Night Falls at the Fountain

This fountain holds many memories, and I love returning to paint here with artist friends for the Brush Creek Art Walk. The Nocturne Quick Paint kicks off the weekend plein air, one that I haven't attended for several years.  I'm normally out of town painting at another event, but have chosen to stay in town this year.  Additionally, I've been missing my oils lately, so I am pulling them out tonight!  This was so much fun, and I'm glad to be painting in Kansas City again!  Painting number 4640 in 4640 days. 

Dancing in the Fountain

 

After a busy weekend of painting in Marceline and watching grandsons, I didn't decide until the last minute to join watercolor friends for our weekly plein air day.  The Kauffman Garden was absolutely stunning today!  And to think that I almost stayed home to catch up on chores!  This is sweet reward for putting everything else on hold.  I actually pulled out several of my rarely used fancy inks to use for final punch - in matching fountain pens, no less.  Lesson of the day?  Don't put off until tomorrow what can be painted today!  Painting number 4619 in 4619 days. 

Fountain Impressions

 

It was a lovely afternoon to paint the splash fountain at Powell Gardens for Summit Art Plein Air!  I love painting here, and have never before seen  the splash pad running!  The streams remind me of the Nichols fountain when on full blast.  I only wish I'd had time to stay and paint all day!  Painting number in days. 

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47th Street

 I love painting the street scenes of the Country Club Plaza, where I have so many fun memories with friends and family!  With so many places to shop and dine, I've spent many happy hours in this place.  I could never have guessed that I would once love painting it so much as an adult!  Painting number 4057 in 4057 days. 

Hotel Lakeside Garden

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I love painting Hotel Lakeside along Lake Erie! This magical, historic place is just my cup of tea!  This rainy day saturated the colors of the landscape, making this garden irresistible.  Finding an empty tent for shelter, I had a dry place to paint, and I let the painting unfold.  In just an hour and a half, I was packing to go meet mom for another show at the Hoover Auditorium, and had this wonderful quiet time in the rain under my belt.  Come see this painting tomorrow on the lawn from 1:30 to 3:30 for the wet paint sale!  Painting number 3841 in 3841 days. 

Night at the Fountain

 We kicked off the Brush Creek Art Walk with a nocturne quick paint down on the Country Club Plaza at the JC Nichols Fountain.  This is the first plein air event in Kansas City since the whole covid thing started, and it was so good to see artist friends again, distanced and masked.  Who knew how much the world could change in just a few months?  The KC Parks are sponsoring upcoming plein air events on Sundays in October at 4 different parks!  I can't wait to be a part of those, too! This painting was going pretty smoothly until the lights went off at 9:00 at the neighboring tennis courts - and wow, did it get dark!  I sure could have used my fancy nocturne light then!  Painting number 2814 in 2814 days. 

Kauffman Garden Dancers

 Oh this garden is lovely!!  Stepping inside the gate is like stepping into a secret garden with babbling fountains.  This long fountain is my favorite with it's fluid dancing girls, dancing among the water sprays.  It is like music to enjoy, with the scent of flowers all around me.  With ink and watercolor I capture this scene, while I am still sheltered in the shade.  Now I'm off to frame and I'll return tonight for the Quick Paint at JC Nichol's fountain.  So nice to see Kansas City Parks step up and host a plein air event!  They have been few and far between this year!  Painting number 2811 in 2811 days. 

Cherub Fountain

 For today's Summit Art Artist's Forum, I demoed a plein air painting in the garden via Zoom.  What started as a misty morning cleared off beautifully by meeting's end.  It was a little tricky to paint with my camera over my shoulder to capture scene and brushwork, while still interacting without seeing my screen.  Another artist also painted, so it was fun to bounce back and forth while painting.  Social interaction of any kind is a benefit these days!  I sure hope things get back to normal soon.  Painting number 2805 in 2805 days. 

JC Nichols Drama

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The plaza is my "go to" place for sketching fountains!  With over 400 to choose from, there is no end to the paintings I can do!  On this one, I've gone old school with my pen and ink, no fancy water and brush work here.  Just good old hatching and line work for shading.  Drawing is very therapeutic, like a balm to the soul.  Painting number 2271 in 2271 days.

Union Station Reflections

I've painted Union Station several times over the years, but I have never stood in this location with that beautiful fountain in the foreground. I LOVE this view!  That warm golden hour light is gorgeous and fleeting, and one must be ready for speed painting to capture that light!  I drop the lines with my favorite TWSBI fountain pen and Levenger Raven Black ink, coaxing those grays with a wet brush.  The energy of the city is in the very air, and slips right into my work with every stroke.  I'm so lucky to get to do this every day.  Painting number 1931 in 1931 days.

Union Station Reflections

Starting early this morning, I got all my panels and papers stamped.  I painted at the scout, the ruins in Penn Valley Park, and the lake before heading to Union Station for the artist reception and nocturne quick paint.  With a band playing classic rock, I found this spot on the lawn of Liberty Memorial to paint my nocturne. I really couldn't jump in until 8:45, there was just to much light.  I really like to wait until it is completely dark before "painting the light". I'll try to post a better photo tomorrow in the light of day, but I'm happy with the energy of this piece. Tomorrow will find me back there painting again!  Painting number 1928 in 1928 days.

