Lifeguard Shack at the Beach

 

Another day, another beach! I love what they've done with the lifeguard shack! The yellow and red really pop against the blue of ocean and sky.  I'm painting this one loosely, with quick marks and strokes.  Though I've painted the umbrellas in their natural blue, I have the strong desire to paint them red, orange or yellow at the very least.  Since that paint is thick, I'll let it dry a bit first.  Then, I'm totally boosting their impact!  Painting number 5108 in 5108 days. 

Family Tree Umbrellas

 

It's a tropical getaway each time I sketch at Family Tree Nursery!  My first time back after renovations - I love what they've done here.  There were so many gorgeous things to paint inside, but I just HAD to spend my time in the greenhouse, soaking up warmth and humidity on this cold January day!  LOVE painting here!  Painting number 3679 in 3679 days and day 31 of the #stradaeasel challenge. 

Morning at Defiance Ridge

Arriving early for the live broadcast of Great Day St Louis, on KMOV 4, I was directed to stand in this location for their cameras.  Scouting all I could see from this spot, I knew I must paint the wonderful farmhouse with all those pink umbrellas!  Many were attending the broadcast, enjoying coffee and breakfast delights.  As the broadcast started, Lynn shared the details of Augusta Plein Air Art Festival, and the cameras caught the live painting process. It is fun to see a painting develop during that short time.  As a Facebook Live interview started after the TV broadcast, this painting sold off the easel, and they discussed just how to do that in the field.  I loved painting here this morning, and so happy this painting will hang in the owner's lake house!  Painting number 3397 in 3397 days. 

Umbrellas at the City Market

Some days I hit the for running, and never slow down until I hit the pillow!  This has been such a day!  I had innumerable errands and chores sandwiched in between my regular busy schedule.  Painting class was super fun as I shared new techniques with my students.  With hardly enough time to prepare,  I hosted my sorority tonight for dinner and a meeting - and it is always so fun to catch up with my sisters!  Afterwards,  I started gathering all supplies for tomorrow's watercolor batik workshop.  All will have to be in the car - because I am going straight there from the gym.  I refuse to miss my workout,  so I must plan ahead for all I'll need.  I sure hope I can find time to eat!  Painting number 1587 in 1587 days.  👩‍🎨🎨

City Market Inked

This morning was our monthly Urban Sketchers KC gathering - this time at the City Market.  What a fabulous place to draw and paint!  This was my third painting on site, the first two were done on black and white.  With so many wonderful colors,  I just had to pull out the watercolor for this one!  I had left my favorite two sets in my plein air bag at home,  so this one was painted with my "tropical" set of the watercolor confections.  They were fine to use,  except when I wanted my indigo blue for those rich shadow shades!  I had to mix up my own shadows - which is good for me!  It was fun to visit with onlookers as they spotted me drawing! After a morning downtown,  I headed back to the Penn Valley Park.  This has certainly been a day full of art - and so fun to participate so close to home..... relatively!   Painting number 1578 in 1578 days.  I was planning on a sunrise paint in the morning,  but at this hour,  I'm rethinking that!  

Martha's Gardens

What a fabulous opportunity!   I have never gotten the chance to paint a farmer's market - until today!  Arriving early, I scouted the whole market before deciding on this lovely flower vendor.  The umbrellas and flowers bounced color all over the place, Making it a joy to capture in oils.  People stopped and visited with me throughout the painting, and everyone in the market was cheerful!  This event has been so fun - the organizers, the city, and the patrons have been so friendly and helpful!  I am definitely returning to this town to paint!   Painting number 1377 in 1377 days :)

Charlotte's Coffee House

After getting a local recommendation for a wonderful coffee shop, three of us Kansas City artists headed to Charlotte's Coffee Shop on White Street and 11th.  What a charming place!  All three of us set up our easels and started painting!  Plein air painting must be a novelty in Dubuque, because we got a lot of funny looks!   Quite a few people stopped to see what we were doing, some openly staring in wonder - and so many commented on the paintings.  Once finished, we went in for a little lunch and pie - which was delicious!!  The shop keeper purchased my painting, and dessert was on the house!  What could be better than this? Painting number 1372 in 1372 days :)

