Boardwalk to the Beach

Morning on the beach was brisk and windy, and SO inviting!  Choosing Bailey's Harbor for my first Door County painting, the boardwalk was my lead in to the painting.  The color of Lake Michigan was deep blue to green, with gold in the waves as they approached the sandy edge.  Using my polytips for the bulk of my painting, I only brought out a soft brush for the finish. Another beautiful day for painting! Painting number 1658 in 1658 days.

Woodville Water Tower Inked

The charming town of Woodville is just down the road from my parent's house.  On a daily scouting excursion, this scene appeared before me, demanding attention!  With my favorite fountain pen in hand, I quickly drew the lines, filling the values in with my water brush pen.  I've been afraid to keep my fountain pen in the car, thinking the extreme heat might damage them.  I think I'll try it anyway, I hate to be without my favs when a fabulous scene presents itself!  Painting number 1657 in 1657 days.

Second and Vine

The morning light was stunning as it spread across Second street. After a few quick looks, I decided to paint.  At the edge of the opposite side of the street, I set up my easel and pulled out my pen.  Drawing helps me to get acquainted with my scene, making friends with the lines and shapes to come.  Within minutes, I am ready for paint.  Starting with my panel and palette in the shade (which is ideal), I finished in the sun.  If I have to paint in the full sun, I turn my panel to the shade to check my values.  If I forget this important step, my painting may be too dark when I bring it inside.  Bright sunlight has a way of tricking the eyes, so it is best to check before packing up those paints!  Painting number 1654 in 1654 days.

Creek Along Cleveland

Since July, I have been finishing my workouts at the gym with a run, sprinting at the end.  It is exhilarating!  I love the runner's high I get - and it lasts for hours!  So, after a great workout, a great run in the perfect temperature, I get home, clean up, and head out to paint.  Choosing the Cleveland Trail and Lake, I retrace my steps through the tall grass to the creek, in hopes of finding my missing quick release plate.  I know it is here and I know I will find it, but not today.   The painting goes quickly, and the euphoria rises as the composition nears completion.   It is so much like a runner's high - and it too, lasts for hours.  It is the process itself that brings such joy, and always when I am outside working.  I almost never feel this kind of rush when working indoors.  What a great day.   Painting number 1361 in 1361 days :)

Creekside Sycamores in Fall

This rambling creek runs along a stretch of highway that leads to New Melle.  I started this painting last time I was in the area, but today have brought up the colors of the changing season.  Already, leaves are turning yellow and dropping along the creek bed.  The days are still warm, but subtle shifts of color are dotting the landscape.  Nothing begs me to paint it like a winding creek.  I think I'll never tire of them.  Painting number 1348 in 1348 days, and now it's time for bed :)

Watercolor Bluebird

Watercolor Bluebird
Watercolor on paper, 9x12
sold

This is the first in the series of bluebird paintings I did for my youngest daughter.  While waiting for the youngest son to return home, so we could all go out to lunch together - I was able to paint three before leaving the house!  It felt a little unnatural to get back into the watercolors after so much time in the oils!  I picked the 100% cotton rag paper for this first painting - totally forgetting how much a dislike painting on it!  It has a lovely texture that is pretty in the finished piece, but the paints seem to sit on top of it forever before settling in - and the colors mingle very slowly and with hesitance.  I had to leave it completely flat while working, or so much of the paint would have run completely off the paper!  In hindsight, maybe that is the best advantage of this paper.......I will have to try it for the very purpose of creating very drippy paintings! Michaela wanted all three paintings, so I framed them all up for her to take to her college suite.  I wonder how many of her friends are hanging original work in their rooms?  Painting number 1068 in 1068 days :)

Michaela's Bluebird

Michaela's Bluebird
Watercolor on paper, 9x12
sold

This is the second of the bluebird paintings that I worked up for Michaela.  Looking for a more contemporary feel, I am working under the motto of "less is more" on this one!  Working wet on wet, there is no layering.  Each area is painted in with very wet color, then extra colors are dropped in and allowed to mingle on their own.  I almost never mix my paints in watercolor, I simply drop them in and let them do their own mixing - come what may.  This 140lb cold pressed paper is holding me back, though.  I don't remember the maker, but I think it is English.  Not enough texture and not enough weight for me.  I must order some more 300lb paper!  It seems to be all I want for my watercolors now!  Getting back into this fluid media after such a time away takes a little bit to get used to.  I want to get loose, sloppy wet strokes, but I think I still need to warm up to that!  I really loosened up by the third - so I guess three really is the charm!  Painting number 1007 in 1007 days :)

Llama on Watch

Llama on Watch
Oil on canvas, 6x4 - purchase here

When I first turned in to the Green Dirt Farm, this amazing llama towered above the herd of grazing sheep, as if he were the watch dog.  In fact, I didn’t even see the very large white dog at first, as he blended in with the sheep!  As we came closer with our easels, he let out a few barks - letting us know that he was in charge.  Today, I have precious little time for painting, so I am painting small at 6x4 inches.  This painting is my 1005th in 1005 days - it is so crazy to be into four digits now!!  :)

