Moon Over Ste Genevieve Catholic Church

 

I LOVE the unique charm each watercolor batik painting has, as it's unpredictable nature unfolds!  Tt is so well suited for a nocturne with the hot wax resists and strong floating color. This one focuses on the Catholic Church in Sainte Genevieve, with moon and stars rising to the occasion.  I continue to work on large pieces for my upcoming gallery show at the Silver Sycamore Gallery of Fine Art March 24. I will be teaching a two day workshop, and sharing my process for the Art Walk on that Friday night at 6:00.  Come join me to see all the new work and the process, too!  Painting number 3718 in 3718 days. 

Eiffel Tower in Batik

I love the unpredictability of watercolor batik on rice paper.  Every stroke moves and mingles at will.  For this painting,  I've used masa paper,  which is a heavier rice paper.  It has a slick side and a lightly textual side  - and that is the one you want to paint on.  I start with my Pitt pen by drawing out the composition.  Pitt pens are India ink, so they won't run when paint is applied.   All light values were painted first,  then hot wax was applied over these areas with a natural bristle brush.  The rest of the color is added,  then waxed,  then all is crumpled up.   Into these cracks in the wax more watercolor is applied,  I used sepia.  All wax is then ironed off between layers of brown paper,  or newspaper.   Voila!  That completes the process!   Painting number 1533 in 1533 days.

Plaza Nocturne in Batik

Switching gears today, I am working with the watercolor batik method.  Though I prefer the super thin rice paper, I am learning to really enjoy the heavier masa rice paper.  It has a slick side and a papery side, and I always use the papery side.  It accepts the ink and watercolor much better than the slick side.  Experimenting today, I  wrinkled my paper before painting as is often done with masa, but not normally with the batik until after waxing.  I liked it.  The creases that "broke" the sizing took on more paint than the rest, bumping up that batik effect when I later added the sienna paint to the creases and edges.  I've been sketching quite a bit of architecture lately, so I've chosen one of my favorite places - the Country Club Plaza for my composition.  This place is beautiful all times of the year, but especially when the streets are wet!   The coolest part of this technique is that no two paintings will ever be alike.  The way the watercolor reacts to the rice paper and hot wax is unpredictable, taking on a mind of it's own.  And what is more fun than a painting doing it's own thing?  This painting makes 1491 in 1491 days :)

Tallship Nocturne Batik

Hot wax, ink and watercolor on masa rice paper are my playthings du jour!!  Pushing into the contemporary and abstract, I choose a tallship in the night under the moon and stars!  First, I sketch out the scene with India ink.  Next, I paint my lightest values, letting the dry.  I then come in with a bristle brush and hot wax (I heat in a tiny crock pot), and paint these areas that I want to resist the next layers of color.  Then, I flood in my darks on the fragile masa rice paper, which I set on top of wax paper for full paint absorbency.  I am using my Daniel Smith translucent watercolors for this technique.  Once this dries, I wax the entire painting, allowing it to cool.  Now, this is the scary part.  I wad the painting up into a ball, crunching wax off randomly!  I then come back over this painting with a dark color, working the paint into all this creases I just created.  After this dries, I place the painting between layers of newspaper, and iron until all wax is removed.  I must keep switching out the paper to accomplish this.  The fun part is that this technique creates different results every time, so no two pieces will ever be the same!  This contemporary painting is the 1487th in 1487 days :)

Abstract Moon

This little bit of craziness was SO challenging!  The moon has been out in full force lately, so I've chosen a spot at the pond for an abstract nocturne!  I am SO not abstract by nature!  Pushing the masses into broken spots of color sounded like an easy thing to do....but I had to keep laying paint, overlapping and abstracting the shapes that constantly kept emerging!  This required so much thought, whereas my normal paintings slip off the brush with very little "brain engagement".  I guess this is part of learning, a painful, time consuming part.  I could have painted three paintings in the time it took for this dip into madness!  Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I did sign this, but nobody will believe I painted it.  I will now return to my sketchbook for a little normally to restore my soul!  This crazy painting is the 1466th in 1466 days.

Acrylic on panel, 9x12
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Silver Moon over Pond

Silver Moon
Oil on illustration board, 6x8
purchase here

Nocturnes are so enchanting.  The very essence of capturing the palest light on a dark night whispers of mystery.  Most of my nocturne paints have been in town, where light is illuminated from buildings and street lights, and spread all about the landscape in a limited scope.  Painting the light of the moon is quite different.  Everything about it is different.  The light is cool, therefore the shadows are warm.  In this case, I started with a black surface.  I never do this with a street scene, because I want some color variation in the darks.  In this painting, I created that difference with paint, warming the dark hues as they neared the ground. The sky was the lightest plane in my landscape, and though reflected in the water, it was darker.  Some of those dark shadows lost their edges, especially in the trees which seemed engulfed with some of that moonlight.  I did have to use a headlamp to paint this, which I have never used before - mainly because I do not like the blue light they emit.  I simply had no other choice here.  When I think if the moon, and moonlight, I always think "lemon yellow".  This was not true when it stood before me, it was silvery (although I did tint my white with the palest bit of lemon yellow - because nothing in the landscape is really white).  This painting makes 1291 in 1291 days.

