Path to the Pier

I love painting the vintage charm of this lovely  pavilion in Lakeside on Lake Erie!  It's entry to the pier is iconic to this area, and a beautiful landmark from the water.  Mom and I sure have enjoyed our stay here!  Painting number 4947 in 4947 days. 

Log Cabin and Depot

 

It was fun to sketch the log cabin and Elmore depot along the North Coast Inland Trail!  I love that we got to tour them, too!  Cool places of interest are open along the trail at certain hours and days.  These two are open every Sunday from 2 to 5, May through October.  It's such a great idea, and it makes the trail a destination to go see something new.  Mom and I enjoyed the buildings before meeting friends for ice cream right up the street. Mom is getting to visit with so many friends in town.  Painting number 4941 in 4941 days. 

Milk Barn Forsythia

Forsythia and this old barn were meant to be painted!  Years ago, I planted young forsythia sprouts over here, and now I can reap the rewards.  Nothing is as snowy as this bush in spring, and this only makes me want to transplant more sprouts around the farm!  Painting number 4847 in 4847 days. 

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. 

Christmas at Union Station

 

Union Station is absolutely MAGICAL to paint during the holidays!  What a jewel we have here in Kansas City!  I love capturing the beauty of this place with many mediums, but oils are an absolute favorite.  The reflections slide right through with each brushstroke, and the light drops in so smoothly.  I have so many memories here, as have 5 generations of my family.  This is a special place indeed.  Painting number 5039 in 5039 days. 

H.S. Clay House inked

This place has special memories for me and my family.  From artist brunches to bridal party weekend getaways, this place is a favorite destination in Augusta, Missouri.  So, it is my pleasure to sketch this beauty anew in pen and ink. The historic H.S. Clay House, a lovely Bed and Breakfast is in my easel, and pen and ink are my tools su jour. I'll be showing this on sale day at the Augusta Plein Air event next Saturday, if you'd like to see this one in person. Painting number 5021 in 5021 days. 

Lakeside Beach House

SOLD

I LOVE painting on the shores of Lake Erie, on the grounds of the historic Hotel Lakeside, where it is like stepping back in time.  Mom sat on a bench in the shade nearby, while I sketched and painted this vintage building on the beach.  Walking through the middle breezeway lands you on the beach, walking out toward the pier where benches and Lake Erie await.  It's been several years since we've been here, and it's bittersweet, as Dad was with us last time along this shore.  We're here for this weekend's plein air event with a sale off the easel Sunday, 1:30 to 3:30.  Looking forward to rest and restoration here in Lakeside. Painting number 4272 in 4272 days 

Straatmann Feed Store

I love the challenge of this complicated tangle of structures - and have wanted to draw this since the very first time I saw it!  Pen and ink is the perfect medium, so I positioned myself across the street in a parking lot, using a sliver of shade from my car to keep most of the sun off my paper.  The very bright white of this handmade paper is blinding in direct sunlight!  I use a water resistant ink for the first sketchy lines of my composition.  On this one, I started with the central building with the large open door, and scaled all lines out from there.  I make a few tick marks across the composition to make sure I'm where I need to be while working.  I don't use pencil, only ink, so there's no going back if I mess up!  With the water soluble ink, I darken and add a little water for mid tones.  I spent more time than usual on this, largely because it is so complicated!  Happy this drawing went home with a new owner, to join another of my paintings from last time!  New Melle is such a fun small town to paint!  Painting number 3057 in 3057 days. 

Cox Ford Covered Bridge

 It is so fun to find an amazing view of the bridge after a hike through the brush and trees!  When this scene opened up I was in painting heaven!  If only I'd had time for my oils!  I will certainly revisit this place - I have marked all my favorite bridges on a map for future reference!  I just love sketching these little slices of Americana from days gone by.  It really is like stepping back in time!  Painting number 2817 in 2817 days.

Chapeau Iris

Today finds me painting another of Grandma's iris varieties - Chapeau, I think!  This lovely bicolor bearded iris is tall and vigorous, blooming up out of thick daylilies!  I will transplant them this fall to a place they can spread and call their own!  I love their rich color on this rainy day!  Oils were the perfect choice to define their petals!  Painting number 2683 in 2583 days.

