The Band, side two

After a long day at the Menokin Music Festival (and after one rain shower ended the festival and a second kept us cool as we cleaned up) this sky appeared and made me forget how wet my socks were. I love the mix of the violet sky with the glowing oranges and pinks reflecting the setting sun.

I listened to the second side of the Band's second album. I think I bought this record at a used record store in Chapel Hill. While Big Pink is considered by many to be a classic, I like this one just as well.

Time Fades Away, side two

As the music festival at Menokin wound down, a couple of storms passed through. It was an inconvenience at first, but, after the rain stopped, I was glad to have a sky worth painting. This is a view from the visitor center looking toward the ruins.

I listened to the second side of Neil Young's Time Fades Away, a raunchy, live recording. Side two is only about 18 minutes long, so this study was quick and turned out a bit raunchy too.

Bridge Over Troubled Water, side two

I've incorporated all my favorite elements: water, shoreline, marsh, cedars, farmland, treeline, and a muted, gray sky.

This painting was accompanied by Bridge Over Troubled Water, side two. I used to listen to my father's cassette of Simon and Garfunkle's Greatest Hits when I drove around in his Chevrolet Impala in high school, but I never heard "The Only Living Boy in New York" until about a year ago when I started listening to this album.

Silk Degrees, side two

A marsh at dusk. Am I repeating myself?

Boz Scaggs was very popular for a couple of years when I was a kid. I bought Silk Degrees at a used record store on King Street in Alexandria, Va. I was pleased to hear my son singing along to "Lido Shuffle" while I worked on this piece.

Exciteable Boy, side one

Another treeline at the edge of a field. The glow behind the clouds is the important thing here.

Excitable Boy, from Warren Zevon. "Werewolves of London," "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner," "Excitable Boy"—all songs to lift the spirit.

Aladdin Sane, side one

A glimpse of water winding through a green marsh under a late-day pink sky.

I was listening to David Bowie at the height of his glam rock period, so I applied the pastel like makeup.

Cypress, side one

Marsh under clouds. I like the subtle shifts in the gray sky of a slow, steady, rainy day.

I was listening to Cypress by Let's Active. One of the many important musical contributions from North Carolina. I listened to the other side after I finished the painting and remembered I like it better.

Fables of the Reconstruction, side two

A field, early spring. Something ready to happen. The air is warm and hazy enough to reflect the sun as it descends.

While not necessarily my favorite R.E.M. album, I've always had a fondness for Fables of the Reconstruction. Its pastoral, longing tones are a fine accompaniment to my work.

Fear of Music, side one

I see treelines out here and am attracted to the way they can divide the landscape and/or connect its parts.

This Talking Heads record came used from my brother, probably when he was moving someplace or otherwise downsizing his collection. It's a long-time favorite.

Get Happy, side one

My wife recently rolled her eyes at some music I was listening to and said, "I liked depressing music when I was in my twenties. Now I just want something happy." So...

Get Happy - Elvis Costello. On my copy, the side one listed on the back cover is listed as side two on the record itself. (Is it like that on yours too?) I listened to the side with "5ive Gears in Reverse," "Motel Matches," and "Riot Act."

Earlier in the day I saw two adjacent fields with two variations of green. In this study, I concentrated on the relationship of those fields and their vibrance under a rainy sky.