Fish Creek Marina

Painting by the water is SO peaceful!  The lapping of the waves against boat and dock are rhythmic, and time slips by without notice.  It is just me, my brush and my subject, and the occasional onlooker.  Sometimes, I'm so in the zone that when I turn to back up, I'm surprised to have an audience!  I laugh, we visit, and I return to the real world for a while. Painting number 2417 in 2417 days.

Fish Creek Marina - Alibi Dock

I love coming to a place like this to paint!  With so many boats docked, and the golden hour approaching, I jumped into the paint quickly!  Everyone is so friendly along the water, many stopping to visit while I worked.  One of those people happened to own one of the boats in this painting - and this painting went home with her!  Love when that happens!  Painting number 2412 in 2412 days.

Pink Hydrangea by Lamplight

During our Door County workshop, one of the paint outs was a nocturne, or a night painting class.  We headed over to Fish Creek, as there is abundant nocturne subject matter.  The streets are well lit, with many light sources.  I like to set up where a light pole will illuminate my panel and palette from behind me, as I look out onto my nocturne scene.  So, scouting is key, and location is everything.  I started with a dark tinted panel, and I began by laying in the lights.  Next, it is the middle values followed by the darks.  It is important to always keep my palette layed out in the same manner, because it is very hard to judge color at night.  Values are easy, but it isn't until morning that I find out of my colors are true!  Painting number 1327 in 1327 days :)

sold

Pink Hydrangea by Lamplight

On the second day of the workshop, we had a very full day!  We began with a sunrise paint at the beautiful Gordon Lodge, just north of Bailey's Harbor.  Watching the artists capture the sunrise, each in their own way, is a wonderful experience.  Heading out to Moonlight Bay, where the temperature climbed and the students melted into the pavement, produced some amazing paintings!  Then, we came together to finish those steamy paintings in the comfort of the shade (after I had almost finished a painting across the street of laundry on the line).  After all this, I thought no one would be up for a nocturne, but lo and behold, several were!  So, we headed to Fish Creek, and I painted this, giving instruction as I went.  It was a perfect night for a nocturne!  So, this was a three painting day!  Painting number 1310 in 1310 days :)

Fish Creek Hydrangea

Fish Creek Hydrangeas
Oil on wood panel, 12x9
Fish Creek, Wisconsin - purchase here

Each year when I return to Door County, Wisconsin - the hydrangeas are simply amazing! Unable to restrain myself, I MUST paint them!  These white beauties are my first painting in the area - and finished up right before the fish boil started!  An artist must eat eventually!!  Painting number 934 in 934 days.

Tied up at the Harbor

Tied up at the Harbor
Oil on wood panel, 12x9
Fish Creek, Wisconsin - purchase here

What fabulous weather we are having for the Door County plein air event!  Spending the week with 8 other artist friends in a loft in Bailey's Harbor, we started the day with a little scouting. Choosing Fish Creek to paint in (since we were attending the 6:30 fish boil), this was my second paint of the day.  Time was short as the sun was going down - and light is fleeting!  Choppy water added interest - and was so fun to try to capture quickly!  No time for thought - barely enough time to cover the panel!  This painting makes 933 in 933 days.

Summertime Cafe

Summertime Cafe
Oil on panel, 8x6
buy here

Today finds me painting one of my favorite haunts in Fish Creek, Wisconsin - the "Summertime" Restaurant.  A great place to grab a quick meal on the terrace, it is full of ambiance and fragrant with blooms!  I have been wanting to work on these wonderful cafe scenes for some time now - so today is the day!  Going through my abundant photos, I picked out a few to turn into paintings.  It seems that most of my reference is from Door County!  I just love those charming little towns, each with their own cafes with umbrellas open and waiting! Nothing is as inviting as one of these spots after a day of painting! Painting number 777 in 777 days - now I'm off to buy a lottery ticket!

Old Glory in Fish Creek

Old Glory in Fish Creek
Oil on panel, 9x12
Fish Creek, Wisconsin - plein air

Late one afternoon, I started this painting at the Allen Home in Fish Creek, Wisconsin.  The garden was full and abundant, and their flag waved proudly from the porch.  It was such an inviting scene, like a step back into a simpler time.  With only an hour and a half to paint, I blocked in quickly - careful to mark the darkest darks and lightest lights.  I would soon be joining my artist friends for a fish boil - and I could not be late!  I knew I would probably have to set up again the next day at the same hour, but I could not count on having the same light, therefore it was very important to get all prominent colors and values in, however rough the edges.  I did have to return the next day, something I almost never do - but I needed to finish from life.  I had spent most of the day in the same location, painting the glorious flowers, until it was again 3:00 in the afternoon - time to resume this piece.  Working the edges, this time at my leisure, it was an easy task to bring this painting where I wanted it to go.  Just a little slice of vintage America and painting number 606 in as many days :)

