After visiting a great waterfront town, La Conner WA, I was inspired to bring back the Crow as Artist to do a painting of my visual thoughts about the nice little place.

Key points – obviously – are the waterfront (the pier post and tie-=dpown, the iconic bridge in the background, and the arching sign (which doesn’t exist in reality … but should. 🙂

The bridge: probably the town’s most recognizable feature … paintings and photographs of the bridge abound – so, I wanted to include it as it’s such a fan favorite. However, I wanted to create a fair amount of depth to the painting, so I put it in the ever-so-present mist/fog/cloud that serve so well in giving us a nice sense of perspective … and in doing-so, I think it serves the composition well.

Something of a follow-on to the Ronald License Plate Frame, I’m looking into producing T-shirts as well.

Well, that was a month or so ago (yeah, so much has been happening … life things that have kept me from posting – but, then, those things are more important than posting … at least, for me).

Anyways, yes, I wanted to follow the path I had begun with the license plates … with a T-Shirt. ( Ok, is it “T-Shirt”, “t-shirt”, “T-shirt”, or skip the hyphen totally, or ???)

Again, “Anyways”, I set out to design a T-S 🙂 for Ronald. Went thru a bunch of elements (not many strong visuals representing Ronald, trust me …) and meandered from woodsy sketches to hard-edged graphics. Actually, what I settled on was a key element I had from the beginning … the 903 sign. If part of my message is that Ronald may not be an internationally-known destination, it is:

• home-away-from-home
• a wonderful area
• and a key point on the map – tied together by 903 – that funnels all the traffic up-and-down the valley: camping, mountain hikes, alpine lakes, etc. etc. is the drive to the north, the world to the south. You can get anywhere by just heading north, or south. It’s a beautiful thing.

So, I went with a strong 903 sign graphic, an arrow suggesting travel and opportunity, and a vertical red exclamation point that plays well with the ellipsis … and what’s more fun than playing well with an ellipsis?

Nothing.

🙂

( this is a very old draft I never published, but it covers the foundational effort, so I’ll publish it out of sequence anyways)

It’s been six months …. oh, gad … now it’s been a year (!!!) since I posted! Seems, well, like a year – yet also seems like a few weeks ago.

Time – what a mess … In some ways, a day is a month-long dog-day … and also gone in a flash. The world spins, and like Mr. Buffett said, “I’m dizzy, so it may be so”.

I guess I’ll blame the lapse, in part, on a 2025 full of family tragedy. I’ve done a little work, but not much. Looking to turn the corner, hopefully soon, with an increase of thought and consistency.

We’ll see …

So, one thing I have been doing is fiddling about with my friend, the Choices Crow (from the letterpress piece (see post “Choices: Look Up! 12 17 2023). I’ve been playing with the notion of converting it to a T-shirt piece.

I’ve done a little screen printing in the past – just a smattering over the years, so sporadically that I’m definitely still on the learning curve. But, without investing into new screens and presses, I’m playing with a budget approach: handmade screen/frames, no press … keep it simple (cheap) until if-and-when it looks like a plan to produce more than just a few.

Why? Well, it’s a message I believe in. Choices: problems: issues … look up (and of course, concurrently addressing what are my due diligences and responsibilities).

(this should have been posted a month ago … always running late!)

So, a recent post (04 25 2026), I left with the thought of printing a small bunch of shirts, noting that a major issue I have is in keeping the print square to the shirt. Ordinarily, side seams on the shirt would help, but the shirts I’m currently using do not sport side-seams.

To work around that, I had to measure and mark on the shirt … each shirt … a centerline. I used blue painter’s tape to indicate centerline top and bottom. Cumbersome, but it does seem to have worked. So, proof I can get it square, but will work to find a simpler/quicker process.

Final thing, though, I did print 10 or so of various sizes and they look great!!!!

Now, these shirts – inspired by the letterpress prints (see posts back on 12 17 2023 ) – are something of a ministry for me. Distribution, selling, etc is yet TBD … but I have a bunch of them, tagged and bagged … so exciting!

PS: At this point, original posting could have been two months ago … time marches on …

Update: At this point, I’ve had a larger print run – all looks great. I’m very happy with the design and have placed into a shop – would love to spread them out!

( Apologies ahead … this got long winded …

I have the pleasure and blessing to be able to spend a good amount of time in Ronald, Washington. Ronald is a small – very small – town in Eastern Washington. Tucked in the mountains and foothills, pleasant river and lake … a handful of houses, a post office, a tavern/restaurant, a general store, and a fire station. That’s about it.

