Kansan City Skyline Trio

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It was such an honor to create three unique paintings of the Kansas City Skyline, as seen from the office windows of Helm.  Each is part of the whole, created on the largest handmade cotton paper available, in ink and watercolor.  These have been the most complicated paintings I have ever had the pleasure of completing!  

Morning with the Scout

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Today's Walktober event was held in Penn Valley Park, and my daughter Tiffany rode up to the city with me - and is sitting to my right above!  I haven't painted here for years, and was excited to share this place with Tiffany.  I have drawn the iconic Scout in ink, and painted it on oils, but today I wanted to use ink and watercolor.  I'm still using my travel Qor palette that I got a month ago, and I am now used to the colors placements and mixing capabilities.  The brown and the ultra blue seem to be a bit grainy now, and they are resisting my brush when I try to pick them up.  I may need to clean the surface?  I have been working on backcountry roads full of gravel dust and dirt!  Maybe some of that is embedded in my palette!  Tiffany had an amazing painting - though the time limit cut into her painting time.  We only had an hour and 40 minutes by the time we set up, lol.

I'm so happy this painting was selected as the Quick Paint Award Winner in the Penn Valley  Plein Air during Walktober!  This painting is a retirement gift to one who has dedicated himself to the Kansas City Missouri Parks.  This is painting number 5165 in 5165 days. 

Kansas City Skyline from Main

 

I love capturing Kansas City in watercolor batik!  This view is looking down Main from near Union Station, where I could sketch from the Link that connects Crown Center to Union Station. Catching this place in the golden hour was my good fortune, so I marked those colors quickly!  This large gallery piece is one that shows with my Kansas City Collection for the Now Showing program with ArtsKC. Painting number 3930 in 3930 days. 

H&R Block View

 

What a unique opportunity to sketch fabulous Kansas City views from the H&R Block building this morning with Urban Sketchers KC! There is literally a painting at every window, and beautiful artwork on every wall - making for a very inspiring morning!  All the complexities of this architectural view grabbed me instantly!  Old and new existing in the same space, shiny and vibrant, full of history.  I didn't know what I was walking into this morning, and what a treat it was!  I love getting to sketch in a place like this!  Painting number 3862 in 3862 days. 

Looking Over the West Bottoms

What an amazing vantage I had from the rooftop of the Faultless Building in the West Bottoms!  Now an event space, this beautiful building was the perfect place to paint so much of this historic skyline!  This long format was exactly what I needed for this painting - and I'm so happy I had one sheet with me!  Trains came and went, walkers, runners and bikes bustled by below, and the occasional pigeon popped in to join me - before rushing off when I moved! This was such a peaceful place to paint, and once again I worked right up until the last minute, to rush back, frame, and turn in for the morning quick paint!  Quite a bit to bite off for my 2 hour 15 minute window, lol!  Painting number 3785 in 3785 days. 

Kansas City Downtown in Metal

As I explore this medium, I find it particularly suited for architecture.  Working a larger piece has it's challenges.  It is tricky to keep the metal from bending as I constantly turn it over and over, pushing at the planes of the buildings.  I keep trying out new tools to work the metal, picking up the plastic ones more often than not. The metal ones work okay for the copper side, but seem too abrasive for the aluminum side.  Who knows what tools I'll try next?  Painting number 2493 in 2493 days. 

Kansas City on Main Street

I'm finishing up a couple of large watercolor batik paintings, and the days are growing warmer.  It is SO hard to stick to it when the hills and streams are calling....!  Tonite I complete my work - tomorrow I'll be outdoors for sure!  Painting number 2265 in 2265 days.

City Market Skyline

The City Market is bringing artists in for First Fridays from now until October!  Urban Sketchers KC will man a booth space to share our artwork and serve as a home base for the evening's sketching.  Each month, an artist will give a short demo from 6:00 to 6:30, and I will kick this off in July.  We'll paint until 8:30, and meet to show our work.  With so much to paint in each direction, it is going to be fun!  All I'll have to decide is ink, oil, or watercolors?  Or maybe gouache or acrylic?  Oh, what is an artist to do?  Painting number 1973 in 1973 days.

ink on paper, 4x6
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Kansas City Skyline from Main

For this painting, I am showing my tools!  Both watercolor pan sets are Watercolor Confections, which I have disassembled and reassembled the way I wanted, adding the middle rows which I scavenged from a third set. The water brushpen is by Koi, and the pen is an India ink Pitt pen which I have refilled.  I did a more careful sketch than usual, for no particular reason, and then filled in with watercolor.  I would have blotted a couple of spots, but alas, found myself without a paper towel!  Painting number 1815 in 1815 days.

