Marblehead Lighthouse

Today, Mom and I visited a place we used to visit with Dad, and I sketched as we listened to the crashing of the waves.  We would visit this place each year with the family, kids jumping from rock to rock, as we looked for Cedar Point on the horizon.  I could spend hours listening to the surf, it is so deeply relaxing.  The breeze blows cool off the water, and the air is very smokey from the Canadian wildfires.  I'm looking forward to painting along Lake Erie the next few days, and sharing some time with Mom in a place she loves. Painting number 4944 in 4944 days. 

Marblehead Batik

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Surprise!  Watercolor Batik is on deck tonight!  I really love the depths of this difficult technique, but seldom let myself spend the time on it.  Requested to present this to Summit Art, I pull out my supplies to condense my half day workshop into 40 mintues!  So, I decided to demo each step of the process with an example to pass around.  Hopefully, the process will be more clear with examples lined up in order, one through eight.  I think it will be very helpful for the next workshop I teach as well.  And while I'm at it,  I jumped into the largest watercolor batik on delicate rice paper I've ever done - almost 16x20!  I do love a challenge!  Lol! Painting number 2258 in 2258 days.

Port Clinton Lighthouse

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The lighthouse in Port Clinton was built in 1896 and placed at the entrance of the Portage River, where it remained active on Lake Erie for 56 years.  This is the river that runs through my parent's back yard. This winter, the ice jammed up, flooding the bottom acre, and was still there when I left town.  This lighthouse has been restored and one can climb the staircase for a wonderful view of the islands beyond.  Using my TWSBI Go fountain pen on this one!  Painting number 2246 in 2246 days.

Marblehead Lighthouse

Before setting up to paint, a nice couple shared the weather info with me, warning that a storm was imminent and pulling up their radar to show me where it is. Looked like I would have an hour to paint.  Five minutes in, the raindrops started to fall. Yikes!  I had to get that panel covered with paint before rain hit it!  I tilted the panel downward and painted as fast as I could!  A young girl came up and asked if she could paint, so I handed her my brush and showed her how to lay in some green for the trees.  The rain picked up and I took over, working fast.  I just knew the clouds were going to open up before I finished, but I got it done - and the storm went completely around us!  Painting number 1645 in 1645 days.

Marblehead Lighthouse

Marblehead Lighthouse
Oil on canvas panel, 6x8
bid here

There is a majestic beauty to a lighthouse.  Not only are they a beacon of hope on a dark night, they stand tall and proud against nature's wrath.  This one is in Marblehead, a place we visit almost annually, whenever we are up to see my parents near Lake Erie.  The vintage town is so full of charm!  I love to pour through the galleries and shops unique to the area.  From the other side of this lighthouse, you can look across the water and see the amusement park, Cedar Point way off in the distance - another favorite with the family!  I think this is only the second time I have painted this lighthouse, the first time an autumn scene done in acrylics.  I have taken photos of several different lighthouses through the years.  I really need to find them to use for reference material in more paintings.  This is painting number 758 in 758 days, Day 27 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse
Oil on panel, 14x11
Peninsula State Park, Wisconsin
Purchase Information

Venturing back to the Peninsula State Park in Wisconsin, I set up with a fellow artist to start painting quickly.  The light was golden as the sun headed west, and we had limited time to capture it.  This Eagle Bluff Lighthouse is reported to be haunted, and as we painted, two ghost tours came by!  It was so interesting to hear the stories as we painted!  Each group came over to visit as they headed back to their trollies - Door County truly does support their visiting artists!  As it was getting so dark we could hardly see, we wondered if we would soon see the little boy who ran through the wall!  Painting number 574 in 574 days :)