In the Gallery of Oaks

I loved standing in a gallery of oaks to paint the setting of this cabin and the path to the river.  The morning was cool in the shade, and the breeze light, making the day perfect for painting. The trees called to me.  Each large shape and form begged to be immortalized in ink and watercolor, casting the cabin as the understudy.  Truly a study of oaks, I hope I did them justice.  Now Showing at Gallery Zeke in Steelville.❤️🎨

In the Gallery of Oaks

 This cabin studio tucked into the woods is surrounded mostly by oak trees.  The path through the trees leads down to the river, offering another amazing view.  I couldn't help but paint this lovely gallery of oaks offering a canopy of shade from the cabin to the river, as the morning light spread across the landscape.  This one now showing at Gallery Zeke in Steelville! Painting number 4911 in 4911 days. 

Cabin Time

 What fun it was to stay at Cobblestone Lodge during the Steelville Plein Air! After working a mentors for the High School Plein Air for the weekend, we stayed on with about 11 other artists to enjoy this place between paint outs.  We gathered together at night to talk - and T even played her guitar and sang!  It was such a wonderful time of bonding in a beautiful place along the Meramec River!  I just had to paint this sweet vintage cabin and leave it for a gift. Painting number 4907 in 4907 days. 

Cabin 2

 

First demo of the Steelville High School Plein Air - an ink and watercolor of my cabin!  What fun to introduce new students to the plein air experience! I drove 4 hours through sometimes torrential rain to get here this morning, and I really needed some paint time to unwind.  We're headed to the Folksy Fish Festival tomorrow, where we'll find the stunning Meramec Springs park. Painting number 4896 in 4896 days. 

Cabin in the Woods

 

I LOVE sketching in the early morning light to the music of birdsong!  This cabin has been such a fun place to stay with Tyler's family for spring break.  It would have been even better if Tiffany's family stayed close enough to gather at night.  The road between us was treacherous and no-one wanted to try that after dark again!  Painting number   5129 in 5129 days. 

Nestled in the Woods

This rainy day painting started as one of my acrylic demonstrations with the High School Plein Air sponsored by the Steelville Arts Council last weekend.  I mentored 20 students over three days in 5 different paint-outs.  It was such a super fun weekend filled with very talented young artists, and I hope that I have impacted their art journey in some small way.  I would have loved an opportunity like this at their age.  This painting is now showing at Gallery Zeke in Steelville, Missouri through mid-July.  Come take a peak in person.  Painting number 5068 in 5068 days. 

Dawn at the Cabin

I've been waking so early - hours before sunrise, wishing the sun to arrive.  Normally by 3:00am, I know it's nearly dawn, only to find I've hours longer to wait.  So on this day, I hopped out of bed anyway and enjoyed a couple of mugs of hot tea with lemon as I leisurely readied for the day.  At the very first streaks of light, I got out there, picking the perfect spot to capture cabin, pond and woods as the warm dawn light washed over them.  Serenaded by crickets, frogs, and bucks crashing through woods, I finished this early painting immersed in the landscape.  What a beautiful way to start the day!  Painting number 3181 in 3181 days. 

Studio in the Woods

So worth the uneven stance to sketch the dramatic perch of this studio on the hill!  I walked all around this cabin before returning to this spot at the very edge of the woods.  Standing awkwardly in the incline, I knew this must be my vantage!  With water resistant ink, I began my sketch. As I completed my composition, I started working in the water soluble inks.  I added a wet brush to these areas to wash out the ink a bit, gaining those midtones. I love surrounding myself in nature, allowing the landscape to seep into my painting.  That is the true benefit of working en plein air. Painting number 3115 in 3115 days 

Cabin in the Woods

I just can't pass up a chance to sketch such a great log cabin!  It feels like stepping back in time to stand in this place, smelling the fragrance of the large lilac bush wafting my way.  With my favorite TWSBI mini fountain pen, I sketch the lines with water resistant ink.  I then go back in with another favorite TWSBI mini loaded with water soluble ink.  With a water brush pen I move the ink around a bit.  I love to spend a little time painting in a peaceful place like this.  Painting number 3045 in 3045 days. 

