Milk Barn Sunrise

 

How could I resist painting a sunrise over the milk barn?  The light is fleeting this time of day, so special care must be taken to be able to strike when ready!  I watch the sky and wait for peak color, all the while I'm laying in the structure of the painting.  Horizon, barn and trees, then a few marks for the clouds as their color intensifies.  The second I see a dulling of chroma, I lay down all that's left before it all fades away.  It's like running a race with the sun!  Painting number 5088 in 5088 days. 

Sunrise on Anastasia Island

I love beginning each morning with a sunrise paint on the beach, followed by a run!  The colors change so quickly that I want to paint another when the colors fade to morning light!  The thrill here is sitting at water's edge, studying the ebb and flow of the surf as it crashes and breaks.  The gulf side is much calmer, so this is my first real painting experience with a lively surf.  Each day, I've grown more comfortable with the colors in that movement, and how the light dances and reflects of the water.  I'm looking forward to more study with this gorgeous Atlantic, though I don't know when that will be.  I'm going to miss these days of sand and sun on Anastasia Island.  Painting number 3743 in 3743 days. 

Sunrise Over the Mountain

Each morning, I rise before dawn to check the sky for clouds that may set up a wonderful sunrise. The last two days have been clear as a bell, but today had a glorious beginning.  I started with my darks before that light really popped, so I had my composition in completely.  As the sun hit those clouds, color spread throughout the sky, and I painted quickly!  Knowing this light is fleeting, ilayed in every color important to my painting, then worked to cover all of my panel. I love getting to study the color of the sunrise in such a place as this!  Day 11 is my Artist Residency, day 21 of the #stradaeasel challenge and painting number 4341 in 4341 days. 

Colorado Sunrise

Sunrise is magnificent in Estes Park!!  Day 6 of my Artist Residency and I'm exploring why Colorado is the COLORFUL state!!  After a late night waiting for our youngest son to arrive in town, I planned to sleep in a little.  The early dawn light woke me, and the outrageous red orange in the clouds had me popping out of bed and grabbing my paints!  Sunrise waits on no one, so I threw on clothes, a heavy jacket and my winter coat, turning on the teapot for my return.  I started first with the color notes, wanting to mark them accurately, then the darks and highlights.  One must work fast with big brushes and deliberate brushwork, to match the movement of the clouds.  What a glorious morning, even at 37 degrees!   Day 16 of the #stradaeasel painting challenge, and painting number 4336 in 4336 days. 

Sunset Over the Gazebo

 

Checking in at 5:30am, we had a sunrise paint in downtown Augusta.  Seeing many of the artists set up along the parking lot edge, looking over field and pond, I decided to step back to include this when wonderful old gazebo.  Spitting rain throughout, I tilted my pochade lid downward slightly, to keep the surface dry until I got it covered with paint.  If rain falls on it - oil paints will not stick!  If has been a while since I've painted a sunrise, and it was super fun to do so with friends. I've gotten faster since my last attempt, so this time I felt no pressure to race the clock.  This painting is still available, but they are going like hot cakes! Painting number 3403 in 3403 days.

Sunrise at the Milk Barn

Another day of sunrise painting, does that make five now?  I find I'm looking more closely at the colors in the sky, the edges away from the sun are different than those nearest.  Distant clouds are flatter and warmer than those closer and higher in the sky.  There are subtle color shifts in each cloud, today I see four.  So much of painting is just training the eye to really see!  I am giving myself about 30 minutes to complete the sunrise and sunset studies.  Any more time than that, I feel like the light is just too different. It helps that I'm working small, as well!  Until this becomes like second nature, I will not be using large panels!  Painting number 2070 in 2070 days.

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September Sunrise

The color blooming in the sky this morning was irresistible!  I should have started with a dark primed panel, but having none I used white!  I feel like I'm fighting that white until the panel is covered, and it distracts me from the color in the sky.  Trying to match the dark values of early light is difficult when each minute grows lighter. Marking all dark masses, I try to keep those masses grayed down, to allow the sunrise light to glow.  Sounds good in theory, but was this ever a challenge!  I need to practice this over and over again, until it becomes second nature!  Perhaps 100 sunrises in a row?  Now, THAT would be crazy!  Painting number 2067 in 2067 days.

