People & Animals Paintings

Threshold Moment

Threshold Moment

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Threshold Moment is a captivating oil painting measuring 12 by 9 inches that invites viewers into a quiet rural scene. At the heart of the composition stands a weathered stone barn with a gray roof, its multiple red doors adding vibrant pops of color. One door is open, revealing a sheep bathed in gentle light, patiently waiting inside. The barn is nestled within a sunlit landscape, where warm tones of yellow and green blanket the grassy foreground. A large, textured tree commands the foreground, its dark, sprawling branches creating a natural frame that draws the eye toward the barn and the peaceful, pastoral setting beyond. The sky above is bright and clear, dotted with subtle wisps of clouds that hint at a breezy day. Thick, expressive brushstrokes give the painting both energy and depth, capturing the interplay of light, shadow, and texture in a way that feels both spontaneous and richly detailed. This work beautifully conveys a serene moment suspended in time, where nature and rural life come together in quiet harmony.
Painted en plein air. Oil on panel / 12×9 / SOLD

“Threshold Moment” is a 12 by 9 inch oil painting that captures a simple rural scene I painted en plein air as part of the AOY Art Center’s Paint Our River Towns Plein Air event. It was a windy afternoon on the cusp of spring and the quiet rural scene felt like a pause in time. I was drawn to the weathered stone barn with its red doors and loved how the sheep waited on the threshold of the open door, gently illuminated by the late afternoon sun, in anticipation of feeding time.

I used the large foreground tree and its long afternoon shadow to frame the scene, drawing your eye toward the barn; and thick expressive brushstrokes for the swirling sky and sunlit grass in warm yellows and greens. My aim was to bring out the rich textures and the interplay of light and shadow, sharing a calm, fleeting moment of nature and country life standing at the edge of change.

Winter Wool

Winter Wool

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The artwork is a pastoral landscape painting featuring several sheep grazing on a sunlit field. The foreground prominently displays two sheep with thick, textured wool bending down to eat the grass. Further back, additional sheep are dispersed across the field, creating depth in the composition. Tall trees with slender trunks and sparse foliage border the meadow, casting long shadows across the grass. The sky above is a clear blue, suggesting a calm and sunny day. The brushwork captures the natural light and gentle movement of the scene with a warm, earthy palette dominated by greens, browns, and soft yellows.
Oil on panel / 12×16 / Available

This painting received Honorable Mention in the Arts & Cultural Council of Bucks County 2025 Spring Exhibition. Juror Matt DeProspero remarked: “I love the feeling of light and depth in this piece and the subtle use of warm and cool contrasting colors. The looseness of the brushwork perfectly and concisely portrays the subject matter.”

I drive by the Thompson-Neely House & Farmstead frequently and have always wanted to paint this pastoral setting with the flock of sheep grazing in the meadow and catching the late afternoon sunlight on their fluffy backs. “Winter Wool” captures one of these quiet moments. I used the two sheep in the foreground to draw you in and textured brushwork to suggest the softness and weight of their thick wool. Behind them, more sheep scatter across the meadow, adding a sense of space and gentle rhythm to the scene. The trees lining the edge of the field introduce vertical lines and cast subtle shadows, grounding the composition with a natural frame.

The warm earthy greens, soft yellows, and muted browns blend to evoke the subtle changes of light and shadow across the landscape, and the clear blue sky above feels open and calm, enhancing the peaceful mood. I hope “Winter Wool” offers a thoughtful pause—a small, serene slice of rural life that invites reflection.

River Reflections

River Reflections

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poster oil painting of a serene and sunlit river scene with two people fishing on a boat in the river in the foreground. Two buildings in the background - a yellow building with red roof slightly in front and beside a red building, both surrounded by lush green trees.
Oil on linen panel / 14×11

Donated to the Jim Hamilton Memorial Shad Fest Poster Auction to raise funds for scholarships for students pursuing a degree in the arts. I was delighted to learn that my poster was selected as one of 77 pieces to be auctioned at the Live Auction on April 27, 2025, and was sold for $750.

poster oil painting of a serene and sunlit river scene with two people fishing on a boat in the river in the foreground. Two buildings in the background - a yellow building with red roof slightly in front and beside a red building, both surrounded by lush green trees.
In The Zone – Mary at Martin on Main

In The Zone – Mary at Martin on Main

oil painting of closeup intimate view of a woman with long brown/blonde hair wearing a blue baseball cap and large black sunglasses playing a Martin Sunburst D-35 guitar
18×22 / Oil on MDF panel / NFS

This portrait painting was a 2024 Christmas gift for my beautiful wife, Mary. I took the reference photo of Mary testing out a Martin Sunburst D-35 guitar while at “Martin on Main” an annual festival in Nazareth, PA in July 2019. I’m really pleased with how well I was able to capture Mary’s intense focus when immersed in her music.

Mary is a wonderfully gifted guitar player but her greatest gift, without a doubt, is her enormous heart and her singular ability to create welcoming communities of music lovers who come together every week for joyful singing, strumming, drumming and, most importantly, friendship and belonging.

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Break

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oil painting of four figures walking in twos on a path that curves around a very large oak tree. late fall.
18×22 / Oil on MDF panel / On Reserve

Being with loved ones and connected to nature… it’s a simple pleasure with enormous importance and significance for me. With this work, I am trying to recreate the feelings of peaceful togetherness I felt on this chilly November day. The large old oak tree, effectively embracing the walkers with her canopy of branches, symbolizes nature’s steadfast strength, endurance, and longevity. And, if we take care of her, she’ll always be here to nourish us.

  • Kirkwood Preserve, Willistown Township, Chester County, PA.
Kestrel Hill Preserve

Kestrel Hill Preserve

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oil painting of two figures standing with their backs tot he viewer overlooking color meadows. Their two Labrador Retrievers beside them are looking back at the viewer.
10×20 / Oil on Linen Panel / SOLD

This is a painting of my father, Peter Strawbridge, and Bonnie Van Alen (and their beloved labs) pausing to look out over a colorful meadow in Kestrel Hill Preserve. The rolling hills, woodlands and wetlands of this 90-acre property make up some of the last unprotected open spaces in the region. Kestrel Hill Preserve is the fifth preserve – soon to be open to the public – that Willistown Conservation Trust is working to protect. Dad and Bonnie are both Trustees Emeritus/Emerita of WCT (Dad – former Board Chair and Bonnie – former President and co-Founder) and have worked together over the years on conservation easements to preserve open space in Willistown Township.

Price List

Prices are for unframed paintings - you are welcome to purchase any painting framed for an additional charge. Shipping not included. Contact me with any questions.

SizePrice
5 x 7$210
6 x 8$320
8 x 8$360
8 x 10$430
9 x 9$430
8 x 12$460
9 x 12$500
12 x 12$610
11 x 14$640
10 x 20$790
12 x 16$790
9 x 27$930
14 x 18$930
16 x 20$1,070
18 x 24$1,180
20 x 24$1,290
20 x 30$2,140
24 x 36$2,710