Day 218 Sunset on the Reservoir

 

 

Sunset on the Resevoir - Plein Air

Oil on Canvas

8 x 10

Returning to a favorite spot on Jerry and Vicki's ranch.

 

This was how I got there. Wow! What a blast, cruising around until I found the right view. A plein air painter's dream come true. Thanks Bob and Kelly for the use of your ATV. I'm still smiling.....

 

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Day 217 Squaw Butte - Plein Air

Squaw Butte - Plein Air

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6
 

This rock outcropping is near Jerry and Vicki's place in Wyoming. McManamen family legend has it that the remains of an Indian princess were discovered under a buffalo skin on top of the butte. Great family story right? I would've have searched under a rock or two for some missed princess beads if I wasn't so afraid of discovering a rattle snake instead. Thank you Susie for driving me up there. :)

A shout out to my number one blog fan Sister Florence McManamen. Thanks Sister for sticking with me every day! Did I get the story above right? If not, please correct me in the comment box below. Thank you!

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217 The Granary

 

The Granary

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

My father-in-law grew up in a log cabin on the prairies of northeast Wyoming. Most of the cabin still stands today as well as the granary I painted above, buildings with a lot of character and fond memories for the family. If you like wide open spaces, northeast Wyoming is the place to be.

 

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Day 216 Old Car in the Field

Old car in the Field - Plein Air

Oil on canvas

5 x 7

Great old car on Jerry and Vicki's place in Wyoming.

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Day 215 Storm Rolling In

Approaching Storm

Plein Air

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

I painted this during a family reunion north of Gillette, Wyoming. A very big storm was rolling in. I was fascinated by the different layers of clouds starting with very dark above me to a pale pink on the horizon. It was a great storm with lots of lightning, wind and torrential rains. I was tucked in underneath a shed. Perhaps not the safest place to be......

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Day 214 Roxburough State Park



Roxburough State Park, Colorado

Plein Air

Oil on canvas board

8 x 10

This was painted at an amazing park about ten minutes away from my sister-in-law's house. The park is full of these dramatic, red rock formations seemly thrusting toward the sky. I could very happily paint here for weeks. Click here for more info about this park.

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Day 214 Still Life Plein Air

 

I'm definitely behind on photographing paintings. So here is a quick photo of a still life I painted in "plein air" on my back deck one warm summer evening.

 

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Day 213 Bayview Plein Air

 

Bayview State Park - Plein Air

Oil on Canvas

8 x 10

This is from a recent PAWA paintout near LaConner. I took this painting into class where Ned gave me a whole list of things I could do to improve it. Sadly, I haven't applied them yet. Someday... :) Also thanks to Robin Weiss for his suggestion to paint the foreground with a pallete knife. It's a tool I mostly use just to mix paint but it can do so much more.

 

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Day 212 Plein Air in Snohomish

Summer Morning in Snohomish - Plein Air

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

We had some surprisingly beautiful weather in Snohomish recently. I finally got a chance to go out and paint on a warm, hazy morning. When I don't have time to hunt down the perfect place, this continues to be a great fall back spot.

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Day 211 Round Two

Peonies with Black Vase #2

I feel this one turned out better than yesterday's.

I think a lot more practice is in order though.

Day 210 First attempt at Peonies

Peonies with Cloisonne Vase

 

Peonies and Black Cloisonne Vase

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

I have my neighbor Nancy to thank for the peonies and Ned

to thank for the beautiful black vase. How fortunate am I to be surrounded

by wonderful, helpful people. Now if only I could figure out how to properly paint

a peony and and a black cloisonne vase all would be right with the world. :)

Day 209 Slightly different view

Gerber with Blue Vase and Fruit

5 x 7

Oil on Gessobord

Same set up as yesterday just a different view. Something about that

large black shape balanced against the intense red of the gerber daisy works for me. :)

Day 208 Gerber meets lime

 

Gerber Daisy in a Glass Vase

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

My favorite part of this painting is the lime. I feel like I captured

a really nice sense of roundness there.

Day 207 But wait there's more....

 

Teacup Bouquet 9

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

 

Same flowers as yesterday. A little different arrangement.

I like this one better.

Day 206 Number 8 and counting...

 

Teacup Bouquet 8

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

Going with cool tones on this one. We have a lily,

a rhody, Canterbuy bells, a daisey and a mystery.

