Squire Boone's House

Squire Boone's House
Oil on panel, 14x11
Daniel Boone Farm in Defiance, MO
Augusta Plein Air Festival 2014

Today's scheduled paint-out was at the Daniel Boone Farm in Defiance, Missouri.  This place if full of wonderful old buildings that have been relocated here on the original farm property.  The day was cold, and I had to layer up - complete with hand and foot warmers - and I still grew cold as the day progressed.  If only the wind would settle down!  I tucked myself up close to one of the old houses where a porch jutted out on one side, so I was sheltered on two sides from the wind.  It looked like rain most of the time, but we dodged that bullet again today!  It was nice to finish by 3:00 and get a little free time!  Painting number 484 in as many days, and I'm going to Vineyard Hill in the morning :)

Midnight at Mount Pleasant

Midnight at Mount Pleasant Winery
Oil on panel, 9x12
Augusta Plein Air Festival 2014

As Teddy and I were walking out of the "Uncorked 100K" social, we stopped dead in our tracks and said. "Wow - wouldn't that make an amazing nocturne painting?"  From behind us, Kathy Kessler replies, "Do you want me to make that happen?"  Of course we did!  Next thing we know, we are going to retrieve my easel and paints, and to quickly prime our panels.  Back in a flash, and set up quickly, the light was fast fading from the sky.  We had the place to ourselves on this clear, warm night in the 70's, with nothing but the amazing light and view before us.  This is pure painting heaven.  The paint just rolled off the brush and onto the panel with a mind of it's own.  The darker it gets, the less you can read the colors, and the values are key.  I really love painting at night - it is so peaceful and quiet.  All of the busy noises of the day are gone, and night descends like a warm blanket.  A few of us gathered again tonight for a quick night paint in downtown Augusta.  I'll have to post that one another time.  At the rate I've been painting, I am going to be way ahead on my paintings for awhile!  What a way to kick off the plein air season!  This one makes painting number 483 in 483 days.  Oh, life is sweet :)

Springtime in Defiance

Springtime in Augusta
Oil on panel, 14x11
Defiance Paint-Out
sold

Defiance, Missouri is one of my favorite places to paint.  Each year, when the Defiance paint-out comes up during the Augusta Plein Air Festival - I start thinking of all of the wonderful places to paint!  This year, I had only started to scout for a spot when I walked up the road and saw this landscape.  I had only walked a block - and I knew I must paint this scene!  Some days, the paint seems to just roll off the brush.  When it is warm and windy, I will leave the bottom left corner unpainted until the very end - so I have a place to hold onto it when it is on my easel!  This was such a wonderful day for painting - followed by a wonderful dinner with friends.  Life is sweet at the Augusta Plein Air Festival!  Painting number 482 in 482 days :)

Redbud Lane

Redbud Lane
Oil on panel, 9x12
Augusta Shores Paint-Out

on location

Time flies so quickly when I am painting en plein air! I get so caught up in what I am channeling through my brush, that I lose all concept of time.  The last few days, I have had to set the alarm on my phone to tell me when it is 10 minutes from quitting time - otherwise I would very likely miss entering my painting!  It is the best policy for me to simply frame and enter the first piece before moving on to another, this way the pressure is off, and I don't have to race to the drop-off - which I have been known to do!  This was my second painting of the Augusta Shores paint-out.  The weather was warm and windy - and I had a hard time keeping my hair out of my eyes.  The rain held off just until we were loading our plates at the chili supper!  This painting makes 481 in 481 days.  We have a private estate paint tomorrow and a nocturne paint - I really hope the rain holds off until both events are over!  Could we be so lucky?

Morning Run at Matson

Morning Run at Matson
Oil on panel, 12x9
Uncorked 100K Paint-Out
Augusta Plein Air Festival

This was the first paint of the day in beautiful Matson, Missouri.  I have wanted to paint there for years, but it has never been on the agenda - until now!  The Uncorked 100K sponsored this event, hence the runners, and I was awarded an honorable mention for this painting!  The morning was warm, with gentle breezes - I really enjoyed painting nature's beauty in such comfortable surroundings!  It is not always the case with plein air!  There were four paints for me this day - just ending with a fun nocturne at a winery!  What could be better than that?  Painting number 480 in as many days - and tomorrow I paint Defiance!  Hoping for good weather - not the violent storms which are called for!

