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Plein Air in PA II

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Oil on canvas board, 9 x 12 ins

For our second 3 hour lesson we went to a rural area and found a pumpkin field. One fascinating aspect of painting outdoors with other people is that we can stand in a small area together and produce totally different paintings!

My choice of view and subject was based on the pumpkins leading up to the white barns, which are silhouetted by the dark trees. I also liked including the distant hills. I had a strong sense of representing the feel of what was in front of me rather than the exact image. To that end I ‘moved’ the pumpkins around quite a bit!

Skies

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Because we have temporarily moved (over the past month) to Western Pennsylvania (until Thanksgiving), I’ve become behind on the posts of paintings that I’d planned. I’m going to try to catch up a bit. !

These are all small (6 x 8 ins) sky paintings on canvas. I painted them earlier in the year, all from photographs I’d taken. I was experimenting with ‘feeling’ the color and trying to achieve that sky ‘glow’. These are more abstract than subjects I usually paint, and the freedom with shapes and colors was invigorating.

Apple Candles

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8 x 10 ins, oil on canvas panel

Every year at Thanksgiving (November) I use cored Red Delicious apples to hold candles for the table decoration. It seems in line with the pioneer spirit and using what is easily to hand.

A few days after Thanksgiving last year I still had these on the table and was sitting contemplating the world when I noticed a beautiful morning light on them that really brought them alive, even without flame in the candles! I quickly took several photos and painted this from one of the photos with my Geneva oil paints.

Landscape Tutorial II

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Beach Scene

Beach Scene, 6 x 8 ins, oil on canvas sheet

This was another tutorial by Paint Coach Chris Fornataro, from his Patreon site. I like the Patreon system; you can find good instruction at whatever level or tier suits you and the artist directly benefits. I’m a ‘patron’ of Paint Coach at the lowest level ($5/month) which lets me see one new video a month. That seems to be plenty for now. Since I became a patron his number of patrons has doubled-so also has his income.

The tutorial was emphasizing the use of thick paint and was a lot of fun to do.

Beach Talk

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Oil on Canvas panel, 12 x 16

I loved painting this picture of my husband and grandson. Everything about it felt sunny and happy. I took the photo at the end of a very pleasant week that the grandchildren stayed with us, at the end of which we delivered them back to their parents on this beautiful beach on the shore of Lake Michigan.

My favorite part of the painting is my grandson’s fingers and their shadow. His pose is so characteristic of him, including the way he is concentrating on pushing his foot into the wet sand. I also enjoy the shadows and their part in the composition.

My husband’s Tilley hat features again!

Rest Stop

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Acrylic, 9 x 12

I love painting trees and water with the Princeton Catalyst blades! Again, here I like the contrast of the bright colors of the kayaks and clothing with the peaceful setting of Racoon Lake, Indiana.

Kayak Adventures

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Acrylic, 9 x 12

Our family took up kayaking seven years ago, when looking for an accessible and fun family water sport. We have loved being out on the water, in many varied locations. It is usually very peaceful and restorative.

For a long time I’ve wanted to paint the juxtapositon of the brightly colored kayaks and the peaceful settings. I’ve tried before, but never seemed to hit the right feeling. Using the Princeton Catalyst blades with acrylics on an orange ground seems to get much closer to the feeling I’ve wanted.

This was from a trip this summer to Lake Monroe, Indiana. We had a dear friend visiting from California and we took him kayaking for the first time in his 78 years! He thoroughly enjoyed it.