Day 300 North Head Lighthouse

 

North Head Lighhthouse

5 x 7

Oil on Canvas Board

Another painting of the lighthouse in Cape Disappointment State Park.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Day 299 Coupeville Pumpkin Patch Visit

Coupeville Pumpkin Patch Visit

Plein Air

5 x 7

Oil on Canvas board

Sherman Farm's pumpkin patch on Ebey's landing near Coupeville is

a terrific place to spend a sunny, fall afternoon. I've always admired this

tall, narrow building. Next time I see Mr. Sherman I'll have to ask him what it is for. :)

 If you get a chance to visit, be sure to try the sugar cookies. They're fabulous!

Posted with Blogsy

Day 298 Victoria and Tea

 

Victoria and Tea

Oil on Canvas Board

8 x 10

About a month ago I had a great opportunity to collect some photo reference

for future paintings at the Tilbury event in Kingston. This is a terrific event where models dress up in period costume and hold a pose for everyone to photograph or paint. I have to say I got some terrific photos. Over all it was a blast! I painted this in Ned's class. You can probably tell where he added his touch. :) If I end up working on it some more I will repost it.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Day 297 Fellow customer at the U-Pick Farm

Fellow Customer at the U-Pick Farm

Oil on Gessoboard

5 x 7

Thai little guy really kept an eye on me while I took pictures of 

the sunflowers at the U-pick farm. I don't think he appreciated

me inturupting his sunflower seed breakfast.

Posted with Blogsy

Day 296 Fall is Everywhere

Autumn at Lake Quinault

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

The trees are so spectacular right now. I was inspired. This is based on a photo I took at Lake Quinault on the Washington coast last fall.

Posted with Blogsy

Day 295 Backlit Zinnia

 

Backlit Zinnia

Oil on Canvasboard

6 x 6

A backlit Zinnia from the U-pick farm in Snohomish.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Day 294 Net Sheds in Gig Harbor - Plein Air

Net Sheds in Gig Harbor

Plein Air

Oil on Canvas Board

5 x 7

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a two day plein air

workshop in Gig Harbor. Did I have a good time? Of course!

The class was taught by well known, Northwest artist Eric Jacobsen.

I have never met a more positive, enthusiastic art instructor. I hope

I get to study with him again sometime.

Posted with Blogsy

Day 293 House Finch Thief

House Finch Thief

Watercolor

6 x 6

A watercolor I've been working on here and there for quite awhile. It's just about done, thank goodness. This innocent looking house finch was slowly but surely stripping the flowers off a small cherry tree in my front yard. The least it could do, I figured, was pose for a picture.

Posted with Blogsy

Day 292 Afternoon Geraniums 2

 

Afternoon Geraniums 2

Oil on Canvas

6 x 6

Once again the geraniums were lighting up the deck. This time I didn't hesitate to paint them. I particularly liked the pattern of the glowing leaves.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Day 291 Painting Near Winthrop

 

Painting Near Winthrop

5 x 7

Oil on Canvas Board

This is based on a photo taken on a PAWA plein air trip in Winthrop

about a year and a half ago. Those beautiful clouds turned into a whopper

of a thunderstorm. When all the fishermen started pulling their boats out of the water, we should've known something was up.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Day 290 A Smallish Pumpkin

A Smallish Pumpkin

Oil on Canvas Board

5 x 7

Another Julian inspired composition. Did you know he is teaching painting

workshops in Provence? Oh my goodness, wouldn't that be awesome to attend! Definitely on my bucket list.....

Posted with Blogsy

Day 289 A Squash

 

A Squash

Oil on Canvas Board

6 x 6

I will freely admit that I modeled this set up after one of my favorite daily painters, Julian Merrow-Smith. His blog, Postcard from Provence, is a must see. This Englishman living in Provence is on his 2031st daily painting! How amazing is that?

 

Posted with Blogsy

Day 288 Pear in Sherbet Glass

 

Pear in Sherbet Glass

Oil on Canvas Board

6 x 6

Sold

 

Here is another summer, still life find. When I spotted this pretty,

little, green, glass bowl in an Astoria antique shop, I knew it had to be mine.

