Sugar Snap Trees

It's fun to explore the inks of the Diamine Inkvent Calendar  - and this one is a lovely green called Sugar Snap.  The silver shimmer dances through the green to yellow color shifts beautifully! This painting is miniature - only 3.5x2.5 inches big!  Perfect for this busy Christmas holiday full of family!  Painting number 3999 in 3999 days. 

Powerhouse at Maramec Springs

 The wonderful lines of the little green powerhouse grabbed me immediately!  So charming, it is storybook perfect along the winding Maramec Spring.  Misty when I started, I quickly got the masses down in oil to repel the coming rain.  The ground near the spring is very cold, and my toes were getting numb on this cold and rainy day.  Thank goodness I had half a yoga mat to fold up and stand on - it was much warmer for my feet!  By the time I finished, the rain was moving in and a large turtle joined to watch me paint!  Painting number 2852 in 2852 days. 

Green Chairs

After a good workout at the gym, and a full day's garden work, I took a little plein air sanity break before moving on to my next task.  I could see the golden hour approaching as I put tools and dumped the wheelbarrow.  The light sweeping across the north side grabbed me - so I went for my gear and sketched!  Of the many beautiful colors of chairs I could have painted - the green ones were here.  The fleeting thought of switching them with the reds chairs crossed my mind - but I was too tired to do it!  I like the red chairs out front, and didn't want to have to move them back!  Lol!  So, true to life, this painting is a study in the greens of high summer in Missouri!  I wish I'd had yesterday's fountain pen, and that warm red brown ink - but I found it too late, and went with Robert Oster's Black is Black instead.  Now, it's spring cleaning in my art supply area - which is why I needed a sanity break!  Painting number 2737 in 2737 days.

Chickadees on the Feeder

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The birds are busy around the feeders on this snowy January morning - and this green enamelware one is lovely against the snow!  A Mother's Day gift from my youngest daughter, this is my first painting to include it!  Because of the shape of the belly of the feeder, only the little birds can partake of it's bounty.  While the larger birds attend the other feeders, this one swarms with chickadees and nuthatch.  I am using one of my newest palettes from Watercolor Confections - the Terrain.  The choice seems at first unlikely for a snowy day, but I chose it for the perfect color of green for the bird.  I then made the other colors work, although that meant mixing the right browns and grays for the birds.  I like this palette and think it will be especially good for the summer landscape.  Painting number 2572 in 2572 days.

Wine Party Demo

Tonight's Wine and Paint party goes to support Michael's robotics team, as well as local projects Xi Gamma Phi donates to.  Our subject - a wine still life!  We set up glasses and bottles in front of the guests, and each could paint either what was before them, or from several paintings on easels.  Composition and paint mixing were on the line up - and each walked away with their own unique painting!   So fun!  My still life demo is my 1505th painting in 1505 days.

Wine for Three

For this afternoon's painting class, I set up this still life with wine bottles and glasses of three different heights.  Arranging them before me, I started blocking in all edges of the glass, overlapping them where applicable.  Next, with a large brush, I paint the masses I see, looking for central colors within the shapes.  Once the panel is covered, I start the palette knife work, breaking edges and dropping in thick paint. As I approach completion, I start to check that my colors are harmonizing, and bouncing off the varied surfaces.  With so much glassware, all colors should reflect off their surfaces.  I wanted quiet color today, so I chose a chardonnay for the lead wine.  If I didn't have such a full day, it would have been lovely to have a little wine for lunch!  Painting number 1503 in 1503 days.

Old Hay Wagon

My intention was to head to the east pond this afternoon.  But after scouting a bit, this old hay wagon grabbed my attention.  In fact, I could see paintings from three different sides.  I decided on the view which landed me in full sun, which normally is not too bad in February.  By the time I finished - I was SO hot!!  How many times have I been able to say that in February?  Never!  I used to play on this wagon as a child. My brother, cousins, and I would use it for a house, or a stage, playing for hours.  Now, I'm in the tall grass of the pasture, painting this childhood friend.  Painting number 1502 in 1502 days.

