For the last 20 years or so I have focused my work on agricultural land in Florida, Alabama and on occasion, North Carolina. I taught painting at the folk school in NC for a few years, and my daughter went to college in Alabama, so I had good painting time there as well.
I grew up around agriculture, farming and ranching. My daddy’s best friends were farm and ranch men. I tagged along with him and studied the fields, woods, and pastures with great interest. We had horses and a cow or two out here. I would say farming and ranching is in my blood. I know a lot of farmers and I am a great admirer of them. They put in long days of hard labor and they are true environmentalists. They manage their land with great skill and protect the wildlife who live on their land. Many of them have invasive plants removed regularly, so that their lands are truly primal Florida, the Florida I grew up in. They are naturalists and have great knowledge of the rhythms of land.
Many Florida painters focus on the coast, beaches, boats, tourist towns, and what most people think of Florida. Few tourists understand that the real Florida is something else entirely. Kudos to our farmers and ranchers.
Life is wonderful for country painters.......
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