Tuesday, December 31, 2013

65. 2013...It Was A Very Long Year...

Blue Heron by Bob Bickers
Blue Heron on the Conemaugh RIver Lake
It has been a very long year indeed.  My extended absence has been due to a number of factors including the death of my father-in-law, the upkeep and repairs to his house and estate, the remodeling of my own office and other things which kept me from this blog and my studio.  This was a year when I used much more house paint that oil paint.

On the other hand, I have taken a number of trips to some pretty exciting places in Utah, Nevada and Arizona and have taken tens of thousands of photos, some of which wil make good reference photos for future paintings and many of which make outstanding images in their own right.  I have only begun to dig into this digital gold mine.

Also exciting is the two kayaks I bought which now allows me much greater access to wilderness areas and wildlife.  I expect to be using these tools much more in my artwork this next year and beyond.

The new year holds much promise.  I come into it leaner, better equipped and eager to produce much more art.  I have several projects under way right now, including the designing of a book cover.  I can't wait for the year ahead to begin!     --Bob Bickers
Bob Bickers at Conemaugh River Lake
Kayaking under a bridge on the Conemaugh River Lake in Pennsylvania