Winter Creek

Winter Creek
Oil on panel, 7x5
purchase here

Another day filled with family, cooking, cleaning and visiting - and very little time for a painting at the end of the day.  I am embracing the grays today, keeping in the moody colors.  I am painting this on canvas with the oils, using rather thick paint.  I will have to make posting this short and sweet - because I am now needed in the living room.  It is a miracle that I was even able to get a painting done today!  Painting number 731 in 731 days.

Still Waters at Vineyard Hill

Still Waters at Vineyard Hill
Oil on panel, 11x14
Vineyard Hill Paint-Out

Our Thursday's paint out was at the beautiful Vineyard Hill, private property of the Virants.  Always gracious, our wonderful hosts served us breakfast goodies and a wonderful chili lunch - which was so warming on the cold day!  This special place has a hilltop view of the surrounding landscape, lake, winding creek, barns, woods, and wonderful vineyards.  Some of the grapevines were thicker around than my arm! I painted this winding water from a footbridge into the woods on a walking path.  I knew as soon as I saw it, I must paint it.  The bridge was lined up with artists, so we had selected another spot to paint first, arriving at this location late in the day.  With only 45 minutes to lay in paint - I brushed it on with my large brush, working as quickly as I could with the 11x14 panel.  The feel of this place was so peaceful, I was glad we had waited for the crowd to clear.  Rain had loomed close all day, but did not actually start to fall until I was nearly finished with this piece.  This was perhaps the coldest day of the ten, and was I ever thankful for my rainslicker!  It blocked that wind completely, and I was not longer cold.  Painting number 489 in 489 days :)

Misty Afternoon

Misty Afternoon
Oil on canvas, 7x5

I simply adore a rainy day!  It is my favorite kind of day for being artistic!  With sounds of thunder rumbling and dark clouds moving in, I feel in my bones it is time to paint - or draw!  Drawing is normally my "dark day" outlet, where the good lighting is not so important to color, but not today.  Today, I want to capture this marvelous spring atmosphere with my oils.  Using a small panel, as once again I have limited time, this creek embodies the mood of this rainy April day.  Painting number 475 in 475 days....now off to run my errands!

Song of Spring

Song of Spring
Oil on panel, 12x6

As a misty drizzle coats our streets, quickly turning to ice, I am toasty inside and painting the view from my window.  The cool, violet skies drew my attention, but the harsh dormant colors of winter really didn't.  Not today.  Using my artistic license, I simply painted the gardens coming into their spring glory - instead of their winter sleep!  The honeysuckle on the fence remains deep green in the winter, and the "dog path" is a little wider here than in reality, but all the new spring growth is completely from memory.  This is a plein air painting - in the warmth of my home and with all the extras I felt like painting today!  Who needs to stick with reality all the time, anyway?  This is painting number 396 in 396 days :)

Barns in Winter - miniature

Barns in Winter - miniature
acrylic on canvas, 2x3
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show

Well, here it is, another late night and I am just now getting around to posting.  This little winter barn landscape is like so many I saw through Ohio and Indiana last winter, and painted on a 2x3 inch canvas with acrylics.  I have not yet tried the oils on these miniatures - only because I need them dry in a hurry, which oils do not do!  I think it may just be easier to maneuver the thin acrylics on such a small surface.  Oils are so buttery, it may make them very hard to use, since I don't add any mediums.  This is painting number 334 in as many days and is still available at GOT Art Gallery on 3rd St. in Lee's Summit, MO :)

Snow on the San Juan River

Snow on the San Juan River
Oil on panel, 6x6
Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show

As we left Pagosa Springs, we were in a bit of a hurry.  The word was out that snow was expected, and the pass would soon be closed.  On the south side, the sun was out and illuminating the San Juan National Forest as we started through the pass.  About a third the way through, all became very overcast and the skies were spitting snow.  The farther we drove, the snow was accumulating on the roads, making them quite slick.  It also started blanketing the forest floor and one side of the trees, making a winter wonderland on the green grasses and foliage.  Snapping all the way, I was able to get some great reference to work from.  So, my Christmas painting begins with the 313th painting in as many days, and a lot of palette knife work :)

King of the Prairie

King of the Prairie
20x16, Oil over acrylic on panel

There is a wonderful buffalo farm not far from my home.  I try to go get reference photos whenever the lighting is especially cool.  Sometimes the buffalo are close enough to really see, and other times they are way back from the road.  I started this by completely underpainting in acrylic, and then going over that base with my oils.  I used quite a bit of palette knife work in the grasses for texture as well as interest.  I am going to let this one rest tonight, to look again with fresh eyes in the morning.  This painting makes 85 paintings in 85 days.  I never thought a 30 day painting challenge would lead me here :)