Early Morning at Mount Pleasant

Early Morning at Mount Pleasant
Oil on panel, 14x11
Augusta Plein Air Festival

Oh my goodness - what a day!  Up at 3:40am to leave the house at 4:40, I arrived at the Mount Pleasant Winery to set up for the live broadcast of the Channel 2 Fox News in St. Louis.  Augusta is being featured - and some of us artists were set up and painting the sunrise from the south decks overlooking this amazing view!  From this location, we rushed over to Washington to paint along the riverfront, eating lunch while the art was displayed at John G's Bier Deck.  With only 45 minutes between this and the sunset quick paint at the Nobeleis Winery tonight - it was a very busy day!  And to think....I was actually planning on a nocturne paint tonight as well!  I must be crazy!  Painting number 479 in as many days :)

Rambling Redbud

Rambling Redbud
Oil on panel, 14x11

On location

This is the first day of the Augusta Plein Air Festival - and our paint out today is one of my annual favorites at Augusta Shores!  This glorious redbud is located just up the street from where I stay - overlooking Hickory Lake.  The weather was the best ever in the history of this location - and I made full use of it.  Finishing two paintings before the driving rain made it into town, the artists were treated to cheese and wine before the amazing chili supper.  Is it any wonder this event has grown to 130 artists this year?  It is just like a family reunion to come back here and see so many friends!  I probably could have completed a third painting if I hadn't visited so much!  The best part about this day is that I felt like I had all the time in the world to paint!  My painting windows are SO small in my normal, everyday life, that when I am given from dawn until 5:00 to paint - I hardly know what to do with myself!  I will bask in the glory of all the time tonight, because tomorrow will be a different story!  I have 3 painting windows tomorrow - and the first two overlap!  I must get up at 3:40am to leave by 4:40am to arrive at Mount Pleasant Winery by 5:00am - I will be painting the sunrise with a few artist friends while Channel 2 News in St. Louis films the process!  So exciting!  This painting makes 478 in as many days - I had better get some rest!

Pathway Garden

Garden Pathway
Oil on panel

I try to keep a few things painted ahead - just in case I run out of time in a day.  Some days, I even have enough time to finish two paintings.  Today was spent traveling, scouting, taking photos, enjoying a wonderful dinner with friends and preparing for tomorrow.  I brought in a panel to do a quick paint on, and then I started to wonder if I have even brought enough panels for all of the paint-outs on the agenda!  So, I thought I had better save that panel, as I may very well need it, and the art supply store is a long way off.  I did a quick pen and ink sketch of one of our cats - using a ball point pen - no kidding!  I may post that one later - if I need to.  This one is painted from late spring reference at a plein air event in the late afternoon.  This painting makes 477 in as many days.  Now, I need to read through my paperwork and get ready for the 6am paint out in Augusta Shores in the morning!  There are so many redbuds calling my name!!!

Willow in the Pasture

Willow in the Pasture
Oil on panel, 6x6

Years ago, I planted a willow cutting in the ground near the south property line.  Now, this willow is a beautiful tree - and just now blushing with it's yellow spring leaves.  I blocked this in early, while the light was just showing it's color in the sky.  I had to work very fast today - as I have not stopped since my feet hit the floor!   I have been up since 2:40am to get my youngest daughter on a plane with her robotics team to California), finishing the day with picking Michael up from a track meet.  I am now ready to drop, and with so much left to do!  This is painting number 476 in as many days :)

Misty Afternoon

Misty Afternoon
Oil on canvas, 7x5

I simply adore a rainy day!  It is my favorite kind of day for being artistic!  With sounds of thunder rumbling and dark clouds moving in, I feel in my bones it is time to paint - or draw!  Drawing is normally my "dark day" outlet, where the good lighting is not so important to color, but not today.  Today, I want to capture this marvelous spring atmosphere with my oils.  Using a small panel, as once again I have limited time, this creek embodies the mood of this rainy April day.  Painting number 475 in 475 days....now off to run my errands!

April Sunset

April Sunset
Oil on panel, 6x6

Happy Easter to you all!  We have had a day filled with family fun and egg hunting!  The grandsons had a great time finding all the eggs!  So, coming to my easel late once again, I am painting small - and working on one of our glorious Missouri sunsets!  I find sunsets and sunrises challenging - sometimes, the colors are so vivid - they seem unreal!  And, the colors change so quickly, that by the time I've blocked it all in - they have already faded and the sun disappears at the horizon!  This one was painted almost entirely with one brush - and I didn't think to use my palette knife, although it would have made for some depth at the edges of the clouds.  This is painting 474 in as many days......I wonder what I'll paint tomorrow.....

