Winding Lavender Rows

While on location in Washington Island, I only had time for a quick sketch of these winding rows.  This would have been my third painting on site, had time allowed.  It has been floating around inside my head ever since, waiting for the opportunity to jump out onto the panel!  Today was the day!  Not having my panels yet tinted, I painted on the white of the gesso - which I never do when painting in oil!  I miss the complimentary color underneath for my strokes to lay upon, and found the colors coming off a little too  "clean". I must rely on that underpainting when mixing my color!  Who knew?  It's amazing what I learn from switching things up in my painting routine.  I guess I'll be tinting my panels before the fall flury of plein air begins!  Painting number 1702 in 1702 days.

oil on panel, 16x12
purchase here

Reibolts Creek Revisited

I can't pass by a winding creek, they lure me in every time!  We have been so fortunate the last two weeks to have cool August temperatures - SO uncommon for Missouri!  I am taking advantage of this beautiful weather, even though my household chores are constantly nagging at me!  We've had some major renovating under way - and with that comes all that extra work!  I'm trying not to let it cut into my paint time, but it has to come from somewhere and it looks like "sleep" is the big loser here!  Looking forward to all projects finished and carefree painting days!  Painting number 1677 in 1677 days.

oil on panel, 18x24
purchase here

Red Barn in Carthage

For my third paint of the day,  I chose this wonderful barn across the street from Red Oak II.  I love the architecture of it,  and the showy red paint!  How could I possibly resist it's call?  I never draw things out with pencil first,  I jump right into ink.  I like the loose,  sketchy lines that I tweak as I go.  Once the ink rendering was complete,  I started filling in with watercolor.  I use my water brushpen with my tiny pan sets (watercolor confections - classic and decadent pies) by Prima.  I can take them anywhere!   This probably took me 40 minutes to finish - and it will live forever in my special handmade journal. 
This workshop weekend has been super fun!  I can't wait for the next one!  Painting number 1553 in 1553 days :)

Milk Barn Forsythia

With each day,  the forsythia blooms open even more!   Their spring glory is so fleeting,  that I feel duty bound to capture them while I can!   I love their sunny yellow cheerfulness - and am already planning on new places to plant the new babes.  The dogs have gotten quite used to me painting in the pasture,  and are my constant companions.  I added a new color to my palette today - raw umber.  I rarely use it,  but have lately thought how perfect it would be for the dried grasses in the pasture.  I like it!   I'll see how much I use it before deciding if it is a keeper or not.  Painting number 1530 in 1530 days,  and what a gorgeous day it is!

Forsythia by the Barn

It was sheer joy to spend an hour in the pasture putting paint to panel this afternoon!   Warm and a little windy,  I set up my camera to record a video of this painting.  First thing I learned - I should have had my phone fully charged!   When it blew to the ground from a tripod behind me - I realized it was completely dead!   I haven't looked yet to see if there in anything to salvage,  perhaps how I start a painting?   Oh well - I was far too involved in the process before me,  to think about anything else!   I planted this forsythia years ago by the barn, and each year it grows more lovely.  What a joy it is to paint again each spring!  I've also planted it by an old gate, and at the back corner of the house - I hope to get those paintings done before these beauties fade.  Painting number 1527 in 1527 days.

Spring on Main Street

I love the character and charm of these wonderful old houses!  The trees in the yard had just burst into bloom - and I couldn't resist them!   Having finished my errands after the gym,  I jumped right in.  After all,  that shower can wait,  but the changing light waits on no one!   This couldn't have been more true today.  When I started this painting,  the sun was bright and skies were blue.  As I finished one short hour later,  lightening and thunder rolled in with giant raindrops!   I barely wrapped up in time!   And, I thought I was going to knock out two before returning home......!  Painting number 1520 in 1520 days :)

Peculiar Farm Supply

Today is all about time management!   There has been a certain order to everything I've done today, just to cram everything in!   I got to this location directly from the gym, and the light was fleeting!  Working fast, I draw quickly and start floating in paint.  I've only used my "classics" and "decadent pies" watercolor tins for this painting.  While I was painting the uppermost door and windows in that building, a shadow crossed the light path I could see from a window, through the open doorway......yikes!   This place is reported to be one of the most haunted in Cass County!   Perhaps he was just interested in what I was doing out there!   You just don't know what will unfold in a daily painting adventure.  Now, I'm on to an Opening at the Buttonwood Gallery for the Urban Abstract Show! Painting number 1514 in 1514 days :)

