Illustration and page layout from Kentuckys Boone by Melissa Burton. Second illustration is for Grimy, Grubby, Gardening by Karen Angelucci.
Both books published by McClanahan.  www.kybooks.com    1-800-544-6959

Two similar covers done about 15 years apart. In both cases the subjects had to be created from scratch. For example, the services had no such insignia for broadcasters, so I had to create one.   This kind of thing has been a lot of fun — I've been very fortunate to find opportunities to do what I love to do.

Below: Two paintings from '71, 12th Station and Ravine

My grand daughter who modeled for the book illustration Betsy Ross sewing.

All images are under my copyright. Book published in association with

McClanahan Publishing House illustrated and designed by me. The newspaper

series that preceded this book won an international grand prize in Europe.

Below are two portraits of my grandchildren I did about seven years ago.

Both are at a university now.

Painting hangs in our family room measures 4 by 6 feet. It is an ongoing piece for over 30 years, a place to experiment and try ideas. (bookcover) Congratulations Florida Book Award Bronze Medal Winner: Todd T. Turrell, Naples Waterfront – Changes in Time. Happy to have been a part of this project, published in association with McClanahan Publishing.

A full color book by McClanahan, Splash of Bourbon, Kentucky’s Spirit, features many shots I took along the famous Bourbon Trail in Kentucky and food shots by the author. The cover design is over a textured watercolor background. For information go to www.kybooks.com or call 1-800-544-6959. All images are copyrighted.

Chalice, a 2010 painting. 

Cover illustration forSeasoned in the South (McClanahan). This book was featured on QVC the shopping network.

Below is the book cover illustration/design for A Distant Light, (McClanahan) by Justice Bill Cunningham. This story involves a murder and subsequent trial in Murray, Kentucky and shines a light on racial injustice in the early 1900s in Kentucky. Of art interest - the challenge here was incorporating the two portraits from different eras of the two governors. The train and the weapon are both from that period. Also of lesser interest, I personally modeled as both the victim and the shooter. Next is a watercolor illustration depicting the late Dr. Thomas D. Clark for the cover of a book, Kentucky’s Clark, (McClanahan) by Bill Cunningham chronicling an extended conversation with the popular Kentucky historian. Dr. Clark graciously invited my wife Carol and I into their Lexington home to photograph him for this painting. Bill Cunningham is now Justice Cunningham, a Kentucky Supreme Court Justice. I did the portrait in 1986.

One of my foodshots and the cover design for Derby Entertaining (McClanahan) published in 08.

Find it at bookstores or at www.kybooks.com.

The impasto painting below titled Harvest Festival was an experiment that became an award winner. The next painting (from a private collection) is a 2009 painting titled Where Doves Go to Die, inspired by the passion found from the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca. I attempted to find that kind of passion through what is now classical abstract expressionism using colors from traditional landscape painting of the late 19th century.

Three children’s books designed and illustrated by me and published by McClanahan. Grimy, Grubby Gardening by Karen Angelucci, Kentucky’s Boone and Kentucky’s Capitol by Melissa Burton. Read an early review of Grimy below. The background for Boone is Cumberland Gap in March-April, the same time of year Boone’s party crossed through and opened the Wilderness Trail into the Bluegrass. Capitol cover features a night shot taken in the rain with existing light. At bookstores and at www.kybooks.com

http://www.kentucky.com/lexgo/books/story/922893.html?story_link=email_msg

The fun illustration of the goat was done in pencil in 1976. (I'm a capricorn) Center is an award my wife and I went to Chicago to receive for a McClanahan book I designed, Cook Talk withCurtis Grace and Friends. I am especially fond of it because it was done on an old MacPlus in 1989. At that time computer book design was in its infancy. The World Young Reader Prize for 2008 (grandprize) held by the old goat was for the Woody Washington series awarded in Europe to the Lexington Herald Leader. I illustrated the series and subsequent book. I did six Woody books (published in association with McClanahan) and four series published in 85 newspapers which reached close to a million readers a week. The article above announced our grandprize win.

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Below are examples of commercial prints. Originals are usually commissioned pieces and prints are marketed to various institutions. The series of pride prints (© Progress Prints) were generally done in the mid to late 70s including the University of Kentucky 78 Basketball Championship with a presentation made in Japan as they toured after the win. The tractor prints were a small series done in the 90s.

Page spread and cover design for Merry Christmas from Kentucky by Michelle Stone. (McClanahan) Order online at www.kybooks.com or find it at bookstores. I did the food shots and design.

Two illustrations of Charleston, SC. The first was used for the cover of a book South Carolina, Always in Season (McClanahan). That scene was discovered when my grandson and I were driving to the beach. The second is a miniature painting.  These paintings can also be seen @ http://www.rcstart.com/images.php?q=Marsh%20Lowcountry%20Oil%20Paintings&first=41

My wife Carol. She is the author of two books, Especially Herbs and Herbs, Cultivating & Cuisine. The first book was published in 1996 and the second in 2001 (both by McClanahan). The books were designed, photographed and illustrated by me. The author’s photo is from the dust jacket. Above right is a pen and ink from the 2nd book. Both books received several positive national reviews including the following — “Straightforward recipes that offer a practical look at cooking with herbs and a taste of what goes with what. The recipes encompass a full range of culinary herb uses, including seasonings, oils, sugars, sauces, salads, breads and entrées.” Sue Lenthe, Herb Companion

Left: Cover illustration and layout for Assassination at the State House published by McClanahan in 1995. Right: Cover illustration and layout for Murder in Old Kentucky by Keven McQueen (McClanahan). Note: two uses of the same font for different effects. Center: Illustration and cover design I did for the 8th Air Force book Second Air Division.

Image from Derby Entertaining (McClanahan). I shot this at the Ashford Stud Farm in central Kentucky.

Recent digital graphic.

Happy Birthday Carol! Apart from the misfortune of sharing her birthday with the infamous events of 9/11, we have shared many birthdays and almost 48 years together. I took this photo in our hotel room just off the central jardin in San Miguel when we were there on a vacation. We had been there a few years before when I was attending art school and spent at least one other vacation in Mexico after that. Note the water pitcher, the single candle and matches on the night stand. I remember there was a simple wooden cross on the opposite wall from Carol.

Another passing era — a Kentucky tobacco barn.

The illustration below was from some early digital work of several years ago. It won top honors in that division. It was printed and exhibited as a dye sub print. 

Below is one of my sculptures from a few years ago. It is an award winning piece out of walnut and stands about 30 inches tall.

Shaker stairs. Black/white image from Shakertown. Some subjects lend themselves to black/white more than color. In this case both work well.

Winter before last on a gray day I decided to challenge myself to see if I could come up with something inspiring — some beauty in the mid tone, mid winter day. This image from one of my farms would be a typical hillside farm scene, an image, I think, that would be often overlooked but secretly admired.