Alley Magic

What an amazing evening it was to paint such a beautiful alley!  This magical little place is just outside of Jovalou on Main Street in Fairfield, Illinois.  I started this before the twilight sky turned black, and the play between the colors was magical!  Getting lost the moment, I got a little crazy with my color  - as is often the case with nocturne painting.  It seems I stray farther from reality and more toward painting what I feel.  It's all about expression - and SO MUCH FUN! Painting number 5174 in 5174 days.  

Night on 3rd and Main

SOLD

 

Another night, another nocturne! I was undecided about painting a fourth painting today, but with several of my friends going out after dinner, I just had to join in on the fun!  I love this corner of 3rd and Main, and have painted it several times through the years. This time, there was a brightly lit message board behind me, which cast it's various colors on my work. There's no telling what it looks like until i open my trunk in the morning! Not quite sure I'm finished, but the lightening and thunder told me I was! Painting number 5173 in 5173 days. 

Evening at Jovalou

 

What a great alley to paint for a nocturne, and the night was balmy and so very comfortable! Many is the time I shiver when painting at night, so I appreciate the gorgeous weather!  I only just saw these lights for the first time the day before, and popped in to see if they'd turn them on when i arrived.  It didn't take long to get the masses marked, and I started filling in the color.  As I worked I could see lightening rolling in from the west, so I worked quickly.  Painting outside nearly every day, I can tell when I need to kick it up a notch - or get wet! I finished and was back at my host home when the first raindrops began to fall.  It was pouring in no time, and I'm thankful I dodged the rain! Now that I've found this place, I can hardly wait to paint it again next year.  I'm happy this painting has a new home, and it is painting number 3917 in 3917 days.  ♥️🎨

Evening Glow on Second Street

 

I talked an artist friends into painting a nocturne, when she mentioned it. The weather was perfect, others were staying, so it was the perfect time.  I stayed for a quick one, packed my gear and was ready to leave.  She had restarted hers and had a ways to go on it.  She then talked me into painting another one - and this is it!  It was the perfect night, so how could I resist?  LOVE painting nocturnes with artist friends - especially after a wonderful dinner! Day 29 of the #stradaeasel painting challenge and painting number 4349 in 4349 days. 

Daffodils at Night

This day did not go as planned, beginning with a vibration in my back tire that had me turning off the highway and heading back home.  No City Market painting for me today!  After getting the tires checked - and ordered, because of course they don't have them in stock, I started in on my list of chores.  Gathering and framing work to deliver, reworking a gallery wall, thing after thing until finally, I could take a break and paint.  The rain had started mid day, but it was really pouring when I got out there!  So, I nestled in on the dry covered porch, and painted my daffodils as the rain pelted them.  Painting number 3365 in 3365 days. 

Night at Stiefel Theatre

 

This theater is a jewel at night, lit so beautifully as the sun goes down!  I was on the opposite street,  drawing this building in ink right before it got dark.  By the time I had taken a photo and packed my ink and watercolor great, the lights came on!  I knew at once that I would not be leaving this location - not with that beautiful illumination happening before me!  So, I started with my oils with good street lights to make the job easy.  Love getting to paint such cool, historic places!  Painting number 3327 in 3327 days. 

Light on the Cars

 

A few snowflakes are flying as I paint my first 17 degree nocturne!  Sure is warmer during daylight hours, but this is my first chance to paint today. I had trouble deciding what to paint tonight, which is rare for me.  I had started another sketch earlier in the day, but the light was gone so had to abandon that idea for now. My thoughts have been on a funeral in the morning, and nothing seemed appealing, but this lonely light pole at the top of our lane.  Painting number 3290 in 3290 days, and day 5 of the #stradaeasel challenge. #win_winter2022 for the Winter plein air challenge sponsored by some artist friends in Russia. 

