Busy Painting

painting #1 Morning  light on Oregon Creek

I had hoped that I could marry up my photo to the actual painting, I did a pretty close job, the grayed down colors aren’t showing up as it should and the backlight isn’t coming through as dramatic as I like. But aside from my silly complaints, I adore this painting! One of my favorites.

Lately I have been delving more into a minimalist approach to painting and I feel that it fits my style. The painting above was one of those exercises that I pursue now and then to keep my technique honed but it came across with more feeling than I had anticipated. It is an area that I have visited quite often, only down the road a few miles from me and about a 5 minute hike in.

painting #2 imagined landscape

I painted this one when we were out of power and I painted in front of the woodstove. It is such a hassle to take my painting supplies down to another location in the house but it was well worth the struggle. I originally planned on a dramatic sky but my sky turned into a wild free for all landscape, punched up with dramatic color.

painting #3 Remembered Landscape of Sand Pond

I enjoyed painting this one and I love that glow coming through to the left.

painting # 4 imagined landscape

I struggled in getting the correct colors but I think that it is pretty close, though the foreground is more ochre in reality than it appears here. I loved splattering on water and watching the magic. Watercolor is so much fun! I ADORE the medium!!

painting #5 imagined landscape

I woke up on Christmas Eve with this glorious streaming light imagery in my mind’s eye and I had to paint immediately. I painted 4 within a 3 hour period. This is one of them.

painting #6 one of the four in a series based upon light

I think of all the four (of which I am showing only two in this post) this is my favorite. For one thing, I didn’t think it was working and I soon realized that the orientation changed on me. I envision it as a “waterfall” of light. I painted it entirely by instinct and I knew when to brush on water to create those swirls of bloom. I feel that this is where my spirit soars with watercolor. I find anymore that forego drawing on my paper but get down to business with painting. I thought in the past that it was impatience but it is because most of my paintings veer from the lines that I would draw anyway.

painting #7 wip imagined painting

I included this one though I didn’t edit the photo. I am letting this sit a bit to see what I need to do with it. I have a fascination with light. For the past several days as I paint these paintings focusing on light, I have been listening to an Icelandic group by the name of Sigur Ros, it fits the mood to the T.

I recently sold of one my paintings to someone here on WP and I think that it came at  a time that I needed a little validation. Thank you so much and you know who you are! I also sold two more just this past week and even though I don’t paint to sell, it has encouraged me to continue on. I am considering taking January off to focus on my painting but who knows I might post, We’ll see.

Happy New Year! Be encouraged and keep painting. It takes a lot of determination and work but well worth the effort! So keep on!

 

 

 

 

 

Latest Paintings

I have been researching how to get clearer photos with my Kindle Fire, hopefully I can get some satisfaction with my photos. This painting was pure heaven working on it.

This painting was a “fast and furious” session, maybe that explains that rock on the left. I might go back and soften up some edges. The falls could use more definition, we’ll see.

Oh my favorite scene! Again!

So I am completely undecided about this one. I love the atmospheric appearance but I am thinking it needs more. It was painted totally by intuition and in two layers basically swirling yellow and cobalt blue and indanthrone blue together with a touch of Ultramarine purple. I have no clue why I didn’t end up with green, that is a mystery.

Until next time!

River Intrigue

Not sure about what is going on with WP but I have tried all day to upload this post. Of course I had difficulty composing it because of all the glitches, once again I am driven to the point of no return with this blog!

This is a studio piece using some reference photos from a recent plein air painting trip to an old haunt of mine. I tried to include a few posts of this same location but I am not able to link up to them. Sigh!!

I started the painting below of this simi waterfall as a plein air and I finished it up in the studio. I was freezing by the time I had several studies started. I have never attempted to paint this before because I am always passing it by to go paint at the river.

The painting above is a little plein air, nothing special but while I painted it, I had a wonderful sense of knowing how to paint it. Once I got it home it seemed a bit lack luster. I hiked a total of about 5 miles to one of my favorite areas along the river. I have to get a different set-up because my back and neck was in pain which continued into Mother’s Day, believe me, no fun.

This painting was a quick fun painting, loose and fancy free using one of my photos taken while hiking out to the river.

I couldn’t re-size these paintings or caption them because that option was no where in sight. Finally getting this up!

