Green Chairs

After a good workout at the gym, and a full day's garden work, I took a little plein air sanity break before moving on to my next task.  I could see the golden hour approaching as I put tools and dumped the wheelbarrow.  The light sweeping across the north side grabbed me - so I went for my gear and sketched!  Of the many beautiful colors of chairs I could have painted - the green ones were here.  The fleeting thought of switching them with the reds chairs crossed my mind - but I was too tired to do it!  I like the red chairs out front, and didn't want to have to move them back!  Lol!  So, true to life, this painting is a study in the greens of high summer in Missouri!  I wish I'd had yesterday's fountain pen, and that warm red brown ink - but I found it too late, and went with Robert Oster's Black is Black instead.  Now, it's spring cleaning in my art supply area - which is why I needed a sanity break!  Painting number 2737 in 2737 days.

Wine for Two

Although I rarely get the chance, I love to paint en plein air at night.  This table set for two, complete with wine and glasses made the perfect subject for a nocturne painting.  I start with a dark panel, and begin by laying in the light masses where I find them.  Trying to pay attention to the temperature of that light is trickier when done in low light.  I do not like artificial light for night painting, so I use a porch light to see what I can on my palette and panel.  I never truly know what I have until I view the painting in the light of tre next day!  Painting number 2317 in 2317 days.

Coffee & Red Umbrellas

Coffee & Red Umbrellas
Acrylic on masonite, 6x6

Today, I feel like I have turned a corner on the small street scene paintings.  After struggling with these compositions, this one came together more naturally.  For one thing, I squinted way down to see the masses, and blocked them in by chunks.  I had been blocking in each person as they entered the composition, and this was not at all fluid.  I also used my palette knife (Princeton catalyst) to add some interesting texture.  I have not picked up a real palette knife since I first used a catalyst.  They have completely taken over the knife work for me.  I hope the next cafe scene flows even more smoothly!  This painting makes 1177 in 1177 days :)

Pink Umbrella Lunch

Pink Umbrella Lunch
Acrylic on masonite, 7x5

Back to the cafe scenes - and back to struggling my way through!  I want to be loose, and therefore use impressionistic strokes, hoping to define the people with a few gestural strokes.  Why is this so challenging for me?  I may need to do 100 of these before they become natural - and I will surely need a straight jacket by the end of such a feat!  I will stick to it, even though I very much want to lapse into something fun and easy!  This cafe scene is the 1176th painting in 1176 days.

Blue Umbrella Cafe

Blue Umbrella Cafe
Acrylic on masonite, 6x6

Oh my gosh!  This was such a challenge!  I think cafe scenes with people, chairs and umbrellas are SO HARD to paint successfully, and I really want to master this - so it is my subject du jour!  I started with my block in, and I had to keep correcting shapes and angles all through the process.  I had trouble seeing each plane as it really was.  With such a complicated composition, my left brain kept feeding me all of this linear information, which was completely wrecking my “painting all the masses” method.  I am not yet happy with this, but I have to start somewhere.  I will look at it again tomorrow.  I already think I need to pop all the lights, and loosen some of the edges on the main umbrella.  I think I’m going to need to paint a month’s worth of cafe scenes before I get them right.....and I’m already dreading the work.  Oh why didn’t I draw butterflies in pen and ink today?  I should have listened to my inner voice!  Grueling painting number 1170 in 1170 days.

Streetside Umbrellas

Streetside Umbrellas
Oil on masonite, 10x8
Parkville in Art Paint Out - purchase here

As I stepped out of my car, I saw these gorgeous umbrellas from two blocks away.  Walking past the little shops dotting Main Street, my focus was already on the composition, the first strokes being laid in my mind.  I had not left enough time for this complex painting (hmmmmm - seems to be a pattern here....), so I would need to work fast.  Setting up in a small square of shade, tucked unto the side of “Finders, Keepers”, I sketched out the cafe scene.  The bright, late afternoon light and the bold color of umbrellas, cafe and foliage is what drew me instantly to the spot - so I had to capture that glory before it faded into shadow!  Once all of the block in and some of the finish work were done, the light had changed - and my time was up.  Time to get to the award presentation for the English Landing, so this painting required one more visit to finish up, which is something I almost never do.  Painting number 1018 in 1018 days :)

Shade and Solace

Shade and Solace
Oil on hardboard panel, 10x8
Sister Bay, Wisconsin - purchase here

Arriving early in Sister Bay, I scouted along the main street with the marina on the left.  Spotting this shady spot back quite a way from the road - it simply called out to me.  After getting permission to paint on the property, I set up in the shade of a tree and started to work.  I started the block in after a quick sketch, then began to lay down the real colors, careful with the light and shadow that was so appealing in the morning light. This was such a relaxing place to start the day - and a joy to paint! This painting makes 935 in 935 days.  I am REALLY enjoying Door County, Wisconsin :)

Beneath the Flowering Plum

Beneath the Flowering Plum
Oil on panel, 12x9
Washington, Missouri - near the Missouri River

On the day of the Washington Sunrise Paint Out, this was the first scene that grabbed me in the town. Two other artists were already painting it, and as we were late from the 5am broadcast paint-out, I knew there was not enough time to do it justice.  Today, as I waited for Mike to have a procedure in the hospital, I combed through articles about color.  One after the other, I studied the words, gripped by the paintings they referred to.  Arriving home and after getting Mike settled and the housework finished, I went to this reference photo.  I wanted to apply some of the new found knowledge in this landscape.  Wow - what a way to hit home the lessons studied.  This is exactly how this place felt to me on that warm, sunny day - with the colors sparkling in the landscape.  Another day, another painting - this 498th was rewarding, indeed :)

Lunch at Rozelle Court

Lunch at Rozelle Court
Oil on panel, 16x12

I must be crazy.  I chose this complicated interior for my daily painting.  I have never painted an interior so complex, or added gestural figures to a scene, and I also threw in difficult iron chairs and tables to the mix.  Oh, and I worked in a larger than normal size for a daily painting!  Well, the figures got easier with each one, the interior was actually fun - but the chairs were not!  I already see things I want to edit a bit - but the day is almost gone - and I have to get this posted for the 30 day challenge.  What a challenge this certainly was!