On the easel: View over Coon Valley, WI

Between Viroqua and La Crosse is a tiny little town called Coon Valley. The name has always interested me. It’s like this is the place where all the raccoons come to hang out. Ironically, I don’t ever recall seeing a raccoon while driving through.

Anyway, as you come into town from the south, there is a amazing view of the east side of the town. The church almost seems to be the focal point of this view, framed by pine trees and surrounded by a “community” of barn buildings.

I think what I like about this view is that there is something about it that reminds me of the small towns in England.

With this piece, I’m really focusing on being loose and colorful. When you pass by this scene, it’s pretty monochromatic most of the time - a splattering of buildings in reds and creams surrounded by green bluffs and pastures. There are slight variations of color here and there and I’ve tried to create more separation between them in this scene.

This piece isn’t completed yet, I still have some more detail to work in and tweak some values here and there. But overall, I’m pretty pumped with the results so far.

Dan Howard is an up and coming artist from Viroqua, Wisconsin. Visit The Art of Dan Howard or visit him on Facebook