Night on 1st Street

I had packed up my gear and framed this before I remembered to get a photo of it on location - hence the frame!  It took a little coaxing to get a couple of artist friends to join me, but nocturne painting is more fun with friends!  I loved this view on the previous night, so it was on my mind.  Checking a few different angles, I settled on this one, where the light flooded into the street in multiple places.  As I painted the dark night sky, I accidently dipped into a new color I'm trying out on my palette - a very dark olive green. It is very close to my ultramarine blue, and I did indeed mix it into my night sky.  You can't tell here in the night lighting, but that paint added a rich something special to my alizarin, blues and violets. I will be adding it to future paintings, too!   I love those happy accidents!  Painting number 3203 in 3203 days. 

Night on 1st Street

Getting a photo of a nocturne on location is so very hard!  The color is not true under the warm street lights, and I didn't even remember to get the photo until I framed, but here it is!  Full of energy when I started painting with two friends out on 1st Street, I was dragging a little by the end of the process!  Having dinner and a glass of wine first slowed me down a little.  Finishing after 11:00, I then had to take care of posting, blogging and showering before bed.  I had accidently dipped into a new olive green I'm trying out that is very, very dark, and it mingled into my night sky.  I actually thought of this mistake in the middle of the night, and wondered how my painting would be affected.  It was different from my norm, but I decided to leave it.  This painting won the 1st Place Award tonight for Owensville, so maybe I'll start mixing in that green to my nocturnes - lol! Painting number 3199 in 3199 days. 

Orange Pansies at Night

Here I am again, painting after dark because I wouldn't stop working outside!  Mike was running the brush hog, cutting the path again and clearing out brush from around the largest, oldest tree on the place.  I'm already composing paintings in my head with that tree!  These bright and cheerful pansies are close to the front porch so are conveniently lit for my late night painting!  So tonight I choose ink and watercolor and my favorite TWSBI Diamond fountain pen in lavender is pictured - and I have it loaded with Thunderstorm ink by Robert Oster.  It's bend to violet and turquoise is the perfect compliment for those orange petals!  Love these warm painting nights!  Painting number 2687 in 2687 days.

Old Bank Building at Night

SOLD

This old bank building stands proud and glorious on Main Street, as it has for well over a century. I love the lines and arches here, and they continue at the west side of this block.  This may be the very first thing I painted when arriving in town, many years ago.  It still calls to me. This year, I've painted it twice!  I don't think I'll ever tire of this beautiful building. I wish all buildings were built like this one.  Painting number 2500 in 2500 days. 

Wine for Two

Although I rarely get the chance, I love to paint en plein air at night.  This table set for two, complete with wine and glasses made the perfect subject for a nocturne painting.  I start with a dark panel, and begin by laying in the light masses where I find them.  Trying to pay attention to the temperature of that light is trickier when done in low light.  I do not like artificial light for night painting, so I use a porch light to see what I can on my palette and panel.  I never truly know what I have until I view the painting in the light of tre next day!  Painting number 2317 in 2317 days.

Millwork Night Market

The wet as drizzly day turned into a beautiful evening to spend downtown.  After getting two paintings completed in the drizzle, I was ready for some hot food to recharge and do it again!  Tonight's venue was the Millwork Night Market on 8th add Jackson, where I could capture a graffiti artist at work!  As I walked up to the scene, I could already see the painting unfold.  Choosing a vantage I could capture the bikes, trailer, graffiti artists, night market AND urban buildings, I got to work quickly.  Starting with a dark panel, I am basically painting the light, one stroke at a time.  It was fun to see old friends from last year's event and paint such a unique place with fellow artists.  Nowhere but Dubuque offers up such an experience!!  Painting number 1738 in 1738 days.

sold

JC Nichol's Fountain at Night

I've sketched this historic Kansas City icon multiple times, but this is only my second attempt at capturing it in paint.  Finishing It up last week, I am only now getting around to posting it.  SO much has happened since then, it seems like ages ago!  It is on display now at the Bank of Blue Valley on the third floor as part of the "Now Showing" program, organized by Arts KC.  I need to do more of these nocturne fountain paintings - the color is amazing, and I know there is so much more to learn!  I'm already thinking of trying one of these fountains in the water mixable oils with the drippy effect..... SO many paintings to do, so little time!  Painting number 1687 in 1687 days.

oil on panel, 24x20
purchase here

Train Yard

I held my weekly painting class at the train yard tonight - and we did it at night!  I love the spontaneity and freshness that comes with plein air painting - and especially when it comes to nocturnes!  I did two ink drawings before returning to my original spot for capturing the light.  When standing at a distance on a night scene, I have to wait until it is pretty dark to see where the light lands. This train yard is complicated for an hour paint, so I concentrate on the light and the color of that light. I caught the deep blues in the sky before they faded to black.  I love painting at night!  Painting number 1638 in 1638 days.

