Cabin in the Woods

 This painting of the dining hall from across the lake is a demo for one of my sessions at the High School Plein Air sponsored by the Steelville Arts Council at Camp Brim Shire.  We talked about the water, and keeping the movement horizontal, reflecting the colors down into the lake from above.  Mentoring at this event each year has been so rewarding.  I love to see such growth in the students in just a few days.  I hope they carry this new found knowledge into their futures, with many more paintings to come!  Painting number 4655 in 4655 days. 

Canoes!

 

What a fun sculpture to paint with the High School Plein Air Artists in this Canoe Capitol of the World! Today was our paint out on Main Street in Steelville, and this is where my group of students wanted to paint! It's been so fun mentoring for this event, and to skate my skills with such talented young artists!  Painting number 4654 in 4654 days. 

Sunset Geese

 I am currently mentoring at the High School Plein Air hosted by the Streelville Art Council, and am having so much fun!  For my evening session, we divided our time in half to paint both a sunset and a nocturne!  The kids did marvelous paintings for each, and learned some new skills, too.  We're at Camp Brim Shire, and have had so much fun exploring the whole place with paint!  Painting number 4653 in 4653 days. 

Sunset Over Main Street

 

I LOVE painting on Main Street in Fairfield - especially at night!  Intending to paint a nocturne, the gorgeous sunset drew me right in!  I very quickly sketched the lines, then jumped right to the sunset ablazeI.  The light is so fleeting that I lay in those colors fast and loose, adding more detail as I go.  When all the color faded, i began the buildings, with only a few color notes to guide me.  Before long, I could no longer see the shapes of the buildings, so I called it.  The painting is actually bluer than the yellow street lights portray.  I love the quiet of painting at night - even in town. I'm happy this painting has a new home in the bank on the left, with a couple of mine from previous years!  Painting number 4652 in 4652 days. 

Morning at Cider Barn Farm

 

What a beautiful place for an early morning quick paint!  An hour and a half was hardly enough time to capture it all!  From the little deer playing in their pen to the white swans sailing across the lake, I just had to paint it all.  There were other animals, too, but they were out of my view.  Our gracious hosts welcomed us with a delicious breakfast after we turned in our paintings.  This was a wonderful way to start my day!  Painting number 4650 in 4650 days. 

Sunset Glory

 

I painted this one in my hand while dipping my brush into my palette, in my open trunk - there was no time to waste setting up my easel.  Though rather awkward, I painted as fast as I could, pulling the colors up from a dark palette nocturne style, but knowing where they are.  It was dark in my trunk before it was dark on my panel. This was crazy fun and so exhilarating!  There is nothing like a race with the sun! This was a spectacular sunset, and I'm SO HAPPY I didn't miss my chance to paint it!  Painting number 4649 in 4649 days. 

Quilts and Blooms

I just couldn't resist painting this charming scene at the Albion Fairgrounds! Twice, this scene called out to me as I was dropping off other paintings.  The third time, I answered the call! This was such a joyful thing to paint - the very process of it all made me happy!  I love that this painting found a new home, too!  Painting number 4648 in 4648 days. 

 

Wet Streets in West Salem

 

I'm so honored this painting was chosen for the Best of West Salem Award!  As I was scouting trug town, I could see two compositions of buildings with the water tower that I liked.  Then, I drove to find a place that I could park with exactly those buildings lined up, since it was already raining!  I needed to be close to my car in case it started pouring, which it did.  I had multiple mishaps with this painting, including dropping my phone in my palette while trying to get this photo, hitting a pothole full of water, and finding that suddenly my windshield wiper is coming loose in the heaviest rain - but all is well that ends well. My artistic journey does cross bumpy roads from time to time, and I only appreciate the perfect days more. This painting is number 4647 in 4647 days and I'm happy this painting has a new home tonight, too!  

Pumpkin Chick Mini

 

There's always time for a quick sketch with the chickens!  I've introduced a few pumpkins to the girl's run, and they don't quite know what to think!  Little Beans kept popping her head in, as if trying to figure out what I'm doing.  She's very nosy - and sassy - so she draws my eye quite frequently.  It's so fun to spend time with them, whether sketching them or holding them, rubbing their backs!  This painting is Now Showing at Powell Gardens and is my 4646th painting in 4646 days. 

