Footpath Along Catfish Creek

On recommendation from an artist friend, we ventured out to the Mines of Spain park today. Another beautiful park of Dubuque, this place has a wonderful creek running through it.   The sunlight skimmed the surface of the water, and the shadows stretched across.  Morming was magical, and autumn is just touching the foliage of the trees.  This certainly was a good day to spend out painting en plein air!  Painting number 1375 in 1375 days. :)

Fleeting Light

The sky is full of paintings tonight!  Every direction boasts of another fabulous sunset composition!   I am simply not fast enough to paint the three beauties before me!  So, I will have to paint the others from memory and my photos.  I can only hope to do the landscape justice.  I'm trying a couple of new brushes with this one.  They are the poly tipped filberts by Princeton, and they work like my bristle brushes, only they feel different as they apply the paint.  So far, so good.  I may need to use a lighter touch as the brush seems to push down on the surface a little harder.  I am having fun with these sunsets, this may just be a week of sunsets!   Painting number 1290 in 1290 days :)

Fleeting Light
Oil on panel, 7x5
purchase here

Billowing Clouds

Billowing Clouds
Oil on gallery wrapped canvas, 4x4

I started this painting in acrylics last week, and was quickly frustrated with the progress!  I almost never experience this - but when I did, I thought, “Why waste time working on this, when I can start something else more satisfying?”  Better to cut my losses than spend more of my valuable time in frustration.  So, after effortlessly dropping one skyscape off the brush, I returned to this one and topped it off with oils.  I really feel the creamy, rich, buttery oils are the perfect compliment to clouds and sky, and they add a texture to the masses that is hard to top. I have mainly used my brushes here, though I intended to use my knives. This painting makes 1133 in 1133 days.

Golden Hair Troll

Golden Hair Troll
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5

I am painting another of my beloved childhood trolls today - this one with golden hair!  Their cheerful faces, wild hair and super cute bodies were always so adorable!  I wonder if I was the only one who wondered why these little trolls only have four fingers on each hand?  Even as I paint, the same question comes back to me....why only four fingers?  That is just not right.  Can you tell I am a perfectionist?  Not just a borderline perfectionist, but a dyed in the wool, hard core perfectionist - and I think I must have been born that way!  Another thing I loved about these trolls?  I could never control their wild and crazy hair any more than I could my own - so here, we are kindred spirits! Another Monday, so very late at my easel, and this painting makes 1105 in 1105 days, Day 12 of the current 30 Day Painting Challenge.  And now to bed!!!

The Little Muddy Creek

The Little Muddy Creek
Oil on canvas panel, 7x5
purchase here

This view of the Little Muddy Creek, just outside of Lindsey, Ohio, is only visible from the North Coast Inland Trail.  We biked almost every day - and on the day I went 32 miles - this amazing scene was my reward. Golden hour sunlight shone through the trees, reflecting off the water's surface.  Without my gear, all I could do was take a few shots with my phone - to get to when I could!  This small landscape - only 7x5 inches is my 954th painting in 954 days.

Path to Golden Clouds

Path to Golden Clouds
Oil on wood, 6x4 - purchase here

With the storms of the last week - the sky has been full of dramatic clouds!  Several times, I have been caught driving while this beauty unfolded before me!  Thank goodness my youngest son was in the car to take the reference photos for me!  For some reason, he likes to me "on time" to baseball games and guitar lessons - instead of allowing me to pull off the road and paint!!  Sometimes, it is SO hard to be a responsible mom!  Painting number 904 in 904 days........I wonder how this skyscape would unfold in watercolor?  Hmmmmmm - it may be the next thing I paint :)

Golden Winter's Light

Golden Winter's Light
Oil on canvas on board, 9.5x13.5

What a busy Christmas Eve this has been!!  I started with a couple of classes at the gym, some last minute shopping and errand running, and an afternoon of organizing my artwork for Monday's delivery.  Then it was prepping for tonight's gathering of family - and the house is now full!  I am taking a few minutes to post this, so I won't be up at midnight to do the deed.  I painted this earlier, wanting a warm winter scene for the kitchen.  I have a couple of fabulous frames in very odd sizes, so I cut panels specific for them.  I spread canvas over the board, so I could skip the priming which takes a while to dry.  I even skipped the washing on of color first - which I always do!  So, on this one, I painted on white canvas!!  The unprimed canvas sure did soak up the paint - so unlike the primed wood surfaces I normally use.  Embracing the differences, I enjoyed the process of moving the paint, and the different way it pulled from the brush onto the high spots of the weave.  This painting is already hanging in the kitchen - though it will be wet for days.  I did spray it with quick-drying medium before framing, so hopefully that will speed the process along!  Painting number 725 in 725 days :)