Night on Ella Street

By special request, I met my painting students in old town Belton for some night painting.  What fun we had!  I first sketched out a full street scene before focusing on this section of the building at Main St. and Ella.  The rain made it's appearance as I finished the ink drawing for this one, and I had to take shelter under a tree!  It quickly passed, leaving glorious wet streets behind!  What a gift!  Nothing makes a nocturne sing like reflections on the street.  This hour quick paint was sheer joy!  We all had so much fun that we are returning on July 5th to paint the train yard at night!  Painting number 1629 in 1629 days.

Eiffel Tower in Batik

I love the unpredictability of watercolor batik on rice paper.  Every stroke moves and mingles at will.  For this painting,  I've used masa paper,  which is a heavier rice paper.  It has a slick side and a lightly textual side  - and that is the one you want to paint on.  I start with my Pitt pen by drawing out the composition.  Pitt pens are India ink, so they won't run when paint is applied.   All light values were painted first,  then hot wax was applied over these areas with a natural bristle brush.  The rest of the color is added,  then waxed,  then all is crumpled up.   Into these cracks in the wax more watercolor is applied,  I used sepia.  All wax is then ironed off between layers of brown paper,  or newspaper.   Voila!  That completes the process!   Painting number 1533 in 1533 days.

Tallship Nocturne Batik

Hot wax, ink and watercolor on masa rice paper are my playthings du jour!!  Pushing into the contemporary and abstract, I choose a tallship in the night under the moon and stars!  First, I sketch out the scene with India ink.  Next, I paint my lightest values, letting the dry.  I then come in with a bristle brush and hot wax (I heat in a tiny crock pot), and paint these areas that I want to resist the next layers of color.  Then, I flood in my darks on the fragile masa rice paper, which I set on top of wax paper for full paint absorbency.  I am using my Daniel Smith translucent watercolors for this technique.  Once this dries, I wax the entire painting, allowing it to cool.  Now, this is the scary part.  I wad the painting up into a ball, crunching wax off randomly!  I then come back over this painting with a dark color, working the paint into all this creases I just created.  After this dries, I place the painting between layers of newspaper, and iron until all wax is removed.  I must keep switching out the paper to accomplish this.  The fun part is that this technique creates different results every time, so no two pieces will ever be the same!  This contemporary painting is the 1487th in 1487 days :)

Union Station Nocturne

There is something magical about painting at night.  I start with a dark panel, and brush on the lights as I see them.  From this humble beginning, the scene emerges.  Union Station is one of my favorite places to draw, the lines and arches of this building are beautiful.  When painting at night, I concentrate less on lines and details than I do on the impression of light.  The real story is the light, and the planes are just the supporting actors.  This one is in display at the Buttonwood Art Space for the upcoming Urban Abstract Show until April 29th.  Painting number 1481 in 1481 days.

View from the President Hotel

While attending a wedding reception in the ballroom of the President Hotel in downtown Kansas City, this was the amazing view out of the many windows!  Why didn't I have my paints and why did we park so far away?!!  Taking plenty of reference photos, I painted this scene at my leisure a bit later. I blocked in the masses first with acrylics on a dark primed panel. The composition was rather complicated with buildings and streets, and looking down onto the scene created a unique "bird's eye view" perspective.  Nocturnes are so much fun to paint - I am really just marking the lights!  After the acrylics, I come in with my oils, and finish with a palette knife.  The energy of painting downtown is always invigorating, just as a gentle pastoral scene is always peaceful.  Painting number 1479 in 1479 days :)