Park of Roses

This was a fun paint. The Park of Roses had a festival and invited artist to paint during it. While others chose small areas, I had to paint the whole park!!

The doghouse

If I can't upright this will have to edit later. Done at a friend's house one early morning. I have been painting, just not posting!

Through the trees

This was done during a demo at the art center from a photo. Still did the value study and getting more adept at the palette knife. Still frustrating at times, though

Abandoned farm

This was done at an Abandoned dairy farm. It worked out well. I am learning to use the knife better and always doing a value study in my sketch book first.

The hens

I love this little painting. The hens were so cute perched on that bar. It was early morning and the light was interesting in the shadows. Hard to photo as the painting is dark.

Kingwood Fountain

This was done at Kingwood Gardens. The reflections on the fountain were spectacular. I am pleased with this painting. This was done before the Dawson palette knife workshop

Mifflin Lake Bridge

I had trouble photographing this one. Lots of glare. I really like the original. I did the value study and am learning to use the knife. At times frustrating as sometimes the paint won't go on the canvas, or won't go on top of other paint. Debra taught you do it with a feather touch. My hand shakes or jerks and it goes where I don't want it!

Not so hot blogger

It is just so difficult to photo a painting well and then upload. This is a painting of my house after taking a palette knife workshop with Debra Dawson. My workshop paintings are not worthy of showing but I learned so much. Especially to do a value study before painting. I have been lazy previously. It does take a little time to do it but the painting results are tremendous as you will see in the next paintings. The workshop was very cold and windy. It made it difficult to do plein air, to work with the palette knife and the value study, all new in a two day workshop. Debra is a fantastic teacher talking about why she was doing what while she was demonstrating. She made us do a value study in grays in oils before our painting.

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.