Golden Winter Stream

Golden Winter Stream
Oil on panel, 4x6
purchase here

This is the second winter study I have done for my own living room wall.  The size will be 22x28 for the actual piece, and I am trying themes out on a much smaller scale.  Yesterday's composition was much cooler, where this one is infused with golden light.  I do so love this warm, cozy light in sky and water.  I know that I want water in the landscape, I'm drawn to it in the landscape.  I think I am leaning towards this one of the two, but I still would like to paint at least one more.  I'm sure I will work in oils for my own wall - the rich, creamy texture in the strokes is irresistible.  Adding the cad orange and red oxide for added pop in the landscape, has me wondering if maybe I should have dropped in a little more green..........there would be so much I could do on a large scale that would hardly be noticed at first glance. Those color nuances would be eye candy for the viewer who came close to the face of the painting.  I like the whole mood of this one, perhaps this will be gracing my wall before Christmas!  This painting makes 704 in 704 days.  Now, I'm off to a couple of basketball games :)

Dad's Shed

Dad's Shed
Watercolor batik on rice paper, 8x5
purchase here

The stunning color of the fall foliage hit me as soon as I walked out the back door at my parent's house.  Early morning light illuminated the trees splendidly!  How I wished I could set up and paint on the spot, being hospital bound, this was not the time.  I sketched this while my mother slept and my dad "rested" in a rather uncomfortable chair.  Laying in the first layers of color discreetly (from the vinyl couch in the room) - I took this back home to wax and paint again.  What a therapeutic way to spend the long hours waiting by mom's bed.  Painting number 675 in as many days.

Autumn Gold

Autumn Gold
Watercolor batik on masa, 5x8
Elmore, Ohio - purchase here

As I walked out of my parents back door, this glorious golden tree was there to greet me!  The yellows are really popping up here in northern Ohio - and the autumn landscape is amazing!  I snapped pics all the way to the hospital this morning while the sun was shining brightly.  Once again, I am using the watercolor batik method.  I have not actually painted in the hospital before, but I knew that watercolors would be the safe and clean alternative.  Those who know me, know that I am a clean painter - and my work area was tiny so as not to be noticed!  I first sketched out my composition with an india ink pen while looking at my reference on my phone - all in my lap.  Laying my skinny watercolor palette between me and the end of the couch on a paper towel, I dipped my brush into a little pill cup for my water and then into the paint of choice.  So compact, it was the perfect set up for "hospital" painting!  Arriving home later, I was then able to wax, crinkle, and then paint again.  Ironing that wax off, I then topped off with a little more watercolor and was done!  Working at four at a time, I needed that extra time in between for drying. Those other two are now dry, so I had better move on to ironing them.  Painting number 673 in as many days :)

Portage River in Fall

Portage River in Fall
Watercolor batik on masa paper, 8x5
purchase here

The Portage River runs past my parent's house in Elmore, Ohio, and is a constant source of inspiration when I visit.  This morning, while the grass was still very wet with dew, I walked down the hill and to the water's edge just to get this vantage!  So worth it!  So many of the trees are showing off their yellow foliage - the reflections are stunning!  I first sketched this out with my Pitt india ink pen in sepia, and next filled in with watercolor.  Using the hot wax for some movement in the water, I have left this one rather loose and liquid.  I think I will try to paint several of the river while I'm here!  Painting number 670 in 670 days.

Golden Glow

Golden Glow
Watercolor, ink, hot wax on masa, 8x5
purchase here

I am in Ohio for my mom's knee replacement surgery.  As we drove to the hospital this morning, the early morning light was bathing the autumn landscape in gold!  Taking a few reference photos, I then sketched a few paintings out on rice paper while my mom rested between therapy sessions.  This painting is from their side yard - with the sun lighting the golden leaves and grass alike!  Later, while she and my dad were napping, I painted them with the small watercolor palette that I take with me when plein air painting.  I forgot my water container and used one of the pill cups for my water!  I was able to paint the first two layers on, and wax, paint, iron, and paint again when I got back to their house.  This was a good use of time - because I HAD to watch the World Series game with my hometown boys playing (the Royals!!) - and this kept my hands busy!  This is painting number 669 in as many days - and boy do I hope we win!!