Plaza After Hours

Plaza After Hours
Watercolor batik on rice paper, 6x8.5
purchase here

I don’t get down to the Country Club Plaza nearly enough.  I love everything about the place - the architecture, the multitude of fountains, the shops - and it is a special place to capture in paint.  I have been wanting to explore cityscapes in batik - so that is what I am up to today.  When using this technique, I sketch in my buildings first with an india ink pen - I like the Pitt pens for this, and I have lately been using the sepia ones.   I just got a new set of these pens in the mail yesterday, one of the black one with a chisel tip!  I love getting new supplies to experiment with!  The street scenes are fun to paint in this technique.  I spend a little more time sketching, since the lines are important, but them I still paint them in a loose fashion.  Once that lightest layer is finished, I then paint these areas with hot wax.  Next, I can drop in the night color, indigo with permanent blue and red violet dropped in.  I'm looking forward to finishing some more of these up in painting class tomorrow!  The "stars and moon" are simply a splattering of wax.  Painting number 1028 in 1028 days.

Santa and His Bag - miniature

Santa and his Bag
Acrylic on canvas, 5x5

Today was a day filled with family, a big pot of chili, and visiting.  It is wonderful to have my dad here - and healthy!!  What a gift this is!!  Now, most of the company is gone - and I return to the easel, painting a vintage Santa surveying his pack!  I started this painting by washing the canvas with a warm yellow acrylic.  Once dry, I then sketched out the scene with a pastel stick.  Using layers of color, I started thin in the sky and dropped in the blue from the top.  You can see the irregular spreading as the paint moved at will.  I'm enjoying the different color palette, and the whimsical nature of these "santas". I still have so much to do - and the time is simply vaporizing!  I'd better get back to work!  Painting number 722 in 722 days :)

Old World Santa - miniature

Old World Santa
Acrylic on canvas, 5x5

I started this vintage Santa painting with a watercolor wash - only with thinned down acrylic instead f watercolor.  You can see the movement of the paint over the canvas in the sky and hills.  Building up layers on the focal areas, I then mixed up the titanium white acrylic with the molding paste for the drifts of snow, beard, and fur trim of Santa's outfit.  When mixing these two mediums together, the texture is grainy, and the application with the knife feels different than the paste alone. What I like is that the paste already has the color I want, and I don't have to paint over it, often times missing the low areas with my brush.  Perhaps I'll change up the mix a bit next time....just to see what happens!  This painting makes 721 in 721 days in this busy Christmas season!

Walking Santa - miniature

Walking Santa - miniature
Acrylic on canvas, 5x5 gallery wrapped

Some new paints arrived in the mail today - and I simply could not wait to use them!  So, I sketched out a few Santas, and thought I would just start with acrylics and top off with the new oils.  As I worked, I like the feel and mood I was achieving with a very limited palette.  I actually grabbed the first yellow, red, blue and green that I put my hands on - and started painting!  The result is something out of my ordinary!  Instead of topping with oil, I mixed a little molding paste with white acrylic paint - and applied with my palette knife.  I painted four of these - all for my new oils - and I will not be using the oils on top of any of them!  Guess I'll have to start on a winter landscape to try out those paints!  Painting number 720 in 720 days :)

Moonlight Sailing

Moonlight Sailing
Oil on panel, 8x10
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Michael had a double header this afternoon, and after dining out, I have come to my easel late on this day.  Keeping with my 4 day theme of nocturnes, I had sketched this composition out before leaving the house this morning.  The work starts more quickly with the planning already done.  I had read an article about turning daylight reference work into night, just by changing the light - so here, I am trying just that.  Since I have finished this at night, the glare off the oils is pretty bad, and thus the color is off, too.  I will try to take a better photo tomorrow with natural light.  The sky and water both are much more prussian blue, and the alizarin is hardly visible in this image!  I tried a new violet on this one - another unburied treasure from my endless paint supplies - thiondigo violet.  It seems to be very much like alizarin, but different.  With so much blue-violet in the water and sky, I scattered it's compliment of yellow-orange around the painting in tiny strokes.  I think I may need to emphasize the mast a bit more, but I am letting this one rest until tomorrow.  This painting makes 593 in as many days.

Moon Over the Water

Moon Over the Water
Oil on panel, 12x9
Purchase Information

I am going to be presenting to the Tri-County Art League on Tuesday about painting nocturnes, so I will be painting one a day until then.  I have sold more nocturnes than I have remaining, so I need to boost my supply to have a variety to display.  I normally paint street scenes, where I can set up under one street light and paint what is illuminated before my by other street lights.  Only the very first nocturne I ever painted was of a completely natural scene, and it was a full moon over the Augusta Shores Lake.  Not knowing what I was doing, several of us set up on the deck of the Curry's - and quickly captured the scene.  It was super fun, but certainly not a masterpiece!  It was the beginning of a love of painting night scenes, though. Since then, I have studied under a couple of wonderful artists who do amazing nocturnes, and the real world experience of actually painting them on location in invaluable.  I don't like using the clip on lights, or any light besides a soda lamp or white street light, so I must pick my locations carefully.  A full moon will give you the best light on all you are painting, and clouds will give you an amazing backlit show for your sky.  I have only used prussian blue, alizarin crimson, white, and a tiny bit of cad yellow deep for this painting.  Now, I must get back to work preparing for my presentation.  Painting number 592 in 592 days.

