Sunset Over the Missouri River

There's nothing like a sunset quick paint on the Missouri River!  I had scouted pretty far from my car in search of this view. I came to this spot late - because I was in the zone on another painting,  and could not leave it. As I painted, I soon realized I was losing the light - and I hadn't grabbed a light.  When did the sun start setting so early?  Finished or not - I had to pack up and leave.  I could no longer see the colors in my darks.  Despite all that, it is exhilarating to race with the sun for a painting!  Come see this and more at the Parkville Art House on Crooked Rd this Friday, Oct 16 from 6 to 8. Painting number 5033 in 5033 days. 

White Farmhouse Charm

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When i arrived on site, my intention was to paint more of the building and include the sweet "Betty" the Volkswagen van.  But as I started sketching, I was drawn to the drama of the angles and I wanted those first lines to pop out of the frame.  I let my pen have it's way, and my focus became the entrance with the side note of another artist who was painting "Betty"! So, I kind of included her after all!  It was super fun to paint one of my favorite shops in Parkville - and I'm happy this painting was selected to join a few of my others, too!  Come see this one and more at the Parkville Art House Oct 16 at 6:00! Painting number 5032 in 5032 days. 

Life on Main Street

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I looked for a place in the shade, but only found a pole to for cover.  As it moved away from my vantage, I stood in the full sun, wishing I had put sunscreen on my feet.  Each time the train rolled by, I popped in my earbuds to buffer the very loud horn.  I moved into the shade to check my close and values, because that it hard to see in full sun.  Despite the challenges, I loved almost every minute of it!  I am honored this painting was chosen for the Paint the Town Purchase Award in Paint Parkville!!  I love capturing the small town charm of this place in oils! 

Prima on 1st Street

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 It was fun to set up by the fire station with the perfect view of 1st Street!  The golden hour is the best time for a quick paint, and the glow lit up the street.  This place will soon look very different as the traffic is going to be routed a different way.  There's something special about capturing it as it is now, while one still can. Thank you Prima Facie for choosing my painting for your Purchase Award, and thanks to Wanda Jackson for hosting Paint Parkville!  Come see the show beginning October 16th at 6:00 at the Parkville Art House. Painting number 5030 in 5030 days. 

Giant Tree at Creekside

Well, this isn't something I paint every day!  This giant tree at Creekside puts on lazer show as the sun sets every night.  It's a challenge to get the line drawing in only to wait for nightfall before really adding paint.  I jumped in at twilight, and pushed the colors as light changed.  This place was full of children playing, families enjoying the space, and others dining at the outdoor venues.  It's a fun place to paint a psychedelic tree!  Painting number 5029 in 5029 days. 

Waterfall on Old Kate's Trail

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I LOVE painting to the music of a waterfall!   The birdsong wafted through in notes as I worked.  It has been years since I've painted here,  and these upper falls called to me.  I found a clearing from which I could stand on the east side of the falls, one that I hadn't seen before.  I loved the angles and the light from this side, and Ihad so much fun describing them with paint! The best part is that our judge for this paint, and curator of this sanctuary, purchased this one off the easel!  He had just cleared the honeysuckle from that spot - not knowing I would sweep in and paint it!  Painting number 5028 in 5028 days. 

Veteran's Memorial Fountain

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What fun it was to paint near this fountain on such a beautiful day to kick off Paint Parkville!  This is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fountain, and it is near the old depot.  As I was painting, a train came through, so I painted it in to complete the scene!  Anyone who has spent time on downtown Parkville knows these trains are iconic to this place.  I was surprised and happy to find that City Hall selected my painting for their Purchase Award based on a majority vote!  This painting will join a few others of mine on the walls of City Hall.   Painting number 5027 in 5027 days.  

Rose Garden Impressions

 

The Rose Garden at Loose Park is one is my favorite local haunts.  This garden is ever inspiring to me, and I paint here any chance I get.  My grandmother lived roses, and grew a couple of varieties that I remember.  Peace roses and Tropicana, both with their Jackson and Perkins metal tags attached.  As a little girl, I would smell deeply of their fragrance, and I remember it still.  Isn't it funny that memories in the garden remain so strong?  Like art, it was a love from the beginning that I nurture still. Come see this painting and more hanging at the Anita Gorman Conservation Center for the Brush Creek Art Walk.  It was great to see so many people at the reception tonight, and I'm happy to receive a ribbon, too!  Painting number 5027 in 5027 days. 

Walk Along the Water

Liberty is far enough from me that I've only been there a handful of times.  Each time I've painted the Liberty Plein Air, new locations have been on our schedule.  That gets me to these amazing places, to find the paintings I didn't expect to find.  I love exploring new parks with paint, it's a bit like opening up a new gift!  This pond at  Stocksdale Park was irresistible and I had a blast dropping in those bold color pops!  Painting number 5025 in 5025 days. 

Walk through Gillham Park

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The best part of painting the Kansas City Park's Walktober Quick Paints is getting to experience parks I have never been to!  This is my first time to Gillham Park, and it has lovely trails that wind through giant Sycamore trees!  If you look closely, you'll see how tiny the walkers on the trail are beside the focus tree! Kansas City has so many wonderful parks and I love painting the Walktober Quick Paints - especially when my paintings find new homes!  Gillham Park is beautiful! Painting number 5024 in 5024 days. 