Cornerstone Chapel

This chapel was calling my name, long before I got home from the gym.  I've been wanting to paint it, and each time I had a chance, the light was lacking, or time was too short.  With the beautiful sunny day, this was my chance!  I scouted the area a while before deciding on the angle.  I was also tempted by the Feed Store down the street, but it will be best with morning light, so I resisted!  I am using my limited palette of yellow oxide, red oxide, alizarin crimson, ivory black and white, but with the addition of ultramarine blue.  I absolutely had fits last time I was trying to mix green, so I added the blue. This beautiful chapel has 1909 stamped in the concrete over the large window.  I once attended a wedding there, and it was charming inside with the graceful stained glass windows.  I love painting this small town treasure!  Painting number 1513 in 1513 days :)

Sunset at Home

As I pushed the wheelbarrow back to the mulch pile last night, this is what greeted me as I turned around!  I don't think I've ever seen the sunset from this edge of the pasture, and I've certainly never painted from over here!   When I was a kid, this was the barn lot, with barbed wire fencing right here.  I took some great photos and worked until dark.  At today's Tri County paint in, this is what I painted from.  Now that I know how gorgeous this is, I will be racing out here with the next fabulous sunset!  Painting number 1504 in 1504 days :)

Wine for Three

For this afternoon's painting class, I set up this still life with wine bottles and glasses of three different heights.  Arranging them before me, I started blocking in all edges of the glass, overlapping them where applicable.  Next, with a large brush, I paint the masses I see, looking for central colors within the shapes.  Once the panel is covered, I start the palette knife work, breaking edges and dropping in thick paint. As I approach completion, I start to check that my colors are harmonizing, and bouncing off the varied surfaces.  With so much glassware, all colors should reflect off their surfaces.  I wanted quiet color today, so I chose a chardonnay for the lead wine.  If I didn't have such a full day, it would have been lovely to have a little wine for lunch!  Painting number 1503 in 1503 days.

Old Hay Wagon

My intention was to head to the east pond this afternoon.  But after scouting a bit, this old hay wagon grabbed my attention.  In fact, I could see paintings from three different sides.  I decided on the view which landed me in full sun, which normally is not too bad in February.  By the time I finished - I was SO hot!!  How many times have I been able to say that in February?  Never!  I used to play on this wagon as a child. My brother, cousins, and I would use it for a house, or a stage, playing for hours.  Now, I'm in the tall grass of the pasture, painting this childhood friend.  Painting number 1502 in 1502 days.

Afternoon at the Milk Barn

We have started painting en plein air for my Saturday painting class - and I LOVE taking class to the field!  Inspiring, invigorating, and peaceful, we paint to the music of birdsong!  There is no better place to improve one's painting skills than outside, from life.  All the information one needs is right before them!   Sandy was finishing her start from last Saturday, so I stayed close, choosing a different composition than I've painted before.  The sky was clear today, and the light warm, so all the colors shifted more towards the warm.  I finally reloaded some key colors on my palette after a week of making due without.  It is so much easier to achieve the desired results with the right paints!  I love starting a Saturday with pilates, a run, and plein air!   This is the life!  Painting number 1501 in 1501 days :)

Creekside Moment

Oh my, what a gorgeous day!   How can I resist painting en plein air on such a glorious afternoon?  After my morning classes at the gym, I always take a run to "cool down" and quiet my mind.  It has been so nice this week, that I've been running the track outside.  Today, I took a little detour on the paved walking trail across the street.  Wow!  What a fabulous, winding creek awaited me just off the beaten path!   And to think, I've been across the street almost every day for 3 years, and never knew this beauty existed right here in the middle of town!   I've lived in the country so long that I've forgotten the noises of town life.  My music today was the laughter of children as they played at the park, cars, motorcycles, and the sounds of the fire station across the street.  I will definitely be returning to this place for more paintings.  I've only scratched the surface with this one, my 1500th painting in 1500 days!!  WOWZA!!