Clouds Over the Meadow

Clouds Over the Meadow
Oil on masonite, 10x8

For this afternoon's painting class, Donna suggested that we set up outside - and take advantage of the fabulous day.  What a great idea!  So, we had a little "plein air workshop" where I demonstrated this painting, beginning to end. There is just something magical about painting outside, with a gentle breeze blowing, light dancing through the clouds, and the experience of the day unfolding in the paint.  I really love plein air painting.  Painting number 1001 in 1001 days, and Day 28 in the 30 day painting challenge :)

Grazing at Green Dirt Farm

Grazing at Green Dirt Farm
Oil on wood, 14x11
Green Dirt Farm paint-out - Parkville in Art - purchase here

This is my 1000th painting in 1000 days - and what a fabulous painting day it was!  It was a special treat to travel north of Weston to the Green Dirt Farm, where sheep graze on the rolling hills.  I have never painted sheep before, but I have always loved them - and adore their pastoral beauty in paintings.  Hiking up to a high spot beyond the kitchen, I set up in full sun, since that was the most amazing view. I wanted to capture the whole scene, the experience of standing in such a magical place, with brushes and oils.  The sheep gently moved through the meadow, down to the crossing, and back up again in an endless circle.  They make a wonderful "munching" noise as they graze close, and they sneeze and occasionally cough just like people!  High on this hill, I could turn 360 degrees - and have painting in every direction, if only I had more time.  We made it back to the barn before the cheese tasting ended, and I came home with some fabulous cheese for the family, too.  Some days I really love this life.  Painting 1000 in 1000 days, and Day 27 in the 30 day painting challenge.

on location

Goats in the Pasture at Kill Creek Farm

In the Pasture at Kill Creek Farm
Oil on wood, 14x11

In the early morning, it looked as though rain would be my painting companion.  But, it turned out to be a beautiful painting day - even warm at 88 degrees by the time I finished this one!  I have been to this historic farm several times through the years to paint, but I have never actually painted near the farmhouse and old barns!  The goats were very interested in me at first, but soon grazed on to a greener field, ending up back in the woods!  Whenever I paint animals en plein air, I get their shapes in as fast as I can - you never know when they will dart out of sight!  It was so quiet where I painted, I could even hear a rat chewing on the old dead log behind me!  My daughters used to have pet hamsters, rats and mice - so I know that noise!  Painting number 998 in 998 days and Day 25 in the 30 day painting challenge.

Ruby in Carmel

Ruby in Carmel
Oil on masonite, 8x10
Carmel on Canvas

After finishing the first painting of the woods, I went downtown for a snack break.  Planning to paint on the corner of Main at Bazbeaux's, I composed the painting in my head - already visualizing what it would look like.  As I walked back to get my gear and set up - this most adorable boxer puppy grabbed my attention.  Oh my gosh - he was adorable!  When her "mama" asked if I'd like to paint him - I jumped at the chance!  Still quite young at 9 weeks, she was a wonderful model and such a little sweetheart!  Such a joy to paint! There is a bit of a glare on the upper part of this painting - so I'll try to get one in better light later.  The light really reflects off of the darks when they are wet!  Day 22 of the 30 day painting challenge and my 995th painting in 995 days.

Sunflower Fields Forever

Sunflower Fields Forever
Oil on masonite, 14x11
purchase here

Tonight finds me getting ready for the Sunflower Festival.  It is so relaxing to immerse myself into this meadow painting after the bustle of town.  I love the rural midwest landscape, and capturing it with paint is sheer heaven. Right before leaving or Carmel, I topped off my walnut oil with safflower oil.  I didn't have time to clean out the can, so I ended up with a 50-50 mix.  The honeymoon with walnut oil was waning, as I did not like the stiff, sticky residue that was beginning to adhere to ferrel and bristle, as well as the way it was setting up on my palette.  The simple addition of safflower oil has made all the difference!  Oh, how I have missed the safflower oil!  It cleaned my brushes right up, even reversing the damage the walnut oil was doing, and my bristles are supple again.  After two months, the benefit of a tiny extra bit of gloss was not worth the cons of the walnut oil.  This is Day 21 of the 30 day painting challenge, and my 994th painting in 994 days :)

Tansy on Cotton

Tansy on Cotton
Flower pigment, pen and ink on cotton, 8x9.5

This pounding is of tansy in my garden.  It blooms in yellow atop tall feathery fronds.  Used in teas, it is one plant I needed to keep away from cattle - as it can affect their milk (or so I was told).  Since we live in the country, that meant keeping it away from the fences and edges of the yard.  We no longer run cattle, but I still keep it far from fence lines!  The blooms are tiny yellow ball shapes in clusters, which here turned to the brown shades.  I wonder if cutting fresher blooms would result in more of their true yellow color seeping into the fabric.  I found that with sunflowers, I needed to cut them and pound them immediately, or their petals would release very little color.  Each flower is a new experience - and who knows the next blooms will bring!  This is Day 17 in the 30 day painting challenge and the 990th painting in 990 days!! Woohoo!