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Sunrise on the Lake

Sunrise on the lake from our balcony - breathtaking, and of course I had to paint it!  The color at this time of day is fleeting, so I hurry to grab my ink and my new set of Watercolor Confections.  The first time I jump into a new palette is always a challenge - especially when they are not my normal colors!  Throw in the nature of a high speed sunrise paint, as we've got a little one shot experimenting at hand!  Oddessey is this palette, and it has a freshness to the colors that I like.  The Classic set may be more my norm, but these colors do have potential.  Summer and tropical scenes would be well suited, with a little mixing, I'm sure they'll be great for everything.  This one is tiny at 2.5x3.5! Painting number 1906 in 1906 days.

Morning Breaks

The skies are full of wonder this time of year!  Sunrise and sunset compete with each other with reckless abandon - and this artist is taking full advantage!  I've pulled out my 5x7 guerrilla painter thumb box for speed in painting, and I've used my acrylics for the dark underpainting.  Once dry (which is pretty fast) I begin with the colors in the sky.  Here, I start with the horizon color, and then jump to the darkest clouds shades. I finish with the orange hues, then blend a little here and there.  I leave the application  thick at the horizon, softening towards the edge.  Painting number 1755 in 1755 days.

Early Light at the Lake

The wee hours before dawn are quiet and thoughtful. I love the stillness that surrounds me while setting up for a sunrise paint.  The lake at the Penn Valley Park lies in a valley,  so the sun takes its sweet time getting here.  That early light is what I've captured here with my oils. I was at the very edge of the water to see the reflection of that wonderful tree,  and I had to be mindful of not dropping off that edge into the water!  This has been another fabulous week of painting in Kansas City, and next week it will be the Overland Park Arboretum!  Painting number 1588 in 1588 days.

Early Light on the Lake
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Hedgeapple Tree Sunrise

The first light was spreading from the east - and in anticipation, I rushed to get to my easel.  Mornings are all about timing, making sure kids are up for school, lunch made, dogs and cats fed and watered - and getting myself ready for the gym.  Then, a dazzling show begins in the sky - and I must work faster!  This morning, I actually painted in my jammies on my front porch!   Thanks goodness we live in the country where there are no neighbors close enough to see my shenanigans!  This painting was done entirely with one flat Bristlon brush, and is my 1484th painting in 1484 days :)

Missouri Sunrise

I have always loved sunrises - and sunsets, for that matter.  The colors magnify so during those fleeting times of day.  I have found that they are so much easier to paint from life!  The trick is to wait until the colors begin, before laying a single stroke.  Otherwise, I find I am chasing the light, which never works en plein air!   I am going to make a conscious effort to paint as many of these as I can, until they one day drop effortlessly from my brush.  Painting number 1383 in 1383 days :)

oil on panel, 6x6
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Sunrise over the Farm

Sunrise Over the Farm
Oil on panel, 10x8
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Waking early, I kept an eye to the sky during my pre-dawn run.  The clouds had spread across the sky in a beautiful pattern, and it looked like the sun was going to work some magic upon rising.  I didn't even go back into the ranch house, but headed for my gear in the trunk.  Having already decided on my position, I set up my easel quickly and started blocking in masses.  No time for sketching, the color was beginning!  It was like running a race against the clock - just to get this scene painted before the fleeting pinks and turquoises were gone!  I love painting this time of day - I wish I could manage it more often!  This painting makes 1382 in 1382 days :)

Crashing Wave

Crashing Wave
Oil on masonite, 6x6

Tonight was a the "After Hours" event at GOT Art Gallery for the members of the Lee's Summit Chamber of commerce.  It was a packed house - and the food and punch were wonderful!  So, once again, I come late to my easel to return to the study of sunrise color in sky and water.  I have seldom painted the waves, and have never painted them crashing - so this is a day of pushing paint with brush and palette knife to create that movement.  I really like the way the knife skims over the tops, leaving thick paint in it’s wake.  I would like to order those mini blades (Catalyst, by Princeton), and try them out on the clouds and waves.  Maybe, I'll even go crazy and get really thick with that paint! Painting number 1136 in 1136 days.