Coffee & Red Umbrellas

Coffee & Red Umbrellas
Acrylic on masonite, 6x6

Today, I feel like I have turned a corner on the small street scene paintings.  After struggling with these compositions, this one came together more naturally.  For one thing, I squinted way down to see the masses, and blocked them in by chunks.  I had been blocking in each person as they entered the composition, and this was not at all fluid.  I also used my palette knife (Princeton catalyst) to add some interesting texture.  I have not picked up a real palette knife since I first used a catalyst.  They have completely taken over the knife work for me.  I hope the next cafe scene flows even more smoothly!  This painting makes 1177 in 1177 days :)

Pink Umbrella Lunch

Pink Umbrella Lunch
Acrylic on masonite, 7x5

Back to the cafe scenes - and back to struggling my way through!  I want to be loose, and therefore use impressionistic strokes, hoping to define the people with a few gestural strokes.  Why is this so challenging for me?  I may need to do 100 of these before they become natural - and I will surely need a straight jacket by the end of such a feat!  I will stick to it, even though I very much want to lapse into something fun and easy!  This cafe scene is the 1176th painting in 1176 days.

Streetside Umbrellas

Streetside Umbrellas
Oil on masonite, 10x8
Parkville in Art Paint Out - purchase here

As I stepped out of my car, I saw these gorgeous umbrellas from two blocks away.  Walking past the little shops dotting Main Street, my focus was already on the composition, the first strokes being laid in my mind.  I had not left enough time for this complex painting (hmmmmm - seems to be a pattern here....), so I would need to work fast.  Setting up in a small square of shade, tucked unto the side of “Finders, Keepers”, I sketched out the cafe scene.  The bright, late afternoon light and the bold color of umbrellas, cafe and foliage is what drew me instantly to the spot - so I had to capture that glory before it faded into shadow!  Once all of the block in and some of the finish work were done, the light had changed - and my time was up.  Time to get to the award presentation for the English Landing, so this painting required one more visit to finish up, which is something I almost never do.  Painting number 1018 in 1018 days :)

Red Umbrellas in Fish Creek

Lunch in Fish Creek
Oil on panel, 10x8 - purchase here

This painting has a secret - another painting underneath it!  I have done this before, but today I decided to show the progress as I painted over the first landscape.  I chose it because it was a bit lack-luster, and I don't want to leave substandard paintings in my wake!  My pastel sketch lines are visible, where I simply drew my composition over the existing painting.  The second "in progress" pic shows how I have painted down, adding in details.  I have finished this painting after dark, and you can see how the color is visibly warmer under the artificial light than the north light I work in.  I will try to take a pic tomorrow in good light - as the colors are cooler than they appear!  I pulled this from my Door County reference photos, and I think it is in Fish Creek, but I can't remember the name of this place!  The gardens were fabulous - and the ambiance so charming, it simply begged to be painted! Painting number 778 in 778 days :)

Summertime Cafe

Summertime Cafe
Oil on panel, 8x6
buy here

Today finds me painting one of my favorite haunts in Fish Creek, Wisconsin - the "Summertime" Restaurant.  A great place to grab a quick meal on the terrace, it is full of ambiance and fragrant with blooms!  I have been wanting to work on these wonderful cafe scenes for some time now - so today is the day!  Going through my abundant photos, I picked out a few to turn into paintings.  It seems that most of my reference is from Door County!  I just love those charming little towns, each with their own cafes with umbrellas open and waiting! Nothing is as inviting as one of these spots after a day of painting! Painting number 777 in 777 days - now I'm off to buy a lottery ticket!

Shipwrecked in Egg Harbor

Shipwrecked in Egg Harbor
Door County Plein Air
Egg Harbor, WI
Oil on panel, 14x11

My second painting at Egg Harbor is this cute little restaurant, pub and inn named "Shipwrecked".  This place was constantly full of people laughing, talking, and enjoying the day.  Music wafted up from the street side cafe - creating a wonderful environment for painting.  I am now ahead on my paintings - which is SO much better than being behind.  Maybe I'll be able to relax a little - and stop the midnight painting for a few days!  This is painting number 211 in as many days.