Walleye with Lobster Bowls

Oh my. This was challenging! My personal Mt. Everest. Probably the most difficult thing was to get the rug patterns lined up as much as possible. Michigan winters and springs have mostly cloudy skies — and when the sun finally peeked out I’d rush to paint in the cast shadows and reflected colors.

Back in 1987 I was fortunate enough to take a class out in Montana with the great wildlife art painter, Robert Bateman. Something he said has always stuck with me: Try to make your paintings look like something nobody’s ever seen before. That’s probably why I never do the same-old type of still lifes we’re all familiar with. The dimly-lit wine bottle on a bare shelf, side-lit, with a spray of orchids. You know what I’m talking about. Hell — life’s a circus! Paint that!