Afternoon Bales

Sept 14, 2011 near Galion, OH plein air. One hour quickly painting! Toned orange canvas. By the time I got started my companions were ready to go so I hurried and this is what I got. Sometimes I think I work too long on a painting and the ones that are quickly done are the best.

Morning Bales

I was inspired by the backlighting this September 14, 2011 morning. The colors changed so fast. There was a mist in the background and then no mist. I did the small value study then quickly put in the darks, then the middle values. I had trouble making the bales look like bales instead of barrels! My fellow painters were not finished so I did a quick 8x8 in about an hour and everyone liked it the best. That painting follows

Herb Garden 4, A lovely place to sit.

I think I may be caught up except for some workshop paintings and some Competition paintings that haven't been photographed. I considered this for the plein air competition in Columbus but had to decide on two only. I liked the composition and the abstract shapes. I think the eye follows around well in the painting. I especially like the pot in front. I had some critique on this and finished up the green foliage background after some suggestions about the sky distracting so didn't feel it was all done on site. It looks lovely in a bright gold frame.

Blue Green, Summer Shadows

Painted plein air in a Bellville, OH park after driving, driving,driving to find a site. There were lovely blues in the background and I just continued the colors! Not really satisfied with this and would like to do it again. Maybe in the Fall.

Gazebo again

This is also a plein air painting done at Kingwood of the Gazebo. The flowers change monthly and this was a spectacular view. I found it after trying the Herb garden but they were watering with sprinklers in there!

Garden Fountain

This was done plein air at Kingwood Center Gardens. This was also entered in the Plein Air Show in Columbus. It was early morning and the sun was behind the heavily wooded area and the water in the fountain really sparkled. This was also done in the block in large shapes with their local color on a rose toned canvas. Then the darks, then medium values put in. and the lights last. This process seems to work for me better than starting with the focal point and working outward.

Abandoned

Finally getting back to this blog! It was almost if I had "abandoned" my blog! Not so, just been busy with painting, a workshop, teaching and visitors. This painting was done plein air on an abandoned dairy farm and will be entered into a Plein Air gallery show in Columbus, OH the end of September. It was a cloudy day with only a few spots of sunshine once in a while. I noted where those were in my value sketch before I started. I toned my canvas with permanent rose and started blocking in my colors in big shapes. Putting in the darks first then the medium values leaving the pink of the canvas for the lights and highlights. I began massing in the leaves and green areas with various green colors and yellow mixes. Finally the details. This painting worked well. I especially like the color of the bricks and the sunlight in patches.