Day 205 Mundy Style

 

Mundy Style

6 x 6

Oil on Gessobord

 

I downloaded and watched a video on painting still lifes

by CW Mundy the other day. Amazing. This painting

is an attempt to use some of his ideas. He is quite a character and

an amazing painter. If you'd like to hear an interview with Mr. Mundy click here.

Day 204 Rosario Beach Plein Air

 

Rosario Beach

Oil on Canvas Board

8 x 10

 

This painting was started in plein air at Rosario Beach during

our recent PAWA paint out. I took it into class at Ned's where it

 was heavily modified by you know who. If I wasn't so eager to

go to bed I would post the before photo too. Maybe tomorrow

I'll get around to that. :)  

My original version. This photo was taken with my ipad. There is a

definite difference in the color cast. To compare, we didn't

change the color of the water on the right side. What do you think?

I have to say I do like that drift wood.

Day 203 Teacup Bouquet 7 - The Gerber Invasion

 

Teacup Bouquet 7 - The Gerber Invasion

6 x 6

Oil on Gessobord

 

One again those Gerber's have made me go all wild and crazy.

There's something really satisfying about painting with

intense colors. Maybe it's my light deprived Northwest eyes...

Day 202 Gerber Daisies

 

Teacup Bouquet #6

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

It's hard not to go for broke with color when Gerber daisies are involved.

As you can see, I didn't resist. :)

Day 201 Cloud Study

 

Cloud Study

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

Looking forward to painting lots of clouds this summer. They

are a great compositional device, or so Ned tells me. If I can

get a good grip on them, they would be a great asset to my plein air work.

Day 200 Plein Air at Rosario

 

Picnic Shelter at Rosario Beach - Plein Air

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

This is a really rough study of the picnic shelter at Rosario Beach.

One of those great structures built by the CCC or Civilian Conservation Corps.

 I don't know about you but I'm really fond of these old buildings.

Bowman Bay, the next beach over, has a small museum dedicated to the CCCs

work in Deception Pass State Park. They built the amazing bridge spanning the pass too.

Day 199 Painting at Rosario Beach

On the second day of our recent PAWA paint out we met at Rosario Beach

in Deception Pass. This has been a favorite beach of mine since childhood.

The tide pools are amazing, full of pink and purple anemones. 

 

 

Patrick O'Hearn nicely highlighted in the morning sun.

 

Sharon painting from a picnic table.

Ron Johnson is working hard. Ron discovered this group, I'm proud

to say, through my display in the Snohomish Library.  I hope

he had a good time.

 



 

Feather Hilger gives it all she's got.

 

The little fellow who serenaded Feather as she was painting.

 

What a great park.

 

The view I almost painted that evening or "the one that got away".

Day 198 Teacup Bouquet 5

 

Teacup Bouquet 5

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

One thing I dearly love about the painting a day process is

there is no time to dwell on failures. I thought I had a handle

on this teacup bouquet business then I painted a couple of

real flops. Rather than become totally discouraged I just keep on

painting and sooner or later something turns out right. :)

 

Here we have deep purple rhododendron, dogwood flowers, pansies

and a lime hidden in there somewhere.

Day 197 Creamer Bouquet

 

Creamer Bouquet

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

 

Creamer bouquet just doesn't have the same ring as teacup bouquet does it?

In this painting we have fuschia, clematis, carnation, lily

and three varieties of pansy. No wonder it looks a bit busy.

Day 196 Bayview State Park Paint Out

Feather painting at Bayview

Larry working hard

Saturday morning I had the pleasure of facilitating a plein air  paint out for PAWA at Bayview State Park. We had a great turn out. After a potluck lunch many people headed off to paint in La Conner.

 

I loved the sky reflecting in the water next to this cute little sailboat in La Conner.

 My friend Margaret and I went on a little jaunt next to Padilla Bay. We were scouting out future painting locations. I tell you what, the Skagit Valley is bursting with great painting locations.

 PAWA is having an exhibition in La Conner at the Seaside Gallery. Lots of wonderful paintings to be seen in this show.

Day 195 Winter Sunset

 

Winter Sunset

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

This is based on a photo I took in January in the Skagit Valley.

Day 194 Teacup Bouquet 4

 

Teacup Bouquet 4

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

Oh yes, they keep on coming!

Day 193 Teacup Bouquet

 

Teacup Bouquet 3

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

My favorite teacup bouquet so far. These beautiful, dark, purple rhodies are

pretty hidden in my yard so it's nice to put them in the spotlight for a change.