Rex and Wine Glasses

Pulling out a little Rex Goliath and a couple of wine glasses, I set up a still life with the upcoming paint party in mind.  Starting simply, my brushes took on a mind of their own, and before I knew it, the painting grew into something too complicated to teach in a two hour segment!  Oh well, I will try to reign myself in next time.  As for this painting, I really like the depth and energetic stroke work, and the vibrant color is just what I wanted!  Painting number 1387 in 1387 days  :)

Oil on panel, 11x14
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Cave Point Cove

Cave Point Cove
Oil on panel, 12x9
Door County, Wisconsin

This amazing place is certainly a feast for the eyes!  I think I could spend every day painting on these bluffs, and never tire of it!  Lake Michigan is ever changing, as the sky - and the color combinations are endless.  This is the kind of landscape I seldom see in Missouri - so I really enjoy the chance to study the moving water!  Waves and crashing water are certainly a challenge!  I have been using my Querilla Painter box and tripod since April, and I officially love it!  This medium French Resistance easel is the perfect compliment to this artist's whims.  If I ever get another, it will be the same style, perhaps in the large size - to give me another option in the field.  If they made a "mini" - I would buy it too!  LOVE this set up!  So light, I can hike into the wilderness without a care about weight.  This dramatic painting is my 1307th painting in 1307 days.

"Nimble" at Sister Bay

This morning's quick paint was held at Sister Bay.  I was instantly grabbed by this wonderful, old sailboat - and I had to paint it.  The weather was absolutely perfect - warm, sunny with gentle breezes.  I love getting to paint these sailboats - especially since I never get to see them.   We don't see too many sailboats in Missouri!   Painting number 1304 in 1304 days!

Bloomstruck Hydrangea

I bought the most amazing hydrangeas a few days ago, and I finally got them in the ground today.  And then I painted them!  After working in the yard most of the day, it was almost dark when I started painting.  I have been waiting for the golden hour each day to find my subject matter, which leaves me very little time to execute it!  Oh well, I've got to make hay while the sun shines!   This is painting number 1255 in 1255 days.

Bloomstruck Hydrangea
Oil on panel, 6x6
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Water Lilies at Dusk

I have been wanting to paint water lilies for such a long time!   Over the weekend,  the blooms started popping up in Monet's Garden,  and today was my chance!  Zooming in on a small cluster,  I sketched out my subject on my dark washed panel.  Being careful to place my greens accurately,  I blocked in all the pads before starting on the water.  The edges and colors are unique to each one, with very dark shadows just under their rims.  I chose this cluster as the water reflected not only rich darks, but wonderful glimpses of sky as well.  I've never tried my hand at these beauties before - and it was so rewarding!  The darkening sky gave this composition a mood and feel all it's own.  Can't wait to paint them again!   I can see why Monet never tired of painting them!  Painting number 1246 in 1246 days. 

Water Lilies at Dusk
Oil on panel, 12x9
sold

Watercolor Forsythia

Watercolor Forsythia
Watercolor on paper, 5x7

The forsythia are almost out of bloom for another year, and I am painting this one on the lawn in watercolor on paper block.  I prefer these watercolor paper blocks to all other paper!  Perhaps because they are so easy to use in the field, they stand firmly on the easel with no taping to another board.  When the painting is dry, I simply slip a plastic palette knife in the opening between the sheets, and separate the top one from the block.  Very handy indeed, and they do not buckle - which is something I despise!  This painting is the 1198th in as many days.

Trolls!

