Spring is here a bit early this year with daffodils and fruit trees in full bloom. I have been visiting some beautiful West Marin MALT ranches, painting and collecting images for this year's 15th Annual "Ranches & Rolling Hills" art show.  Three years ago I painted a portrait of a sheep named Torpedo on Al Poncia's ranch in Tomales. He was one of the 'bum' lambs raised by Anita, Al Poncia's mom, in her laundry room. A 'bum lamb' is one that is rejected by the mother ewe and therefore has either be hand fed or attached to another ewe. He became very tame and for a long time loved people more than his own kind. A couple of weeks ago I made a visit to the ranch and Torpedo was grazing out in the field. When I called his name, he came ambling over to the car and almost hopped in to see what I had in my cooler. I knew he liked apple, so I quickly pulled one out and cut off little pieces to give him. Torpedo loved it and soon had eaten the whole apple. He scratched my leg, just like a dog, begging for more. What a character! I gave him some good back scratches, which he gladly accepted, before he ambled off into the pasture with his flock.

I decided I had to paint another portrait of this friendly guy, and so he will once again make an appearance at the "Ranches & Rolling Hills" Art show to be held in Nicasio on May 19th and 20th, 2012. Make sure to mark your calendars and come out West to see a great show featuring over 40 well known California artists' works of art. Fifty percent of the art sales will go to benefit Marin Agricultural Land Trust so that they can enable Marin ranchers to continue working their land. The event is free to the public. Please visit "Ranches & Rolling Hills Art Show" for more information about this event. Hope to see you there....

May is here and on the 21st and 22nd the Ranches & Rolling Hills Art Show will return to the little town of Nicasio in West Marin. This week some of us will be raising panels, mounting lights, and hanging all of this years new crop of wonderful paintings depicting life on the ranches of West Marin. It's always exciting to see all the art work as it's unwrapped and labeled. Next comes the overwhelming task of arranging the paintings to be hung on the blank panels, something that Arturo Tello of the Oak Group has mastered over the past 12 years. With a lot of patience and a good eye for what will look best where, he walks the floor moving paintings around and arranging them in the best order. Then the hanging crew comes in and we measure and hang each painting with the correct height and spacing, a daunting task at first until we get used to the technique. Within 3 days the old Druid Hall is transformed once again into a beautiful art gallery.

This year I painted "Lucy", a Jersey calf from the Gale Ranch in Chileno Valley. I also will be showing a painting that might just put a smile on your face when you see it. "Milly and the Kids" are six curious Nubian goats lined up next to each other checking you out across the field.  When the painting was sitting on my easel it was always fun to come into my studio and find them waiting for me.

The weather forecast is looking good for this week end, sunny but not too hot. We are expecting a big crowd of visitors to once again fill the art gallery and hopefully take home some of their favorite paintings. And in doing so, help benefit Marin Agricultural Land Trust so that they can continue preserving the precious farms land of West Marin. Hope to see you all there!

For more information on the event click here: http://malt.org/programs/sale.php