New Woollam

 I found this scene on my way to paint another, and I just HAD to paint this before going to the next spot.  I've never been to New Woollam, Missouri, before, so of course I had to capture it in paint!  I used ink, watercolor and gouache on this one before adding more ink at the finish.  It's so fun to mix up the mediums when the scene calls for it! I'm honored this painting was awarded a blue ribbon at the final awards, and it has a new home, too.  The owners tell me this foreground house will not stand much longer. I'm so happy to immortalize it in paint.  Painting number 3938 in 3938 days. 

Grandma's Country Kitchen

After a rather frustrating nocturne paint in watercolor - my very first attempt using watercolor at night - I pulled out my virgin travel gouache kit for some heavier paint application.  I sketched in ink as normal, and the gouache instantly gave me stronger color in those dark masses.  I left some of my lights, not knowing how gouache would behave in those areas - and it was a good thing!  It was hard to get strong highlights on top of other color.  My rough cotton paper was probably not ideal - but it was the only remaining piece I had stamped.  I meant to get a couple others stamped earlier, but was running late to the nocturne with the additional show set up.  There are things about this gouache that peak my interest, and I will definitely have to explore a little more.  I tried both soft and hard pastels, but only the oil pastels left good marks. Total experiment here, but it was rewarding on a chaotic car show night on Bagnell Dam!  Next time I'll be super early and prepared for gridlock and big crowds, lol! I ended up with two good paintings, but oh it was work tonight!  Painting number 4304 in 4304 days. 

Father Christmas in Metal

purchase here

I have been wanting to work a Father Christmas in metal all month - and today is my first chance!  I got some fun new sculpting tools with one of my "Celebration" awards - a gift card from Dick Blick, and I have been chomping at the bit to try them!  The metal of the styluses can be a bit abrasive as I sculpt, but the wooden tools were a pleasant surprise!  I can press rather hard, and get a smoother result than with the plastic tool of the same shape.  So fun to explore this medium!  Painting number 2554 in 2554 days. 

Lee's Summit Depot in Metal

SOLDOld town Lee's Summit has so many wonderful things to paint!  This time, I am working metal to capture this historic train Depot!  I first sketch the scene out with a rounded metal tool, although I'm thinking of trying some wooden sculpting tools for this process. The metal works well for the copper side, but is a little too abrasive on the aluminum side, scratching a bit as it marks.  Even the seams on the plastic tools can leave additional marks.  I really want to explore more tools in this media before Christmas - I hope I get the time!  Painting number 2515 in 2515 days. 

Union Station in Metal

Kansas City has so many fabulous old buildings for the artist to capture.  I've painted this place multiple times in oil, ink and watercolor.  This is the first time in metal.  Architecture is such a strong subject for this media, with all those lines and planes.  I sketch first on the front side with a metal tool, switching sides to push out the planes.  Next, I reverse and repeat.  I work from both sides until I get the results I want.  Maybe I'll do some in miniature for Christmas this year!  Painting number 2510 in 2510 days. 

Old Bank Building in Copper

As the show wrapped up, I was approached about doing another metal piece of the old bank building, but in copper. Having only one small piece left, I headed to Main Street to capture the building before heading out of town.  It was the perfect art fix I needed before hitting the road for 6 hours.  I will never get tired of doing this building in any media!  Painting number 2506 in 2506 days. 

Balloon Festival in Metal

There is something magical about a group of hot air balloons rising together!  Sketching this scene on location in ink and watercolor, I am now turning to metal to express the scene.  I find myself reaching for rounded plastic sculpting tools for these curved edges.  The metal tools work a little faster and sharper for me.  Working from one side to the other, the scene emerges.  I often let these metal pieces rest for a day, returning with fresh eyes to examine my work.  It's amazing what else I'll see that next day!  Still rather new to me, it becomes more natural with each one.  Painting number 2502 in 2502 days. 