 

I've been using a little hand mirror to double check my paintings. Something

about seeing it in reverse really makes you see with a fresh eye. It

helped me catch some serious drawing errors in this particular painting.

Day 287 Basket with Fruit

 

Basket with Fruit

Oil on Canvas Board

6 x 6

 

Oh, I struggled with this piece. The cute little Asian basket I found

in an Astoria thrift store is not quite so cute to me anymore...

Day 286 Rose HIps - Plein Air

 

Rose Hips - Plein Air

Oil on Canvas Board

 5 x 6

 

I had an opportunity to paint plein air on a grey fall morning

last week. The monochromatic landscape just wasn't making my heart

beat faster. I did, though, spot these beautiful rose hips. Now the

blood was moving....

Day 285 Silver and Begonias

 

Silver and Begonias

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

 

Begonia flowers are wonderful. They are so sculptural and come in

such eye popping colors. I couldn't let summer go without trying to

paint a few.

Day 284 Silver Still Life

 

Silver Still Life

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

 

A still life I almost forgot to post. I'm very fond of this little silver

piece although I don't know exactly it is. It has a lovely patina.

 I'm assuming it is a little vase but it is a tad bit wide for that.

Any ideas?

Day 283 Pumpkin Study 3

 

Pumpkin  Flower Study 3

Oil on Canvas Board

5 x 7

Plein Air

 

This is it, my favorite study. I think that's it for the pumpkin

flowers this year. Not the last of the pumpkins though..... 

Day 282 Pumpkin Flower Study 2

Pumpkin Flower Study 2

Oil on Canvas Board

6 x 6

Plein Air

 

A few years ago, I was fortunate enough to visit a pumpkin patch

to paint when the pumpkin flowers were still blooming. I came away with a

painting I was really pleased with. Every year since, I tried to

get back while there were still flowers but wasn't successful.

This year, by golly, they were still there. So I tried to recreate what had

worked so well before. Sheesh! It's turned out to be far more difficult

than I had anticipated.... I'll post my favorite attempt tomorrow.

Day 281 Pumpkin Flower Study 1

 

Pumpkin Flower Study 1

Plein Air

Oil on Canvas Board

5 x 7

 

I have a passion for pumpkins. It's as simple as that. I think it all

stems from a magical morning visit to a sparkly, dew covered

pumpkin patch as a child. Although, it could also be their lovely,

intense color of orange and their voluptuous, round shapes. Or maybe

because they are a big part of one of my favorite holidays.

Whatever the reason, pumpkins rock.

Day 280 Silver with Dahlias

Silver with Dahlias

Oil on Canvas Board

5 x 7

 

We have recently gotten a new computer. Thank goodness! The colors are much

more saturated on this monitor. So, while trying to represent my paintings

as truthfully as possible, there is a good chance I will over compensate.

If my postings look unusually dull from here on out, please let me know.

 

Mini dahlias from my flower boxes.

279 South of Snohomish

 

South of Snohomish - Plein Air

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

On a fine fall day I headed out to paint on the river south of

Snohomish, hauling my dad along for company. Try as I might, I couldn't

find a river view I was happy with.  So I made a 180 degree turn and

painted what was behind me instead.

Day 278 Silver Creamer with Lime and Geranium

 

Silver Creamer with Lime and Geranium

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

I had a really great time hunting for still life props during our travels

this summer. This silver creamer leaped out at me in a Goodwill

 store outside of Astoria, Oregon. I was more than happy to take it home.

Day 277 Pear with Carnations

Pear and Carnations

Oil on Gessobord

6 x 6

When one feels rusty it's not a bad idea to simplify the composition.

A single pear is a good subject. Of course I couldn't resist tossing

in a few carnations as well. So much for simplifying.



Day 276 Geranium in Silver Vase

Geranium in Silver Vase

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

After spending a summer of painting either in plein air or from photos, I

find I'm a little rusty on the old still life. Nice thing about wet Washington

falls, winters and springs, there will be plenty of opportunity to get

back in the groove.

Day 275 Baby Sparrow Sings

 

Baby Sparrow Singing

Oil on Gessobord

5 x 7

 

I found this little guy at a plein air paint out last spring on Rosario Beach.

According to the gal painting nearby, he serenaded her all afternoon

from about four feet away. How cute is that?