Village of Elmore Clock

This place is full of memories, and this gorgeous clock has hung from the bank building for decades. As Mom and I sat at Christie's Café waiting for quiche, I sketched this town icon.  This clock is a real showpiece here, and I've never seen another one like it.  It's funny how sketching these places full of memories take me back in time.  Painting number 4594 in 4594 days. 

Baby Goat Pair

 

Baby goats are so much fun to paint - and they pose constantly at the Deanna Rose Farmstead.  I've been painting a few farm animals for a special show, and this will be in the collection along with 8 others.  I sure love baby animals, and if I spend too much time with them - they might have to come home with me!  This one is also heading to Gallery Zeke in Steelville!  Painting number 4593 in 4593 days. 

Buff Brahmas

 

Oh yes, I am painting with my chickens tonight!!  My girls are so very curious - I think it would be a fun video to see their reactions to my every move!  They are growing so fast - our Easter chicks will soon be all grown up!  I'm painting a few of the ladies to add to my collection of farm animal paintings heading to Gallery Zeke in Steelville! Be sure and stop by for this very special collection!  Painting number 4592 in 4592 days. 

Most Beautiful Mile in Lakeside

SOLD

 

What a wonderful garden path this is curving along the edge of Lake Erie!  Garden blooms flourish as the waves lap the rocky banks, and many walk to and fro.  I have painted here several times, soaking in the fragrant beauty of it all.  It makes me happy to leave my paintings where they are created!  Painting number 4590 in 4590 days. 

Lakeside Welcome

SOLD

 

What a wonderful entrance this is to the beach on Lake Erie!  I have often wondered what the building to the right of the pavilion is, and I was told that it used to be a bowling alley!  This rendition of the Pavilion also includes part of the Putt Putt golf stand, which I don't think I've included in a painting before.  This painting has a happy new home here, too.  Painting number 4589 in 4589 days. 

Twilight on Second St

It's so fun to paint in the heart of town in Lakeside, Ohio!  Bikes and golf carts are everywhere, as summer fun is in full swing.  This historic street offers endless possibilities for paintings!  I'm so happy this painting has a new home, too. 

Lakeside Pavilion

 

Sometimes, the feeling to paint a specific scene is very strong. Despite time restrictions, I set up on the spot and paint. I let intuition guide me through the process, no matter what my original intentions are.  I trust that still small voice that ever guides me. Though drawn in my sketch book, I think I'll paint this again in a larger square format.  I like the composition, and this one simply unfolded on it's own.  I love when that happens!  Painting number 4589 in 4589 days. 

Lakeside Plein Air and Wooden Boat Show

 It seems there is a special painting or two each year that gets a lot of attention. I intended to paint this in a small format, but when I set up my gear, I found myself pulling out a larger paper.  This composition absolutely epitomizes historic Lakeside. I will be painting two others, slightly different, so each one is unique.  This was the first painting to sold at the Wet Paint Sale, and is painting number 4587 in 4587 days. 

Lakeside Farmer's Market

 

I love painting the historic charm of the Lakeside School - especially during the Farmer's Market! I just happened to walk up to the south gate to pick up my packet, and noticed the vendors and tents. I rushed back for breakfast with Mom, which ran late, and back up here in time to paint the tents before they packed up!  It was a bit of a race with the clock - but I'm so glad I was able to commemorate this weekly summer event!  This is painting number 4586 in 4586 days, and I'm happy this painting has a new home!

Welcome to Lakeside

 

It is so much fun to paint this charming path to the beach - complete with hotel and pavilion! Our room overlooks this road, and each day, I watch so many families walk through here on their way to summer fun! I just had to capture it in paint!   I'm so happy this painting has a new home!  Painting number 4584 in 4584 days. 

Twilight Ice Cream Run

Each night as we returned from a show at the Hoover Auditorium, this scene would jump out at me - begging me to paint it!  After Mom and I enjoyed a cup and walked back to our hotel, it seemed too late to return.  I knew last night would be my final chance - so I ran back up there and painted it.  What I started in the twilight was full night when I finished.  Some paintings just need to be painted.  Painting number 4583 in 4583 days. I'm thankful this one went to a new home at today's Wet Paint Sale!  