Kansas City Downtown in Metal

As I explore this medium, I find it particularly suited for architecture.  Working a larger piece has it's challenges.  It is tricky to keep the metal from bending as I constantly turn it over and over, pushing at the planes of the buildings.  I keep trying out new tools to work the metal, picking up the plastic ones more often than not. The metal ones work okay for the copper side, but seem too abrasive for the aluminum side.  Who knows what tools I'll try next?  Painting number 2493 in 2493 days. 

Western Auto Building in Metal

With each piece of metal I work, I find new ways of using some of the "tools" I've collected.  Some of the metal tools can be a little too abrasive, leading me to use some of my plastic sculpting tools. I can be a little more forceful with them, with less worry of pushing clean through.  I am really enjoying this work, and love exploring new tools with each one!  Painting number 2489 in 2489 days. 

Hollyhock in Copper

Today, I am trying this new metal working on a floral subject - my hollyhocks!  These beauties are one of the largest varieties I have seen outside of Door County, in fact I may have gotten my seed up there!  I like to bring little starts and seeds back to my garden from my travels.  I still think the strong lines of architecture are more suited to the metal, but who knows?  There are so many subjects to explore - and I have yet to try the nickel!  I think I'm really going to like that, too!  Never enough time for all I want to do, it seems!  Painting number 2469 in 2469 days

Beau in Copper!

I LOVE experimenting with all things art!  There is something very satisfying in working metal from both sides to achieve the desired results.  The more I work the masses, the more pliable the metal becomes, and the more definition I can achieve.  This metal working is so new to me that I am still trying exploring the methods and tools.  Almost anything can be used to push that metal, a dull pencil, rounded brush handles, even plastic sculpting tools - nothing too sharp or that metal will pierce!  This "little" darling is our Beau, who is forever bringing treasures in from the pasture.  His latest gift?  A young opossum - playing opossum on the front porch!  I had to make him drop it before coming inside!  Painting number 2464 in 2464 days.

Bazbeaux in Metal

I've just started working metal in the plein air environment, and I have yet to find my favorite tools. I keep sticking them here and there while I'm working, and then can't find the one I need when I need it!  I can see I need a brush carrier just for these small tools.  I had quite a few people stopping to watch me work - especially on something so different from oils.  It was super fun even if it took me quite a while! Painting number 2453 in 2453 days.

Family Home in Metal

Oh boy, I LOVE experimenting with art!  And this media is completely out of my box!!  After reading an email about a metal workshop offered at my local art league - Tri County, I rearranged my schedule to attend this workshop.  I am so glad I did!  Exploring the sculpting of metal is invigorating - and I started with a sketch!  Simply taking a stylus and sketching out my house, I started pushing and pulling the metal with the basic sculpting tools until I got the image I wanted. Then, with a little shoe polish and black acrylic paint rubbed into the crevasses, this is the result!  Can't wait to do it again!  Painting number 2447 in 2447 days.

Rose Rhapsody en Grande

Rose Rhapsody en Grande
Oil over acrylic on wood panel, 48x72
sold

This painting was a joy to create!  The largest painting I have done to date - 48x72 inches, I thought it's sheer size would be a challenge.  Instead, it was super fun - and very rewarding.  I find myself wanting to work in larger and larger sizes.....if only I had that kind of time every day!  This one took me days to finish, each morning looking with fresh eyes to see what else called to me.  I really like to live with a painting like this for a while, until I am sure it is ready to go out into the world!  I was finally able to use ALL of my large brushes, and the strokes are just the same as in a much smaller piece.  The hardest part was getting far enough back to really see how the painting was coming together as a whole!  It has been a pleasure and I'm SO happy this has been delivered to such a wonderful home!  Painting number 925 in 925 days - although this was many days to completion!

in progress

still in progress

Hollyhock Garden

Hollyhock Garden
Pastel over watercolor on paper, 7x10

We had a wonderful workshop today hosted by our Tri-County Art League.  Cathy Kline shared her technique of pastels over watercolor.  I used 140lb cold pressed watercolor block, and first marked out the whites with a white crayon - for sparkle later.  Next, I used the drawing gun as a resist, applying this with a plastic palette knife.  I started with my darks, then worked into the various colors of the garden with my watercolors.  Most of these were painted in transparent colors.  Once dry, I removed the drawing gum and painted the highlights in.  After this was dry, I popped in a little pastel color - dry, right over the top.  It gives a wonderful dimension to the painting, especially because it visually sits on top.  This was so fun playing with my mediums in a different way!  I think I'll be taking these with me out of town - fast, compact, and fun!  I do love to experiment!  Painting number 901 in 901 days :)

at the workshop...

