By the River

There is so much beauty in the world, and it is my daily pleasure to  try to do it justice with paint. This day was full of family as we watched grandchildren and spent time with daughters and a son and son-in-law, too.  Mike is helping the grandsons get ready for TSA competitions in April, so the kitchen has turned to a workshop.  The cold temps have preserved the snow for another day, and so I paint, knowing we might not get another snow.  Each painting is colored with my day's experience, so this one glows a bit with the anticipated golden hour. Every day is a gift, and this day was full of many of them. Painting number 4056 in 4056 days. 

Christmas Magic at Union Station

I have longed to paint this large for my own wall all month long.  The first two oil paintings were painted in the daylight hours - and both sold.  As we came back from dinner at Crown Center, we walked through this majestic hall at night.  WOW, was this place breath-taking!  In all these years, I've never been down there after dark, and I did not know what I was missing!  So, for this large substrate, I had to capture that nocturne beauty.  I have chosen a different vantage, one that I looked at the very first time I painted here, and started with all the line work.  I see a few adjustments needed, and a bit of work left to do, but I ran out of time and wanted it on the wall for today's Christmas celebration!  After a day fun of family, food and fun, I will let this painting rest until tomorrow, and probably add more paint while it hangs on the wall - lol.  I may just leave this one up long after the holidays are over.  This place brings back happy family memories, and time spent with my dad on a bench, enjoying the beauty of this place.  Painting number 3263 in 3263 days. 

Wild Sunflowers

I LOVE finding wild roadside sunflowers blooming profusely!  I try to grow some each year just so I can paint them and bring them in for arrangements. This year, however, a GIANT plant of them - almost 300 blooms - blew over in a storm, snapping the base off low!  These beauties withered and faded before they could really be captured in paint, much to my dispare!  So once again, I am left hunting them up along the road, to paint their beauty before summer is gone!  I think next year I'll cage them - to shield them from the strong wings on this hill!  Painting number 3170 in 3170 days. 

Twilight Sunflowers

Whenever I come upon a field full of sunflowers, it absolutely takes my breath away.  Traveling the backroads of Missouri, these beauties were turning their heads toward the fading sun.  I had to paint it.  This is one that I did a small color study of on sight, to paint larger when I had the luxury of time. I rarely do this, but with so little light left I simply had no other option.  The result is a painting that sings of the twilight moments I spent on the roadside, capturing the fleeting beauty of sunflowers in bloom.  Painting number 3087 in 3087 days.  This one now showing at Music Art Love Gallery in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri. 

Snowfall at the Creek

 I was getting this painting ready to take to the gallery, and I had not written on the back. I often skip this step in the winter, I just want to get packed up and out of the cold. So, I looked back on my blog to find my post, with the date and name I would have given it at the time.  I looked at each winter month, and nothing. I searched my blog for the location and key tags - also nothing.  I found the photo I took of the ink sketch and the place before I painted in oil, and then I found this photo in my phone, unshared.  This is one of my favorite winter paintings, and I didn't even post it.  I don't think I have ever forgotten to post such a large painting, this one is 24x18.  I am entering this painting along with several others into the MVIS Signature Show at the Cathy Kline Art Gallery in Parkville for July. Who knows what number this painting really was, but I'm giving it today's number - 3083 in 3083 days. 

Creek Along the Trail

There is something almost magical when painting near the water.  Birdsong and the gentle sound of water over rocks are my music as I work, and are as soothing as the act of painting.  My painting window is always a slice of art therapy, always leaving me renewed.  Most especially in the midst of a crazy, busy week! Painting number 2354 in 2354 days.

Reibolts Creek Revisited

I can't pass by a winding creek, they lure me in every time!  We have been so fortunate the last two weeks to have cool August temperatures - SO uncommon for Missouri!  I am taking advantage of this beautiful weather, even though my household chores are constantly nagging at me!  We've had some major renovating under way - and with that comes all that extra work!  I'm trying not to let it cut into my paint time, but it has to come from somewhere and it looks like "sleep" is the big loser here!  Looking forward to all projects finished and carefree painting days!  Painting number 1677 in 1677 days.

oil on panel, 18x24
purchase here

Skies of Glory

Skies of Glory
Oil on masonite, 24x18
purchase here

Starting rather late in the day on this one, I did have a few hours of uninterrupted painting time.  After sifting through reference photos I have taken over the years, I kept returning to this sky.  I merged the sky with a different landscape, to bounce that wonderful color off the surface of the water.  I have used both brush and knife on this one - my old, worn out brushes since my new ones have not come in yet.  The connoisseurs hold up very well for the first 150 paintings, and then begin to show some wear.  But, in their defense, they have very slowly degraded - and I will keep them for all the rough, scrubby work.  That will leave my new ones for the finish work and places where I want sharp edges on the brush.  My favorite palette knife remains the pie shaped one - I use it 90% of the time I reach for a knife.  Since it is now dark, I will let this rest until tomorrow, checking it again in the natural light of day.  Are these blues too strong?.........maybe.........painting number 1125 in 1125 days.

Horses by the River

Horses by the River
Oil on wood panel, 24x18
purchase here

Today finds us tearing into a new project on the house!  We are putting in a double window on the west wall of the living room, and are ready to cut the hole in the outside wall.  With that comes all of the moving of furniture, clearing that wall - and cleaning up the little surprises found behind that stuff (and all of you with kids and grandkids know what that means!  This is a large painting, and I had most of it finished yesterday, with only the horses to complete.  With just a few adjustments, and a quick check of my colors in the light of day, since all colors change at night.  Painting number 1067 in 1067 days.  :)