Winter Grapevines in the Fog

Another gorgeous, foggy morning - and I HAD to get out there and capture it!  These grapevines caught my attention yesterday, but the west pasture beckoned.  Today, these vines would not be denied.  I sketched the general composition quickly, then started laying paint.  Whenever I have limited time, I just let instinct take over and work as fast as I can.  This is painted with my limited palette, which ensures strong color harmony.  I used a limited palette exclusively for years with my acrylics in plein air, and I have really had fun getting back to that with my small pocket box set up!  I find I am going back to those limited colors even on my larger works lately!  Painting number 1471 in 1471 days :)

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Foggy Winter Morning

With more fog expected this morning, I rose early.  With every intention to finish this painting before pilates, I rushed to get outside.  Once painting, I relished the opportunity to paint such a thick, juicy atmosphere!  I knocked this one out quickly, but I was still late to pilates!   I made up for it with extra laps on the track...... painting number 1470 in 1470 days!   I hope this fog continues!

Oil on panel, 7x5
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Frosted Fog at the Barn

Frost enveloped the landscape this morning - and I could not resist it!  The fog was still heavy and luminous - so I started painting!  As a result, I was a little late to Zumba!  There is more frost expected in the morning, so I will get up extra early to be ready for it!  I love the challenge of this frosty scene with it's close values and minimal color.  I don't think I've ever painted in the frost before.  The very best thing about trying to paint en plein air everyday is the wide range of color and value in the landscape, especially in the quiet of winter.  I find I am enjoying it immensely!  Painting number 1469 in 1469 days :)

Oil on panel, 7x5
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January Barn

I rushed from the gym to the monthly Tri County meeting, then a quick stop at the post office to ship a painting to Maine. With paints in tow, I stopped by the Memorial Park for a brief scouting. I found this lovely scene with barn, clouds and yellow grasses.  I stopped and painted on the spot!  I love this little 5x7 thumb box pochade box by Guerrilla Painter!  It is small enough to go anywhere - and still holds all the supplies I need and two wet paintings, too!  SO convenient for everyday use!  Painting number 1468 in 1468 days.

Oil on panel, 7x5
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Moody Winter Creek

Rain threatened all day as the temperature rose.  Although January, the local creeks are taking on the green tint of spring.  I love the dark, cloudy days, and I think there is much beauty in the close values. Color is more saturated, richer. I hope the warm days continue - I can't wait to get back in the field!  Painting number 1467 in 1467 days.

Oil on panel, 10x8
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Abstract Moon

This little bit of craziness was SO challenging!  The moon has been out in full force lately, so I've chosen a spot at the pond for an abstract nocturne!  I am SO not abstract by nature!  Pushing the masses into broken spots of color sounded like an easy thing to do....but I had to keep laying paint, overlapping and abstracting the shapes that constantly kept emerging!  This required so much thought, whereas my normal paintings slip off the brush with very little "brain engagement".  I guess this is part of learning, a painful, time consuming part.  I could have painted three paintings in the time it took for this dip into madness!  Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I did sign this, but nobody will believe I painted it.  I will now return to my sketchbook for a little normally to restore my soul!  This crazy painting is the 1466th in 1466 days.

Acrylic on panel, 9x12
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Snowy Road through Town

On this cold winter's day, I have my hot tea close and Game of Thrones playing.  Since I was a child, I have been drawn to the warm, pastoral scenes of Currier and Ives.  Today, I am channeling that love into my handmade watercolor sketchbook with pen and ink.  Once the India ink is good and dry, I flow the watercolor over the top.  I have all four of my Watercolor Confection pan sets out - and I jump between them with my brush pens.  I am laying on stronger color and deeper values, as the whim takes me.  This is the first day I've dipped into the "pastel dreams" and the "tropicals". I am REALLY enjoying these paints!  I so seldom have a day when I can get lost in my artwork, and I am seizing this day!  This is painting number 1465 in 1465 days :)