This is an area of great seasonal forest fires. A few years back, we were evacuated with a very large fire racing down the valley. We raced to get to our property to move out what we could. The Sheriffs had a roadblock a couple of miles from where we needed to go. They let us go … but with a stern warning: “If you see flames, turn and go. Know this: you are on your own. If you get in trouble – basically, you’re on your own.” We were in-and-out in record time.

A great, defensive rally of our local fire departments (several involved in this one), and certainly God’s oversight … all proved to protect the area … though, others nearby were not so blessed. Around here, the local firefighters are generally considered heroes.

I was thinking about little Ronald. Nearby towns are well-known as day-trip targets and even as destinations – owing to legendary restaurants, nearby golfing, shops … those places have the typical hats and t-shirts available. And, that’s fine and the way it should be. Anyways, one day, for no particular reason, I was thinking about our quiet Ronald … it’s not really know for it’s tourism, but is does get a lot of folks moving through – a lot – up and down the valley road (903).

I came up with the catchline “Ronald … Gateway to Someplace”. It just gave me a chuckle. And, actually, most-everywhere is a “gateway” … if you drive thru town this way, you get to someplace. Drive the other way through town, you get to another. Drive far enough, most towns are the “gateway” to … Niagra Falls, the Grand Canyon, Key West …. 🙂 I like that concept. So why not Ronald? Yes, I say.

Now, I’m not in all this to make a living. I’m interested in fun, and in this case, supporting community. So, it came to me, why not share profits (and, in this case, a laughably small profit) with … who? I know, those great firefighters who take such great care of us! So, I thought I’d give about (I’m not going to get precise … don’t have time or interest) 50% of the profits to local firefighters. Now, you cannot do a tax-deductible donation thing with them … doesn’t work. So, next best thing – I’ll use half of the profit to have fun, in the form of a box of donuts or, if I sell two or three frames, maybe even a pizza.

That’s the thought at this point. I intend to talk with someone at the local fire district and make sure this is workable … but it’s such a little thing, and simply a small, fun way to acknowledge and thank our firefighters.

Simple.

We’ll see … 🙂

And, so in the case of this newest path of Inside: Looking Out:, I’m first-and-foremost, as with all my work, concerned with pursuing the Biblical mandate for the arts, creating art that conveys good news and hope. That’s a baseline.

Beyond, and in concert with that, I’m after the concept of beginning with the internal and moving outward – with the perspective of beginning with the perfect and acknowledging the imperfect.

So, I’m chasing this idea … explored and realized within a framework, a focusing, a simplicity and peace of controlled and specified balance of visual content, white space, … and with trying to get much better at watercolors than I currently am (… how I struggle!!).

And, I do find a peacefulness with the concept and the simplicity of these pieces. I also find a challenge in getting them done well (yeah, how I struggle …).

A post or two back, I initiated discussing this path, showing a piece in work … below is finished piece … (not a great photo – gotta work on that, too …).

Another … detail and complete …

I’m SO behind on maintaining current posts. Thought I’d add another post about my oil paintings.

This one is shares some obvious elements – part of a series, eh? It’s a double square, 20×40″. It also shares the journalistic/conversational text the others offer. Materials and media … etc, so ok.

I think I elsewhere mentioned Ed Weston. So interesting to read his “Daybooks”, especially (for me) “California”. He was so determined to do artwork (photography, in his case) that was so refined-down to it’s purest, simplest, content/subject … unfettered by emotion, style, etc.. So interesting to read his thoughts … which pepper to shoot, what driftwood image keeps out of it’s own way, yet tells the story …

And, this piece hearkens. back to the very original pieces … see https://otcarts.com/2024/08/28/first-20x40s/, in that it re-stated the three elements of “Goodness”, “Crisis”, and “Redemption” … which are so exceptionally important to my art. Very profound search (and accomplishment – he created “pure” images, to be sure), and in some ways achieving aspects of “Goodness” or other times “Crisis” very well … similar to a contemporary, Steinbeck … but more monogamous – the two didn’t mix much with Weston … Steinbeck often held them both very well.

At any rate, this piece brings me to that conversation, obviously with a different perspective than Weston and Steinbeck, but needing and enjoying the search for that triune set of elements, that acknowledgement of that fulfillment … with proper humility and wonderment.

Another approach …

So, I began a series on Steeples – https://otcarts.com/2022/07/29/old-peach-chapel-inside-looking-out-project/ – a look at the purpose, variety and inspiring beauty of these architectural wonders. This path, spawned another series, “Inside: Looking Out” … the series (short, thus far) that looks at the glory of stained glass windows as seen best: from the inside, looking out (in contrast to the perspective of steeples).