Hollyhocks of Fish Creek

Hollyhocks of Fish Creek
Watercolor, 6x9
Purchase Information

After several days of working in the oils, today finds me longing for the watercolors again.  The flowers all over the Door County Peninsula were absolutely amazing this summer!  The weather was so much cooler than the heat of Kansas City, I actually wore jeans and capris each day - normally starting with a couple of jackets, too!  It was way too chilly for me to be out on the beach, but all of the locals thought this was truly summer weather, because they were out in their swimsuits - in the cold water of Lake Michigan!  Yikes!  I like the summer heat before I swim!  The cooler climate and humid weather must be one reason for such abundant and large flowers.  Hollyhocks were at their peak in almost every town dotting the coastline.  I plan on studying this flower, because I think they are challenging!  I have tried them now in oils, acrylics, molding paste and watercolors, and I think their true essence eludes me.  Working more on the lights and shadows on this one, I do like the translucency of the watercolors for the petals.  I wish I had some of these beauties in my own yard.  I had them for years, but eventually the harsh winters got them.  I'm going to put out some more seed this fall, and hope this coming winter is kind.  Painting number 596 in as many days.

Sculpted Hydrangea & Rudbeckia

Sculpted Hydrangea & Rudbeckia
Acrylic over molding paste on wood panel, 11x14
Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Purchase Information

My third painting of the day from the Allen yard in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, is an acrylic over molding paste on panel.  I first sketched the composition out on the panel, while set up at my easel in front of these flowers.  I have a small container of molding paste which I carry on board my french easel, and this I laid down with my palette knife.  It was rather humid right by the harbor, so this took a little longer to dry than normal.  Avoiding the still wet paste, I blocked in the background with my Golden open acrylics, careful to add enough water and regular gel medium so the acrylics would actually dry.  If I add nothing to these open acrylics, they stay tacky almost forever!  Since I need them to dry for easy storage on the trip home - I must add water and gel medium. This one was dry by morning.  Truly, these are the acrylics to use in the field, because I never have to worry about the fast drying time.  After using regular acrylics for years en plein air - these are SO much easier.  When the background was in, the paste was dry enough to start layering in the color.  My final layer is the regular gel gloss, sealing the layers and adding the perfect finish.  Another wonderful painting day - and this one makes number 577 in 577 days.

Fish Creek Sailboats

Fish Creek Sailboats
Watercolor on paper, 7x5, $100
FIsh Creek Harbor, Wisconsin
Purchase Information

Along the coast of the Door County Peninsula, sailboats of all kinds can be found.  In every town we stopped to paint, these gently floating beauties called out to me!  With all of the paintings I did create, I still wish I could have worked more of them in watercolor.  Until now, I have not sketched anything on my watercolor paper.  With the boats having such specific lines, I did lightly mark the masts and body shapes.  I am also working on hot pressed paper for the first time.  The paper lends an interesting, grainy texture to the color.  Up close, it adds sparkle to the masses. New colors on my palette today - antwerp blue and cobalt teal blue.  One by one, I am trying out some of my newfound treasures - and it is SO fun to experiment with new colors!  This painting makes 575 in 575 days - perhaps I'll work on another sailboat painting from my many new reference photos!

Capturing Summertime

Capturing Summertime
Oil on panel, 14x11
Fish Creek Quick Paint

What a gorgeous place!  The quick paint contest at the Door County plein air event was at Fish Creek this morning.  This town was quiet and peaceful early in the morning, but quickly filled with people milling through the streets - searching out all plein air artists.  I set up in the yard across the street - and had a perfect, shady spot from which to paint.  I met the most wonderful people - everyone is so friendly in this charming little town!  This whole trip has been so amazing - it is hard to leave such a picturesque place.  I am already planning for next year!  This painting makes 572 in 572 days.

