Union Station Magic

 I love to use ink and watercolor for pre-sketching my composition.  In fact, ink alone is my "go to", but I often take it further, adding color.  I have a hard time deciding which media to use here, so I end up bringing ink, watercolor and oils!  It's silly, because it is a long haul to the car, so I carry it all in a heavy bag over my shoulder!  But what's an artist to do?  Once I had finished with the ink and watercolor, I did not go on to paint an oil here.  Happy with this painting, there was no need to express it again.  So, I walked to the adjacent corner for the quick paint using oil.  I again used the portrait format with tree and window, only with a different vantage.  I do like that I could see the historic clock here.  Five generations of my family have walked these halls, and surely checked the time on that clock.  I love that I'm now painting here, in this timeless place.  Painting number 3252 in 3252 days. 

Twilight on the Clock Tower

I had scouted this clock out in the morning, but the light was less than thrilling for me.  After painting two other paintings, stopping in for an amazing salad at Canyon Pizza, I took another look.  It was wonderful, all aglow with the warmth of twilight - and that light was fading fast!  So, Louanne and I set up quickly, and started slapping paint!  Really - this was a race against the sun, and I only had thirty minutes to capture this light!  This painting makes 1321 in 1321 days :)

Twilight on the Clock Tower
Oil on panel, 9x12
Paint Parkville plein air event
purchase here

First Impressions of Fairfield

First Impressions of Fairfield
Oil on panel, 9x12
Fairfield Fall Foliage Paint Out
purchase here

Quick Paint

On Location

This painting is from the Quick Paint at the Fairfield Fall Foliage Paint Out.  This charming town is full of historic buildings - and this was the very first one that caught my eye.  The morning was cold and windy - and I was so thankful to have brought my ski jacket!  Toasty in my layers, it was a fun 2 hour paint! This town was a delight to enjoy for four days this October - and I am looking forward to next year, too!  I don't think I am quite finished with this one - I see areas I would still like to work.  When I get the finishing touches on, I will post an updated photo.  This painting is number 668 in 668 days.  Today finds me in the hospital with my mom, who is here for a full knee replacement surgery.  I have some supplies with me, and will probably have time to start working on some small watercolor sketches tomorrow during her rest times.  I always feel better with a little something to keep my hands busy :)

Marceline First Nat'l Bank

Marceline First Nat'l Bank
Oil on panel, 8x10
OPA Paint-Out - Purchase Information

This little bank building in the corner instantly grabbed my attention as I walked down Kansas Avenue.  After scouting all the way down to the park and back, I set up across the street in the shade.  With only 45 minutes until turn-in, I had this brush painted, but had to go in afterwards and do the knife work.  I started late, as I was participating in the Wine Stroll and visiting.  Everyone in this town is so friendly!  There was a wonderful reception afterwards for the artists - so appreciated after a full 8:00am to 7:00pm painting day!  When I later talked to my parents to tell them where I had been painting, my dad had a story for me about this very bank.  He and Grandma Slaughter had gone to the train station to sell a bunch of pigs when he was four years old.  Grandma was payed in silver dollars - and she couldn't carry all of them in her apron.  So, my dad had to carry his own load of silver dollars, holding up the bottom of his shirt to contain them!  He and Grandma walked all the way down Kansas Avenue to this little bank to deposit them!  Isn't this a marvelous story and isn't it something that I felt led to paint this very spot instead of all the other shops in town?  It was certainly fun to walk the streets where my grandparents, great-grandparents, and great aunts and uncles had so many years ago, and really rewarding to paint a few of the local icons.  This little town of 2400 people is also the birthplace of Walt Disney, and this street is called "Main Street, USA".  So nice when these little slices of Americana are preserved for future generations.  This painting makes 617 in as many days and Day 8 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Roses of Five Petals

Roses of Five Petals
Oil on panel, 9x12
Five Petals Paint-In
Fourth Fridays in Lee's Summit

It has been such a busy day!  Pilates & Intervals classes, followed by cutting down a painting - only to have to repair a little damage that I inflicted during the process, followed by a baseball game - and a win, and now I am finally able to get to posting.  I painted this interior during Fourth Fridays in Lee's Summit while in the Five Petals Floral Shop.  They graciously allowed me to pull a few items together for a quick still life paint.  This one is rather dark and moody - but that is part of what I liked about the scene.  I first sketched it out in pastels, laying down the darks and lights, and then working towards the middle.  Looking at this today, I wanted to check it with the reference shot.  After looking for it, I realized that I did not take one!  So, I don't really know where to take this from here.  All browns and reds, perhaps I should add in a few cools?  Probably, but I will let it rest for today.  Maybe, I'll look back in a few days and see if I'm led to make any additions.  This painting makes 521 in as many days.

Lamplight on the Table

Lamplight on the Table
Oil on panel, 10x8

I was painting this one in my head all day - while at my son's  basketball game, lunch, shopping with my daughter, and countless other household things on my plate.  I didn't start laying paint until 9:30 at night!  I was so tired, but with the first strokes - the excitement started.  I went into it thinking, I'll just give this painting an hour tonight.........but I just couldn't stop until it was finished!  I am having SO much fun exploring this whole new painting world!  I have already chosen a couple of new subjects to try in the coming days!  This is day 19 out of 30 of the painting challenge - now I'm off to plein air paint at the zoo!