Lake Front Welcome

 

I love painting this iconic Lakeside Pavillion on Lake Erie!  There are SO MANY things I want to paint,  but time is growing short!  I will need to paint fast in the morning to capture two more scenes in paint!  Come see this painting and all of my work from the week at the Wet Paint Sale tomorrow at 1:30! Painting number 4583 in 4583 days. 

Lakeside on Lake Erie

 

I LOVE painting this iconic Pavillion on Lake Erie in Lakeside, and stepping back in time!  Hotel Lakeside is celebrating it's 150th year, and the whole place looks like it has been spruced up for the occasion.  It's nice to step out of the historic hotel and start painting on the lawn, right along the water's edge!  Painting number 4581 in 4581 days. 

Maple and W Second St

Mom and I arrived in Lakeside this evening and I just had to go paint while she took a quick nap.  This building has splashy new blue awnings that immediately caught my attention - so of course, I had to paint them!  I love the vintage seaside charm of this place, and visited with quite a few people as I worked.  Everyone is so friendly and it is great to be back in Lakeside again!  Painting number 4580 in 4580 days. Come see all of this weekend's paintings on Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 on the lawn near Hotel Lakeside. 

Crossandra and Butterfly

This painting is now showing with six others at Powell Gardens for the Butterfly Festival!  I hope you can come see this one in person and join in the fun! As an avid gardener, I am drawn to butterflies and flowers naturally.  If I'm not tending them in the garden, I am painting them - and sharing the beauty with all those around me.  This has been an amazing bloom season that just keeps going strong. I noticed just this morning that my tulip tree has started blooming again, too!! This painting is number 4579 in 4579 days. 

Rose of Sharon

 

How could I resist painting such a glorious Rose of Sharon?!!  This is just one of many generational plants from Grandma's garden! Im so happy to paint it at its prime! Painting number 4578 in 4578 days. 

Garden Phlox

 

My garden phlox are putting on a show and absolutely begging to be painted!  With so much travel this year, my garden plants have had to depend on Mother Nature for nurturing!  Thank goodness we've had enough rain for them to thrive without my doting attention.  I've nearly missed the tiger lillies full blush, but the phlox and Rose of Sharons are just reaching peak now.  Cosmos are in full swing and the cannas are just opening their first blooms.  I've spent long hours trying to catch up on the mass weeding that constant rain brings, and each bed finished cheers me on. I can only hope to paint the beauty of all this before it fades away for another year.  These favorite flowers were given to me decades ago from Grandma Bessie! Painting number 4575 in 4575 days. 

Ponderosa Pines Sketched

 

There is beauty to capture in ponderosa pines for this Day Camp demo!  It was another "red thunder" day, which means we had to paint from under the covered back porch of the building.  So, I looked to the pines for inspiration.  I talked the group through my process as I worked, sharing the pens I like to use.  There were so many wonderful young artists with fabulous nature sketches by the end of our class! It is so rewarding!  My favorite fun fact about ponderosa pines is that their bark smells low vanilla when you get close to them and inhale deeply!  This scent seems to travel in the air after a rain, as well!  Painting number 4574 in 4574 days. 

Wild Turkeys Inked

 

How often do I get to sketch wild turkeys in my sketchbook?!! These sweet birds make their daily journey down and up the mountain, walking right beside the cabin.  These were quite young, not nearly as filled out as the big ones. They are very tame here, almost as if they have no predators. I bet I won't see them on the banks of Lake Erie! Painting number 4573 in 4573 days. 

Wild Turkeys

Every morning these wild turkeys would walk down the mountain in a row to the stables below. They spent time with the horses most of the day, sometimes clustering together just over the road to rest. Each evening, they began their march up the mountain in a row, filing right by our cabin every time.  Sometimes they were close enough to touch!  They grew used to us, and hardly paused when we happened to be on the porch. What fun it is to enjoy the gentle rhythm of the wildlife up here. Painting number 4572 in 4572 days. 