Helen's Poppies

Helen's Poppies
Watercolor on paper, 10.5x7

I had the most relaxing day painting in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. The winds were calm with temperatures mild - in the 60's and 70's.  I painted four paintings from this single location today!  This was the first of the day - a cheerful play of poppies!  Helen, the owner of this wonderful old home, was in the yard cutting fresh flowers to put into vases.  I did have to head for cover when a few sprinkles started to fall. Not a problem for oils - but certainly a problem for watercolor! I was soon able to finish and move on to another!  This is painting number 571 in 571 days :)

Vintage Charm in Fish Creek

Vintage Charm in Fish Creek
Oil on panel, 14x11
Door County Plein Air - Wisconsin

I painted this early one morning in Fish Creek, Wisconsin.  Only a street from the harbor, I could hear the noises of boats and water.  The cool breeze blew in from the bay as the morning light threw long shadows on the grass.  It was so peaceful and serene as I painted under the trees.  A few locals visited with me as they took their daily walks, as well as art lovers - trying to make the rounds and see the artists at work.  I still need to tweak this one a bit, but with family in town and the kids starting school tomorrow - I am far too busy for that!  So, I am posting as is - and it is my 223rd in as many days :)

Edgewood Hollyhocks

Edgewood Hollyhocks
Oil on panel, 6x6

While in Door County, I spent a fun day at the Edgewood Orchard Gallery, painting en plein air.  I looked first for shelter, as rain was in the forecast.  Finding a protected area was not enough in this case.  This was the painting I was working on when my easel was suddenly flooded by a torrential downpour!  I had to take my shoes off and lift my easel up to walk it to high ground.  Afterwards, these beautiful hollyhocks were no longer upright, but were laying over towards the ground.  This gallery is a wonderful place to visit - and the grounds are SO paintable!  I would love the chance to paint there again.  Painting number 222 in 222 days :)

Abundant Hollyhocks

Abundant Hollyhocks
Fish Creek Quick Paint
Door County Plein Air

The village of Fish Creek fills up with patrons and artists very early on the day of the Quick Paint.  To be sure we got a good parking spot - we arrived shortly after 6:00 in the morning.  This ensures that we don't have to haul our gear too far from car to location.  These glorious hollyhocks grabbed my attention several days before - and I knew it would be my spot.  When the horn blows, we start painting.  It will blow again in 2 hours - and then we must lay down our brushes.  On this day, I visited with everyone who came by, not really paying attention to the time.  When I finally did check my watch, I had only 20 minutes left!  Yikes!  With a last flurry of impressionistic strokes - I finished.  After the horn, I rushed to frame it at my car, and get it stamped again.  All paintings must be stamped before and after the event.  Quick paints are a lot of fun - and the socials after are even better.  This is my 220th painting in 220 days.

Docked in Fish Creek

Docked in Fish Creek
Door County, Wisconsin
Oil on panel, 12x16

This beautiful boat was tied to the dock in Fish Creek Harbor, begging to be painted.  The colors were striking, and the reflections in the water were amazing.  I am working a little larger today - this scene just called for more space on the panel.  The panel I chose also has the burnt sienna wash - which I have only been using on and off for the last month.  I like it - I feel like it gives an energy and color harmony to the whole painting.  I have only painted a handful of boat paintings, so this is definitely a learning experience. For some reason, I have always looked at boats and thought they were too complicated to paint.  That seems to be the way of all things untried.  I am finding that I like painting these boats in the water.  It is soothing to paint such subject matter, and challenging to get the colors in the water right.  As with each boat I have painted, I am not sure if I am finished - so I am letting this one rest.  I'll see how it strikes me in the morning!  This is painting number 213 in 213 days :)

Confectionary

Confectionery
Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Door County Plein Air
Oil on panel, 14x11 - sold

At the top of Cedar and Main Street in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, is this lovely little candy shop.  As I have driven through the villages dotting the landscape, I have noticed that almost every town has a candy shop!  They often don't have grocery stores, but they are covered when it comes to confections.  So many children went in and out of this store as I painted it from the front lawn!  Huge trees sheltered me as I worked, as the constant stream of passers-by chatted and watched me work.  It is such a wonderful environment for painting.  I have met so many wonderful people up here while painting.  This one was bought off the easel - my 206th painting in as many days.

Sister's Sweets

Sister's Sweets
Fish Creek, Wisconsin
Door County
oil on panel, 9x12

The town of Fish Creek is such an amazing place!  Picturesque with it's antique buildings and wonderful architecture.  This little sweet shop has the best chocolate in town - so say all the locals!  I will find out tomorrow, as I have been told they have peanut butter cups to die for!  When I started this painting, I actually wanted to do a floral, but the light was too far gone, and the shadows were overtaking my scene.  So, heading towards the shops with the best light show, I picked this beauty out - and began sketching.  This was a fun paint - and I so love the nocturnes!  I was pleasantly surprised the next morning - you never know just what you have until you bring a night paint into the light!  This is painting number 205 in as many days.  Looking forward to another glorious painting day tomorrow!