Smelling the Roses on Water Street

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The theme for today's paint was "come smell the roses", in honor of the newest sculpture added to Liberty.  Arriving with only 2 hours to paint, since I first painted the Farmer's Market, the only vantage that appealed to me was from the street, in full sun, right next to traffic!  With a construction fence directly behind me, I shifted an orange cone to my side, to alert the oncoming cars.  Pressed for time, I would have chosen a smaller panel, but I didn't have it with me.  So, I jumped in fast with the thrill of the task ahead of me.  After a quick sketch to get my composition fixed, I started painting in the masses quickly on unorthodox fashion!  I painted all shadows, then all highlights, then all brick, all greens, all blues, and etc.!  I never paint this way but felt it the quickest way to finish with far less brush washing in between.  The process worked - and just maybe I'll try this crazy method again tomorrow!  I finished this 20x10 painting in an hour and 45 minutes - and I'm all about saving time wherever I can! 

What an amazing honor to have this painting chosen for the Premier Purchase Award by the Liberty Arts Council at Liberty Plein Air!!  I had SO much fun painting this!  Painting number 5022 in 5022 days. 

Belvoir Winery

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I have been to this winery one other time with the Urban Sketchers KC, and that was a cold winter day.  It was a joy to see this place with it's early fall color and lush green grass.  Michaela, Kirby, and baby Robin joined for a little plein air, too!  Thank you to the Liberty Chamber of Commerce for choosing my painting for the Purchase Award at the Belvoir Winery Quick Paint, and to Shaun at The Artisan Market for organizing Liberty Plein Air!  Michaela will be joining me to paint the square tomorrow with a Reception and Sale from 6 to 7 pm, ah the Artisan Market. Painting number 5023 in 5023 days. 

First Apple

This is Day 1 of Inktober 2026, and the official prompt is apple.  So, what better way to sketch an apple than to offer it as a tasty treat for my chickens?  At first, they didn't know what to do with it!  I've only offered tiny bites of them before - never the whole apple!  After I broke the surface of the skin with my fingernail they were more interested, and started pecking at it.  Once the first hen got a bite, her friends joined and made quick work of it!  This fun was in their run because the rain is falling again!  Painting number 5021 in 5021 days. 

Bullard's

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Sometimes, I only have time for a tiny painting - and this is such a time!  Bullard's is full of autumn color now - making it the perfect slice of fall!  The barn color with all the pumpkins was irresistible, so I've painted it quickly in miniature.  Nothing rings in autumn like painting pumpkins!  I need to get a few for my chickens to enjoy - and I will paint them, too!  Painting number 5020 in 5020 days. 
 

E Second and Main

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I love painting the small town charm of Fairfield up and down  Main Street!  As I walked back from my car, I saw this scene - which I never see driving by due to the one way street.  It was lovely, especially how the street landed at the historic hotel-turned- body-shop in my view. I've painted a few people in the painting - and one of them is me at my easel, with a patron looking over my shoulder!  Its fun to occasionally paint in a little surprise!  Painting number 5019 in 5019 days, and I'm so happy this painting has a new home, too!  

Night Falls on Court Street

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Just an hour before, this lovely home was the spot for the Artists Dinner, where good food and good friends gathered. Door prizes and gifts abounded - and I won the first one, true to form!  Dena, Melinda, Cindy, and the other committee members hosted us with flair, making sure that everyone had a gift before leaving. I have a history of winning door prizes often, and I even won a painting raffle, too!  As the artists drifted into the streets for nocturne painting, I kept coming back to this side view of Dena's house.  I asked them to turn on the lights, and then I knew I had to paint it.  As I painted, Kathy Morrison set up to paint the alley, after hanging multi colored string lights on her car!  That girl knows how to nocturne!  It was a fun evening of comraderie as we all painted and laughed.  I finished pretty early, and left the others to finish together, since I had a couple of commissions to work on.  We never leave an artist alone to finish. I'm so happy this painting found a home within those walls, too.  Painting number 5018 in 5018 days. 

South St and Main

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This sweet scene in West Salem called to me first thing. Setting up at the park, I pulled out my oils. It had been raining into the morning, and it still looked like rain.  The first building is now a sweet little ice cream shop opened up by one of the nicest people I know.  The next building is the town's library, and then a few vintage homes complete the scene.  This was a lovely place to paint, and I'm happy this painting has a new home, too.  Painting number 5017 in 5017 days. 

Peace on the Farm

As I drove back to Fairfield from Shreve's Pumpkin Patch, this beautiful farm spread out before me.  I found a water treatment road to turn into and set up my easel on the spot.  The cattle were all in position, and the distant train rolled right in behind the barn - it was perfect!  As I was finishing up, the mist started to fall and I could see the rain moving in from the north.  I packed up quickly with no time to frame, and headed in for dinner with the group.  I love when all the stars align so well!  Painting number 5016 in 5016 days. 

55 Chevy

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It's always fun when I get special requests - and this will be a Christmas surprise for someone's husband!  I've used rough handmade cotton paper that absorbs the watercolor like crazy!  I had to go over and over that paper to get it the color I wanted, and then I needed to add ink to boost it.  That is the fun of handmade papers - I have to learn their needs before they can meet mine!  Painting number 5016 in 5016 days. 

 

Downtown Fairfield

What fun it was to paint such a wide view of historic downtown Fairfield!  This scene has been on my mind since I arrived on Tuesday.  Though I've painted Fairfield many times, I've never gotten these whole view, including the courthouse. I had to set up east of the courthouse, in front of a building that was one an historic hotel. There was an awning I had to back into several times when light rain started, to prevent my ink from running!  It's a challenge to capture it all - and a thrill to do so.  Come see this in person tomorrow at the Wet Paint Sale at Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Fairfield, Illinois.  Painting number 5014 in 5014 days.