Retreat in the Woods

Before I even started sketching, the rain began to fall.  Arriving on sight and scouting took just a little bit, grabbing a few items from a wonderful breakfast buffet took a few more mintues, and enjoying the best bloody Mary I've ever had took a few mintues more.  As a result to my very leisurely start, I missed that dry weather window, making things a bit more difficult for myself.  No worries!  I was able to get the drawing done from shelter, but I never did get my oils out. It was pouring, and without the opportunity to get paint on a dry panel before the rain, it would not work.  So, I went in for another drink and a cookie, and this painting now resides here, too!  Painting number 2331 in 2331 days.

Cabin Garden

The rich yellow blooms in this kitchen garden pulled me right in, and the wonderful lines of the composition held me there!  Rich in history, the Daniel Boone home is a favorite painting spot. Although rain threatened, I set my easel right out in the elements to get the best view of the garden, tilting my panel downward in case of rain.  If I can keep it dry until it is fully covered with paint, then I won't need to worry about a few raindrops.  The very overcast day led to a rich and color saturated landscape - one that I really loved painting.  I may just try this in a larger size, especially since the original found a new home!  Painting number 2319 in 2319 days.

Sunset Shores

After a full day of driving, I am finally ready to relax and sketch!  Love the sunset light setting behind the log cabin in Sunset Shores!  With a glass of wine in one hand, pen in the other, I am getting my creative fix for the day!  I simply couldn't resist painting this beautiful view!  Using just my fountain pen and Levenger Raven Black ink, I've sketched this loosely by the last rays of sunset.  Can't wait to get my oils out tomorrow!  Painting number 2009 in 2009 days. 

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Painting the Chickens

Painting the Chickens
Oil on wood panel, 9x12
Boone Farm Paint-Out, Augusta Plein Air Art Festival
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This day's paint out was at the Daniel Boone Farm in Defiance, Missouri. When I walked upon this scene - I KNEW I had to paint it!  After spending over an hour scouting all over the property, with a good idea of what I wanted to paint, I stumbled onto this scene  - and it totally grabbed me!  Lon Brauer had dressed in period attire to paint - so he was the perfect model in the perfect setting! Never before had I even attempted painting a figure for a timed plein air paint, but I LOVED it!  I should have been doing this years ago!  I had so much fun getting this scene down in oils - it was like a concentrated workshop on life drawing - of both Lon and the moving chickens!  With a scene like this, with constant movement - the most important thing to capture is what is most likely to change. The light, shadows, and especially Lon!  He is a fast painter, moving quickly from one painting to the next, so I painted his figure within the first few minutes.  Working next in finer detail, I blocked in the light and shadow.  As one of the chickens would get into a position I liked, I would switch to them, getting them painted in before they moved again.  I had so much fun painting this!  I can't wait until the opportunity presents itself again!  Painting number 872 in 872 days :)

Cabin in the Winter Woods

Cabin in the Winter Woods
Oil on panel, 6x8
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The first layer of this painting is painted with Genesis heat set oils.  The theory behind this paint is that they never dry, not until you set them with heat.  They are pretty pricey, and I found myself using this paint sparingly.  You can only use their medium with the paints, but I don't normally use it, so this did not affect me.  The paints are thinner than my normal oils, which could also contribute to the thin layer.  Once cured with heat, I painted over with my regular oil paints using brush and palette knife.  I like the depth achieved with the thin layer as the underpainting, and the thick marks of the palette knife.  I've used a different color theme for this winter landscape, too.  I've pushed the warms to orange brown and the shadows towards the ultramarine blue deep.  The peachy highlight tones are a new fav found in Door County - Gamblin's caucasian skin.  It is also great for that winter foliage hit by sunlight.  The cabin in the background is no more than a bit of eye candy for those who follow the stream leading to it.  I am lucky to have gotten this one finished today!  With overlapping events all day long - I have pieced this one together with short bursts of time!  I'm so thankful to call this one done, so I can head off to meet some friends for dinner!  I don't like having to come back to finish a painting late at night! Painting number 782 in 782 days :)

Cabin by the Winter Stream

Cabin by the Winter Stream
Oil on panel, 8x6
sold

The first layer of this painting was done with heat set oils.  This kind of paint does not dry, ever.  It must be set with a heat gun or in the oven.  If you get too close with that heat, the paint can bubble up in a strange fashion, which can not be corrected.  It is a cool, and expensive medium which does not mix with other mediums.  Once completely dry, I painted the final layer with traditional oils.  I used both brush and palette knife, and switched my blue from ultramarine to prussian.  Perhaps I am just biased towards my oils.......This painting makes 743 in 743 days, and Day 12 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Sunrise at Water's Edge

