Along the River

 

It was worth standing in the full sun to paint this view of the Meramec River from the Cobblestone Lodge beach!  With a painting in every direction, it's hard to decide which view to paint!  The light quality in the Eastern direction called to me, so I chose this for my demo with the High School Plein Air students.   The saturated colors following the rain were glorious - and I get to reap the rewards in paint - and share my process with a new generation. This painting Now Showing at Gallery Zeke in Steelville, and is painting number 4910 in 4910 days. 

Oldsmar Beach

 

I'm sketching the reaching trees of Oldsmar Beach in my journal tonight, and looking forward to sketching mountains soon.  Getting to spend time in nature like this is so very rewarding.  Sitting on the beach, feeling the warmth of the sun as it casts shadows across the sand, is therapeutic.  Cares of the day melt away as pen glides over paper, and words spill out describing my day. Studying the colors brings on a childlike wonder, how beautiful is the sparkle of water.  I am missing my friend, and remembering her, as I work through the pages of this journal.  How very healing it feels.  Painting number 5121 in 5121 days. 

North Side of Howard Beach

 

The white sand of Howard Beach is one of my favorite things to paint in Tarpon Springs! This north side is quiet and narrow, a perfect place for reflection and solitude.  A fisherman walked far from the beach and the water was only up to his knees.  It's a great place to look for little creatures in the water, because the water is so very clear. I'll think of these beaches all year long until I return again to paint them.  Painting number 5120 in 5120 days. 

Sponge Boats

The Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs are a "must paint" for me whenever I'm in town!  It's a great place for dining, shopping and painting sponge boats!! 

Oldsmar Beach

 

I love the way those branches reach towards the water - just like I keep finding my way to the beach!  I think I'll go back into this one, and remove that far right palm trunk. I was so distracted by sudden gusting winds that I didn't edit that on the spot.  Perhaps I'll do it in my app before attacking it for real!  Painting number 5112 in 5112 days 

Oasis Beach

Honeymoon Island is a favorite place to visit and paint when in the area.  The beautiful beach pavilions are still battered from October's hurricane, and taped off.  The lovely white beaches still shimmer and I found I could not resist painting this perfect pair at ocean's edge.  They stood there together on this beach and weathered a hurricane. And here they are, still standing strong on this pristine beach in the sun.  Quite a lesson for life this is.  Painting number 5109 in 5109 days. 

Lifeguard Shack at the Beach

 

Another day, another beach! I love what they've done with the lifeguard shack! The yellow and red really pop against the blue of ocean and sky.  I'm painting this one loosely, with quick marks and strokes.  Though I've painted the umbrellas in their natural blue, I have the strong desire to paint them red, orange or yellow at the very least.  Since that paint is thick, I'll let it dry a bit first.  Then, I'm totally boosting their impact!  Painting number 5108 in 5108 days. 

Sunset Beach Afternoon

 

White sand and sun - what a perfect February pairing!! The gulf coast beaches here are so very light that it bounces right back into my eyes as I paint.  I chose this side of the peninsula for a little protection from the wind blowing out of the north.  The cold side lighting is completely different, too. The water is a very dark steely blue, choppy with foam, and the north sky is cooler and more ultramarine.  Comfort and color landed me here, and I wish I could have stayed for another.  It could not be since Mom was ready to head back for a nap. Painting number 5107 in 5107 days. 

Snow Globe Boats

 

Snow Globe is such a beautiful ink for a seascape!  I love opening a new ink each day leading to Christmas - especially when I can discover one as chromatic as this!  The color bleeds into lovely turquoise and lavender on the wet paper, yet remains very dark when applied with a dip pen. The shifts are striking, and serene.  Though I'm inking every day, I find myself too busy to get them all posted, which means I'll be playing catch up and posting them later.  This one is from day 12 of the calendar, my oldest daughter's birthday. This day found us entertained by the goats, roasting marshmallows by the campfire, on nighttime "gater rides" with Nolan, Quinn and Layne, and playing a new card game with Michael dubbed Aww Shucks with Danny and the boys!  What fun the holidays bring, and it's small wonder I can't seem to get my posting in!  Painting number 5041 in 5041 days. 

Baltic Breeze

It's so exciting to open the very first ink from Diamine's Inkvent Calendar 2024!!  This is the best possible advent calendar for any artist! I get to open a little present each day right up to Christmas, and create tiny masterpieces with each one!  I dropped this ink into a wet sky abs allowed it to spread down naturally.  The chroma that resulted was so lovely!  I then penned in the foreground with a glass dip pen, using a wet brush to move the ink a little.  I meant to try a little bleach, too, but forgot until just now.  I can't wait to see what tomorrow's ink will be!  Painting number 5206 in 5206 days. 

Heading to the Lake

It was so good to be painting in the shores of Lake Quivira after such a long absence.  The last scheduled plein air event here was 9 years ago. On this lovely day, my daughters finished their paintings while I started this oil, longing to capture the light in the kayaks. This was such a fun painting and it is now showing in the Lake Quivira Clubhouse along with three others of mine and 4 of my daughters' paintings, too.  Painting number 5176 in 5176 days. 