Moon and Fairies

Moon and Fairies
Oil on glass, 9x12
print available here

Another day in fairy land - this time with the smiling crescent moon.  Fairies play amongst phlox and sunflower, while another rests upon the moon.  The subject is fanciful, and I found myself loosing track of time.  So immersed I was in my work, I almost forgot to pick up my youngest son from an after school project session!  I really need to set an alarm when painting, I can't tell you how many times this has happened!  Thankfully, there are leftovers for dinner, so I won't be pulled to that chore, and i am jumping right into the next scene - the one directly under this painting.  I've fully sketched it out already - and indeed it is half painted from the top down!  Once I have finished all six panes of this window, I will spray them all with a quick dry oil medium that speeds drying time.  The glass may just slow down the drying process considerably.  This third part of six paintings makes 389 in as many days, and day 24 in the 30 day painting challenge.  This latest challenge has flown by in the blink of an eye!

Santa Over the Chrysler Building - miniature

Santa Over the Chrysler Building
Santa Whimsey Series #4
Acrylic on canvas, 2.5 x 3.5 inches
sold

Oh, what a day!  Today, my parents and I went down to see the Holiday Train Express at Union Station with Tiffany's family and her friend Candice, and her family.  The kids loved it!  Union Station is absolutely beautiful this time of year!  In fact, I plan the paint the giant tree in the main hall, surrounded by family members (tiny next to the tree) one day soon!  The boys LOVE trains - and they were so excited by everything, we could hardly keep track of the 4 year old!  After lunch at Fritz's - where the meals are delivered by trains that run along the top of the walls, we dropped the boys off and headed out for some shopping.  Since freezing rain is expected tomorrow, and snow the next day, we had to make the most of the 60 degree day!  I have just arrived home, grabbed a bite to eat, and am now hoping to post this before midnight!  This special painting is for an old friend from school, who requested this favorite building with Santa for a loved one.  This makes painting number 347 in as many days.  My children are hoping for freezing rain tomorrow - so they will be able to miss school!

Church on a Winter's Night - miniature

Church on a Winter's Night
acrylic on panel, 2.5 x 2.5 inch
sold

This day has been so full it is bursting at the seams!  Our Tri-County Art League Christmas lunch was today, and I had our annual class party tonight at my house - full of good food, good wine and so many gifts for all!  After SO much celebrating today - I am ready to hit the sack!  This is one of the miniatures I have been painting lately - only this one is in a square format.  I have taken lots of reference photos , and it takes a little digging to find just what I want.  We have so many charming old churches in rural Missouri - I decided to choose this for my subject matter today.  Painting number 345 in 345 days.  Now, I am ready for a long winter's nap!

Santa Over Kansas City

Santa Over Kansas City
Acrylic on panel, 5x5
Santa Whimsy Series - Number 2

Today finds me working on commissions, finishing odd jobs, and getting playful with the paints!  Santa and his tiny reindeer are flying over the Kansas City Skyline in this whimsical little painting.  These little Santa paintings are SO much fun!  I envision him flying over  Paris, Rome, the Country Club Plaza, and even my home in the country!  So many ideas.....so little time!  I am now several paintings ahead, which should free me up for those things I MUST do in the next few days.  After working on miniatures, the large panels looming ahead of me are quite daunting - oh well, the best way is to just jump in with both feet forward!  Painting number 337 in 337 days :)

Santa's Ride - miniature

Santa's Ride - miniature
acrylic on canvas with easel, 2x3
sold

After baking 96 cookies for tonight's Cookie Walk and reception in downtown Lee's Summit, I headed over to the gallery on this very brisk night.  Braving the 16 degree cold, so many visitors popped in tonight for a little art and red velvet white chocolate chip cookies!  It was so fun to see everyone and catch up with old friends!  This little painting was among the sales, so I wanted to get it posted tonight for others to see.  It is a more whimsical than my norm - and super fun to paint!   This little gem was my first jump back into acrylics in quite a while.  Feeling playful with this tiny canvas, I envisioned Santa's sleigh and tiny reindeer wrapping up as if to circle the moon.  Using rather fanciful strokes and dropping in the color sporadically, I was able to spontaneously paint this little bit of whimsy by the lake.  It is fun to pull a painting out of my head once in a while - instead of working en plein air.  Santa is quick - and I'm afraid I'd have a hard time capturing him with paint during the night of Christmas Eve!  Painting number 333 in 333 days :)