708 Wilkie Street

I love finding charming towns in the places I visit to paint!  Dunedin, Florida is a hidden gem close to the west coast of Florida.  Stumbling into this town during their Mardi Gras festival, we had a family day of eating, shopping and of course I had to get in some ink and watercolor!  One of these sketches was seen by the owner of this cottage, and she asked me to commit it to paint!  Love the charm of this place - and it was a joy to get to paint this!  Painting number 2627 in 2627 days.

Tarpon Avenue and S. Safford View

I could certainly get used to painting in shorts and sandals in February!!  For my very first day landing on the streets of Tarpon Springs, I wanted to paint the whole scene from Safford, looking down Tarpon Avenue.  This beautiful vintage town on the gulf coast of Florida is beautiful in every direction!  How on earth will I decide what to paint next?!  Painting number 2608 in 2608 days.

Yellow Barn Inked

After a little morning scouting of Door County barns, I knew as we approached THIS would be our painting location!  Finding the owner on the front porch, she graciously allowed us to stay and paint.  What fun!  I made a new friend who is also an artist, and got to sketch and paint this gorgeous old barn!  A perfect plein air day!  Painting number 2435 in 2435 days.

7830 Conser House

Two days ago, my daughter and I were at this very corner, working on our paintings for the Stems Painting Challenges.  On onlooker jumped out of his truck, asking if we would paint his house next.  If course we said yes!  Our challenge paintings complete, we returned to paint.  The owner came by to talk, but did not want to see either painting until they were done.  When finished and framed, he chose them both, and I threw in my ink drawing for good measure.  I just love it when my paintings don't even make it home!  Painting number 1950 in 1950 days.

sold

Barn in the Snow

This barn remains as "civilization" crowds in on three sides.  This is the first time I've painted it from the back side.  The distant color in the sky made this decision for me, as it was growing dark and moody behind me.  Snow was expected, so I painted right after the gym - my easel always at the ready in the trunk.  When I opened it up, I found my sediment filled safflower oil frozen!  I use that to clean my brushes since I'm solvent free.  Who knew this freezes at 16 degrees?  It warmed up in my pocket, so I was able to clean my brushes before leaving.  Painting number 1843 in 1843 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! 

Home from the Pasture

I scouted all over the property before finally deciding on this vantage.  Calm breezes, warm temps in the 60's and the fabulous light made this a perfect plein air day!  With about an hour before sunset, I set up my easel and got to work. I love the way that golden light streaked across the pasture, bouncing off the tufts of tall grass.  I paint the colors en masse, pulling the brushstrokes about to indicate grasses, rather than painting every blade.  The effect is much more natural, as the eye sees when looking at the whole landscape.  It is so restorative to be one with nature, doing what I was born to do. Painting number 1827 in 1827 days.

At Home in the Snow

What a gorgeous day for painting in the snow!  It felt like a heat wave (maybe 20 degrees) compared to the sub zero temps of yesterday!  The long blue violet shadows drew me to this spot, the yummy cool and warm tones playing in the snow.  I was not pressured by the cold at all today, so I could take my time to REALLY look at the colors.  This time of year is always about growth and expressing my feelings of a moment in time with paint.  Each stroke is truth, each passage a connection to the very place I stand.  To reach for that truth each day is a blessing indeed.  Painting number 1824 in 1824 days.

Lakeside Retreat

I am putting pen to paper and filling in with watercolor.  This cotton rag paper has a rough texture, so I must use a fine or medium tip pen for the drawing.  The super fine seems to skip around too much, only hitting the high spots.  The paint flows freely on this paper, staying wet long enough to add more colors to mingle into the wet areas.  Each painting is an exploration in the media, pushing and pulling to see what evolves! Painting number 1818 in 1818 days. 

Union Station ATC

With Union Station dressed in red for the Chiefs, I knew I must paint this!  The arrowhead banners in the windows are a great addition to this building, adding that pop of red!  This one is miniature at 2.5x3.5, and already has a new home!  First Saturdays are the Urban Sketchers KC event from 10:00 - 12:00, and we met and painted on the glass walkways between buildings.  I could paint there all day, with wonderful views of the city in all directions! Michaela went with me and painted a couple of her own!  Painting number 1814 in 1814 days.