The Round Barn

Lakeview, Ohio

Painting on location, Roger sets up his easel on the lawn and uses acrylics to paint a large round barn on a 4000 acre popcorn farm. Roger shows by example how perspective works on round objects by showing ovals at different heights during the painting. Sarah tours the meticulously constructed wooden barn built in 1908 by the present owners great grandfather. She learns about the practicality of a round structure set up for feeding cows.

Lake Michigan

South Haven, Michigan

With acrylics Roger paints on location using a limited palette of red, yellow, blue and a few earth colors. Roger talks about the difficulties of painting outside but also the rewards it offers. Simplicity is the key feature of this painting using large shapes to begin with then refining those large shapes with just enough details to make it interesting. Sarah visits the Michigan Maritime Museum and gets a first hand tour of a Gill Net Fishing Boat used on the great lakes.

Mountain Valley

Valle Crucis, North Carolina

In this painting, dealing with atmosphere and composition is the main focus. Roger sets up his easel on location by a mountain stream and uses only red, yellow and blue with black and white to create all the rich greens he needs. The constantly changing patches of sunlight on the landscape caused by the moving clouds gives an opportunity to choose which patterns on the sloping field and water might work best in the composition. Roger puts the finishing touches on the painting in the studio. Sarah visits the original Mast General Store in Valle Crucis with its exceptional variety of goods from the past.