Plein Air Painting

For my new Galloping Goose header I found the only picture of me actually oil painting plein air at St Elmo, Colorado, an old ghost town that burned in 2003. My good friend and sister-in-law Judy Wise took that photo in 2002, when we were all on a big hiking trip (okay, I wasn't even planning on hiking). I had two 30' x 40" canvases attached to a 6' cedar garden pyramid as an easle, which I hauled in the back of my pickup with my oil palette and a big tarp in case of rain. Judy Wise was stranded, wondering where John had gone in their car with her drawing book, they'd gone to hike way above treeline, when a huge rain/hail/wind storm hit. That's where I learned that plein air painting really can suck. With Judy's help I got the easle into the back of my truck and tied down the tarp over the wet oil and then we just sat in the cab during that storm, wondering how anyone out there was ever gonna survive. When John et. al finally returned they were in a lot better shape than we were.

I still have those two paintings framed nicely on my basement wall, which brings me to ask a third question to the two I started this blog with:

3. Where and how do you sell old paintings? 

Often galleries such as the Business of Art Center in Manitou Springs only want you to hang new work, no older than two years. I think those two old paintings must have some value, at least historically as these views no longer exist as they did.

Here are those paintings, East and West St. Elmo, oil, 30" x 40".

As I continue, I hope to answer my three questions:

1. What are you gonna do with all those old pictures you have?

2. Where are you gonna put those new pictures you're starting?

3. How do you sell old paintings and drawings?