Campbell's Treaty

Campbell's Treaty
Oil on panel, 9x12

Another late night posting - and so much yet to do for Easter dinner here tomorrow!  This is another painting from the historic Cave Hollow in Hannibal, Missouri.  This a the treaty between the indians and Campbell Senior concerning the incident where Sam Thompson shot and killed one of the indians from a tribe nearby.  I will post a link here when the story is posted, so you will be able to see it.  This is painting number 473 in 473 days.

Pear Trees in Bloom

Pear Trees in Bloom
Oil on panel, 6x6

I had the grandsons today, so it was almost dark before I got to my easel.  After a full day of classes, playing at the park, priming panels (with my little helpers), and lots of household chores......I was tempted..... for just a minute - not to paint.  Then, I thought of the beautiful pear trees in bloom, and thought how cheerful they were...... I could just paint a small one........and I talked myself into it!  All of the blooming trees on the lawn are simply gorgeous!  Well, the magnolia is only starting to bloom, but the redbuds, pears, and plums are bursting!  I'm using an orange primed panel, blocking in with brushes, and I did all the finish work with my brushes as well.  I forgot all about using the palette knife!  Too busy for my own good today.  Painting number 472 in as many days :)

Golden Roses

Golden Roses
Oil on panel, 12x9

Our new puppy escaped his kennel while I was at an engineering field trip with my youngest son today.  After pulling jackets off the back of my bedroom door, shutting the door in the process, he continued on to knocking over drying paintings.  A couple of the most recent forsythia paintings were knocked down, and it appears that he licked all of the cad yellow paint off - but not before getting it on his feet.  All over my light carpeting is the haze and footprints of cad yellow and green.  After hours of scrubbing, it looks like it is all going to come up.  For those of you who may one day have to face this issue - here is my secret to sure removal.  Using Dawn liquid dishwashing detergent (ONLY DAWN), pour small amounts into your hand and spread over the affected areas - in my case, all exposed carpet.  Let this sit for a while to soak into the paint - I waited over an hour.  Using a dry, old kitchen towel, start rubbing at the spots.  If you have thick clumps, you must first scrape that up with something like a credit card, leaving the smallest possible amount on the carpet.  Keep moving to clean spots on the towel to work out the stains, using a dirty spot just moves the paint back onto the carpet.  Reapply the soap with your hand as needed.  I let the soap soak in each time for awhile before re-scrubbing.  Finally, when all paint seems to be gone, use a clean towel dampened with water to lift out the soap in your carpet.  I will be using a carpet cleaner with clear water only to get out the soap.  DO NOT ADD WATER until ALL paint is gone!!  I have even removed alizarin crimson from my carpet this way (yes, another knocked over painting).  When you paint as much as I do, there are bound to be a couple of mishaps....This also works for paint on your clothes, even if you don't find it for several days.  I always keep a small container of dawn in my plein air kit - just in case!  So, this is the 471st painting in as many days, and a little therapy for me after my big cleaning adventure.  Well, actually, three areas are soaking right now, waiting for my return.  Just another day in paradise.

Spring Forsythia

Spring Forsythia
Oil on canvas, 5x7

Today was full of classes, framing, research for an upcoming painting and countless chores - all with little Alastair to help me.  After a couple hours at the play place, and picking Michael up from track, I was finally able to get to today's painting.  These beauties are blooming on the east side of the house, while the other clumps are still not to their peak.  I have blocked all in with a couple of brushes, leaving the palette knife for the boldest bloom marks.  This is only a 5x7 inch canvas, so I am using only the pointy tip of the palette knife to pull the strokes.  And yes, my cheap plastic knife offers the right amount of give!  I seem to be using this knife more than any of my metal ones - which were much more expensive, by the way.  I need to get back to work, I am sketching out another painting, and still doing the research on another.  This painting makes 470 in as many days :)

Spring Comes to Mill Creek

Spring Comes to Mill Creek
Oil on panel, 6x6

We had a "paint in" today at the Tri-County Art League, and this is my quick paint.  I actually thought that I would be able to paint two of these small 6x6's during the time allowed.  Maybe I could have, but instead, I visited and lollygagged around until finally, I had to quick paint just to get this one down!  This is the wonderful new spot I have found to paint - and I can't wait for a dryer day when I can traipse all over the creek sides - gathering wonderful reference for future paintings!  It is such a welcome sight to see the red buds showing their color - I just can't get enough!  Painting number 469 in as many days :)

Forsythia Fantasy

Forsythia Fantasy
Oil on panel, 6x6

These beautiful blooms are bursting on the east side of the house!  I have several other clumps, but they have only started to pop.  With the rain moving through, the overcast sky unfolded into the perfect canvas for these tiny yellow flowers.  I underpainted this panel first with orange, then blocked in loosely with brushes, finally to top off the forsythia and some of the foreground with the palette knife.  Although I have many quality palette knives, I picked up my cheap, plastic, pointy one for the bloom work.  The plastic bends more easily than the metal, and offered the perfect marks for my blooms.  This painting is number 468 in as many days, and I am just a month away from 500 in a row.  Wowza!