Sunrise Sailboat - palette knife

Sunrise Sailboat - palette knife
Oil on wood, 6x6

Well, I guess I should really begin by admitting that I didn’t really use a palette knife, I used a Princeton Catalyst, #6 in the 15mm size.  I LOVE how the flexible head pushed the paint into the texture of the wood panel!  This is one of those panels I primed, but ended up with too heavy a texture for the portrait work I intended them for.  I used only the catalyst for this seascape, and it was fun!  It does work differently than the normal knife, more fluid in it’s movement across the surface.  I can’t wait to experiment more with this tool and more like it!  Painting number 1135 in 1135 days.

Sails on the Horizon

Sails on the Horizon
Oil on wood, 6x4

I have been longing for the warm days of summer, looking out over the water toward the sailboats .....and painting from the beach, with the sand between my toes.  I’ve been studying the color shifts in the sunrise and sunset, and working to get those colors right.  I think they are so difficult to paint successfully!  So, I am hoping to give them more attention, and what better way than to reflect that color off the surface of water?  Practice makes perfect!  Painting number 1134 in 1134 days.

Winter Gold

Winter Gold
Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 4x4

The winding creeks of Missouri fill me with inspiration!  I return to local creeks from time to time - and the paintings almost always look different with the changes of season and light.  A funny thing happens when I go to name these paintings.  I often come up with the same name for paintings done in the same place.  Almost always, as I am painting in a spot, a title just comes to me as I work. Sometimes, it even comes to me when I first set eyes on the landscape.  I always need to check my paintings before posting, just to be sure I don't title two paintings from the same place, with the same name!  This painting makes 1122 in 1122 days, and Day 29 in the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Winter Pinks

Winter Pinks
Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 4x4

After painting on such a large surface yesterday (18x24), I am now painting very small (4x4).  I’ve spent a lot of time on the paperwork that goes on the back of my paintings today, which really cut into my painting time!  It looks like our snow will soon be gone - as we move into the 50’s tomorrow, and 60’s by Friday!  So, I am getting a few snowy landscape miniatures painted while it is still cold!  Painting number 1120 in 1120 days, and Day 27 of the 30 Day Painting Challenge.

January Glow

January Glow
Acrylic on gallery wrapped canvas, 4x4
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With a dusting of snow from the other day, the landscape again catches my eye.  The unexpected freezing rain of today cancelled evening plans, and has allowed me some time for capturing the winter landscape.  I have painted this miniature canvas (only 4 inches square) around all edges with acrylics.  I may go over it later with oils, I'll just see how I feel about it tomorrow.  I have been very busy getting ready for my solo show at GOT Art Gallery - Three Years of Daily Painting.  I am including my blog post with each painting, both glued to the back and one to hang beside the painting.  I did a show like this last year, and it is rather like displaying the pages of my diary on the walls for all to see!  This painting makes 1113 in 1113 days, and Day 20 of the current 30 Day Painting Challenge.

Winter Magic

Winter Magic
Oil on masonite, 22x28
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Today, I have been working on commissions, and nearly have two of them completed.  Once I lost the natural light, I switched to finishing a large winter landscape - 22x28 inches.  Bringing this one nearly to completion a week ago, I then hung it on the wall to see if anything called out to me.  Indeed it did!  I had finished at night, and the full light of day showed that I needed more working time!  My colors were too cool throughout, needing the balance of warm middle and foreground hues.  So, I have made those adjustments tonight, and we’ll just see what the painting tells me tomorrow!  I will probably need to take a daylight photo of this painting as well - the colors are not reading true.  It feels a little awkward to switch from acrylics to oils - especially after a month of using acrylics!  The trick is to be sure I pull out the right brushes for the right medium every time! This painting makes number 1064 in 1064 days.