Cedar Creek in February

Best.  Office.  Ever.  On this outstanding day in the 70's, I HAD to find a special placeto paint!   After taking care of some Summit Art jury business, I headed straight to this creek, to check out the February color.  The creek was down a little, so it was flush with a slab of rock that jutted out quite a ways, allowing me to stand in a place I've not been able to before.  The rock was wet, and a little messy, but SO worth the view!   With almost no foot traffic along the path, I had no interruptions at all.  I started with a quick paint sketch of the composition, and continued with the masses, choosing to paint the darks of the water first.  Then the sky, it's reflection, next the background tree line, and finally the rocks.  It was rather a haphazard massing in, without thought, letting my intuition lead the way.  The day was so pleasant, with only gentle winds down at water's edge, and the babbling of the water to serenade me.  I really considered staying for another painting, but Tiffany was headed to my house with the boys, so home I went!   This was truly a day well spent!  Painting number 1499 in 1499 days!!

Sweets for my Sweet

It is always fun to paint something special on Valentine's Day!   Keeping with today's theme, I am painting the still life before me - which just happens to be in my favorite color, and with my favorite candy, too!  I start off the block in with a brush, and switched things up between two different palette knives, one metal and the other plastic.  I would have preferred my Princeton Catalyst, but both are in two different easels in the trunk of my car, and I simply didn't want to take the time to go out and get them.   Looks like I need to buy another one!  You know how I like to get all my easels supplied and ready to go at the drop off a hat!   This painting is the 1497th in 1497 days!   Happy Valentine's Day to you all!!

February Sunrise

There are interesting compositions everywhere I turn.  This clump of trees grabbed my attention today, and I responded with a palette knife painting.  For this one, I blocked in my masses with a brush, and then went over those masses with a palette knife.  This is an easier way to get through this kind of painting for me.  When using a palette knife at the beginning, it is sometimes a struggle to get that color down.  Whereas, the brush is so natural, the block in unfolds quickly.  This is a matter of getting confidant with the tools - which takes time and strokes.  Perhaps one day, paintings will fall off the knife like they sometimes fall off the brush!  Painting number 1496 in 1496 days.

Winter Pond

After getting a start on my spring cleaning, I headed to the pond for my reward!  The wind is cold today, so I got climbed down the bank, to seek shelter from the wind.  The water was relatively calm on the southeasr side, so I faced that direction and started painting.  I love these subtle color shifts odd the winter landscape.  Snow would be lovely to paint, but who can complain on a warm winter day?  I needed a Gamblin gray on my palette today, I'll have to remember to load it before I go out next time!  Painting number 1495 in 1495 :)

Behind the Milk Barn

This day was a gift!  Who knew it would be 75 degrees on this beautiful February day?  Taking full advantage of the weather, I took painting class to the milk barn!  It is absolutely invigorating to paint in perfect conditions - especially when compared with a normal February day!  We set up in the dappled shade of a willow tree, trying to get panel and palette both shaded.  It is so much easier to judge the colors in the shade versus full sun.  Countless times I have had to paint in full sun, only to find my painting too dark when brought inside.  So, if I must paint in full sun, I now check my painting in the shade before calling it done!  Painting number 1494 in 1494 days :)

Golden Hour at the Pond

Nearly 70 degrees in February - how could I not paint on a gorgeous day like this?  I walked down to the pond and set up at the first spot I came to.  After all, I have a lifetime to paint this pond.  While painting, a Kingfisher came to visit!   I've never seen one here!  He called loudly from three different trees before settling down to a quiet song.  Then, he dived right to the surface of the water and brought out dinner!   SO cool!  He never reacted to me.  He chased off a hawk before heading to the other pond, calling all the way!  I love being surrounded by nature and wildlife, its one of the things I love about plein air!   The windows are still open, and I hear the owls calling now.  Painting number 1493 in 1493 days.

Mill Creek in February

It was unseasonably warm when I headed to the park.  I hiked down to the creek on the west side of the lake, as the wind was kicking up from the north.  Finding my spot, the cool wind was right in my face.  I climbed down on the boulders to the edge of the water, using the creek bank as a wind break.  I didn't see any snakes, but kept an eye out between those crevices for whatever may climb out!  I actually sat on one of those boulders with this 8x10 Guerilla Pochade in my lap, to paint this.  I didn't have my palette, so I squeezed out fresh paint from the limited tubes I had loaded in this box.  Well, I couldn't get the alizarin crimson open, and it was my only cool color.  I had Terre Greeze yellow earth, instead of yellow ochre - and it does not make a good green when added to black!  With no blue on board, this was bad indeed!  This yellow did not mix well with white either!  It is a very coarse paint, and I have enjoyed it on a normal palette, but I will never use it on a Zorn palette again!   I will not be so haphazard the next time I load a new pochade box!  Lesson learned!  This painting is the 1490th painting in 1490 days.