Bible Point

The Bible Point trail was one of the very first trails we hiked upon arriving. I've been there several times since, always drawn to a different spot for reflection while sketching. The view from the top of those rocks is stunning, but here the painting is in the trail.  It's a little bit like life, isn't it?  Painting number 4571 in 4571 days. 

Mountain Wagon Ride

The horse drawn hayrides passed right by my cabin and I was so happy to get the chance to paint them as they passed.  On the final evening, there were actually two horse drawn wagons instead of one!  They move quickly, so I was happy to get the extra evenings to finish my painting!  Twelve year old me was thrilled to stay so close to Jackson Stables, it fed that early love of horses that I've carried all my life. Painting number 4570 in 4570 days. 

Overlook Chapel View

 

What a peaceful and serene view to sketch from near the Overlook Chapel!  This is the kind of view one could look at forever, and never tire of.  I chose this vintage journal for my pen and ink sketch walk today.  Longing for that timeless feel, this page could have been drawn 100 years ago.  These mountains are timeless, as the many souls who have stood in this place taking in the beauty. Perhaps they sketched here, or shared a prayer of gratitude, as I do this day.  There are so many priceless things in this life, and this moment is one of them. Painting number 4569 in 4569 days. 

Jellison Library

SOLD

As I finished up my morning Story Time with a large group of children and their families, I received a text to meet Jessica, the Social Media Specialist in 30 minutes.  Since I had a little time, I set up to paint this miniature of the Jellison Library at the YMCA of the Rockies.  My paintings have been displayed here during my residency, and Story Time with Bookmark making has been in my schedule weekly.  This sweet little building is a staple here on campus, and I'm so happy that I got it sketched.  I've donated this one to the library, as a special thank you for all they have done for me these last 3 weeks.  Painting number 4568 in 4568 days. 
 

Ponderosa Paint Demo

Just when I thought we'd be able to find our perfect composition in the woods, the Day Camp group I was teaching was put under a Red Thunder protocol. This means we had to shelter under the roof on the back porch rather than in the open. So, I sketched two trees which I could see, sharing my process in steps while we worked together.  The class was full of wonderful artists!  It was super fun to see what they each did with in and watercolor, while observing their scene in nature.  I hope they all continue this practice of sketching outside in the future!  Painting number 4567 in 4567 days. 

Bible Point Sketched

On this morning, I started on a sketch walk on part of the Y-360 trail that I had not yet hiked.  This is my first sketch on the back side of Bible Point, on my way to the Overlook Chapel.  There is a cross and a mailbox visible at the top of those rocks, where one can leave prayer requests and sign a book.  The mountain view is stunning from that peak, truly a view that inspires reflection and gratitude.  This sketch is painting number 4566 in 4566 days. 

Hyde Chapel

As I started the larger "Welcome to the YMCA" painting, rain sent me running for cover.  I was only in the sketch process of the composition, and did not have enough information down to proceed without the scene before me.  So, I started this smaller version in a different format to continue my painting demo on the porch of the Admin building. The Hyde Chapel is a lovely place in a lovely space, surrounded by flowers. What else could I look for in a subject?  Painting number 4565 in 4565 days. 

Mountain Wildflowers

I found this spot while hiking thee trail past Bible Point the day before.  It was nearly time for my Live Painting, so I had to run.  I returned today to paint this glorious scene on the side of this mountain top, and I was joined by Jessica for an interview and photos.  She's the Social Media person for the YMCA of the Rockies, and what she put together from our chat was so amazing!  This Artist Residency has flown by too fast, and I'm not ready to leave.  Painting number 4564 in 4564 days 

Welcome to the YMCA

 

I was in and out of the rain to finish this Live Painting Demo.  I had not seen fencing around flowers before coming to Estes Park - all to prevent the elk and deer from eating the flowers!  While in town, an elk walked right down the sidewalk, snacking on the beautifully planted flowers! She was so near that I had to duck back into the toy store where we were shopping! This painting now showing at the Library at the YMCA of the Rockies. Painting number 4563 in 4563 days.