Centennial Farm Inked

Centennial Farm is a bustling place in season, but very quiet on this early spring day.  The afternoon light hitting the barns is very appealing,  but I've only got time for a sketch before the Welcome Social at Augusta Winery.  The first pen I choose is almost out of ink, skipping a bit as I draw.  I grab another - ALWAYS have a backup or two!  The first water brushpen I grab is gummed up with sizing from last weekend's sketching, so I grab another.  I brought a couple of the Marvy brushpens, and I like the medium one.  I had to apply a lot of pressure to the fine one to get any water out, but the medium flowed easily - if not a little to fast. But this is easy to fix with a little less pressure. I've already picked out two MUST PAINT landscapes, and I've only just begun!  Painting number 1913 in 1913 days.

Baked in Ink

The Roasterie is such a wonderful place for a hot beverage, a bite to eat, and glorious sketching!  My first time here, it surprised me that this iconic building with the airplane on the roof is tucked right into the heart of the city!  What a treat to find George inside working his magic with bread and pastries!  I love being able to capture this kind of scene on site!  He was a wonderful subject - and really needs to be painted in oils as well!  Painting number 1850 in 1850 days.

Historic Parkville Inked

Parkville is full of small town charm - especially the downtown district!  I enjoy coming here to paint, and I'm using pen and ink for this street scene.  The pilot varsity is my pen here, and I have a water brushpen in my pocket to move the ink and get my grays. It is fun as challenging to draw that sliding perspective as I look from one side to the other!  Painted during the Parkville in Art event, I just realized I had not posted this one.  Painting number 1828 in 1828 days.... if this Inge posts...... I'm having network errors tonight, and my original post will not post! 

Twilight at Loose Park

Though my own garden sprawls with reckless abandon, I do love a formal garden!  It was love at first sight at Loose Park, and I return again and again to capture the different seasons.  Starting this commission in the middle of a busy plein air season, it took me three visits to get this completed.  At 24x30, it takes a little time to get the canvas covered, and I did use a gallery wrapped canvas for this size.  I thought I would finish on my second visit between events, but time ran out as another plein air event began.  The third visit was for the final touches, and it was a good thing. The gusts were so strong I had to keep one hand on the canvas just to steady it!  See how I'm at an angle taking the photo? It's because I was afraid the wind would take it!  Painting number 1782 in 1782 days.  I think I'll start on nutcrackers tomorrow!

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Cedar Creek Inked

I ordered in 16 samples of ink from Goulet Pen Company - and this is my first sample run with Noodler's Walnut.  I LOVE the rich color as I add a little water, and the deep dark color as it lays down at full strength.  I'm using a glass dip pen with a metal nib, and I load it by dipping it in the ink to the top of the well (groove) on the nib.  I completed this drawing with only 3 dips in the ink.  It is amazing how far that ink goes!  This brown has jumped right to the top of my favorites list!  Painting number 1773 in 1773 days.

Fountain at the Rose Garden

Today finds me painting in one of my favorite gardens - the Rose Garden at Loose Park!  The morning was absolutely beautiful as I starting laying down paint.  Many hands were grooming the roses, as other worker bees buzzed around the garden.  When I noticed several workers standing near the fountain, I thought I'd better start getting the fountain in.  Sure enough, it was turned off for a little work.  This often happens en plein air.  A boat sails away, an animal flees the scene, lights are turned out, or a fountain gets shut down.  When this happens, I move to another section of the painting, waiting for the return of my subject.  Animals will return again and again in a rhythmic fashion.  In the case of boats, I normally see the bustle around the boat - and start painting like crazy!  The fountain came back on, and off again two other times - and I finally got it done!  Painting number 1710 in 1710 days.

oil on panel, 14x11
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Party at Ripley Park

When I first landed in the charming town of Marceline, I was unsure of my painting location. I first sketched the Gucker Coal Co. building, the did the pre sketch of this landscape.  I knew it would be stronger in paint.  Backing my easel up against the shade of a building, I began laying in the masses.  There was a party going on in the park - with 900 people expected - and I dropped them in simply with strokes of color as they appeared. Most were in shadow, but many popped into the light at the fringes of the gathering. The new bridge is such a wonderful addition to the park!  And the icing on the cake is being awarded Best of Show at the end of the event!!  Wowza!! Painting number 1690 in 1690 days!!

oil on panel, 10x8
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JC Nichol's Fountain at Night

I've sketched this historic Kansas City icon multiple times, but this is only my second attempt at capturing it in paint.  Finishing It up last week, I am only now getting around to posting it.  SO much has happened since then, it seems like ages ago!  It is on display now at the Bank of Blue Valley on the third floor as part of the "Now Showing" program, organized by Arts KC.  I need to do more of these nocturne fountain paintings - the color is amazing, and I know there is so much more to learn!  I'm already thinking of trying one of these fountains in the water mixable oils with the drippy effect..... SO many paintings to do, so little time!  Painting number 1687 in 1687 days.

oil on panel, 24x20
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Neptune Fountain Inked

This was a day spent in the hospital with family as my mother-in-law underwent surgery.  All has turned out well, and the healing begins.  At times like these, it is nice to settle into the rhythm of ink on paper.  The flow of the ink as it glides along the surface of this special handmade paper is soothing.  Like an old friend, I know each mark before as it unfolds, telling a story of beauty and movement as timeless as the fountain itself.  What therapy drawing is, and at the end of my fingertips all of the time.  Painting number 1672 in 1672 days.

ink on paper, 8x8
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