Entrance to the Garden

I have wanted to paint the entrance into the Kauffman Memorial Garden for years.  I'm happy that I finally got to do it in oils during the Brush Creek Art Walk!  Oils are not allowed inside the garden, only watercolors.  So, on the countless times I've been here, it is only with my watercolor set up.  I'm entering this painting into the special Memorial category, and I've had such a good time painting this event this year. Painting number 4645 in 4635 days. 

Goats and Sunflowers

These sweet young goats are irresistible as they help clean up various areas on the farm, and I am enjoying them so much!  They have the funniest calls whenever they see me - or any other person who might feed them. I toss weeds in, and they love them! The bonus is that I don't have to take them to the burn pile.  I want to paint them near the barns, too.  I can already see the paintings in my head, if I can just get to them!  This one is now showing at Powell Gardens until November, and is painting number 4644 in 4644 days. 

Mums for Sale

 

What a great wagon to find beside the Parkville Antique Mall!  It was a bonus to have so many beautiful mums for sale!  I really love how this turned out in ink and watercolor, but if I'd known I was going to paint outside, I would have bright my oils!  It was lovely to sit in the shade to paint this, finishing right as the sun had reached me!  Painting number 4643 in 4643 days 

Wagon Load of Mums

 

What a treat to find these mums and vintage wagon in Parkville!  How could I resist painting this?!!  I had intended to find something cute inside to sketch, but didn't even make it in the door until I had painted both wagons with their mums in two different paintings!  These were brought in by the Amish in Jamesport, and wow, they impress!  Mom and I stopped on Main Street for quiche before landing here, then shopped a bit before heading back home.  Oh, I hope these are here during Paint Parkville, but I bet they will sell out before then!  Painting number 4642 in 4642 days. 

Sunflower Butterfly Impressions

We have some amazing Red spotted purple butterflies in the garden today, and I captured one in paint as it flew by!  I used my Artistic License to bump the color, to push the butterfly forward a bit.  I look forward to painting sunflowers all year long, and it's a joy to lay on that heavy paint!  This painting is now showing at Powell Gardens and is painting number 4641 in 4641 days. 

Night Falls at the Fountain

This fountain holds many memories, and I love returning to paint here with artist friends for the Brush Creek Art Walk. The Nocturne Quick Paint kicks off the weekend plein air, one that I haven't attended for several years.  I'm normally out of town painting at another event, but have chosen to stay in town this year.  Additionally, I've been missing my oils lately, so I am pulling them out tonight!  This was so much fun, and I'm glad to be painting in Kansas City again!  Painting number 4640 in 4640 days. 

Sunset Over Brush Creek

 

The promise of a glorious sunset was popping. As the color brightened, I started laying in color, quickly.  Sometimes, at this point, I wait a little longer for the intensity to heighten. I thought that I would simply add the color as it appeared.  I really wanted to capture that almost green turquoise in that horizon, so I jumped right in. I'm so thankful that I did!   That color faded in ten minutes, and no additional color rose to the occasion. If I had waited, I would have missed the moment, and that moment held a beauty all it's own. Tonight's lesson?  Seize the moment! It was an honor to win a second placing among my peers in tonight's quick paint! Painting number 4639 in 4639 days. 

Plant Sale at the Garden

Purchase Award Winner

I love painting in the community garden at the Anita Gorman Conservation Center - especially with artist friends. I started and finished this one in the sun, but painted in between from the shade.  It was 96 degrees as I headed home, such is super hot for this time of year.  The zinnias were glorious, and I've never seen the native plant sale wrap around the parking lot before today - so, of course, I had to paint it!  Today is the second Quick Paint for Brush Creek Art Walk  - and I'm so honored that my painting was chosen for the Purchase Award!  This painting will hang by a bronze plaque with my name on it!  So exciting!  Painting number 4638 in 4638 days. 

Swallowtail and Pumpkin

 

I love these beautiful days in the garden - with my paints!  The butterflies have been so abundant in recent weeks, so welcome after their sparse presence earlier in the season.  This has been the first year I've noticed a decline in their numbers around our farm.  With so many wildflowers and pasture land, pollinators have been plentiful through the years. This one will be heading to Powell Gardens next week. Painting number 4636 in 4636 days. 

