Autumn Hay Bale

 

Autumn leaves and hay bales, I just had to paint the beauty!  This lush landscape is ever inspiring, just outside my door. The red color seems to be the last to hang on, and the yellows were the first to drop. The bales dot the pastures, and only my busy schedule keeps me from painting them every day.  Perhaps, I should paint them at sunrise or sunset, while I enjoy the glory with a hot cup of tea? Maybe I'll start that tomorrow.......! Painting number 4703 in 4703 days. 

Autumn on the Lake

 

It is my pleasure to capture the fleeting colors of autumn, one brushstroke at a time.  Something magical happens when the leaves begin to turn.  The greens of summer shimmer gold and red, intensifying daily until the fade begins.  The leaves crunch beneath me, a sound like music to my ears.  Only once a year do I get to revel in autumn splendor, and too quickly it is gone.  Many of my hours have been spent working in the garden and painting the new chicken coop, trying to catch up after my very busy plein air season.  So, these quiet moments alone in nature are a treasure.  I hope to paint a few more autumn landscapes before they fade away.  Painting number 4695 in 4695 days. 

Autumn Leaves

The autumn leaves are falling, and I've picked up a few to study before heading of for a family shopping day at Legends.  The colors are rich and its fun to play with the colors a bit in the wet masses of each leaf.  I could get a little darker here and there, but there's no time for extra layers. It's been a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and there's still more fun to have!  Painting number 5205 in 5205 days. 

Wet Streets in Autumn

 

Wet streets with autumn color is simply irresistible.  The dark, rainy day only accentuates the bright, warm hues in the landscape.  These days of color ends too soon, especially with wind and rain driving those leaves down the road. All I can do is paint as fast as I can, and hope for a few more golden autumn days. Wishing everyone a Thanksgiving full of family fun! Painting number 5201 in 5201 days. 

Autumn in Peaceful Valley

 

I love the crunch of fallen leaves as I paint a rich autumn glow on the hill! We've had such an amazing season for painting, I wish it would last for months!  Soon the leaves will all lay on the ground and winter will creep in.  I'm already adding my layers when I paint early, and I'm never really ready for the cold to begin.  I'm so thankful for lovely painting days like this! Painting number 5200 in 5200 days. 

Old Barn Batik

 

I love painting the gorgeous farms of the Midwest in watercolor batik!  I'm starting to see that autumn color now, and I can't resist capturing it today in watercolor batik. These large barns dot the landscape, and we lose them as they age. I am happy to paint them while they stand.  Painting number 5170 in 5170 days. 

Autumn at Union Hill

These autumn days are fleeting, and I'm so lucky to get to paint them before they fade! We're having a gorgeous November, and it is my pleasure to work in perfect weather.  What a treat!  The leaves are dropping quickly now, and I feel my painting window closing.  The next season has it's own beauty, and I will love painting it, too.  Painting number 3959 in 3959 days. 

Autumn at the Historical Society

 

I LOVE painting the colors of fall - while they last!  The autumn leaves are always glorious at Union Cemetery this time of year - and the historical society farmhouse makes the perfect backdrop.  Those cool shadows make the warm sunlit leaves shine, and that color is reflected on the fallen leaves as well.  Such a lovely time of year, and I can already see a shift just past peak in our color.  This season's color is swiftly passing!  Painting number 3948 in 3948 days.  

Autumn Wooded Path

I LOVE how the autumn colors shine in the sunlight, after many days of rain!  I was finally able to go paint the magic on our own property today, and it was magical.  The yellows are popping and the reds have barely begun, so I hope to get several more autumn paintings done before the color fades.  I nearly missed the light on this one, as the sun dipped down in the west.  I guess I should have skipped making dinner tonight - lol!  Painting number 3944 in 3944 days. 

Autumn at Peaceful Valley Lake

 I absolutely love painting the colors of autumn - especially when they are reflecting on water!  The reds are really popping around Peaceful Valley Lake - and I could hardly wait to get back here once I saw the beauty!  I marked all the highlights while the sun was shining, before the clouds moved back in. The calm water reflected those colors so well, in between bursts of wind.  It seems our autumn color fades so quickly in Missouri - I hope to get several more paintings finished before that happens!  Painting number 3941 in 3941 days. 

Autumn Reflections on the Lake

I just couldn't resist painting this gorgeous fall color on Peaceful Valley Lake! I'm a bit in love with these first reds and golds, and I just can't get enough of them!  I saw this scene on my way out first thing this morning, and waited until the afternoon light was on them to paint. It is super fun to lay down strong color, and this rich scene surely called for them.  I hope I get many more days to paint the autumn leaves before they drop!  Painting number 3933 in 3933 days.  