KC Over the Lake, inked

What a cool view of the Kansas City skyline from the Penn Valley Park!  I like the 6x6 format, and the way the natural beauty of the park contrasts with the structural lines of the buildings. I've had fun painting here this week,  even though it is such a challenge to balance all this painting with my REAL life!  I just do whay I can, and roll with the rest!  I know so many of these artists now - it is super fun catching up with them in the field!  Painting number 1585 in 1585 days.....I think!

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KC Past the Lake

In the morning, I had painted my largest plein air painting yet from the other side of this lake.  As I ate my lettuce wrap,  sitting in the shade on this hill while another artist painted,  I looked down on this scene with admiration.  What a beautiful view,  and what a pleasant spot in the shade from which to paint.  With four hours left until the quick paint,  there was plenty of time to work on another.  Hauling my smaller easel up the hill,  I started to sketch.  I've been doing a pen and ink drawing before each painting,  to see just how it enhances my work over time.  The colors may be a little bold,  but for now it rests.  I almost never return to a painting once I walk away.  It is the fresh impression of that moment in the sun,  and another day is simply another painting.  Painting number 1582 in 1582 days.

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KC Dripping in Batik

KC Dripping in Batik
Watercolor batik on masa, 6x8
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How about those Kansas City Royals?  SO EXCITING to have won the first two games in the World Series - and in SUCH dramatic fashion!!  Tonight's game will be in New York - and I'm looking forward to another night with those "boys in blue"!!!  This painting is just a little fun with watercolor dripping on masa paper, followed by hot wax, freezing, wadding, and cracking, and topping it off with watercolor floated over those cracks.  Next come a hot ironing between newspaper, and voila! -this is what remains!  I just couldn't help but cheer my boys on with a little Royal fun in the studio today!  Painting number 1032 in 1032 days!!  Let's have another win tonight, boys :)

KC Royals!

KC Royals Skyline
Watercolor batik on masa, 7x5
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Something special for our boys in blue tonight as they head into game 1 of the World Series!!  SO exciting to be here for the second year in a row!  Making this post short and sweet - as there is a busy night ahead!  The hardest thing about this batik?  It was painting the lettering in hot wax!!  That wax cools almost instantly, so it is super hard to get good flow off the brush!!  Lucky for me, this whole batik technique is loose and fresh - which allows for almost anything!!  Hoping for a win tonight!!  Painting number 1029 in 1029 days!

Kansas City from Kaw Point

Kansas City from Kaw Point
Oil on wood panel, 10x8
MVIS Paint-Out - purchase here

Oh, it feels SO good to be out painting plein air again!  Planned by the  Missouri Valley Impressionist Society, this is my first time to Kaw Point - where the Missouri River and the Kansas (Kaw) River meet.  Watching the ice flow rush down the river while painting was surreal.  That ice moves at a pretty good clip!  On the land mass at the left side of this painting, an eagle nest lie in the upper part of a tree.  Two eagles arose and soared above the river periodically, only once at the same time. This park is located on the north side of Kansas City, so I am looking south to capture this view.  It is wonderful to be painting with my artist friends again, especially on a warm February day (almost 70) - even though the wind off that ice was a bit chilly!  This is the life! Painting number 771 in 771 days :)

on location

On location with ice flow on Missouri River   

Santa Over Kansas City

Santa Over Kansas City
Acrylic on panel, 5x5
Santa Whimsy Series - Number 2

Today finds me working on commissions, finishing odd jobs, and getting playful with the paints!  Santa and his tiny reindeer are flying over the Kansas City Skyline in this whimsical little painting.  These little Santa paintings are SO much fun!  I envision him flying over  Paris, Rome, the Country Club Plaza, and even my home in the country!  So many ideas.....so little time!  I am now several paintings ahead, which should free me up for those things I MUST do in the next few days.  After working on miniatures, the large panels looming ahead of me are quite daunting - oh well, the best way is to just jump in with both feet forward!  Painting number 337 in 337 days :)

Western Auto Skyline

Western Auto Skyline
Oil on panel, 20x16

I think I must be on a Kansas City icons theme!  First the fountains, now this skyline, what will I paint next?  I worked on this one around other family activities today.  I worked larger than I wanted to, because I am saving other frames for my plein air trip to Augusta.  My hand is a little cramped from trying to paint such a complex composition quickly.  I tense up when there is a time crunch - and we leave soon for dinner and a movie with the family!  This cityscape makes 95 paintings in 95 days - I am closing in on 100!  What should I do to celebrate?