Flower Benches

 

Thanks to Suburban Lawn and Garden on Overland Park, for welcoming a few artists into their greenhouse to sketch on a cold January day!  The blooms are always inspiring, and they greeted us with a tray of cookies and bottled water. They had THE CUTEST valentine cacti that were literally the shape of a great in a tiny red pot. They are painted on that bottom shelf - and I bought one for each child and two for me (and three other plants)!  Who wouldn't love a living heart shaped cacti greeting them every day as a little reminder of how much they are loved? Painting number 5083 in 5083 days. 

Sitting About Town

Sitting About Town
Oil on masonite, 11x14
purchase here

Carmel on Canvas finishes their event with an hour and a half quick paint.  I have only been to two different hour an a half quick paints - and both were in Indiana........I wonder if this is just the custom in this state?  When I started for Carmel in the morning, I thought to myself, "I'm going to choose something easy and fun for this quick paint - no complicated buildings!"  I first set my easel up at the large fountain in the pavillion, but the street kept calling me....specifically this figure on the bench on Main Street!  Who cares of there is only an hour and a half?  Who cares that I am again set up in full sun with that full sun on my panel?  When a scene calls, I must answer!  This was fun, despite the complicated scene, and I feel like I really learned some things about painting cityscapes.  I am trying to detail less, and let the painterly strokes flow - which can be a tall order when it comes to buildings!  This painting makes 996 in 996 days and is Day 23 of the 30 day painting challenge.  I must do MORE of these fabulous street scenes!  By the way, this figure is a statue - there are several "townspeople" set up all over the Carmel Arts District!

Sisters at the Lake

Sisters at the Lake
Oil on masonite, 12x9
sold

Labor Day weekend seems to ring in the last days of summer!  Where did all the summer days go?  It was only yesterday that the kids were out of school, and plans were being made - and now cooler days are on the way.  I have been working on this painting, and now I think it is finished.  It will be hanging with another painting, so the two need to display well together.  I will let them rest together on easels for a few days - just to make sure no other detail calls out to me.   This is number 9 in September’s 30 day challenge and this painting makes 982 for me in 982 days :)

Marceline First Nat'l Bank

Marceline First Nat'l Bank
Oil on panel, 8x10
OPA Paint-Out - Purchase Information

This little bank building in the corner instantly grabbed my attention as I walked down Kansas Avenue.  After scouting all the way down to the park and back, I set up across the street in the shade.  With only 45 minutes until turn-in, I had this brush painted, but had to go in afterwards and do the knife work.  I started late, as I was participating in the Wine Stroll and visiting.  Everyone in this town is so friendly!  There was a wonderful reception afterwards for the artists - so appreciated after a full 8:00am to 7:00pm painting day!  When I later talked to my parents to tell them where I had been painting, my dad had a story for me about this very bank.  He and Grandma Slaughter had gone to the train station to sell a bunch of pigs when he was four years old.  Grandma was payed in silver dollars - and she couldn't carry all of them in her apron.  So, my dad had to carry his own load of silver dollars, holding up the bottom of his shirt to contain them!  He and Grandma walked all the way down Kansas Avenue to this little bank to deposit them!  Isn't this a marvelous story and isn't it something that I felt led to paint this very spot instead of all the other shops in town?  It was certainly fun to walk the streets where my grandparents, great-grandparents, and great aunts and uncles had so many years ago, and really rewarding to paint a few of the local icons.  This little town of 2400 people is also the birthplace of Walt Disney, and this street is called "Main Street, USA".  So nice when these little slices of Americana are preserved for future generations.  This painting makes 617 in as many days and Day 8 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Beneath the Flowering Plum

Beneath the Flowering Plum
Oil on panel, 12x9
Washington, Missouri - near the Missouri River

On the day of the Washington Sunrise Paint Out, this was the first scene that grabbed me in the town. Two other artists were already painting it, and as we were late from the 5am broadcast paint-out, I knew there was not enough time to do it justice.  Today, as I waited for Mike to have a procedure in the hospital, I combed through articles about color.  One after the other, I studied the words, gripped by the paintings they referred to.  Arriving home and after getting Mike settled and the housework finished, I went to this reference photo.  I wanted to apply some of the new found knowledge in this landscape.  Wow - what a way to hit home the lessons studied.  This is exactly how this place felt to me on that warm, sunny day - with the colors sparkling in the landscape.  Another day, another painting - this 498th was rewarding, indeed :)

Lamplight in the Park

Lamplight in the Park
Oil on panel, 8x6
GOT Art Gallery Holiday Trunk Show
sold

After spending hours on finishing up Jury Committee business, I finally found a window to start painting.  It is very hard to finish what I should, before jumping into what I want to do!  With this painting, I am working with my nocturne colors and the snow, pushing one color while pulling another.  I also used my palette knife throughout - even though the small size of the panel made this a bit challenging.  I barely had time to finish this before I have to run another errand, bake some cookies and head off to the Holiday Show Reception at GOTart Gallery on 3rd St. in Lee's Summit.  Painting number 320 in 320 days :)

Of Memories and Roses

Of Memories and Roses
Oil on panel, 9x12
Deanna Rose Farm, Memory Bench

The rain poured heavy this morning, allowing me to get some housework finished.  As the skies cleared a little, I packed my gear and headed to the Deanna Rose Children's Farmstead.  Much to my surprise - there was very little traffic here today, making it the ideal day to get a little painting done.  The last time I was here, it was so crowded that it was hard to keep my focus.  Not so today.  I was also able to park in the east lot, which meant I didn't have to carry my gear all the way back there - about as far from the front gate as possible.  I worked in the deep shade, quickly laying this scene to canvas.  It is a memorial bench dated from 1991, and the rose is so lovely and heavy with bloom.  I have a weakness for roses on arbors - so here I have painted yet another.  I am posting a bit sooner than normal, as I am headed out to paint another nocturne.  I sure hope the weather cooperates!  This is painting number 148 in 148 days.