Sailing Dreams

 

What an honor to find this painting was awarded 2nd place at the Lake Quivira Paint Out!!  It was super fun painting here with BOTH my daughters for our first plein air event together. It had been 9 years since I had painted here, and I found myself drawn to the waterfront. Last time, there was a yacht race in progress, but today the water was still.  With those lovely sailboats waiting on shore, the wet ground reflected light as though they were on the water.  The painting unfolded naturally as I visited with my daughters, each finishing their own paintings. I'm looking forward to all of our painting time ahead. Painting number 5171 in 5171 days, and this painting is now showing at the Lake Quivira Clubhouse.

Kayaks at Lake Quivira

I was hoping for a splash of color when I headed toward Lake Quivira, and I found it!  My daughter, Tiffany joined me today for her first real plein air event!  It was so fun sharing the day with her down by the water.  She found a lovely sailboat to paint while I painted these in a sliver of shade. I'm using my new QoR watercolors for this one - so I still have my swatch out as I work.  This is only my second painting with them, and I am still learning my palette.  One big drawback- a few cakes pop out of the pan each time I open them!  I put two drops of water under each one that was out today - so we'll see if they stay.  Painting number 5158 in 5158 days. 

Lakeside Beach

SOLD

 

This is my first Lakeside Beach painting of the plein air event - but it certainly wasn't my last!  I LOVE when a painting connects to so many!  Sitting on a bench, this view grabbed me right away.  It was the same bench my Mom and I had sat on to watch the sunset after dinner the night before.  I had already studied the scene - wishing I had enough time to paint before - so it was a natural choice this morning.  With ink and watercolor I captured the scene, and another artist joined me to visit before I finished.  It was a lovely way to start the day - and asking the first 4 paintings that literally flew out of my bag to be purchased as I arrived at my wet paint location.  What fun that was - and many others wanted this piece in those two hours.  It really does pay to be first at a wet paint sale! Painting number 5110 in 5110 days. 

On Lakeside Beach

SOLD

What better way to end this day than with a final paint on the beach at Lakeside?  Music wafted on the air from the sunset service as a cool breeze blew in off Lake Erie.  One my one, people walked down the pier and took seats along water's edge, in a daily ritual to watch the sunset.  This place is special, full of simple pleasures, family values and true community spirit.  I love painting here as much as I love being here.  It was so much fun to find patrons waiting at my booth spot to buy my paintings before I unpacked them!  I'm happy so many paintings find new homes today - as well as this one, tonight!  Painting number 5102 in 5102 days.

Lakeside Waterfront - August Cup

SOLD

 I chose this lovely path along Lake Erie for my second paint today, and was rewarded with sailboats sailing into my scene!  I'm so happy to capture the August Cup race in progress! What amazing luck!  Painting number 5101 in 5101 days. 

Sailboat Sunset

 

Ink, watercolor and a grounded sailboat feels like the beginning of a story as I paint.  This boat stands all alone off the coast north of Clearwater, Florida. I wonder where it's owners are. Are they searching for this vessel, afraid it has been swept out to the open water?  Or, are they missing as well?  A mystery unfolds as I paint, and the sun meets the horizon, soon to cloak the whole scene in darkness. So many stories, so little time to paint them all.  Painting number 5012 in 5012 days. 

Sunset over Peaceful Valley Lake

 I should always seize the opportunity to paint a sunset - the beauty around me is my reward!  With only 30 minutes of light remaining, I grabbed a panel and started slinging paint quickly.  This view was from the lake side of our host home,  and Caroline and I both painted from water's edge! The clouds were illuminated with glorious color, so I marked those masses first, careful to keep them pure.  It's so easy to mix into areas when painting fast, so careful is key.  Once I had my colors marked, I married the edges, bringing it to a speedy completion just as the light was fading.  Sunset painting is always a race with the sun - an invigorating race, indeed! Painting number 3940 in 3940 days. 

Jackson Harbor

We had an amazing dinner in this spot last night - and I had to paint the view!  Jackson Harbor Soup was open for dinner and I had the best French onion soup I've ever had! Jackson Harbor is full of historic charm, and the water is so clear one can see deep into it from the dock.  Washington Island is full of beautiful treasures to paint, and I'm happy to have gotten the chance to do so! Painting number 

Lake Michigan View

 I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the view out the back door of the place we're staying in on Washington Island.  Lake Michigan in all her glory, caning to me to paint!  Setting up on the ragged edge of the bluff - to get the best view -i set my easel up on one rock, and stood in another.  No backing up to check my painting, because I didn't want to fall off the bluff!  The surf kept me company, with it's lapping and splashing, and the painting practically fell off the brush.  What a peaceful way to spend the afternoon!  Painting number 3850 in 3850 days.