Roses on Cotton

Red Roses on Cotton
Flower pigment, pen and ink on cotton, 8x9.5

I learned several things with today's flower pounding experience.  The rose that was almost red to fall apart had the strongest and most defined pigment.  The fresher ones were just too juicy.  So, the next time I have roses ready to fall apart in the vase - I will pound them instead of tossing them!  Today, I am using unbleached muslin, which is thicker than the cotton I used before, and the texture is coarser.  It works well, but I wonder how something like batiste would work......it is natural cotton, but quite thin. Perhaps the pigment would be stronger just because there would be less fabric to bleed into to produce a good image.  The best part of this project?  I pounded the flowers ahead of time, allowed them to dry (with 4 others), and then took them with my to ink in the car as I waited for the boys to get out of school!  It is a fabulous project for waiting time, because there is no clean up, other than capping my pen and setting the cotton aside.  Much easier than shutting down my "in car watercolor studio" at the bel of release!  This is Day 16 in the 30 day painting challenge and my 989th painting in 989 days :)

A Dream to Sail

A Dream to Sail
Oil on wood panel, 11x14
purchase here

The turn in for my two Lake Quivira paintings is next week, so I am making sure they are framed and ready to go before I leave town.  These sailboats resting on the beach caught my eye immediately.  Off to to the right of these is one more sailboat, and I almost switched my composition from portrait to landscape to include the fourth boat.  But, when I looked from one to the other, I decided that this was the more dynamic composition.  I may well paint the other at a later date!  Lake Quivira is a fun place to paint - everyone is friendly, coming up to talk as I paint.  On this day, the sun was high and the light was strong, glistening off water and sand alike.  Since I am finishing this one after dark, I will have to look at it in the light of day, to make sure I have all as I want.  I already see one minor adjustment I want to make, well maybe two....... This painting makes Day 15 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge, and my 988th painting in 988 days.  I sure wish there were more hours in the day!

Cosmos and Crape Myrtle

Cosmos and Crape Myrtle
Flower pounding, pen & ink on cotton, 8.5x9.5

Experimenting again, this time I am trying additional flowers.  You can’t tell what color will come out of them by looking at them.  For example, all of the antique brown shading  in clusters is from a pink crape myrtle!  The pink cosmos was very light, but the dark violet ones were true to color.  The greens kept their color, and did the pink vinca, and the purple morning glories had the strongest pigment of all!  The yellow centers of the cosmos also pounded out as brown.  It makes me wonder what will happen when I try sunflowers....will they be brown instead of yellow?  I really love the vintage appeal of these blooms pounded on cotton!  And, isn’t it cool to use the flower pigment as my ink? This is number 14 in September’s 30 day challenge and this painting makes 987 for me in 987 days :)

Crape Myrtle Sprig

Crape Myrtle Sprig
Flower pounding, pen & ink on cotton fabric, 8x9.5

Today, I am experimenting with flower pounding!  I have wanted to give this a try for years.  The first step is to pick some flowers and lay them on a natural fiber surface, cotton in my case.  Then, after covering the flowers with wax paper, I pounded them on a wood surface with an actual hammer!  I brought a large rubber mallet to use, but it did not force the stain out of the petals like a real hammer did.  Next step - allow fabric to dry.  I left half the crushed flower pieces on until dry, and then scraped them off with a plastic putty knife and stiff, short brush.  Next - and most daunting, was to define all petals, leaves and stems with an india ink pen.  I chose sepia color, to add to the vintage feel of this project.  Once this was done, I went into those lightly stained areas with just a bit of color, using my Tombow brush pens in matching colors, on their sides. This was SO much fun - I now want to run out and pound every flower in the yard!  This is painting number 13 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge, and 986 in 986 days for me :)

Waiting in the Bay

Waiting in the Bay
Oil on canvas, 6x4

While in Door County, all around the peninsula boats came into the harbor, tying up for an evening in town.  As the sun begins to set, the wind dies down and a calm settles over the bay.  The hustle and bustle along the coast are gone, as sounds from the coastal restaurants and pubs begin to rise.  What a wonderful life, to live near water’s edge, and simply sail to another town for dinner!  This is number 12 in September’s 30 day challenge and this painting makes 985 for me in 985 days :)

Cow Face

Cow Face
Oil on canvas, 6x4
SOLD

While I was in Augusta, painting on a wonderful cattle farm, I took many photos of the beautiful cows.  This nosy boy strolled right up to the fence to see what I was doing in the tall grass with my easel.  One by one, many came right up to me, before heading back down to the creek for water.  This spot was a hidden treasure, nestled behind old sheds and farm equipment.  I could fill a book with just the reference for this one place.  I sure wish it was close enough to run by and paint en plein air!  This is painting number 11 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge, and 984 in 984 days for me :)