Sunrise in the Vineyard

Sunrise in the vineyard
Oil on panel, 12x8

Arriving before sunrise, I was drawn tot he slope of this hill.  The vines trailing back into the distance were set off beautifully by the long shadows of first light.  This golden light lasted just over the first hour, and then clouds slowly crowded the sky, changing the light completely.  The Fox 2 news team out of St. Louis stopped by, while doing a segment on the Augusta Plein Air Art Festival.  They were so close - the camera man getting only inches from my face, palette and painting!  He even bumped my arm on a brushstroke - leaving his own mark on my painting!  Pics were taken with the anchorman, and I gave him my catalyst to hold up to my painting - and encouraged him to use it.  This is the second time I’ve been involved in a live broadcast in Augusta - and it is always a fun experience!  Painting number 1215 in 1215 days. 

Pumpkin in the Vines

Pumpkin in the Vines
Ink, watercolor batik on rice paper, 7.5x5.5
purchase here

Autumn brings the most wonderful, orange pumpkins to the local patches!  Today finds me painting this orange beauty on masa (rice) paper, after inking in the sketch.  On top of the cool wax, this time I left droplets of brown watercolor to dry (after the process of brushing the brown into the cracks for the batik effect).  When I ironed the painting between layers of brown paper, these droplets fused into the painting in irregular ways.  I think it is cool - adding another layer of unpredictable paint/wax mixing.  The batik effect adds something rather mysterious to this painting, my 644th in 644 days.

Into the Sunken Garden

Into the Sunken Garden
Oil on panel, 16x12
Stems Plein Air Event

As soon as I walked into this back yard, the sunken garden was calling me.  I first did a detailed sketch with my pastel sticks.  With so much in the garden that I wanted to include, I needed to have it mapped out correctly before laying in the paint.  The peonies were down to their last few petals on sight, so I brought back the full bloom while I painted.  The columns, statue and birdbath added so much to this intimate garden space.  There are two beautiful iron chairs back towards the picket fence, and a little footbridge behind the peonies on the left.  It is truly a wonderful space to spend a warm afternoon - and the fresh, cold lemonade was icing on the cake!  Painting number 515 in 515 days.  I have a sunrise paint tomorrow at the Deanna Rose Farm - so I had better get to bed!

Retreat to the Cabin

Retreat to the Cabin
Oil on panel, 12x9
Augusta Plein Air Fest

I have painted these cabins a couple of times in years past, but they always draw me in.  I love the trees, foliage, colors of the cabin and roof - all are appealing!  This time, I went uphill a bit, so this view was from a different angle than before - and I loved the english ivy growing up the trees!  It added a dimension to the landscape, a wildness, that strongly appealed to me.  I was working in strong afternoon light - during the downtown Augusta plein air day - and the strong shadows were as important as the light.  I did run down to Halcyon for a massage in the middle of this painting - so you can only imagine how relaxed I felt upon returning - it is a wonder I even finished this painting at all!  Painting number 510 in 510 days :)

Midnight at Mount Pleasant

Midnight at Mount Pleasant Winery
Oil on panel, 9x12
Augusta Plein Air Festival 2014

As Teddy and I were walking out of the "Uncorked 100K" social, we stopped dead in our tracks and said. "Wow - wouldn't that make an amazing nocturne painting?"  From behind us, Kathy Kessler replies, "Do you want me to make that happen?"  Of course we did!  Next thing we know, we are going to retrieve my easel and paints, and to quickly prime our panels.  Back in a flash, and set up quickly, the light was fast fading from the sky.  We had the place to ourselves on this clear, warm night in the 70's, with nothing but the amazing light and view before us.  This is pure painting heaven.  The paint just rolled off the brush and onto the panel with a mind of it's own.  The darker it gets, the less you can read the colors, and the values are key.  I really love painting at night - it is so peaceful and quiet.  All of the busy noises of the day are gone, and night descends like a warm blanket.  A few of us gathered again tonight for a quick night paint in downtown Augusta.  I'll have to post that one another time.  At the rate I've been painting, I am going to be way ahead on my paintings for awhile!  What a way to kick off the plein air season!  This one makes painting number 483 in 483 days.  Oh, life is sweet :)

Fairies at Play

Fairies at Play
Oil on glass, 9x12
print available here

This is the final painting of six fairy scenes by special request.  I love the happy, playful energy of these little fairies - it makes me happy just to paint them.  Throughout these paintings I have sprinkled in a few single flowers of lily of the valley, and a few pink clover heads - one planted so many years ago by my grandmother, and the other popping up in the pastures every summer.  Each has their own distinctly sweet and heady fragrance, sending me back to childhood days rich with joy.  In this painting I have also added a dancing mouse!  Although a little morbid, this is a nod to the little creatures that feed my daughter's pet snake.  Perhaps one day, I'll paint her colorful corn snake.  Often has been the time where she doesn't eat them at all, but snuggles with them until they are both asleep.  Who knows why she sporadically spares their lives - but she does, so this one is dancing with his new found freedom!  Painting number 392 in 392 days and day 27 in the 30 day painting challenge :)

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!

Fairy House

Fairy House
Oil on glass, 9x12
print available here

Today I have tried something completely new - painting on glass!  I was brought an old 6 pane window to paint, each panel a part of a larger scene.  I drew out my sketch, keeping in mind the big picture, and started laying down paint.  It wouldn't stick!  It slid all around giving me a buttery mess.  I hadn't even thought about applying gesso first, but it was the only option I had.  So, I wiped the painting completely off, so I could prime the glass with gesso. It was so much easier to apply the paint.  There is no texture to work with, but at least the gessoed surface will pull the paint off my brush.  This subject matter is completely new as well!  I can't just go out in the field and paint this scene from life, thus my imagination has full reign now.  Once I get all 6 completed, I will probably need to adjust them, "marrying" the colors just a bit.  As the paint dries a bit, I will also go in and add a few strokes to define the faces better...or I may just leave them loose.  I'll cross that bridge when I get there!  Painting number 387 in 387 days and day 22 in the 30 day painting challenge.  It is harder to just pull this stuff out of my head!

Queen of the Vines

Queen of the Vines
Oil on panel, 9x12
Overland Park Arboretum

Clematis is known as the queen of the vines, largely due to the abundant and long bloom times.  This lovely purple beauty is climbing a trellis close to Monet's pond, at the Overland Park Arboretum. It gently called my name each day I worked in it's vicinity, and each time I chose a grander, larger landscape.  On one visit, I sketched this out on my panel with pastels.  On another, a general color block in.  At last, with another painting under my belt, I put on the finishing touches.  This clematis is so much larger than the little section I have painted.    My first attempt at painting a clematis, it is such a pleasure to capture the gorgeous and abundant bloom of this small wonder.  I am few paintings ahead for the week, and that gives me a little breathing room to accomplish all those tasks I have recently been ignoring.  Wow - this is my 150th painting in as many days.  I never thought I'd be able to keep up this pace!