Morning Rounds

Once in a while, I am so inspired on location that the paintings roll through my mind as I'm soaking it all in.  This farm was such a place, and I knew I would have to paint this first.  The goats and cows were so engaged with their host, it seemed I was watching a children's story unfold.  I love where this painting took me and I'm looking forward to many more paintings like this!  Painting number 5045 in 5045 days. 

Cottage on Walnut

 

Painting during the evening hours is a lovely experience.  I watch as the sun sets and the light fades, often sketching my scene in paint while I can still see well.  I like to work by the light of street lamps, and it can become pretty dark at times. The street quiets with only a few passers by a I work on another piece.   When the owners of the cottage stopped by to turn in the lights, I just HAD to capture the magic!  I set my gallery painting aside and started this one in it's place, complete with waving flag on the front porch.  What a sweet cottage to paint in historic Augusta - and I'm so happy it has a new family, the owners of the Honeybee Vineyard. I purchased a gorgeous tea rose wreath from a local shop, the Wandering Owl, which was made from grapevines from their vineyard!  I will now think of them every time I walk through my front door!  Painting number 5044 in 5044 days. 

Looking Down Walnut

 

I love painting up and down Walnut Street in historic Augusta, Missouri, and this spot near the H.S. Clay House is a favorite location.  This inn is a jewel in town, and the morning light spreading in through the leaves caught my attention immediately.  I set up on the spot and started painting, and barely finished up in time to drive it framed up to the Harmonie Verein.  I'm so happy this painting has a new home, too.  Painting number 5043 in 5043 days. 

Peter and Mill Street

My fondness for historic homes landed me here for a quick painting at the corner of Peter and Mill, in New Melle.  This corner house and it's sweet shed are iconic New Melle, and are full of small town charm.  I even received streetside refreshments while painting!  What fun it is to paint in New Melle!  Painting number 5040 in 5040 days. This painting is now available at Gallery Augusta on Walnut Street, in Augusta, Missouri. 

Night on 2nd Street

This watercolor batik is of a dear friend's house in Sainte Genevieve, and is a special surprise for our Mother-Daughter weekend visit to our favorite inn!  Following the starry night theme I've used for two other special paintings in the area, I paint this in multiple layers of ink, watercolor and hot wax on delicate tissue thin rice paper. The effect is luminous, and always unpredictable, making the final painting one of a kind indeed.  We had a marvelous trip full of adventures, and this painting will have a new home tomorrow as a Mother's Day gift!  Painting number 5039 in 5039 days. 

Looking Down Main Street

 

Sometimes, I've just got to paint a nocturne! I love painting my favorite inn at Sainte Genevieve.  Mom and I are enjoying an early Mother's Day weekend at the Main Street Inn, where the proprietor and conversation are always entertaining! Great breakfasts, shopping, dining, Chaumette Winery and a tour of the Jean Baptiste Valle House where the art of local colony artists of the 30s and 40s was displayed, suns up our brief and fun filled days.  Oh - and of course squeezed in those daily paintings!  Painting number 5038 in 5038 days. 

Night at Gallery Augusta

It was lovely to spend such a beautiful evening painting with artist friends in historic downtown Augusta, and this golden gallery was irresistible!  Using the light from a street lamp, I quickly marked out my masses with their local color.  I like to start nocturnes while there is still some blue in the sky, before it turns very dark.  This allows me to paint those hints of color that show in the shadows - while I can still see them.  As my friends painted, I finished this and another painting of the cottage across from this building, too.  It's rare to have such perfect weather, so I just had to take full advantage of it all.  Painting number 5037 in 5037 days. 

Sugar Creek Afternoon

What a gorgeous day for painting at Sugar Creek Vineyard - and the light was spectacular!  Before I landed in this spot, I set up 4 other times in different locations.  First, I was looking up the vineyard trail - but the light was too washed out. Next in the vineyard on the opposite side - but another artist was already heading that way, and the composition wasn't quite right. The next two were two slightly different views of the side of this building with it's umbrellas spreading out like a blanket - but there were already 4 artists working on that view.  Each time I returned to the car, this view spoke to me.  Finally, the 5 time I listened!  I rarely waffle on a painting spot like this, but I think the strong light and shadow here pulled me right in.  Painting number 5035 in 5035 days. 

Mount Pleasant Afternoon

It was a lovely day for the Premiere Artist's Paintout, full of sunshine and bright spring foliage.  This historic winery has been a favorite haunt through the years, and has changed colors three time in that span.  This color is reported to date back to an historic, original color, and is quite lively in the landscape. My last social occasion here was a celebration of my youngest daughter's upcoming wedding, with bridesmaids, sisters and moms.  There are so many memories here that it is a joy to paint here whenever I get the chance.  Painting number 5034 in 5034 days. 

H.S. Clay House inked

 

I love drawing this grand B&B in Augusta with pen and ink! This place is perfect for great get-a-ways, and my family has enjoyed special times here, too. I've painted this place a few times, but never from the direct front. The lines and angles are all the fun here, and pen and ink is a wonderful, vintage medium to explore them with. This drawing is now showing at Gallery Augusta on Walnut Street, just a block away in historic old town Augusta. Painting number 5033 in 5033 days. 

Life on the Farm

This farm spread out generously, making it hard for me to decide on my scene.  Within minutes I find this sweet vignette, and soon had it finished and turned in to New Melle.  What a fun place to paint!  Painting number 5032 in 5032 days. 

Osage Ridge Morning

Today's Mystery Paint-out was high atop Osage Ridge Rd, with a breathtaking view. Standing in the shadow of a great pine, the wind blew forcefully from the south.  I had one panel left in a larger size than I wanted - and it was on an unprimed gessoed panel showing white.  Not my intended set-up, but once started, I persevered to the finish.  This painting was a hard won battle with the wind, complete with debris blowing into my eyes. The reward for this hard work was winning the Sponsor Award today, in this beautiful place, immersed in nature.  Painting number 5031 in 5031 days. 

Wildflower Ridge

 I hiked to the end of the lake to find this special vantage.  My favorite TWSBI fountain pen is running out of black ink, so I used Thunderstorm by Robert Oster in another favorite pen. It's dark and chromatic, and separates when wet.  There are baby wildflowers planted all over this place, and this will be gorgeous in the coming years!  Painting number 5029 in 5029 days. 

Gallery Augusta Lit

As the lights came up in Augusta, I was drawn to this scene. As I sketched it in paint, the lights popped on across the street.  After talking to the owners, I decided to lay this one aside to work on their sweet cottage. I finished before the other artists on the street, so I came back to this one.  That gorgeous gold is a super color on the gallery, and so very paintable at night!  Painting number 5028 in 5028 days.