Morning on W. Second

 

I love painting downtown Lakeside, where most of the traffic is bicycles and gold carts.  Everyone is so nice, and we visit about all things Lakeside.  Often, couples will walk by a few times to see my progress as I work.  What a great place to visit AND paint!  I'm so happy this painting has found a new home in Kentucky!  Painting number 4948 in 4948 days. 

Rush Hour on Walnut

 

I LOVE returning to charming Lakeside to paint! I look forward to this weekend event all year, it's like stepping back in time for a few days.  A great place for families, many return to the same summer cottage for generations.  The Wet Paint Sale Sunday 1:30 to 3:30, outside the hotel near the pavilion on Lake Erie.  It's always cool here by the water.  Painting number 4945 in 4945 days. 

Stroll Down Main Street

 

I love visiting the hometown of my grandparents and greart-grandparents to paint the main street where they once walked.  I remember some of the stories Dad would tell of walking up to meet the train with his Aunt Minnie to sell livestock, then walking to the bank with her apron full of coins. I can almost see these events unfolding as I'm painting, and I feel my family near.  I'm so happy this painting has a new home, too!  Painting number 4618 in 4618 days. 

The Heart of Marceline

 
I knew as soon as I saw this scene, I would paint it.  This would be the very first painting of the day, as it would not let me leave without painting it.  It was cloudy and cool, and absolutely the perfect weather for standing completely in the open to get this vantage.  After my very detailed drawing, I began adding the watercolor, pushing the ink a little more too, until I was finished.  I'm so happy to have received the Reginal Bank Purchase Award for this painting!  Painting number 4617 in 4617 days. 

Elmore Train Station

There is something magical about capturing memories in ink and watercolor in the pages of a sketchbook.  The blank white handmade cotton paper begins to transform into a story with each line and letter.  The color brings the shapes to life, and my experience spills out onto the page.  The painting brings up other memories of children playing, biking this trail, and dinners held on festival days.  And then, the many solo runs that started not far from here, always running past as I really gained momentum for the miles ahead.  My parents lived here for 35 years, and Mom and I visit yearly to reconnect with her friends.  It's a special place indeed.  Painting number 4614 in 4614 days. 

Village of Elmore Clock

This place is full of memories, and this gorgeous clock has hung from the bank building for decades. As Mom and I sat at Christie's Café waiting for quiche, I sketched this town icon.  This clock is a real showpiece here, and I've never seen another one like it.  It's funny how sketching these places full of memories take me back in time.  Painting number 4594 in 4594 days. 

Maple and W Second St

Mom and I arrived in Lakeside this evening and I just had to go paint while she took a quick nap.  This building has splashy new blue awnings that immediately caught my attention - so of course, I had to paint them!  I love the vintage seaside charm of this place, and visited with quite a few people as I worked.  Everyone is so friendly and it is great to be back in Lakeside again!  Painting number 4580 in 4580 days. Come see all of this weekend's paintings on Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 on the lawn near Hotel Lakeside. 

Historic Cuba along Route 66

 

I have wanted to paint historic Cuba asking Route 66 for years!  WHAT A COOL TOWN - SO happy I finally got the chance! This town has so many sweet old buildings!  Each street I walked down, I find another painting just waiting to be painted.  I did get two done today, but so many others will have to wait until I return to this area.  Painting number 4537 in 4537 days. 

Historic Downtown Lakeside

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Painting in the heart of Lakeside is so much fun!  With at least four locations serving frozen treats, there is constant pedestrian traffic!  I talked and visited as I sketched this scene - dropping far more detail in than planned.  Mom and I had to break for lunch before her favorite quiche place closed, so I had to return to apply the paint.  A lovely couple offered me a smoothie, when they learned I had not yet tried the place.  Due to their kindness, I am now hooked on those delicious, healthy smoothies!  Who knew I could get something that I only make at home, from a shop?  Amazing!  Painting number 5104 in 5104 days. 

Downtown Overland Park

 

It's so much fun to paint my favorite street in historic downtown Overland Park with artist friends!  Tonight was the Magic Hour paint out for the Stems Plein-Air, benefitting the Overland and Arboretum. This is a lively place with walkers and families strolling by to visit and enjoy the downtown district.  I only wish I had more time here to paint in my old stomping grounds!  Painting number 5054 in 5054 days. 

Looking Down Main Street

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Sometimes, I've just got to paint a nocturne! I love painting my favorite inn at Sainte Genevieve.  Mom and I are enjoying an early Mother's Day weekend at the Main Street Inn, where the proprietor and conversation are always entertaining! Great breakfasts, shopping, dining, Chaumette Winery and a tour of the Jean Baptiste Valle House where the art of local colony artists of the 30s and 40s was displayed, suns up our brief and fun filled days.  Oh - and of course squeezed in those daily paintings!  Painting number 5038 in 5038 days. 