Blush of the Flowering Plum

Blush of the FloweringPlum
Oil on panel, 10x8

My intention for today's work was a charcoal rendering of horses and riders, but when I awoke to find the plum and pears in full, explosive bloom......my intentions changed!  With storms moving in, and the sky creating this wonderfully moody backdrop - I couldn't help but capture a little bit of this glory in oils.  This is a purple leaf plum we planted almost 20 years ago in the side yard, and it has the most delicious grape flavored plums in summer.  I have added a couple colors to my palette that I don't normally use - viridian green for that new spring grass and permanent rose for the pink blush.  This painting makes 467 in as many days.  I think spring may just be my favorite season to paint!

Yellow Rose in Bloom

Yellow Rose in Bloom
Oil on panel, 6x6

It has taken me all day to get this painting finished!  Starting after Piyo strength class this morning, I have had countless interruptions.  From family dropping by for a little impromptu party, altering a dress for tonight's Prom - complete with all the preparation involved and a photo shoot out on the lawn, I have just snuck in brushstrokes where I could!  I am studying the flow of paint on the petals, how to breathe life into each stroke.  I have always thought roses to be a challenge, so the extra study can only help to master these complicated beauties!  Today was warm and beautiful, but the winds have been howling - and storms are predicted for tomorrow. Maybe I'll switch things up and work with a little charcoal tomorrow.  Painting number 468 in as many days :)

Yellow Rose Serenade

Yellow Rose Serenade
Oil on panel, 12x6

By special request, I am painting yellow roses today.  I have painted roses a few times, and they are always challenging.  Using loose, impressionistic brushstrokes, I am working on capturing the essence of these beauties without tightening up on all the line work.  This is one rose I do not have in the yard, so I had to go through some of my Loose Park Rose Garden photos for reference.  When I was plein air painting there during the last Foundation for the Fountains event, the whole park was simply bursting with roses!  I could not have picked a better time to paint there!  Today was a very busy day, so I am painting and posting late tonight.  Painting number 467 in 467 days - maybe I'll have to plant yellow roses in my own yard this year :)

Bloom of the Bradford Pear

Bloom of the Bradford Pear
Oil on canvas, 7x5

Our old Bradford Pear is starting to show it's color today!  With the recent warm days - so many things are springing to life!  Today is a perfect overcast day to accent the beautiful delicate whites of this tree.  It is the only one showing color of all three I have - so in honor of it's beauty - I am memorializing it in oils!  Painting on the dreaded canvas panel - because I am now saving all the "good stuff" for my events - this one is painted small!  It is only 7x5 inches.  I am really feeling the mood of this one, so I will have to paint this one larger to do the tree justice!  Painting number 466 in 466 days - now of to Michael's track meet :)

Birthday Flowers

Birthday Flowers
Oil on panel, 6x12

Today, I am stretching out the birthday fun one more day by painting my "birthday flowers"!  This beautiful arrangement was given to me by a dear friend - and now I am capturing them forever by putting them down in oils!  This arrangement is quite tall, so as I was skimming through my panels, my eyes fell upon the tall and narrow one.  It was just the right size and scale for this composition.  I don't normally like to center a vase on a panel, but with it's tall composition, setting it off to one side or the other just looked wonky.  It is set slightly to the shadow side, so as not to be a direct bullseye, and giving the light more prominence.  I chose the neutral gray as a background, but I may glaze over that later.  The color was actually warmer and browner, but it didn't "sit back" until I cooled it off.  We'll see.  The fresh eyes of a new day may have a better idea.  The flowers are so beautiful and their sweet scent wafts from the kitchen.  I truly love fresh cut flowers, and now that my garden is beginning to wake, I will soon be bringing them in from the beds!  Painting number 465 in 465 days.  Now its off to a meeting on this warm, beautiful evening :)

