Golden Meadow Barn

 

I LOVE painting the drifts of wild mustard in the pasture before they fade away for another year. The seeds spring up in disturbed ground, sometimes in sweeping shades of yellow across the fiends.  I transplanted a few plants into my garden so I can harvest the greens for my salads. Their color is reaching peak and I think they'll fade before I return home from Augusta. This may be my last painting of them until next spring.  Painting number 5160 in 5160 days. 

Snow at Yellow Barn

What fun to awake to a fresh blanket of snow!  But once again, our warm temperatures are melting it quickly!  When I heard the drip! drip! drip! From the eves - I knew time was of the essence!  All those branches were still coated with snow when I started this painting - and by it's finish, it has already melted!  Today, I am using Silent Night and Three Kings inks by Diamine.  Both are from the 22 Inkvent Calendar.  The icy cool blue makes for a wonderful winter landscape ink  - and I had to water down the yellow to make it match the barn color.  At full strength, it is very gold.  Love getting to see how these inks play together - and hope to have another snow soon!  Painting number 3673 in 3673 days and day 25 of the #stradaeasel painting challenge. 

Snow Path to Yellow Barn

After yesterday's warmth in the 50's, I awoke to this pristine winter snowscene this morning!  It's my favorite kind of snow that sticks to every branch and blade - so I had to paint it before wind or sun destroyed it.  I like to find wildlife tracks in the snow when I'm out - and today there were only bird and kitty tracks, plus my Beau's giant running tracks as he chased and played in the snow!  I love the quiet of new fallen snow, hardly a bird makes a peep as I work.  I hiked first, to heat myself up in this biting cold, and still my fingers are tingling before I finish.  I didn't grab hand warmers on my way out, and didn't want to go back for them.  I sure will remember tomorrow!  Love this time spent outdoors painting, it restores my soul.  Painting is 3300 in 3300 days, and day 14 #stradaeaselchallenge!  Wowza!

Yellow Barn Path

Oh that sun is melting the snow faster than I can paint it!  The roof snow was already dripping away when I started painting, and the foliage slid off it's garmets of white.  Our winter wonderlands here in Missouri never last long. When I stayed the winter months in Northern Ohio, the snow and ice jams lasted for weeks.  I even remember still painting ice on the bottom land at the end of March!  I'm painting snow while I can and will soon be painting in 50 degree weather again!  My Richeson palette is well suited for cold days.  They don't tack up or thicken at all in these temps. Painting number 2930 in 2930 days. 

Wild Mustard in Bloom

As I began my outdoor chores this morning, I noticed something had changed.  The radiant wild mustard had started to bloom!  Sweeping across the meadow like a yellow carpet, I knew I would be painting this when I finished my work.  Hauling limbs to a nearby burn pile, I kept an eye on the mustard.  Once a painting starts forming in my mind, it doesn't matter what else I'm working on, I am already painting in my mind.  By the time I got to the panel, the paint flowed from my brush.  So much of the feeling of a place pours right into the painting en plein air.  What a gorgeous day to paint.  Painting number 2654 in 2654 days.

Yellow Barn in the Snow

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Dad built this shed when he first came to northern Ohio, many years ago.  After a fresh coat of snow overnight, I am painting the long shadows stretching across the lawn.  Love those cool violet blues against the warm golden sunlit patches.  Clear all day, the colors absolutely sparkled.  If only I could get down to the river, but that sheet of ice is holding me back.  I've heard stories of people getting stuck down that steep hill, unable to climb out, and I don't want to be one of them!  Painting number 2216 in 2216 days.

What a difference lighting makes!