Phlox on Top

What inspired me was the beautiful phlox cascading down the steps at Kingwood Garden Center. Again I used the colorist instructions...difficult but feel it will be easier as I do more studying and painting in this manner. I first block in the large masses, light first, then darks, or warms then cools, When all the color seems right then go to the top colors that make the real colors..confusing? Right! me, too! Then you do the mid tones...then what details you have left. I really think I will get it eventually. I am getting dramatic paintings, stronger paintings but think I have a way to go with the color...Also using lots of paint and a palette knife because that is the only way to put wet paint on top of wet paint. I have not got the knife technique down yet either. It has been fun. This was painted on the 23rd of April. I painted the barn again today but it turned cloudy and my perspective is off so need to work on that before I photo it for the blog.

Spring Barn

The sun on the barn inspired me and also the red tile grain silo and it's reflections. This was painted plein air on April 19. I should have photoed it but then came home and had been reading a book on impressionistic painting and am going to study this summer with Camille Przewodek and have been trying to understand the colorist theory. So...this is the final work. I really love this work...so different and yet still me.

Impressionistic Kingwood

The Spark for me was the Tulip tree/bush with the light green spikes in front, then the background azaleas and the rows of yellow and white daffodils. I was determined to do the painting in 1 1/2 hours so....began painting in large puzzle pieces with the complimentary color. Then added the various true colors on top. The large tree had no branches until the very top so had to add branches as it looked like a telephone pole. I eliminated a number of trees to make the painting's composition work better. Very unusual for me considering the prior painting is so photographic..I have been reading about the Cape Cod School, and light. Worked for this but really messed me up with my watercolor today. I continually try to confuse myself!

Clearfork Spring

Why do I pick such a complicated thing to paint plein air. I try to be simple....I liked the contrast of the little jutting out of land against the lake but then.....the sky was easy, the background hills worked but then the trees...oh the trees and the branches and this branch wouldn't stay in the foreground and that one wouldn't stay back so it was no 3 hour painting...much longer but I do like it now.

Lily pads, a work in progress

I like the way this is turning out. I have the other side of the pond to do and do more work on the water and under the lily pads. I have some spots in the water that are spaced too evenly and same size. The water needs to be much darker for contrast but it is turning into one of my calm and serene paintings. That is what I am striving for.

Beauty and the Beef

This photo was used in the Mansfield News Journal on the front page of the second section to advertise the Beauty and the Beef Show at Ed Pickens Cafe on Main in Mansfield, Oh. It was great timing as there was a reception for artists and a beef tasting of the Longhorn Beef. Three recipes, steak,meatball stroganoff and barbequed meatballs. It was a nice reception despite the city tearing up the street and the rain.
This painting was done last summer in plein air. The cattle stayed peacefully in place which hadn't happened before. I just liked the peaceful, serene setting and the warmth that was there that morning. Luckily the cattle placement was done for me so the composition worked. This original is in Columbus, OH at the High Road Gallery at present at the Tamed and Untamed: All God's Critters Show.

Color changes

Yesterday I photoed on the porch with sun light outside, today it is cloudy and due to rain so photoed the top photo inside. I never changed the color of the golden hills...the camera did. guess that says you should be consistent with photographing.

Spring at the Farm

When you put them all together I like the watercolor the best, bright color, dramatic value. The last oil is the finished oil. The photo shows too much white due to wet paint. I will have to look at it awhile. I guess not too bad for the first time outside this year with the oils...still attempting to work the easel, paints, carrying it all, plus been reading too much on color and am confusing myself, both in oil and watercolor!

WETLAND GOLD

This is the final photo...am not taking the frame apart again! Had to print my name darker so it would show up. It will go to get juried this month.

Beauty and the Beef show

Just a lot of wonderful work!

Beauty and the Beef show

Wish you could see the great portrait of John Sherer, the owner of the Longhorn farm. Fantastic!

Beauty and the Beef

Spent the morning hanging the Beauty and the Beef show. I was really impressed with the wonderful work. For some reason the upload didn't work and the photos have so much reflection due to all the lights and the windows.
Spent the afternoon driving around with my painting partner searching out sites for tomorrow's plein air painting.

water lillies in progress

I am getting excited about this one...I worked from my photo , put the lily pads in in pencil and then just went with my imagination. I didn't like the top half of the photo so I will need to improvise the back of the pond. Tomorrow I help hang the Beauty and the Beef show and that will take half a day...I may be too tired to lift a brush.

Watercolor plein air farm

This was my first attempt at watercolor plein air. I may rework this. Very challenging. Very windy and hot so everything dried up fast..my painting partner says it looks more like an oil and I should just keep doing oils. I don't think it was half bad.The tree line at the distant hill is too dark and the pines somewhat dark and I have lost that transparent watercolor feel. Maybe just paint another and see how it goes.

Wetland Gold, and others

I have been working on this for about a week, even took it in and out of the frame about six times and may have to again if the photo isn't good. I wish I could just say to some one Frame it this way! and then I wouldn't have to do it...but it is costly to have it done. I got permission from the photographer to use the photo and added the ducks...it is a little different from the photo but close enough I needed permission.