Osage Ridge Morning

SOLD

Today's Mystery Paint-out was high atop Osage Ridge Rd, with a breathtaking view. Standing in the shadow of a great pine, the wind blew forcefully from the south.  I had one panel left in a larger size than I wanted - and it was on an unprimed gessoed panel showing white.  Not my intended set-up, but once started, I persevered to the finish.  This painting was a hard won battle with the wind, complete with debris blowing into my eyes. The reward for this hard work was winning the Sponsor Award today, in this beautiful place, immersed in nature.  Painting number 5031 in 5031 days. 

Among the Persimmons

Among the Persimmons
Oil on wood panel, 12x9
Vineyard Hill, Augusta, Missouri - purchase here

Vineyard Hill is a wonderful place to paint - with a rambling creek, lake, high hill and vineyards and barns to paint!  It is a painter's paradise with so many choices, and the hosts are second to none! We were treated to bakery goodies upon arriving, and later, a large pot of chili for lunch! An artist can really get spoiled around here - it truly ruins us for ALL other plein air events!  With so many friendly people, why would I ever paint anywhere else?  So many wonderful memories!  This is painting number 895 in 895 days.

Church on the Hill

Church on the Hill
Oil on panel, 12x16
Defiance, Missouri

This charming old church is atop a hill in Defiance, Missouri, and can be seen from all directions.  It has such wonderful presence in the landscape, as if it has always been here.  Painting a larger size today, 12x16, I am playing with the colors of autumn.  The leaves have just started to turn in the last few days - only a few, as most are still as green as summer.  But these few colorful tints in the landscape are the promise of more to come, and certainly have me thinking of painting fall!  I pulled out my yellow green, only to find it was the wrong shade.  So, digging a little further, I found my favorite - a Grumbacher.  It has a pop that my other brands do not have.  I also found a small tube of Grumbacher white, and used it to load my palette.  Well, it is not my Winsor Newton!  The color was flat in comparison, and not what I would buy again.  Isn't it funny how we artists find very specific supplies that we like, and shun others without mercy?  I went back to my ultramarine blue for this one, after a month of using mainly my prussian blue.  I wanted to cool shade to play the warmer fall colors off of.  Lots of palette knife work on this one - juicy and full of impressionistic strokes!  I will be taking this one to Augusta this weekend!  This painting makes 627 in as many days and Day 17 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

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 :)

Redbud Lane

Redbud Lane
Oil on panel, 9x12
Augusta Shores Paint-Out

on location

Time flies so quickly when I am painting en plein air! I get so caught up in what I am channeling through my brush, that I lose all concept of time.  The last few days, I have had to set the alarm on my phone to tell me when it is 10 minutes from quitting time - otherwise I would very likely miss entering my painting!  It is the best policy for me to simply frame and enter the first piece before moving on to another, this way the pressure is off, and I don't have to race to the drop-off - which I have been known to do!  This was my second painting of the Augusta Shores paint-out.  The weather was warm and windy - and I had a hard time keeping my hair out of my eyes.  The rain held off just until we were loading our plates at the chili supper!  This painting makes 481 in 481 days.  We have a private estate paint tomorrow and a nocturne paint - I really hope the rain holds off until both events are over!  Could we be so lucky?