For 40 years I visited art museums and exhibits as well as places of interest with sketchbook in hand as I traveled while working at a career that had nothing to do with me as an artist. I was commissioned to do a series of pen and ink drawings after my sketchbooks were seen at an arts and antiques festival in 2004. That was enough to encourage my recommitment to painting.
I had worked as a graphic designer between 1958 and 1964. During that time I also took the commercial art course offered by the newly formed Famous Artists Schools and graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in fine arts.
Living at the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains, I am energized by what surrounds me. I am inspired to sketch and paint landscapes . There are many fine artist in the area of so called retirement age. Retirement is hardly the case, however. I am nudged by active artists to continue to hone my skills. Opportunities are all around to continue to fill my sketchbooks and learn.
Here I am standing next to one of my western landscapes, an oil painting titled Adams Ranch:
The oil painting shown above was done in 2007 after finding the place outside of Ridgeway, Colorado where the title and closing scenes of the movie, True Grit (1969) were filmed. The painting is of Mt. Sneffels as seen from a place, so I was told, called Adams Ranch. Specifically, the mountain is seen from the spot where the movie cameras were set up. It's been a hobby of mine since the 1970s to travel throughout the American West in search of vistas and other scenes where cinematographers set up their cameras. I enjoy painting from the sketches I've done, as indicated by the one pictured with me and Adams Ranch.
Click on the picture of me and painting for a video of locations of True Grit scenes
Bob Glover, artist
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