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Into the Winter Sunset

I had a larger painting window than normal today, so I chose a wonderful 16x20 canvas.  My intentions were to paint something bold and very abstract, but as happens so often, the painting took on a life of it's own.  I blocked in with acrylics using a large brush.  I allowed this to dry while preparing for "game night". After most of my work was done, I started with my oils, using my softest brushes - and Bristlons and mostly Silverwhites.  I love the way the Silverwhites lay down strokes on top of my previous layer, without disturbing that wet paint.  Perfect for finish work.  I feel like this one is done and I'm going to let this one rest - someone is pulling up the lane right now!   Painting number 1464 in 1464 days :)

Oil over acrylic on panel, 16x20
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Milk Barn - watercolor journal

All those chores left undone yesterday, had to be tended to today.  With no daylight left, I am sketching late in my special watercolor journal.  Once the pen and ink is finished, I try out my newest Watercolor Confections pan set of "Decadent Pies"!  This selection has the perfect color palette for this time of year.  Well suited they are for the winter landscape.  I was especially surprised by the wonderful shade of the dark blue - very nice for the shadow work, and a good complement for the warm yellows.  I really do love using this ink and watercolor combination for architecture. Perhaps tomorrow, I'll be adding some ice to my painting!  Painting number 1463 in 1463 days :)

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Winding Creek in January

How could I not take advantage of this beautiful, warm day?  Yes, I really should have been doing housework, and I still have ornaments to put in the attic.  But, I only had two and a half hours left of this glorious afternoon to paint - and I just couldn't waste it!   After getting chicken and dumplings in the crockpot (by special request), Michaela and I headed out to this winding creek which crosses 175th street between Mission and Nall.  I have wanted to paint this location for years!  I used my french resistance easel, which I've not set up since my last event.  I didn't even check the palette I pulled from the freezer!  I really need to scrape the dry paint off this one - and reload some of the paints!  As always, I just make due with what I have, although it would have been easier with a few of my favorites to dip into.  It felt just like spring or there!   I am going to remember this day when the ice storm rolls in!   Painting number 1462 in 1462 days.

Oil on panel, 14x11
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Sunset from the Pasture

Keeping an eye to the sky, I prepared dinner.  Everything about painting a sunset involves timing.  I put the fresh vegetables in the oven to roast, and popped out to the pasture to catch the sunset!  I should have been out there 5 minutes sooner.  The light was soft and fading.  I am making an effort to capture the sunset in all of it's moods, so I brushed in the masses with my very limited palette.  I really should add another color or two to make the most of the fleeting light - if I am to continue painting sunsets!   I had a little trouble with only Indian yellow, perm crimson and ultramarine blue!  I would have loved some Naples yellow pale and a little alizarin crimson.  This painting makes 1461 in 1461 days :)

Oil on panel, 7x5
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Sunset on the Snow

As I finished the painting yesterday at the milk barn, I turned to see this beautiful scene over my shoulder.  How could I resist?  The trick on this one was to lay in that gorgeous color around all those branches!   I prefer to paint the trees negatively, as it gives them a rougher, more realistic shape.  With so many branches, this means lots of little strokes of color to make up the mass of the sky plane.  The varied strokes also give an energy to that mass, as well as the pasture plane.  The sun sets so quickly that getting down the paint must also be fast, or the moment is lost.   I like the quick brushwork on this one, I think I'll leave it loose.  Painting number 1460 in 1460 days.

Oil on panel, 10x8
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Snow at the Milk Barn

Well, I had a little trouble with this one.  I started late, already in the golden hour.  I didn't load my palette, as I have been keeping it in the car, so I was out of the tiny bit of viridian, and black (which I use to mix greens). When it came to making a good, strong dark, all I had was ultramarine blue, permanent crimson, Indian yellow and white.  As you can probably guess, getting a strong shadow color out of this was a challenge!  Challenge aside, I do really like the color harmony achieved by using so few hues. As I finished this one up, the setting sun in the west was calling my name......!  Painting number 1459 in 1459 days :)

oil on panel, 10x8
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Grandpa's Old Seeder

