By the River

There is so much beauty in the world, and it is my daily pleasure to  try to do it justice with paint. This day was full of family as we watched grandchildren and spent time with daughters and a son and son-in-law, too.  Mike is helping the grandsons get ready for TSA competitions in April, so the kitchen has turned to a workshop.  The cold temps have preserved the snow for another day, and so I paint, knowing we might not get another snow.  Each painting is colored with my day's experience, so this one glows a bit with the anticipated golden hour. Every day is a gift, and this day was full of many of them. Painting number 4056 in 4056 days. 

Good Morning Crestview

This scene caught my eye immediately, but I continued to scout the whole property before returning to set up.  That early golden light was irresistible!  I had two hours to complete this, frame and turn in for the Summit Art Plein Air Festival Quick Paint.  It felt good to be out painting with friends again, and I enjoyed visiting as I worked.  Setting my alarm in case I talked right through to the cutoff, it was a fun paint day!  To top that off - this painting win the Quick Paint Award!  Painting number 3384 in 3384 days. 

Sunlight on the Snow

The giant snowflakes of yesterday shimmered like glitter on the lawn today.  All day long the outdoors called to me as I worked on household chores.  I was looking for that golden light to start to bloom over the landscape, and finally it did.  I am once again painting over an old painting on masonite, my substrate of choice.  After the brushwork was in, I topped off with some knife work to represent the drifts of snow.  Love this winter wonderland and especially love those balmy temps in the 20s! Such a great painting day!  Painting number 2964 in 2964 days. 

Golden Hour Grazing

There is something so peaceful about painting cattle in the pasture.  Their slow and rhythmic grazing relaxes me as I paint. Whenever painting animals, I sketch their shape in quickly with paint, adding more values as they hold position.  If one shifts out of position, I move on to the next, returning as each gets back to their pose. These scenes always remind me of my grandma's farm and of my Uncle Richard's farm, and the hours of play in the country.  I still love playing outside, only now I'm using paint! Painting number 1700 in 1700 days!  WOWZA!

Last Light at the Pond

Thundering Oaks has been such a fabulous place to spend the weekend painting!  I'm sure there are many great locations I did not even get the chance to see, as I just kept setting up my easel as fast as I saw another wonderful composition!   It was rather late in the day when I started this one.  In fact, I doubted whether I should start another with so little light left, but the scene was calling..... The deep, cool shadow shades really made that "golden hour" light sing on the foreground stand of trees, so I HAD to paint it!  It was important to get those lights and darks marked quickly - because this light was fleeting!  By the time I finished, the glow was only a memory, with only my painting to record it's wonder.  Painting number 1364 in 1364 days.