Trolls
Acrylic on masonite, 5x5
sold

I am painting one of my childhood favorites - trolls!  I think my Aunt Vicki first introduced me to trolls - and since I thought she was THE coolest - trolls were soon a favorite! I remember visiting my Great Aunt Lorene on their large farm, and I found one of these trolls back behind a barn amidst a treasure pile of junk!  That find kept me digging through that junk pile for years! Tonight, I am using my limited palette in acrylic to paint these dolls with short, impressionistic strokes.  I love the way the acrylic strokes just lay down where I put them, only blending if I work them quickly, or by layering.  As always, I do not use any medium or water when painting with acrylics, which gives such rich color to the painting. This is painting number 1102 of 1102 days and Day 8 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Fall in the Forest

Fall in the Forest
Watercolor batik on washi rice paper, 8.5x6
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For some unknown reason, this washi rice paper (with all of the threads running through it) absorbed all kinds of the batik color after the waxing and cracking.  Mind you, it has never done this before, and it is always a battle to get this paper to bend to my will.....but not today!  In fact, it absorbed more color than I planned on, pushing it towards the abstract!  And yes, I have dropped in a little oil pastel to bring back a few lights for balance.  After all, I am blazing my own trail here and there are no rules!  Painting number 1031 in 1031 days :)

Morning at Cave Point

Morning at Cave Point
Oil on wood panel, 11x14
Door County, Wisconsin
purchase here

This park is absolutely amazing!  When you first enter the park, there is a long, winding road in, with nothing to either side but trees and grasses.  The trees shorten and become more sparse, and then you come to a parking lot with a gazebo - with people exiting their cars and all following a particular path into the woods.  Pretty strange - but we decided to follow the crowd - and it led to the most spectacular cliffs which dropped off suddenly!  There was a wooden sign before you came close to the trees exclaiming that “dangerous conditions exist and to not let children play unsupervised”!  Well - no wonder, because anyone could just drop off all along the coast!  Hard to believe this is still left in it’s natural state - but I am SO glad it is!  What an exciting place to paint!  Painting number 944 in 944 days.

A magic little spot :)

Lazy Susan Batik

Lazy Susan Batik
Watercolor, hot wax on masa rice paper, 7.5x5.5
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On this batik, the watercolor had a hard time seeping into the cracks of the masa rice paper (from the wadding it into a ball stage).  So, once I had ironed as much wax off as I could get to transfer to the newspaper, I then took a dryish watercolor brush with just a bit of the brown on it - and skimmed the surface of those creases,  Those creases soaked up the brown, gaining more of that batik effect. This painting makes 932 in 932 days.

Green Forest Batik

Green Forest Batik
Watercolor, hot wax on masa rice paper, 7.5x5.5
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This is totally an experiment!  Still using the hot wax as a resist - it was very challenging to negatively paint those trees in wax - which is clear!  I couldn't see where I put it, so what I have is pushing towards the abstract!  Next time, I will at least paint a few dominant trees in the foreground before waxing.  I started the underpainting by catching the light in the sky, and then worked forward from there. I like the crazy dimension and otherworldly feel in this one!  This is painting number 930 in 930 days.

Elizabeth's Tulips

Elizabeth's Tulips
Oil on canvas panel, 10x8
New Harmony Quick Paint - purchase here

This was painted during the hour and 15 minute quick paint at the New Harmony plein air event, First Brush of Spring.  With such a short time limit, I decided to take the pressure off and paint something fun - tulips!  The bold red blooms were very large, and some were full blown in the bed.  I tuned out the whole event while I painted, oblivious to what was going on around me - just me and those tulips, the light and the shadow.  When I did look up, people were already framing and heading to check-in, so I popped this in a frame to stand in line with the rest.  Painting number 842 in 842 days. This is the shortest quick paint I have ever participated in - 75 minutes long!

on location

Tropical Tulips

Tropical Tulips
Oil on unstretched canvas, 4x4
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Today, my youngest daughter was on two local TV stations (Fox 4 and Channel 41) with her robotics team which leaves for World Competition on Wednesday.  They were showing off their robots - and it is SO fun to see your child on TV!  They have done SO well in all of the competitions up to this point - and we are hoping for the same in the next week!  In celebration of her "stardom" I have gone a little wild with these bright and cheery tulips!  I have used my two new brushes almost exclusively on this painting.  I LOVE the way they spread the paint - so much, that I am trying to squeeze time in for another trip over to Creative Cold Snow to buy one in every size before I leave town!  Pretty sure I won't make it, but a girl can dream - can't she?  Painting number 835 in 835 days :)