I can remember climbing on this antique seeder when I was very small, as my brother and I did with all the old farm equipment.  Now, I am painting it as it rests in the snow.  Since it is so cold out, I have been leaving my palette in the car, rather than putting it in the freezer each night.  At 25 degrees, my Williamsburg oils were creamy at first brushstroke.  I chose my brushes for my 7x5 Guerrilla Painter thumb box according to which ones would fit!  This is a small box, for small paintings, so supplies are minimal when taking this baby into the field.  I load it so that I will need nothing but the box, for the two paintings it will hold inside.  I love it!  Painting number 1458 in 1458 days :)

oil on panel, 7x5
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First Snow at the Milk Barn

The sun is shimmering on the snow this afternoon, and I have waited until the warmest time of this day to paint!  Mind you, that is only 17 degrees, but it beats the 1 degree I woke up to!   My grandmother used to milk her cows here every morning and night for many years, and now I paint here.  I love this place, and I've always loved this place, I wrote about it in my diary as a child.  I am using Williamsburg oils with this easel, and they are still smooth and creamy at 17 degrees.  I use no solvents, only safflower oil to clean my brushes, so this is am important fact for me.  I wonder how cold it can get before they start to show it!   love my Gamblins, but they really start to tack up under 25 degrees.  Who knew this would ever be important to me?  Sane artists don't paint in weather like this!  Painting number 1457 in 1457 days :)

Oil on panel, 7x5
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Gate to West Pasture

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My schedule is a very fluid thing.  Often, things come up at the drop off a dime.  Today was such a day.  After finishing too many chores to count, I was finally layered up and ready to go paint by the pond.  The next minute, Michaela needed a ride to her eye appointment since our roads were still slick from the snow.  Arriving home with little daylight left, I turn to my ink and watercolor.  The subtle color shifts in this snowy scene are added with my brushpens and tiny travel pans.  I never would have imagined that I would like these brushpens so much.  They are right up there with my Raphaels.  Who knew?  Painting number 1456 in 1456 days :)

Cedar Creek in January

Sometimes, I wake up with a desire to paint a certain place.  Whenever I stop by the gallery in Lee's Summit, I make it a point to head to this creek on the way home, painting gear in tow.  It was certainly cold at 17 degrees, but I had dressed in layers, armed with hand warmers. Using my newest easel, the 5x7 thumb box by Guerrilla Painter, I was able to get this small panel covered in under an hour.  I didn't even get cold until I had finished, and was walking briskly along the creek in search of other painting locations.  My limited palette today includes Indian yellow, red oxide, white and black - and for now, my palette is an Altoids tin!  I know, it's kinda crazy, but I just can't get paint on any easel if I can help it!  Painting number 1455 in 1455 days :)

Oil on panel, 7x5
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January Sky

The late afternoon sky was beautiful and begged to be painted.  In this painting, I have tried a new color - Sevris Blue by Williamsburg.  The color is rich and the pigment is strong, much like their Indian Yellow.  It bends towards the turquois, and is the middle sky color in this painting.  The Williamsburg paints are creamy and richly pigmented.  I have nine of them, and have yet to try two of them.  On the landscape I painted a few days ago, I used them exclusively. It is so fun trying out new supplies!  This painting makes 1454 in 1454 days  :)

Oil on panel, 7x5
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Little Mackinleigh

Today, I'm switching gears to the soft, impressionistic brushwork of sweet baby flesh!  I am using the limited palette yellow oxide, red oxide, cad red light, cad red medium, indanthrene blue, ivory black and titanium white - all Liquitez heavy body.  I start by laying in the background, allowing the baby to emerge.  In this case, I had all masses in before I even started the flesh tones.  Not my normal method, but I always let the process happen organically.  After a little push and pull, I am going to let this one rest.  I'll take a look tomorrow with fresh eyes, and decide if I need a little tweaking!  Painting number 1453 in 1453 days and day 3 in the current 30 day painting challenge!  :)

Pickering Farm

After breakfast with my parents this morning, we drove back to the horse barn at the Owen Good Farm, originally the Pickering Farm.  It's been awhile since I've been back there, and it is slipping into ruin.  Once a grand stable, there is even a ballroom on the upper level where parties were held.  I plan to capture many drawings here while it still stands.  I get my lines in with a Pitt pen, and then wash with a light coat of watercolor  - the classics by watercolor confections in this case.  What a beautiful barn, rich in history, and this is my 1452nd painting in 1452 days :)

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