Welcome to Washington

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I love the excitement of capturing the entire Washington Riverfront in paint - in under two hours!!  I am honored my painting was selected from so many incredible artists for the Washington Sponsor Award tonight. I've wanted to paint this scene for years!  Painting number 5026 in 5026 days. 

Overland Park Water Tower

What a fabulous and warm February day for painting!  With record breaking temps in the upper 70s, it was sheer joy to paint slices of my childhood today. This is my old stomping grounds, and I have a fondness for this historic water tower, while so many new apartments pop up around it.  Michaela and her family met me at Thompsons Park, where the little ones had a blast playing at the playground.  What a lovely way to spend the day!  Painting number 4064 in 4064 days. 

Looking up Walnut

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What a gorgeous day for painting the charming streets of Lakeside, Ohio!  This path leads to town from the beach of Lake Erie, and is another iconic part of Lakeside.  As I sketched in ink and painted in watercolor, many stopped to visit and young artists asked about my tools.  It was a lovely day of sharing art, followed by dinner and a show with Mom at Hoover Auditorium.  Painting number 3840 in 3840 days. 

SE Main Street

 I love painting the small town charm of historic downtown Lee's Summit!  There are SO many vintage buildings lining several blocks east and west of the old depot.  The town is vibrant with people and shops and truly a slice of Midwest living.  It's my pleasure to paint such a place for the Summit Art Plein Air event.  This painting is now showing at City Hall in Lee's Summit, Missouri, through the end of July.  Painting number 3817 in 3817 days.

Downtown Bonaparte

I LOVE  painting the small town charm of Bonaparte, Iowa, just a stone's throw from the Des Moines River!  These river towns are full of vintage buildings, parks, and gardens.  It is refreshing to see a town respect it's history and retain the flavor of years gone by.  This artist appreciates the historic beauty I find down every street.  I'm happy this painting has a new home, too!  Painting number 3794 in 3794 days. 

Morning on 1st Street

 

I love capturing the charm of historic downtown Owensville in paint!  Staying just across the street, this was an easy site to get to on the morning of the Owensville paint day for the 4th annual Gasconade County Plein Air event.  Walking up and down the street, I liked this section most, especially lit by that morning sun.  I sketched it out in paint, then started filling in the masses, like putting together a puzzle.  Go see this one in person at Art Works On Main Gallery on 1st street, in Owensville - in fact, it is one of the buildings I painted! Painting number 4374 in 4374 days. 

Looking up Main - Across the Tracks

 

What a beautiful morning to start Parkville Plein Air - and I just HAD to paint the whole street scene!  Using a larger panel than usual, this one is 20x10. I am also trying a new tint to my gesso with this one.  I primed the whole panel in a cool gray that pushes a little to the green.  I seem to cycle through the colors trig the years - anything but white!  White is just too bright in the field - and all of it must be covered.  Composing this scene is a bit like putting together a puzzle - painting in each building as it fits, until the whole painting emerges.  It was so nice to visit with everyone as they walked by, Main Street in Parkville is such a friendly place.  This painting was in the top 4 in today's Purchase Award, and is painting number 4358 in 4358 days. 

Looking Down North Main Street

What a charmed life I lead, painting from the steps  of the Main Street Inn in Sainte Genevieve, where every guest is treated like royalty each time we visit!  After a sumptuous breakfast, I headed out to paint. This street scene was very appealing last night from the balcony, and it was on my mind this morning.  I could hardly choose between oils and watercolor, but decided on oils with some deliberation.  I love the way the oils worked for this scene, but still the watercolor rendering is floating around in my head.  It's not often that way, I nearly always know what medium to choose as I enter the scene.  But this time I was truly back and forth several times.  Who knows, maybe I'll choose watercolor tomorrow?!  Painting number 4269 in 4269 days. 

Rosebud Mo

 I started the ink work on this (beside my car) between showers, only to be forced back into my car as the rain kicked up.  I took advantage of the break to eat some fruit, rehydrate, and then headed back out as the rain let up.  Shoppers along the walk stopped by to talk as I worked - and one of those visitors ended up buying this painting for her own wall!  The charming town of Rosebud is a wonderful place to shop on a Saturday - and droves of people walked out of that bakery on the far right with boxes of goodies!  I sure wish I had more time for shopping on this day!  Painting number 3204 in 3204 days.