Morning in the Wedding Garden

Morning in the Wedding Garden
Mixed media on wood panel, 11x14
Overland Park Arboretum - Stems
purchase here

This early morning painting is an experiment in mixed media.  I first washed on a dark underpainting with acrylics - in red, blue and green.  This dries quickly, so I then sketched out my garden with a white pastel stick.  Next, using a plastic palette knife, I lay down the foliage and blooms with molding paste.  As this is drying, I start with the background and my oils.  Once the paste is hard enough, I can start over it with my oils, as well.  I am certainly stepping outside of my comfort zone here, and I can't quite decide if it is too dark.  It is not my normal, but it definitely has a mood all it's own. We'll see how I feel in a few days with this one! Painting number 880 in 880 days.

on location

Wild Roses and Iris

Wild Roses and Iris
Mixed media on unstretched canvas, 4x6
purchase here

on location

Today was a baseball tournament day, leaving little time for painting. So, here I have painted a little floral scene from the edge of the old cellar.  Wild roses have snuck into this bed - and I will soon remove them, but for now, they are a nice compliment to the old white and yellow irises.  This is a very small mixed media piece - only 4x6 inches.  I started this one on a white surface, only because I didn't think of toning it until I had already done my pastel sketch!  Building the petals and foliage up with molding paste, I then started the background with oils, as I left the paste drying.  The flowers were the last to be painted, finishing with a little knife work.  I am planning a full day painting at the arboretum tomorrow - I sure hope the weather cooperates!  Painting number 877 in 877 days :)

Dimensional Peonies

Dimensional Peonies
Mixed Media on unstretched canvas, 4x6
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on location

I wish it wasn't raining - and I could stay out all day painting!  I have started this painting in a different manner. First priming the unstretched canvas with a knife stroke of molding paste and a dark acrylic wash, I then sketched with a pastel stick. With a palette knife, I carefully stroked on the petals, building the peonies.  Allowing this to dry, I then started in with the oils.  I'm not sure if I am finished!  I want to leave the darks sprinkled around throughout, I like the dramatic mood this technique creates.  But another part of me loves the light I spread about yesterday's painting......I actually dreamed about this style last night!  Often, I dream I am painting only to wake up and find I have yet to paint my "painting du jour"!  Painting number 876 in 876 days :)

Into the Secret Garden Again

Into the Secret Garden Again
Mixed media, 11x14 - sold

This was my final painting of the Augusta Plein Air Festival.  In the afternoon light, the foliage and blooms of this wisteria glowed against the shade of the garden beyond.  This historic house of H.S. Clay is now a beautiful bed and breakfast, full of charm and an amazing breakfast that simply must be experienced!  This scene was the first to grab my attention when first arriving into town, and it took me the entire event before I could find the time to paint it!  I first sketched this out on an acrylic underpainting - which was a loosely stroked montage of blue, alizarin crimson and green, so I started with a dark surface and worked to the light.  I then used a palette knife to add the texture of the foliage and blooms - where the light was catching the most.  After this step was dry - not long on a warm day, I started in with the oils.  The whole process created a rich depth to the landscape.  This is painting number 856 in 856 days.

Single Poinsettia

Single Poinsettia
Mixed media, 9x6
purchase here

With a few fancy lace type rice papers, I am using the technique from our program yesterday.  The fancy papers add detail and texture to the painting.  I am using 140lb cold pressed paper for the substrate, which is thinner and shifts more than my 300 lb favorite.  It is strange to be painting on actual watercolor paper, instead of the super thin rice papers I have been using of late.  While fun to play with something new, I have other work to get back to.  This is painting number 691 in as many days.