Garden Nocturne

What a lovely night for a nocturne in the garden, at one of my favorite places - the Main Street Inn in Sainte Genevieve!  After dinner at the Brick House and walking through the town listening to the live music, Mom and I returned to the inn to find live music playing nearby, clearly heard from the garden!  So I grabbed my gear - and Mom - are started sketching.  The band stopped before I hardly got started, and my nocturne light went out.  So, I sketched with the ambient light, only turning this light back on for the photo.  I'll need to put that charging cord in my sketch bag from now on! Painting number 4967 in 4967 days. 

Drift of Iris

 

I love painting the yellow flag iris when they erupt in bloom!!  The way they sweep through the lawn is magical - and it all started with a small clump that I ordered from a seed catalog years ago. Great in wet areas, I've seen them planted underwater in the elephant exhibit at the zoo!  I've shared them with friends and family, and they are great to sop up extra water in low lying areas.  Their rhizomes are so dense they need to be cut through to divide.  Their shiny large seeds drop liberally - and those readily grow new plants, too.  I've put a few down by the pond, and they should be blooming now, too.  I love painting the magic that stems from a tiny clump so many years ago!  Painting number 4892 in 4892 days. 

Sunset in the Snow

Though that sun was warm and inviting, it was SO cold out there in the pasture!  I am painting at home with this lovely blanket of snow on the landscape.  My intention was to paint close, and as many as I could.  We hardly had snow last year, and by gosh, I'm going to take advantage of it!  Well, it was SO cold that I only completed one oil painting!  The brushstrokes are loose (shivering?) and I brought out my old friend the palette knife to assist!  It feels so good to be painting in the oil again, especially for those snowy landscapes to come!  Painting number 1822 in 1822 days.

Dogwood on Chestnut Street

Dogwood on Chestnut Street
Oil on wood panel, 12x9
Augusta Plein Air Art Festival - purchase here

Arriving in the afternoon, a quick drive around the beautiful vintage town of Augusta brought me to this location, with it's strong light and shadow dancing across the lawn.  I was instantly drawn in.  Setting up my easel, I had an hour and a half before a scheduled social at "Pop-a-Wheelie" on the Katie Trail (which was excellent - by the way!)  I let the brushes do the work, laying in the masses with big strokes.  I am SO happy to be painting on wood this week! Last week I had left my panels behind, and had to paint on canvas for the New Harmony event.  Boy, am I ever appreciating my specially prepared wood panels now!  The next 10 days are going to be amazing in the heart of Missouri Wine Country!  Painting number 845 in 845 days :)

Dad's Shed

Dad's Shed
Watercolor batik on rice paper, 8x5
purchase here

The stunning color of the fall foliage hit me as soon as I walked out the back door at my parent's house.  Early morning light illuminated the trees splendidly!  How I wished I could set up and paint on the spot, being hospital bound, this was not the time.  I sketched this while my mother slept and my dad "rested" in a rather uncomfortable chair.  Laying in the first layers of color discreetly (from the vinyl couch in the room) - I took this back home to wax and paint again.  What a therapeutic way to spend the long hours waiting by mom's bed.  Painting number 675 in as many days.

In the Shed

In the Shed
Oil on panel, 6x6

With temperatures nearing 80 degrees this afternoon - it was the perfect day for working in the garden!  I had to dig out my shorts and a tank top - which I haven't worn for months - just to get to work.  There are SO many flowers coming up - I can't wait until they are blooming!  These tools were among the necessary items for today, so I have captured them in oil.  I am again working small, since time is short, and I have other things yet to take care of.  I started with an orange primed panel, and placed all of my darks first.  The lights are not very strong, since these tools are inside of a north facing shed, deep in the shade. From there, I simply laid in all of the value - quick and loose.  Painting number 435 in as many days, and here comes the rain :)

Hydrangeas by the Shed

Hydrangeas by the Shed
Edgehill Orchard Gallery
Door County, WI
Oil on panel, 8x6

Several locals told me I must see this gallery, even if I don't see one other place on the peninsula.  It is amazing!  The grounds, gallery and lanscape was simply picturesque.  When I started this painting on location at the beautiful Edgehill Orchard Gallery, the rain had only started to fall.  It increased quickly to the point of flooding the area in which I was standing.  I moved my easel back a little, and a little more, and finally into a corner I could not get out of!  I had to take off my shoes and carry my easel through the water barefoot - to higher ground!  You just never know what the day will bring when painting on location.  Painting number 208 in 208 days :)

The Garden Path

The Garden Path
Oil on panel, 9x12

This garden path winds through the Deanna Rose Farm by a little shed, leading to the vegetable gardens.  It was calling my name one morning during a sunrise quick paint - but it was being showered by the sprinklers!  I had done a quick sketch, and took a reference photo - which is what I am working from tonight.  Whenever my days are full of activities, I find myself working late - when it is impossible to go outside to paint.  I am forever taking photos of what I want to paint - and at these times, they come in handy!  My panel here is heavily textured, and I have painted this whole landscape with basically one large brush.  This lends a loose and impressionistic air to the whole garden, which softly expresses the mood of the day.  This painting makes 101 in as many days.  I was seriously tempted to take this day off from the madness, but alas - my inner self would not let it be.  It seems that where my "logical" self says, "no!", my creative self says, "yes!"  And, you can see for yourself who won :)

Big Snow at the Barn

Big Snow at the Barn
Oil on panel, 16x12

This winter wonderland continues! Another day of the kids home from school due to the weather - and we have another snow day tomorrow!  I don't ever remember a snow that continued to cling to the trees after the first day - but this one does!  It all still looks like new fallen snow, drifted and unmelted by the sun.   I am on the south side of the milk barn today, where the snow has drifted halfway up the leaning gate.    The cedars are glorious and heavy with snow, I may just paint them tomorrow!  Today makes 55 paintings in 55 days.  I never thought I'd be here when I took that 30 in 30 painting challenge :)