Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Unfortunately I have strep throat, which means I am in bed with a fever instead of painting. Rats!
I hope to be back by Friday.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

October 30, 2007 cloud study


I decided to try this study on orange paper.

Monday, October 29, 2007

October 29,2007 cloud study

Ok, so this time I gave it more detail. I liked the verticals of the poles so I decide to work with them. Too much information?

Sunday, October 28, 2007

October 28, 2008 Cloud Study 4:00pm

The clouds are always intriguing. I have decided to do many cloud studies so that I can really understand their edges. This one was done on location. The first one I did was too detailed, so I decide to try again. This time there is atmosphere and space without extraneous information. Better.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

October 27, 2007

Today was a busy one since I was selling my work at the bazaar all day. When I came home I was pooped, but still with energy to at least work on my field. I know that's not really a painting a day, but sometimes life factors in!
The field is really coming along. I don't know if you can tell in the jpeg I have begun to make a path in order to lead the eye in and make it easier to feel part of the place. It's as if the viewer is there walking on the path and he/or she has just stopped for a moment to admire the view. I guess today I can call it "painting progression a day"website.

Friday, October 26, 2007

October 26, 2007 Blackwater



Today was another studio day. Rain, rain and more rain! So I finished this painting that was begun on location at Blackwater Nature Refuge. It began raining while I was working so it was a natural progression to finish it today. I like its "lost" feeling. Worked on the poppy field as well. It has really begun to dictate what I have to do. I love it when the painting and I have a dialogue. I will post it tomorrow.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

October 25, 2007

Today I decided to try on oil under painting for my pastel. I have been holding onto a number of studies and photos from my trip to Campobello. This was one of my favorites, a field of wild indian paintbrushes near the ocean. It was a sunny gorgeous day; puffy clouds, small breeze and beautiful light. June is still a cool month in Canada and the wildflowers abound! More tomorrow.....

October 24, 2007


Finished this one in the studio today. I like the way the colors play off each other.
It has been pouring rain for two days. I can't wait to get back to the river.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

October 23, 2007 Autumn Sunrise at Big Pool

Best autumn morning so far! The leaves reflected their autumn wardrobe in the water. Believe it or not, it is still warm in the morning ...bonus!

Monday, October 22, 2007

October 22, 2007

I decided to try painting this gorgeous tree on an unlikely sized panel, just to see what would happen. I thought by accentuating its vertical-ness it would feel more majestic. Does it or does it just feel more odd? I love the see through pink of the tree top.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

October 21, 2007 Delight on Warehouse Row

That bronze tree called out to me as I drove by the station. The warehouses only added to its appeal. Wonder in the every day ness.

Saturday, October 20, 2007

October 20, 2007, Soccer before Dinner

October 19, 2007



This is one I began on Monhegan Island this June. I finished it today. I really like the feeling of the edges, both in the grasses and even the house. I usually prefer to stay away from houses or man-made structures, but this little house with its red roof was so compelling.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

October 18, 2007 Sunrise beside the tracks

First moment of sunrise down by the tracks is a beautiful thing. The weather is still warm summer like, but the colors are beginning to change. Took a run between paintings and found some new "ordinary " beautiful spots. Then I began working on my next painting, "soccer before dinner." I was thinking about this painting last night and I couldn't sleep until I had figured out the whole thing in my head.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

October 17, 2007


The thing is clouds don't have edges. They are simply vapor, masses of water hanging there in the sky. Nothing holds them. After thinking about this I was ready to meet the cloud painting again. Yesterday and today I worked, still it is not what I want. Maybe I will begin all over again.

October 16, 2007, Pushing the Baby


So there she was, pushing her baby , quickly trying to sneak a run into her busy day. It was early and the light was a delicious golden pink. The trees are beginning to change. I made myself stick with a chosen palette and not keep digging. I wanted to get the small magic of a mom taking this run in a snip of time. A wonderful moment that passes by so fast. It may never be remembered. That's sort of what life is like I guess.

Monday, October 15, 2007

October 15, 2007

Worked on the painting today...yuck...I think it became too subdued...may have to wipe it down tomorrow.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

October 14, 2007

OK, so I am working hard to fulfill my commitment to the painting-a-day and to be ready for my show in February. I realized that many of my paintings, that I want to show, are on the small side (plein air, 9x12). So now my focus is on larger work. That's a long way of saying this is the watercolor underpainting for the larger work. I kept to an analogous palette, except for the cerulean blue that I needed in the sky. The board is 21x24. I wanted to make a square, but it seemed like the composition really demanded more space. Next I will apply layers of luminous pastel.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

October 13, 2007


Here is another delicious river painting..a tiny one 5x5. Tried to concoct another "baseball" one as well, but that one made it to the trash. Oh well. The river wins again.

Friday, October 12, 2007

October 12, 2007 B


Ok, so here is the study. It is much more subdued.

October 12, 2007

Today I worked in the studio. Last week I had begun this big painting from a study I made at sunrise in Easton this summer. I wanted to portray the warm melon colored light that blessed the landscape that early morning. I also wanted to show a feeling of deeper space. Painting it sure makes me want to go back to that location (and time of summer.)
I hoped to finish it today. Is it finished? I don't know. I will post the study on the next page.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Octobber 11, 2007

Autumn is here finally. This morning the river air was cool and blustery. Rust colored leaves lay on top of the water. I arrived early and set up in the dark. Then the theater began! A violet gray curtain was slowly lifted to reveal gold,tangerine and lemon light! What a show! I worked quickly on a piece of mounted 6x12 Wallis board.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

October 10, 2007

Today I worked in the studio since I wasn't able to work until evening. This is a 9x12 study for a larger work (to be started soon.) It's on Wallis board so it doesn't have as many nooks and crannies as the surface I make myself. Therefore it doesn't hold as many separate layers of color. Paul said there are too many horizontals in the clouds. I happen to like the dynamic diagonal action in the racing changing clouds. What do you think?

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

October 9, 2007


Today I worked in the studio. This is a bigger painting that I began on location and worked several different days. Next I did a separate, small study and finally completed the bigger painting in the studio today. I really like the way the light streams through the trees. I can feel it. Cool.

Monday, October 8, 2007

October 8, 2007

Another beautiful morning spent painting beside the river. Autumn colors are creeping in daily.

Sunday, October 7, 2007

October 7, 2007


It's a summery October Sunday morning so I thought it would be OK to stand by the railroad tracks to paint. How many trains could possibly go by at Sunday sunrise? The answer to that question...plenty!! I was almost blown over, I didn't realize how far those train cars actually overhang the tracks! Live and learn. The light was awesome and I want to go back there...maybe tomorrow!

Saturday, October 6, 2007

October 6, 2007

Back to the river, but this time I was there in the early evening. The air was very warm and still. Despite the temperature, there was a hint of autumn in the trees. Since it was about five-thirty the shadows were moving quickly. I tried to choose one pattern and stick with it.

October 5 2007


I am realizing now, that in order to do a painting a day blog I not only need to do the paintings, but I also have to photograph them and post them! In short, this is yesterday's painting. I needed to photograph it today because I needed to wait till the sun came up! Yesterday the fog was thick (once again.) I love the way the violet, blues and greens dance with the neutrals. The river is the most still on these days. My painting companion today was an elegant great blue heron. Ah! I just love the river!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Welcome to Loriann's painting-a-day blog October 4, 2007


I have finally begun my blog! Welcome! Basically I am a plein air painter. One of my favorite places to paint is by water and recently I have been spending all my time beside the Potomac River. I love the hazy mist that forms at this time of year-warm water, cool air. This morning the mist sat on me like a thick blanket.