Goats in the Pumpkins

It's super fun to sketch these inquisitive young goats at play, as they clean up the brush in the old barn lot.  I just added the pumpkins today, hoping to add a few seasonal paintings to my upcoming Powell Gardens collection.  I think they like being so near our chickens, and the chickens definitely love their company, too!  I'm really embracing my family farm era these days - and can't wait to fill my papers up with chickens, cows and goats! Painting number 4635 in 4635 days. 

Sunflower Swallowtail

 

The garden is the perfect place for painting sunny blooms and butterflies! I've had so many butterflies in the garden lately, and these wild sunflowers are a magnet for all the pollinators.  I only wish they'd stay put a little longer, so I could study their marks.  This rainy day sure opened up to clear blue skies.  This painting is number 4634 in 4634 days, and is headed for Powell Gardens next Tuesday. 

South Lake at Antioch Park

 

It's fun returning to Antioch Park, where I used to play as a child - to paint!  A budding artist before kindergarten, Childhood Me would LOVE that I'm painting the very steps across the lake to the island!  I remember the feeling of walking gingerly across them, careful to step in the very center of each one.  My brother and I would cross to the safety of hard ground - and be thankful for the feel of it!  Four generations of my family have gathered here. In fact, my daughter,  Tiffany, has joined today and is on the other side of the water sketching turtles. We met the Monday Morning Watercolorists here today, and hope to paint again with them next Monday.  Painting number 4633 in 4633 days. 

Parked at the Mercantile

 

I just couldn't resist painting this cool old truck parked behind Cockrell Mercantile (in my favorite color)!  The twisted old catalpa tree on the lawn pulled me right into the scene, begging to be painted, too. With ink and watercolor I captured this scene, adding more ink at the finish.  This is a favorite place to paint, and it was fun joining artist friends at the Summit Art Plein Air event!  Painting number 4632 in 4632 days. 

Welcome to Cockrell Mercantile

 

What a gorgeous day for painting and shopping at the Cockrell Mercantile!  Summit Art sponsored this one day plein air event with Cockrell Mercantile hosting. I have loved shopping here for years, and have been lucky enough to paint here for three years.  It was fun to visit with so many as they walked from one building to another.  And after this, I rushed home to host little Kirby's 3rd birthday party!  What a wonderful day of abundance!  Painting number 4631 in 4631 days. 

Monarch and Sunflowers

 

I don't think I shared this painting, and it already has a new home!  I have enjoyed seeing and painting the flurry of monarchs that have arrived. With so many chores to be done in the garden, I really treasure the moments I can actually paint what I've been tending!  This painting was briefly on display at Powell Gardens and is number 4630 in 4630 days, and now I'm getting ready for the first Chiefs game of the season!  

Zinnias!

 

Sneaking in a quick sketch amid the endless garden work is my sweet reward!  With so much traveling this year, I've fallen behind in the garden.  So, I'm putting in countless hours in an effort to bring them all back to glory.  No small feat, as I know no bounds when creating spaces I want to paint!  As I finished this tiny painting, I felt restored and ready to tackle another bed! Painting number 4629 in 4629 days. 

Sunflower Dance

After a long day of garden work, it's fun to paint these cheerful sunflowers.  I see many paintings in the gardens as I work, and I always make a mental note.  Sometimes, I return to paint their beauty, but too often, they fade before I make it back to them. Oh the life of an artist/gardener - with so many balls to juggle!  Painting number 4628 in 4628 days. 

 

Blue Jersey Giant

 

Looks like the chicks are posing for sketchbook time!  Lesson number 2 for chicken sketch time - a little scratch keeps them happy while I work!  I learn something each time I paint with them.  I'm getting better at dodging incoming beaks - from the two curious Black Stars, while the rest are quite content to watch me draw.  The blue jerseys are sweethearts, and I can't wait to see how big they grow! Painting number 4627 in 4627 days. 

Calico Princess Inked

 

My chickens went in before I finished this sketch, and they wouldn't even come out for treats!  This pretty chicken laid her first pink egg yesterday, and her "sister" laid one today!  I only had time for a drawing today, but I hope to paint her in oil one day soon!  Painting number 4626 in 4626 days.