Cook Station Stream

 

There is nothing like painting to the music of a stream! Cook Station was such a treat!  Teddy and I drove out to this location in the rain. The rain continued through my first painting, letting up just enough for me to get it framed.  As I waited for Teddy to finish, I found this spot, and couldn't resist it!  The rain had nearly stopped, so I painted as fast as I could, and wrapped it up in time to get back for judging.  I could have painted here for days!  Several people mentioned the outhouse with 4 seats in that painting!  It seems to be a local icon!  This one now hanging at Gallery Zeke in Steelville! Painting number 4540 in 4540 days. 

Cook Station Dreaming

SOLD

 

It was raining pretty good when I pulled up to Cook Station. Upon check in at the Mercantile, this view of town grabbed me.  I scouted a bit under covered porches but returned to this first place to paint.  I visited on the porch as I painted, listening to music piped in to speakers.  It was lovely, though it rained the entire time, sometimes hard.  This is a special place, and I'm so happy I got to paint here! Painting number 4539 in 4539 days. 

Come see my plein air work on Main Street in Steelville tomorrow,  June 8 from 10:00 to 2:00. Art, llibations, live music, and food trucks - it's going to be a fun day near Gallery Zeke! 

Mound Ridge Lodge

There's nothing like pen and ink for a quick sketch, especially when my subject is architecture!  This is the main entrance from the river, where long ago boats would bring the masses to this spot for rest and restoration.  This is my lodging for the weekend mentorship of high school students in the Steelville area.  I have a room in the right side, and love sketching this special place where I have shared wine and conversation with artist friends, getting to know them all a little better.  Love this historic lodge along the Meramec River, and hope to return for years to come!  Painting number 4257 in 4257 days. 

Covered Bridge in Wesco

I had driven by this place a couple of years ago, and had even done a small ink sketch of it, but this was finally my chance to paint the whole scene!  I began in ink, unsure of whether to add watercolor or not. As I worked, the bright spring light pouring in convinced me to add the color!  I love these timeless little slices of Americana that dot the midwest - and I'm so happy to have painted this!  Painting number 4244 in 4244 days, and this painting now has a new home! 

Stone Ruins

I loved getting to paint some of the stone ruins with students at Mound Ridge today.  After a several paints down by the Meramec River, it was refreshing to spend some time in here among some old stone structures.  I love getting to connect with others in the landscape, be they young or old.  We can all bond when studying the landscape, no matter what our favorite mediums are, it's all colors, shapes and values after all.  This first mentoring event with high school students in the Steelville area has really been a success - in SO many ways!  I hope to be a part of it for years to come.  I've really enjoyed my time here with them all!  Painting number 4237 in 4237 days. 

Meramec River from Mound Ridge

Oh my what a glorious day for painting the Meramec River in oils!!  After mentoring another group of wonderful young artists this morning in ink and watercolor, it was a "free paint" afternoon for my CO-instructor and I.  Oils were calling to me in this landscape, so I took them down to the river from the sprawling stone lodge.  The colors are so rich right now - truly a joy to capture the beauty with paint.  The bonus was getting to visit and hang out with everyone while painting - since we were all being painted by another artist as we worked!  So much fun to enjoy this space, immersed in paint! LOVE this gorgeous area!! Painting number 4236 in 4236 days. 

At Home on the Farm

I drove all over this place before coming back to this spot to paint.  My second painting of the day, i started with my oils in the morning.  The morning light was so strong, I had to work in oils first!  The light had softened as I started the ink drawing, and I also shifted my position to gain a better composition.  I found a pocket of shade on this very hot day, and sketched my scene from there.  The family came by a couple times as I worked close to the road, and I'd lift it up for them to see as they passed!  It's so fun to be out among others creating art again!  I really missed that last year!  Painting number 3081 in 3081 days. 

Morning at Wurdack Farm

What joy it was to arrive at our private paint out on this amazing Wurdack Farm!  Driving down two roads on this property, I decided on painting young cows in their corral at a different white barn.  I turned around, grabbed my gear, and they had disappeared into the woods behind the barn!   Loving this scene as I scouted the place, I returned to paint it.  I love the dramatic way the farm sits just behind that ridge!  It was so fun to visit with the family that lives here, as they drove all over the countryside to find us artists scattered to the wind! I enjoyed this so much, I moved down to the fence to draw this scene from a slightly different vantage in ink.  If only I worked faster, I could have made it to the spring to paint, too!  Painting number 3072 in 3072 days.