to be seen and not heard," and "children are smarter than adults." This meant that I practiced long stretches of contemplative silence punctuated by brief periods of excited chatter. Both enriched me. Had I spent all of my time engaged in chatter, I would have missed the simple beauty growing along the way. Had I no chance to speak, I would have missed the opportunity to ask about what I saw.

Edge of the Field 1 1/2 "x 6 1/8' oil on gessoed masonite

I've noticed a lot of artists lately using gessoed hardboard with a recess in the back so that they can be hung right away without a frame for a contemporary look. Perhaps one day I'll invest in the tools to make perfectly formed holes in the back of my paintings, but for now, a six dollar set of wood carving knives seemed to do the trick. In fact, I rather like the hand-hewn aspect. It is 1/2" thick, so it can stand alone on a shelf or tabletop. The image is continued on the sides, bottom, and top. This is another in the Rural Michigan series. As you can see, it is signed on both the front and back.

Sanctuary 3"x3" oil on masonite panel $45

This is quite a common scene in Michigan; one lone tree at the edge of a field, left there when the field was cleared. Farm lore has it that before the days of motorized tractors, farmers would purposely leave one shade tree somewhere along the perimeter or even smack in the middle. This way they would have shelter from the sun at midday when they stopped to eat and rest. The practice of resting under a tree at midday has fallen somewhat out of use, but the tradition of leaving a shade tree seems to have survived. Birds seem to love the arrangement. They can feed on the grain and shelter in the tree. Would that human life were so simple.

Light Show 3"x3" oil on masonite panel $45

The skies in Michigan go grey by the end of october and generally stay that way until the end of March. But Summer evenings here are often spectacular. Perhaps this is only perception. It could be that sun deprivation for a goodly part of the year produces in us an exaggerated sense of what is spectacular. If so, then it is a willing delusion.

Last Dance of Summer 3"x3" oil on masonite $45

I love to watch birds chase one another and I love open spaces. This then is a composite of two of my favorite elements.

Coffee Klutch 3"x3" oil on masonite panel $45

Morning is the sweetest time of the day. I so enjoy awakening to the chatter of busy birds. Once upon a time you could even hear the quiet rustle of wheat in the breeze. There are still a few places like that, but they're being steadily overcome by folks on exodus from city life. I don't blame them. There's much to recommend about living a tad bit closer to nature. I plan to do it myself one day. The unfortunate side effect is that the more folks move out to the country, the more like city it will become. Don't get me wrong. That does not obligate us to stay huddled together on our concrete oasis. I just think that when we do live on farmland, we ought to at least consider what affect our sojourn will have on the place. I just visited some friends who moved to an area that I personally remember as all corn and wheat. I passed it on the road time and time again as a child. They have been very careful to preserve the nature around them. They're growing their own produce and preserving it and they're encouraging the wildlife. I find that gratifying.

Watcher on the Marsh 3" x 3" oil on masonite $45

Here's the second of the rural Michigan paintings. I've finished seven now and waiting for them to dry so that I can post them is excruciating. I'm anxious for you to see them. There are two that I want to use as a springboard for larger (perhaps sofa-size) paintings.

I have looked at my work on computer screens other than my own recently and was shocked to see that the images were cloudy looking, not at all as they really are or how they appear on my own screen. Perhaps that's because I use my scanner like a camera. That's why I have to wait until they dry before I post them. When I figure out how to make sure the images you see more closely fit reality, I'll replace the whole website with better images.

Contact me at jandale@jandalefineart.com or call 313-581-1342

Rural Sky 3" x 3" oil on masonite panel $45

I thought it would be a nice change of pace to paint a few miniature landscapes of Michigan as I saw it in my childhood. I have three completed and will post them over the next few days.

Honk if you love Michigan....or just leave a comment.

p.s. Make that seven landscapes completed. I need to find a better way to photograph my work. Otherwise I will have to wait until they're dry before I post them and that sort of defeats the purpose of the daily painting thing.

You may contact me with questions at jandale@jandalefineart.com or call 313-581-1342.