Autumn at Oak Glenn

 

This was such an amazing painting day!  As soon as I pulled up the road leading to the Oak Glenn Winery, I wanted to paint it!  The morning light was streaming through the trees, illuminating the autumn landscape. After a quick look at the top of the hill, I headed back to paint this beautiful stretch of road.  I blocked this one in fast because the light was already changing so much. It was a bit of a struggle to find the right color balance as this is my first real fall color paint this year!  I do love a good challenge!  I'm so happy this painting has a new home tonight!  Painting number 3932 in 3932 days. 

Autumn River Bank

 This autumnal painting is a very special technique, using rice paper, ink, watercolor and hot wax, layering between watercolor applications, until just the right image emerges.  It is so unpredictable that no painting can be replicated, and therein lies the beauty.  Upon request, I have given a handful of watercolor batik workshops, and now I will show these special paintings at one gallery.  Silver Sycamore Gallery in Sainte Genevieve will now show this work exclusively, and I will teach a two day workshop in the medium in March at the Gallery. I'm looking forward to this new partnership, and to painting some local icons exclusively for this gallery.  Painting number 4378 in 4378 days. 

Autumn Path

 

I'm so happy to paint the peak color at Gasconade Fall Plein Air at the Lost Valley Lake!  I loved this path winding through the fall trees, and I just HAD to paint it.  This 35 minute wonder happened because I could not leave this space before painting it - and had only minutes to rush to turn in other work!  No better was to keep things loose and fresh!  Painting number 4377 in 4377 days. 

Autumn at Cedar Creek

It seems like an eternity since I have been down to Cedar Creek.  I have only been one other time, and the color is so different today!  A few golden leaves remain, but most of the color is past it's prime, showing more of the browns and deep siennas.  The bright green honeysuckle, just beginning to turn gold, was the perfect compliment to all the earthy tones.   I had to step carefully from one rock to another to pick my way over to my painting spot.  It was much harder to find my way out as it grew dark!  I very nearly fell in!  That would have been a "plein air first"!  Another gorgeous day for painting - maybe the last for a while.  Painting number 1407 in 1407 days :)

Oil on panel, 20x10
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Autumn Comes to the Creek Bed

I have wanted to go to The Elms Hotel for years, and we finally had the chance this last weekend!  It is such an amazing place!   This place is steeped in history, with a full spa, pools, hot tubs, restaurant, cafe, tavern, and the wedding reception was in the grand ballroom, which was so beautiful!  This stream winds through the grounds, and the morning light was breathtaking!   It occurs to me that this would be a wonderful place for a destination workshop - so I am already mentally adding it to my growing list of places to teach a workshop!   This autumn painting is the 1404th in 1404 days.  Boy, am I ever loving this warm weather!!

Oil on panel, 10x8
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Waldo Mausoleum

What a special Halloween treat to paint at the Elmwood Cemetery this morning with the Art Mob!   Painting with a couple of my favorite artists and roomies at the ranch, we relived a few of our haunted tales as we worked!   Could anything be more appropriate for the season?  The grounds here are so beautiful - and the autumn color beginning in the mature trees was a joy to capture!   On such an unreasonably warm day, this was plein air perfection......and I think we're in for a whole weekend of such perfection for the fall foliage workshop!!  Painting number 1388 in 1388 days :)

Oil on panel, 9x12
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First Autumn Color

First Autumn Color
Oil on masonite, 8x10
purchase here

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of plein air painting!  Back to back events have kept me so busy - I could hardly see straight.  Today marks the end of out of town trips, unless I find a couple of days to go paint fall foliage!  I had an afternoon artist reception in Parkville from 2:00 to 4:00, and an evening event from 6:00-9:00.  With an hour travel time each way, there was not enough time to go home in between.  So, I came with my paints packed and set up in between receptions to get my daily painting fix!  I didn’t have to go far - there was beautiful fall color starting right outside the gallery in the old depot!  The composition with it’s rocky edge really reminds me Augusta in the fall........I wonder if I can find time to get back there before the weather turns cold....  Thank goodness I finished this painting in the afternoon - the last thing I wanted to do when I got home at 10:30 was to get out my paints!  Looking forward to a few days to catch up around the house and relax!  Painting number 1020 in 1020 days :)

on location

Autumn in Batik

Autumn in Batik
Watercolor, ink, wax on masa rice paper, 8x5
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The leaves are really showing there color north of the river!  Another full day of painting in Parkville - and three more paintings finished.  I have just arrived home - and am too tired to worry about getting photos of my work without natural light.  So, I will have to get all six done in the morning be fore I head back out to paint.  On this painting, I am experimenting with the batik method on the landscape. This was a quick study, and the masa is more resistant to the watercolor applied after the wax than the thin rice paper.  I like the effect, but I will need to do a few of these to get comfortable with them.  This is painting number 656 in 656 days.