Mystical Waterfalls

 

on Lanaquarelle watercolor paper 140# 15 x 21 inches (half sheet)    

Finally finished with my latest waterfall which is by far my favorite. I wanted to use my imagination, so I listened to music and imagined away. Sometimes my inner creative shows up Oriental which is fine with me because I admire their view point. With this one I used my intuition and painted only the bare essentials to give you the gist of a roaring waterfall. I took quite a few breaks and didn’t rush it. If I didn’t feel it, I didn’t paint.

I painted wet on wet in some areas and dry on others, I wanted a little of a change-up within the painting which I feel gives it more creative pull and push, ying and yang, I believe the term is. I love this paper because it has a scratchy surface and dry brush is so addicting because of this feature. It is fast becoming one of my favorite papers.

This is one painting that I plan on framing, that is how much I love it.

Daniel Smith colors used: Burnt Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Indigo, Quin. Gold, Prussian Blue, Hansa Yellow Medium

*A word about photos. The photos on my blog are mine, taken by me and copying them would be stealing from me. If you find a photo that you would like to copy or use, I request that you ask me for permission and I expect you to give me full credit for my own photo. Thank you so very much.

 

Moonlight Abstract #2 and Falls

Moonlight #2 on Canson Heritage 140# 11 x 14 inches

I didn’t have much of an idea in mind when I started this second painting in the series. Here is the first in the series: Moonlight Abstract #1 I started out with the orientation of the moon more to the right and by the time I was finished, I liked the painting switched around. I painted this wet on wet and painted only what I felt moved make a mark. I always stand while I paint and I step away often and tilt my head, it helps with perspective.

I painted only when I was in the groove and as soon as my creative vision waned, I stopped immediately. I take a break up to 20 minutes and come back to paint only if I had that creative zone happening. Again, as soon as I sensed that it waned, I stepped away. I also don’t judge the painting when I am not in a session.

Falls on Canson Heritage 140# 11 x 14 inches

I had started this during the weekend and finally finished it up today. I painted this saturated wet on wet which is fast becoming one of my favorite ways of painting. This paper is also one of my all time favorite paper for this technique. I painted this one intuitively and didn’t adhere to realism which is becoming more and more of my preferred way to paint.

Creek and Fantasy in the Woods

 

painting #2 on Saunders 200# 11 x 14 inches

I lost what I wrote originally, I am having trouble with WP. I have been painting up a storm for the past 10 days and focusing more on painting rather than posting. The above painting was painted intuitively based on one of my photos. I liked the fact that I am slowing down and not rushing it.

 

 

painting #2 wip on Saunders 200# 11 x 14 inches

This painting was started over a week ago and I periodically work on it bringing it to finish, at least I hope! I am incorporating fall leaves left from last year and I have yet to resolve how I will proceed. No worries, it is an intuitive experiment.

I am having trouble with WP once again and I am running out of patience! Of all the times that I decided to post and I am having difficulties!

 

 

The Weary Paints On!

 

painting #1 wip on Arches 140# 11 x 14 inches

I have been struggling with an intense cold but I still manage to paint. No holding back now! This abstract is one that I keep visible while I work on other paintings. I keep painting on it in increments but only adding what I feel it needs and no more. In a way it is an artistic muscle builder.

 

painting #2 on Arches 140# cp  11 x 14 inches

I am not sure if I like this one, and yet when I am working on it, I love it. The critic in me wants to jump all over it. This is based on my trip over to remote Bear Valley in Glenn Co.

 

painting #3 on Canson Heritage cp 140# 11 x 14 inches

I practiced my wet on wet on this paper hoping to go very impressionistic. I pulled out shapes as I saw them. I over-worked the left side and basically lost my focal point. No matter, there are more paintings waiting and more lessons to be learned.

 

painting #4 on Canson Heritage cp 140# 11 x 14 inches

I again decided to paint wet on wet and I really love how you can work on a painting for over 2 hours non-stop. My photo made that area behind the sun-lit trees too blue, it is actually a grayed down purple/blue and green color. There is a point that you know that you have to wait for it to dry before proceeding to add your calligraphy  marks or to correct. This paper is perfect for this technique and it dries extremely flat which I really like.

*A word about photos. The photos on my blog are mine, taken by me and copying them would be stealing from me. If you find a photo that you would like to copy or use, I request that you ask me for permission and I expect you to give me full credit for my own photo. Thank you so very much.