Old Redbud by the Barn

Old Redbud by the Barn
Oil on canvas, 7x5

This was such a misty overcast morning, with a dark front moving in.  The moody feel of the morning crept into this painting, as I capture a redbud that is not in real life blooming!  Ah, to be an artist - I can simply paint things as I want them to be!  Who needs to tie themselves down to reality?  I am really feeling this misty, moody landscape.  I may just paint this much larger and hang it in my living room!  I have 20 panels primed and drying, and must next move on to getting my frames wired.  This makes painting number 464 in as many days :)

Morning in the Vineyard

Morning in the Vineyard
Oil on canvas, 7x5

As I prime my panels, and prepare my frames for the upcoming plein air events, I am thinking back to those early mornings in the Augusta vineyards.  Arriving while still dark, and setting up my easel with an eye to the eastern horizon, I can almost smell the heady damp ground underfoot.  So much of the experience of actually standing in that spot seeps into the painting in front of me.  The smells, the feel of the wind in my hair and the softness of the spring soil all pour forth into such a painting.  Longing for the freedom of painting once again with abandon, this one makes 463 in as many days :)

Poppies in Bloom

Poppies in Bloom
Oil on canvas
sold

Red is my favorite color - which makes these poppies irresistible to me!  Today is my birthday and the whole weekend has been filled with friends, family fun, gifts and countless birthday wishes!  Since I have been so very busy with all this fun - I am painting small and late, with only an hour to spare before the midnight cut-off and a new day begins!  This is painting number 462 in 462 days.  It has been wonderful to be the Birthday Queen for the weekend :)

First Bluebirds of Spring

First Bluebirds of Spring
Oil on panel, 6x6

After running a few errands this afternoon, I arrived home to two bluebirds flitting from tree to tree as I drove up my lane. It is spring!  This is a quick and loose painting as I am heading out shortly for a little early birthday celebration with a few of my high school girlfriends!  This painting makes 460 in 460 days - now off I go for a little fun :)

Path in Spring

Path in Spring
Oil on panel, 10x8

With our recent rains, the grass is greening up all over!  It was very overcast today, with just a brief showing of the sun - a wonderful day to paint.  I'm working the violets against the many shades of greens today, and actually using some viridian on my palette.  I rarely use it, but with the new spring growth I can see the hue in the greens.  It pops wonderfully with the hazy violets. I pulled out the palette knife for a little work on this one, wanting to add a little dimension to the landscape.  I have a busy weekend ahead - I hope I can still find my painting windows!  Painting number 459 in 459 days :)

Turn of the Creek

Turn if the Creek
Oil on panel, 10x8
Mill Creek Park, Belton MO

Between pilates, Zumba and watching the grandsons and the puppy today, I managed to carve out a little time to paint this landscape.  This is from the new spot I just found - not far from home - which is always a bonus!  After all, time spent driving is not time spent painting.......nor is time spent cleaning, cooking and doing laundry!  There are so many twists and turns to this little creek - the landscape possibilities are countless.  And just imagine the changes as the leaves unfold and all is washed with the color of spring! Another gift is the paved walking trail - which means no traipsing through the mud and high grass!  Painting number 458 in as many days :)

Miniature Daffodils

Miniature Daffodils
Oil on panel, 6x6

I planted these miniature daffodils last spring after they adorned the kitchen table until they faded.  They spread and popped up beautifully this year - and each bloom is only the size of a quarter! The new puppy nearly wiped out the whole clump with a chomp as he walked by!  I'm playing with color a bit on this one, and I should have pulled out the palette knife - but I didn't.  Some days I am just too distracted by all the other things on my plate.  So much color is showing up in the garden!  After the rain, the forsythia has even started to show some yellow!  I love the wispy look of these in full bloom!  Maybe I will be painting those beauties is just a matter of days!  Painting number 457 in 457 days - spring is finally showing in the landscape :)

Along Mill Creek

Along Mill Creek
Oil on panel, 10x8
Mill Creek Park

I met my daughter and grandson at this new park in Belton - just south of Mill Creek Upper Elementary today with the puppy.  If I want him to be good for a while, I must first walk him for at least 30 minutes.  We were there for an hour and a half - and he has been asleep ever since, allowing me to complete this painting from today's trip!  This park has a wonderful walking trail surrounded by woods, and various turns of the creek, and even a lake with a boat ramp, docks and a bridge.  I found several landscapes to paint right off the bat, and all it takes is wearing out the puppy first!  A beautiful gray day for painting, this is number 456 in as many days.