2008 Idaho State Fair

Three oil paintings were exhibited at the fair in August 2008 in Garden City, Idaho…

Of course I am proud of my second place award in the professional Idaho landscape category, so I am showing it now. The first prize went to a watercolor painting. The awards were dominated by watercolorists this year; including the “Best of Show” awarded to a friend of Ellen Garrard’s. I guess we will have to get her to join the Idaho Painters Guild. Below is another picture of the same painting…

“Waterfall at North Edge, Twin Falls”, 30×15 oil on canvas, Professional Idaho Landscape, Second Place.

“[Lauralie at] Cannon Beach, Post Quake”, 12×9 oil on canvas, Professional Seascape.

Originally I tried to get this painting in the Professional Abstract category. But unfortunately the woman in charge did not see the naked “Lauralie” in the painting. So this painting had to compete in the Professional Seascape category.  Regardless, this is proof that I am the only painter that has ever been able to show a nude painting in the Idaho State Fair.  Lucky me.

Painting judging is subjective — proof is the second place finisher in the Professional Abstract category was an actual landscape painting, flipped over. I guess all is well that ends in a laugh. Next time I will have to be blatantly abstract.

“Path to Taos”, 20×24 oil on canvas, Professional Landscape.

Other Fred Choate Student artists at the fair included: Fred Choate [he can study himself, you know], Ellen Garrard, Wendy Bickenstaff, and Ann Samuelson. Fred won the best oil painting in Fair. And a wonderful watercolor

Bragging Rights

OK, you have seen this painting before. This is the North Rim of Snake River waterfall near Twin Falls. This waterfalls actually has several names; including “Lagnet Falls” and “Perrine Falls”.  I prefer the former. This is the painting that received 2nd place for a Professional Idaho Landscape at this years Idaho State Fair. I am pretty proud of it. This classic landscape is perhaps my best work as of yet. My mentor had the best Professional Seascape painting; and his ended up being the best Oil painting of the fair. Anyway, back to painting.

Cannon Beach Prophecy

“[Lorelai at] Cannon Beach, Post Quake”, 12×9 oil on canvas, by Rog Lyngaas, 6may08, using choate7 non-toxic palette.

Can a painting be a prophecy? We shall see… This one is an interpretation of both the plethora of photographs of Cannon Beach, and a painting by Fred Choate; which he did simultaneously. I feel it came off well. I am proud of the interpretation. Of course this painting is not an accurate rendition of Cannon Beach; if you photographed it from this vantage point. I am drinking some Chimay Grand Reserve tonight, hence I decided to show you all an example of my interpretive method of expression. I have done some big paintings lately. But this small one is my second favorite in the last two months. The “Path to Taos” is obviously my favorite, since I keep staring at it. In that one, I want to walk down the path. In this painting, I want to see beyond the rocks.

Waterfall

“Waterfall at North Edge, Twin Falls”, 30×15 oil on canvas, by Rog Lyngaas, 7apr08, using choate7 palette.

I love waterfalls. Jimi Hendrix co-wrote my favorite song called “Can This Be Love”, [with Phil Keaggy’s words, I believe]. It focuses on Waterfalls. Twin Falls is the heart of south-central Idaho, just east of the big metropolis of Buhl, Idaho. It is the land of “Thousand Springs”. The whole Buhl area is just buhltiful. Early tomorrow morning, Fred and I will travel to Buhl for the Plein Aire Paintout. It is a three day event, but because of my work schedule I can only participate one day. So I chose the reception day. If given the time we may paint some Plein Aire stuff in the Buhl area.

Path to Taos

“Path to Taos”, 20×24 oil on canvas, by Rog Lyngaas, 27may08, using choate7 palette.

This is a tribute to Walt Gonske & Louisa McElwain, the New Mexico painters who Fred thinks I paint like. Which is why it is my first “real-time” painting posting. Enjoy!