Hillside Lodge

What a treat to find this amazing large log cabin on the lake to paint!  This place lodged the workers on the Bagnell Dam, and now houses a museum inside.  Still lovely inside, the lobby is as it was so long ago.  A large veranda sweeps along the lake side, where an amazing view of the Lake of the Ozarks can be had from various spots. With walking trails down the hill, a wonderful lakeside garden is the reward at the bottom!  If only I had more time - I would have painted that view, too!  It would have been a lovely place to rest at the end of the day!  This painting now showing at Lake Fine Art Galleria in Osage Beach!  Painting number 3141 in 3141 days. 

View from Bridal Cave

What a glorious time I've had painting at the Bridal Cave in Camdenton, Missouri!  From the plein air painting inside the Chapel of the cave, to painting this beautiful sweep of the Lake of the Ozarks from the covered overlook just outside the cave entrance, this place will forever hold good memories for me!  As with any body of water, the lake changes color with the sun and sky.  What started as overcast has opened up to a sunny, hot day - and that reflects in the water!  I painted my masses first, lights and darks followed by the central colors, then added the smaller details such as boats and docks. If was very comfortable painting under this covered overhang, with water cooled breezes blowing through. It has been so fun to visit with guests as they wait for their tour guide while painting the beauty of this lake!  This painting won a ribbon at the Lake of the Ozarks Plein Air event and is now showing at Lake Fine Art Galleria in Osage Beach.  Painting number 3140 in 3140 days. 

Pa He Tsi Boat Launch

I love painting at water's edge anywhere, but this day finds me at the Pa He Tsi boat launch on the Lake of the Ozarks.  A very hot day with heat warnings issued, this spot in the shade was comfortable indeed. A soft wind carried cool air up from the lake, refreshing in the deep shade of mature trees.  It was peaceful and relaxing here, with the sound of water lapping at the beach to serenade me.  This natural landscape is the perfect complement to all of the buildings I've been painting lately!  It feels so good to immerse in nature again! This painting won a ribbon and is now showing at Lake Fine Art Galleria in Osage Beach! Painting number 3138 in 3138 days. ❤🎨

Boat Rental

Behind the Inn at the Grand Glaze, down the steep hill and right on the water is this amazing blue boat rental shack with various kayaks and even a paddle boat.  The bright colors pulled me in, so I sketched this out in ink and added watercolor as the sun set.  I perched at an angle because of the pitch of the land, and closely observed the interesting angles from looking down on this building.  I like to rest my paints on the ground while sitting on a camp stool for such places, but had to fight the sliding of my tins down the hill!  Haha! Blocking them with rocks, I was able to get this painted before all light was gone.  After all, I had a long hike up that hill to get back to my room!  This painting is now showing at Lake Fine Art Galleria in Osage Beach.  Painting number 3137 in 3137 days. 

Road to the Vineyard

This is my first trip to the Seven Springs Winery in Linn Creek, Missouri - and WOW, what a lovely place it is!  The vineyards spill over the hills beautifully, begging to be painted!  The garden surrounding the winery is lush and abundant, yet not quite touched by the sun this early morning.  So, I turn to the vineyard.  With sun peaking in and out I am able to get some shadows, adding interest to the grasses. With brushwork, I boost those masses, lending interest to those and areas.  After two weeks of long days in the hot sun, my paints are beginning to tack up.  It adds a body and thickness not present two weeks ago, but I will certainly need to do some palette clean up when I return home.  Keeping them on ice in my trunk doesn't last all day in this kind of heat!  If only I could find a better cold bag for them!  Painting number 3134 in 3134 days. 

Chapel at Bridal Cave

 Making history in possibly the coolest place I've ever painted - inside the Chapel of the Bridal Cave!   We are the first artists to plein air paint in this cave!!  What a once in a lifetime experience!!  I didn't know this would be possible, so I was dressed for the high heat warning day of near 100 degrees. Donning a jacket, I walked into this gorgeous, chilly cave and absolutely marveled at the beauty. We could set up anywhere in the first two "rooms", and I chose the chapel. Many couples have been married here, and this is a very special place.  This room was colder than the first and cold water dripped from the ceiling, splashing on my legs from the walls.  I went back out for my rain jacket, and that helped to at least keep the top of me dry.  By the time I finished this magnificent place, I was shivering so much I could hardly manage my brushes and close up my easel.  My feet and sandals were completely wet and so very cold!  It took an hour of standing in the sun at 97 degrees to finally warm up enough to start losing layers.  And it was SO VERY WORTH EVERY BIT OF THE DISCOMFORT!  I am so happy to be among the first artists ever to paint here.  What an honor!  Painting number 2129 in 2129 days. 

Trail and Pony Rides

What fun to stumble upon this nostalgic stable at Tan-Tar-A resort at Lake of the Ozarks!  Looking for the check-in location, I took a different road out than I drove in, and I'm so glad I did!  It was getting dark by the time I finished this ink and watercolor painting!  Now it's time for an icy cold drink and a swim!  Painting number 3128 in 3128 days. 

Ozarkland

I can remember going to this special place with my grandparents when I was small - and it is a joy to paint it now!  Ozarkland is a Missouri icon - and I actually met the woman whose uncle started them all today!  This one is located in Camdenton, and of course I will stop in to browse the goodies and take a step through time before I leave!  I'm so happy this painting won the Camdenton Square Buyer's Choice Award tonight - and now has a new home! Painting number 3127 in 3127 days. 

Redhead on the Lake

This place was so much fun to paint!  I started with a very complicated drawing in ink, then started painting the masses.  On this painting, I first painted in all the red shapes, using heavier pigment as I went. Next to the greens, remembering to reflect all colors in the water where I saw them.  This was a sunrise paint, and it was delightfully cool and refreshing down on the the water.  Painting number 3126 in 3126 days.