Mayor's Christmas Tree

Today finds me at Crown Center capturing the holiday magic with ink and watercolor!  The Urban Sketchers have a challenge out for postcard paintings, so I picked up some blanks at Blick, and headed to the playland by the ice skating rink.  With the very first mark I remembered how much I dislike standard watercolor paper!  What was I thinking?  I keep picking up these special items - totally forgetting that I only use handmade paper, and then I have to try and make it work.  What a lovely place on a lovely day, if only I had handmade paper postcards!  I am now thinking of creating my own, but I still have three pads full to use!  Yikes!  Postcards from the edge, maybe?  Painting number 2891 in 2891 days.  

Wooden Bridge

I just found out that this painting of an old train trestle in Salem, Illinois won "Best Representation of West Salem" at the Edward's County Paint Out!  It is such a nice surprise to find happy news in my email in box!  With covid changing all events since March, this event is held without the artists in person this year.  I sure miss getting to visit with everyone from the area and painting with fellow artists, but I'm very happy to still be participating in a socially distanced way!  Thank you to Albion for hosting this event!  Painting number 2826 in 2826 days 

Belton Train Station ATC

The last painting of the year is the wonderful old train in old town Belton's station!  On this very cold day, painting small is ideal - ATC size at 2.5x3.5. With such complicated parts, it is best to simplify shapes and values. A quick drawing in India ink and next a little watercolor to help pull all together.  I'm really enjoying my watercolors.  It is like coming back to an old friend!  Painting number 1808 in 1808 days!  Happy New Year's eve! 

Train Yard Inked

When I went in search of trains, I was expecting to finish a quick drawing and meet the family for dinner.  WELL, this very complicated subject which I am not familiar with, took me a little longer to get down!  I love the nostalgia of these old trains, and I have no idea what the second vehicle is - perhaps something to check the tracks?  I'm scouting locations for my next nocturne painting night, and I think this will be a cool place!  And at night, I will only need to paint the light,  leaving all those unlit details in shadow. That is definitely a bonus!  Painting number 1631 in 1631 days.

Workshop Santa Nutcracker

These Santa nutcrackers are among my very favorite - and they are SO much fun to paint!   This fabulous one in his workshop attire, complete with toys, apron, hammer and nail, has been shared with me from a private collection.  What fun!  I love the way his colors work together and pop on the panel!  For those lively red highlights, I use cad orange over the top of those masses, and I pull green light permanent over for that rich jewel green.  It's all about pushing and pulling those colors!  This painting makes 1438 in 1438 days as we close in on Christmas!

acrylic on panel, 5x7
purchase here

Entering Parkville

LouAmne and I set up to paint this scene, planning on a nocturne.  As the sun set, the warm hues were irresistible  - and we both put in the color we saw, rather than wait for dark.  It was a good thing, as the scene in the dark was not nearly as nice!  There was enough light radiating from the parking lot at the convenience store to clearly palette and panel, which is how I like to set up for a nocturne.  By this fourth painting of the day, the paint was pretty much falling off the brush with very little thought.  This painting makes 1324 in 1324 days.

Entering Parkville
Oil on panel, 12x9
purchase here

Train through the Snow

Train through the Snow
Oil on canvas with easel, 4x4

 This clear, bright winter's day, has me framing and taking care of a few things I have lately been unable to.  For today's painting, I am taking a local steam engine and placing it on the tracks through the snow in Colorado.  This engine currently resides near the old depot in Belton, Missouri.  The surface is lightly textured, but the small 4 inch square size makes it look heavily textured on the large weave canvas.  I'm so thankful that my dad is so much better, and he is actually chomping at the bit to get started back home.  This makes 372 paintings in 372 days and Day 7 in the current 30 day painting challenge.  After painting daily for so many days, it really does become a force of habit to keep it up.  Each day has me finding my painting window, and adjusting my painting size to that window.  I'm looking forward to having a few days this winter when I can paint all day long!

Winter Train - Engine 1632

Winter Train - Engine 1632
Oil on panel, 14x11
Frisco 1632 - Belton, MO - Depot
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show

With a larger painting window today, I really should have painted 2 small paintings.  But, alas, I wanted to paint this train today, which called for a larger panel.  Dated to 1918, this Engine 1632 now resides in Belton, Missouri with assorted others near our old depot. My father and both grandsons love trains, and my maternal grandfather worked most of his life at the Roundhouse for the railroad in Kansas City, Missouri.  Many years ago, I drew one in graphite, perhaps another in pastel, and decided it was time to put a few down in oil.  Putting this one on the tracks in a winter landscape suited my inspiration for today.  Painting number 321 in 321 days.