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. 

Giant Pumpkins on the Farm

How could I possibly resist painting those giant pumpkins?!! I have not seen them this big in all the years I've been coming to this patch in Barnhill, Illinois.  It sprinkled a few times during the painting process, and I moved back under the cover of a concession stand, moving back out when it stopped.  Once I have oils on my whole panel, then it is fine to stand out in the rain.  But if the dry panel gets wet - it will resist that oil paint, stopping it from adhering to the panel.  The rainy day wad the perfect backdrop for those rich, saturated colors  It feels like fall now that I've  painted Shreve's Pumpkin Patch!  Painting number 5013 in 5013 days. 

Sunset in Downtown Fairfield

 

No, I could NOT resist that amazing sunset tonight as we disbanded from our Fairfield PaintOut meeting!  I tried to persuade my artist friends to stay, but one by one they fell away to get to their host homes.  I simply could not leave, so I quickly sketched out the scene with a pastel stick on a gessoed  board. I still had plenty of sunset color in the sky so I quickly set up my easel and slapped on paint as quickly as possible, first the darks then that fabulous color that was still fresh in my mind, though fading in the sky. I won't know until tomorrow how it really looks, when I take it out of my trunk!  It was super fun and I'm so glad I stayed to capture it in oil!  Painting number 5012 in 5012 days. 

Downtown Albion

What a surprise and honor it is to win Best of Edwards County AND People's Choice Award for this street scene painting on Main and 5th in Albion!  Thanks to @averilgoodman and the whole committee for hosting the Edwards County Paint Out, an event I love to paint!  This historic square in Albion, Illinois is full of small town charm. I started this one thinking the rain would hold off.  As it started to rain, I popped in the car to work.  When it stopped, I hopped out - only to feel the rain picking back up again.  Ink and watercolor can't be rained on - so back in I went.  Starting late in the day, this was quite a bit to bite off before turn in.  It was challenging and fun - and definitely worth the effort!  Painting number 5011 in 5011 days, and it will be hanging in the local bank. 

Along Mill Creek

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It's so much fun to paint the Country Club Plaza for the Brush Creek Art Walk!  I get to paint with artist friends among the gorgeous architecture of the plaza, with live music serenading me. The plaza will be changing in the future, and I want to paint it as it is right now.  It's especially fun when a painting sells off the easel and I'm so happy this painting found a new home, too! Painting number 5010 in 5010 days.  

Legacy Park

What a beautiful morning to paint the Anita Gorman Conservation Center for the Brush Creek Art Walk!  This community garden is a favorite of mine to return to and paint.  I love the linear design with an those soft edges of blooms and vegetables.  The early light was amazing, and a treat to capture in oils.  I was happy to run into a few artist friends I haven't seen in a while, too!  Painting number 5008 in 5008 days. 

Mum Sale!

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 What fun it was to paint the mum sale in downtown Rocheport!  The whole community seemed to pop in for mums while I painted - and I even painted a couple of them into my painting!  It was fun to see small town life unfold in front of me, and to get to capture the magic with ink and watercolor.  I do love the charm of visiting and painting these small towns so much. Life just seemed simpler here.  There were only a handful of mums left by the end of that sale!  I'm so happy this painting found a new home, and it is painting number 5007 in 5007 days. 

Blufftop View of the River

 

How quickly the light changes at the A Frame Les Bourgois!  This is THE best view of the Missouri River that I've found to paint in Rocheport!  It's been so fun exploring this place in paint - and equally fun to do it with artists friends!  I hope to return next year to see what other jewels I can find to paint!  Come see this one in person at ART Off the Trail gallery on Central!  Painting number 5006 ink 5006 days. 

Rocheport Winery

 

This beautiful vintage home-turned-winery is right off the Katy Trail in Rocheport, and I couldn't resist painting it!  I've painting quite a bit along this trail, and this is the busiest trailhead I've painted yet!  The Meriweather café and historic depot are right behind me, and if I had the time, I'd paint them, too!  I've really enjoyed these days in Rocheport! Now Showing at Art Off the Trail gallery on Central in town! 

A Frame at the Blufftop

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The view of the A Frame Les Bourgois from the blufftop overlook was so much fun to paint!  I've only been here once, years ago.  The entertainment space is much expanded and the overlook on the Missouri River is gorgeous!  Rambling flower beds soften all the hard edges - making this very paintable. This view grabbed me, and I HAD to paint it!  I'm happy this painting has a new home, too!  Painting number 5005 in 5005 days. 

Jazz in the Roses

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It was a lovely evening to paint Jazz in the Roses at the Loose Park Rose Garden!  It is a special treat when I can paint to live music - and these jazz musicians were stellar!  It was fun to visit when onlookers stopped to talk, and two young girls even painted petals onto my rose garden!  The littlest couldn't hardly reach - and she was very thoughtful with that stroke! Perhaps they are the next generation of painters in this rose garden!  I'm happy this painting went home with a new collector, too! Painting number 5003 in 5003 days 

#artistlife #jazzintheroses #looseparkrosegarden #kansascityart #pleinairpainting 

Downtown Rocheport

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I finished this painting up just as the rain started in downtown Rocheport.  This place is so charming that not even rain can discourage me from painting!  This was the first is my paintings to sell at the Wet Paint Sale! Painting number 5002 in 5002 days. 

Looking Down Second St

 

It was a beautiful day to paint the streets of Rocheport! There are SO many lovely, historic buildings lining the streets of this small town, it's hard to choose my painting location.  The red brick homes in the lush green landscape called to me the loudest - so this is where I landed!  This painting is now showing at Art Off the Trail Gallery in Rocheport, Missouri.  I'm so happy this gallery is now showing my work, too!  Painting number 5001 in 5001 days.