Sunrise at Water's Edge
Oil on panel, 12x9
Kangaroo Lake, WI - sold

This charming cabin at Sunset Shores was just across the road from the Red Shed in Bailey's Harbor.  Two other times I had walked across to check the lighting, and neither the afternoon or early evening had sun on the face of this cabin.  On the third try, I went over at sunrise - knowing I would probably have enough time to paint it before the girls were ready to leave.  Sunrise lighting was perfect - golden and fresh on the cabin, kayak and across the grass.  It was cold, and I had left my boots in Teddy's car, so I had to wear my fuzzy purple chenille socks with my black beaded sandals - the only shoes I had at the shed!  I am SO glad nobody snapped a photo of that little fashion faux-pas!  Working very quickly to get all the warm color and sunlight in, I next blocked in the darks.  Marking all the color masses was next, all important as I had limited time and could not be sure the next day's lighting would be the same.  Although early, the winds were kicking up on the lake behind.  Sometimes, this lake reflects like glass, but not this day.  There was a beautiful blue in the water, tinted with turquoise.  It is so amazing how the water appears in so many different shades. One morning, it was a warm emerald green in the foreground, and dark blue at the horizon.  I never get tired of painting near the water.  This painting makes 597 in as many days.

Retreat to the Cabin

Retreat to the Cabin
Oil on panel, 12x9
Augusta Plein Air Fest

I have painted these cabins a couple of times in years past, but they always draw me in.  I love the trees, foliage, colors of the cabin and roof - all are appealing!  This time, I went uphill a bit, so this view was from a different angle than before - and I loved the english ivy growing up the trees!  It added a dimension to the landscape, a wildness, that strongly appealed to me.  I was working in strong afternoon light - during the downtown Augusta plein air day - and the strong shadows were as important as the light.  I did run down to Halcyon for a massage in the middle of this painting - so you can only imagine how relaxed I felt upon returning - it is a wonder I even finished this painting at all!  Painting number 510 in 510 days :)

Cabin in the San Juan Mountains

Cabin in the San Juan Mountains
Oil on panel, 6x6
San Juan Mountain Range, Colorado

Trying to get some 6x6's painted for the upcoming Randy Higbee Show, I found myself pouring through photos, looking for a composition that would "wow" in the small, square format.  I found the reference photos I took while on my way back from Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and decided these would make wonderful subject matter.  The San Juan Mountain range is so beautiful, and the clouds changed constantly - swiftly moving across the sky.  I was able to snap such a wide variety of cloudscapes, and I am only now beginning to appreciate them.  I think the key to making these clouds work, is simply trying to see all of the colors they contain.  They are so much more than white.  Painting number 309 in 309 days :)

Morning Glow

Morning Glow
Oil over acrylic on panel
On display at the Executive Offices of Blue Cross Blue Shield

This secluded Augusta cabin was my painting "home" for 4 days on my very first plein air adventure.  A fellow artist, Julie Wiegand offered me a place to stay when she found out I was returning after a quick trip home for 2 days.  It seemed like I drove for miles before reaching this picturesque cabin!  It was a perfect artist retreat!  Julie was a gracious host - inviting over fellow artists, and friends, in the evening.   I will always remember the friendships forged in that little slice of heaven.  It was only the beginning of so many more painting adventures!  This one is mainly acrylic with only a glazing in oils over the top.  Painting number 88 in 88 days - now back to work on a large piece!

Sundown in the Woods

Sundown in the Woods
Oil over acrylic on panel, 16x20

The mood on this piece is different than most of my work.  I wanted to capture that really vivid sunset color, and it is harder for me than I thought!  I ignored the voice in my head telling me to "gray down" & "calm down those colors, girl"!  So, here I am breaking "rules" and blazing a new trail for me.  I like the moody feel of this.  I may look at it in the morning light - and think I am crazy!  I underpainted most of this in acrylic, then came over that with oils.  I glazed in the hillside, cabin and background trees with my oils - they were not even in the underpainting.  The effect is just what I was after.  I could simply wipe away anything that didn't feel just right.  Oils very easily wipe off of the open acrylics I had used.  When using the Golden Opens, I must allow LOTS of drying time - because it takes them ages to dry if you don't add in a bit of regular acrylic to the mix.  I may just use this technique again, it seems to add to the depth to the landscape.  This is painting number 71 in 71 days :)