Wisconsin Inspires a Brewing Storm, an Oil Painting Landscape

This painting captures the wide, open feeling of the Midwest — a mix of calm and power that stretches across the horizon. The fields are painted with rich, textured brushstrokes that make the grass feel alive, while the heavy clouds above seem to roll forward with their own energy. The thick paint and bold strokes give the scene movement and depth, pulling the viewer into the open space. You can almost feel the wind across the field and the quiet before a storm.

Storm on the Plains

Madison Mallards Stadium - Madison, Wisconsin

My son, Charlie West, player for the Madison Mallards

The inspiration behind the work comes from a recent trip to Madison, Wisconsin, to watch your son play college baseball for the Madison Mallards. That experience — the drive through open country, the long views, and the emotion of seeing your child compete — all seem to find their way into the canvas. There’s a sense of pride and reflection in the scene, as if the landscape itself is tied to that moment.

The painting brings to mind some of Van Gogh’s expressive brushwork and the way he used texture to capture emotion rather than just appearance. It also has a feeling similar to the wide, light-filled landscapes of American painters who tried to show the quiet beauty of everyday places. Still, this piece feels personal and modern — grounded in memory and painted with the kind of honesty that comes from experience, not theory. It’s a heartfelt snapshot of a place and time that clearly meant something.