It began with Amen Corner… last year, I went back to one… this year, I painted the second green at Augusta National. Typically, I begin during the first tee shot, and sign when the final putt drops. This year, I had the great fortune of playing a Member Guest during The Masters… and so, I was forced to finish post-tournament.

Virgo mentality — forgive me!

As always, the work began with a very rough sketch… this time, I went for the heavy outline. Being in Mesquite, I was surprised to notice this strange yellow orb in the sky. It was emitting light and heat.

Following a trip to Red Rock National Park, I was inspired to go heavy on the colors. At this juncture, I was applying double color outlines in each section. I had no idea where I was going at this point… which is precisely what I’m after with this series.

Clearly, I had my mind on my colors and my colors on my mind. A part of me wondered if this was just crazy enough to call done… alas…

The blues called out to me… so I went in with very large stipples, and began to work my way through the landscape. These pointillist marks were akin to last year’s painting of Hole #1. Again, I didn’t intend to go in this direction, I let the brush guide and told my brain to shut it.

When you paint this way, your arm gets really tired… and when you close your eyes? You see color dots. It’s strange. Because this hole is called Pink Dogwood, it was important to let the various shades of pink shine through.

As crazy as this is going to sound, I went back to the top, and re-stippled the entire canvas with a size Five Zero brush in two tones. I was after texture.

And boom! Pink Dogwood, completed. I’m typing the best I can with my painting arm in a sling. Kidding. Next year, it’s back to three… only 13 years to go.

We went for a drive to Red Rock in a slick Porsche. It was beautiful… and, as you can see… this palette was the inspiration for the under-painting.

While we didn’t take home the trophy, Shane and I were voted best looking golfers in the tournament, so we have that going for us. I’m much taller than Shane, so I was bending my knees to minimize my height in this picture.

Post tourney, I flew to Boston to hang with Roommate, and “watch” the Boston Marathon — which, of course, is code for hitting the Guinness at 10am, and cranking until 7pm.

Stray plastic bags withstanding, Kenmore Square has cleaned up quite a bit since 1998, when I matriculated at Boston University. You wouldn’t know it based on my current physique, but I was the captain of both the Cross Country and Track Teams back in the day.

It was lovely to experience Spring… particularly since the tundra remains in Idaho.

Ah, 15 Buswell… our apartment Senior Year. I (vaguely) recall climbing up that fire escape, and entering my bedroom through the window many-a-evening.

Oh yes… the primary reason I went to Boston – to meet with Boston Dynamics to discuss painting robots. More to come on that…