Well, while working on (still another) project, I came upon an idea: combining blind embossing with the Inside: Looking Out series … well, with a couple of core elements of the series: watercolors, windows, and the concept of a inside-out perspective (which, in-and-of itself, has a variety of meanings and applications).

Now, the core-est of elements to both Steeples and Inside:Looking Out … and most-all of my work … is the spiritual aspect.

To achieve that end, I guess I could put a church steeple or a cross on a hill or other visual, golden sun-beams from forbidding clouds … or other some iconic reference, within the view. But, for me, once or twice might be appropriate – even accurate – but becomes a forced item, becomes shallow in context, and … that simply wouldn’t cut it. Forced, limited, and expected. No, that element in my work needs to have a different, sincere source and look.

Truly, and obviously, the spiritual can be found in the natural image: the beauty of nature, or creation. (At some point, I’ll post a discussion of what I believe to be the three elements of makes great art … a Bibli al mandate for the arts … or, maybe I’ve already gone thru that … I’ll research that … ).

Also, please note that the subject matters which lie beyond the window are not meant to be true-to-life, documentations of the actual sites. Just as with the Steeple Project, I was/am not painting portraits of specific churches or landscapes … not at all. Rather, I’m more after spirit and character of the steeple/vista, spirit of the architecture/scene (however sophisticated or prosaic it may be), and the fun and challenge of painting. And, so in the case of this newest path of Inside: Looking Out: I’m after the concept of beginning with the internal and moving outward, with framework, with a focusing, with simplicity and peace of controlled and specified white space … and with trying to get much better at watercolors than I currently am (I struggle!!). And, I do find a peacefulness with the concept and the simplicity of these pieces.

Onward … and more thoughts to come …

First look at an arched window embossment …

In-work, a simple window with beginning painting … 🙂

Will post completed piece later … 🙂

So, here is a second a piece regarding the paintings series I’ve mentioned lately (more to come). This painting is another of the three oils I am so happy to have shown at The Loft at Camano Commons on Camano Island, WA.

The visual source of inspiration for this piece, for me, is a fun, serendipitous one. I often pass a building that used to be a church. It has fallen into disrepair … but it looks like someone put a half-hearted effort towards repair … but obviously many years ago. The didn’t get far. I think they quit after leaning a ladder against the building: no signs that anyone actually climbed up. But there is leans. Hanging on rusty baling wire, about five rungs up is a very old, rusty, dusty sign: “Workers Above”. I find that humorous.

Hanging on a ladder leaning against a wall of a church creates a juxtaposition opportunity to translate the sign in another way. I certainly believe there is quite of bit of activity above … well above ground, the ladder, steeple and all!

By the way, here’s a look at the wall at The Loft … so thankful to Lydia and the Loft for the opportunity!

So, as promised, and as needed, here’s a piece on one to the paintings series I’ve mentioned lately (more to come). From last post, this is one of the oils I am so happy to have had hanging at The Loft at Camano Commons on Camano Island, WA.

This piece has its base inspirations from several sources.The greatest is the recognition that God’s creation was “out of nothing”, ex-nihilo as the Latins would have it, a creativity not dependent upon existing materials or concept … i.e., God created a tree without first going to the greenhouse, a guidebook on trees of the world, or to the lumber yard. We, created in God’s image, are created as creatives … and not just artists, but humankind is generally creative, thus we have some folks who are very creative when it comes to parenting, to plumbing and to bookkeeping, etc.. Yes, some bookkeepers may not be all that, but then, neither are all artists (ya think?).

We are creative to be sure, but derivative creators. We create by building upon other input, existing materials and concepts … adding-to, taking-away, freshly combining, re-translating from personal perspective, etc., etc.. In pigment, the primaries are red, yellow, blue, and black (CYMK) … in digital sources, red, green and blue (RGB). Given that, ask yourself: “Self, create a new color the universe has never seen”. What do we try to do: imagine taking existing colors and mixing them. Derivative. I spent my career in graphic design. So much is built upon existing design. Even those who are first-line and seem to be radically out there, are building with existing letterforms, shapes, style/lack-of-style, palettes, etc..

It’s a huge topic and goes on-and-on, but in a nutshell, that is one of the spark plugs for this painting. It’s so exciting to see our creativity – I marvel at how craftsmen of the world built, with fewer tools and such, castles and cathedrals and bridges … and today computer chips … gad, how do they make aluminum foil so thin!!! All this creativity, how folks of the past have been so creative to build and create over and over again. I’m astounded at our creativity we’re blessed with.

Now, to use it wisely, and for good …