Saturday, August 30, 2008

August 31, 2008, Silver Light

9x12, pastel on board, $200.
This morning the river was silvery. Even though it was warm you could see your breath. A hummingbird was buzzing behind me and the light was bouncing off the river in front of me. How does a mere painter paint all that? Silver light was the essence.
It feels great to be back to my normal rhythm of daily painting. Last week I needed to work full time to get ready to begin a new school year. During the school year I work part time teaching art to young children. While I do love teaching, I wish I could paint round the clock and never have to move away from my painting thoughts.
Oh, by the way, good news, yesterday's painting won first place in the plein air event. And to think I almost didn't submit it!

August 30, 2008, On Cat Feet

9x12 pastel and watercolor on board $250
There are many advantages/wonders to the nature of fog. 1. When you paint there is really no time constraint, until it begins to lift, 2. It is a natural blender, all hues find a common denominator, 3.It is beautiful!
The only disadvantage is one can perseverate and work too long. Life is balance, eh?

This piece was done for the Kensington, Maryland Plein Air event. It hangs there now. If you get a chance drop by and see all the wonderful paintings. One of my Shenandoah waterfalls paintings won first in the landscape division and another painting, a train track one won second in the Kensington division (work that represents the flavor of Kensington.) The show is in downtown Kensington at their armory.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

August 24, 2008 Branching Out

about 6.5x8 pastel on board, $100. plus shipping
I am back home again to the place I love best, the river. The subtle changes that took places while I was gone signify Autumn. The river is very low, the golds are appearing and even the insects sound different.
Long ago, back when I lived in Connecticut this tree definitely would have had a rope swing tied to it. I guess that is not possible in a county park, but one can dream.

Friday, August 22, 2008

August 22, 2008 Blue Marsh

7x9, pastel on board, $90.
Back to the marsh. It was one of those challenging days. With winds whipping at 15-20 miles an hour it was hard just to keep my easel, umbrella, hat and me from blowing away. In the distance the puffy clouds raced across the horizon. Still, the air temperature is perfect-80 degrees and the water is just 2 degrees less. Time to go to the beach. Ta-ta.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

August 20, 2008 Marsh Pathway

4.5x 14 pastel on board
It's hard to get a handle on a whole new landscape. It's like I am searching to feel the land. The grasses are so green with an orange glow.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

August 17, 2008 Violet Channel

4.5x5 pastel and watercolor on board, $80. plus shipping
Buxton, North Carolina is my new location. This is a small channel by the breakfast place.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

August 16, 2008 Floating Island

6x6, pastel and watercolor on board $90.
Today is a travel day for me so I painted 2 yesterday. I like the way this one is very abstract yet real. Isn't there a dessert named Floating Island?

Friday, August 15, 2008

August 15, 2008 Touch of Autumn

10.5 x 13.5 pastel and watercolor on board $200.
A hint of Autumn can now be seen in the river.....everything is changing.
Today I accidentally played with a new surface. After working on my board yesterday I decided I really didn't like the batch of boards I had just made. Too much gesso. So right before leaving the house this morning I added some more marble dust in a clear binder and coated the board. Well due to a combination of things (the damp morning and my impatience) I began working a a somewhat wet board. Bottom line the watercolor mixed with the gel and marble dust a left defined strokes of color. Interesting.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

August 14, Other Side of the Falls


5.5x7.5 pastel on board $100.
By popular request, today I am starting to post prices. Most will range in the 100.-300., unframed. Of course bigger pieces will be different.
Today I did 2 small paintings at the gorge; one looking down and one looking up. This one is looking up, north. Atmospheric perspective and complementary colors were the challenges. How can I get the look of a very big space on a tiny board? Hmmmmmm.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

August 13, 2008 The Lush Green Beyond

11x14, pastel on board
The river wears her lushest, deepest greens before the Autumn change.
Dark against light and color vibrations, those were today's challenges.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

August 12, 2008 Beckoning

9x12 pastel on board
The glory of Riverbend Park (in my opinion); this time I decided to compose it on a more dynamic vertical. This particular view always beckons me towards that veiled light deep inside the trees.

August 11, 2008 Once Loved Field

5x7, pastel on board
Once a working field, now an wild meadow, this lovely little field was in the back trails of Riverbend. Sorry I forgot to post yesterday....I'll post two today.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

August 10, 2008 Morning at the Kensington Farmer's Market


11x14, pastel on board
To qualify for my local art competition you must paint a scene from the sponsoring town, Kensington. For me a place that feels most like Kensington is the farmer's market. This painting was created from reference photos and sketches, plus weekly experience at the market. It was a little too intimidating to paint amongst so many people so close. Plus, in order to make a composition workable the orchestration of figures in a space is complicated. A long winded way to explain, this is a studio piece. (sorry for the bad photo..colors are dulled down in this jpeg.)
On another note, I learned how to row a boat today. Therefore I will try my next dream - try painting in the boat this week ( ala Monet). We'll see.

Friday, August 8, 2008

August 8, 2008 Confluence of Two Rivers

11x14 pastel on board
Ever since I saw this view on Monday I have been thinking about it. My niece, Agne, and I went tubing on the Potomac and floated right by Harper's Ferry. I was intrigued by what looked like a good view high up the hill. After getting out of the river, we drove to Harper's Ferry and found the place. It didn't disappoint me. I can easily see this one growing into a big studio painting.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

August 7, 2008 Violet Pines

9x12 pastel on board
Back to Big Bend, I am trying to create different compositions and play with the area of interest.
Today I finally bought a gray card and have leaned to adjust my white balance in my camera for more accurate photos of my paintings. Wohoo..let's see what I can do with this now.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

August 2, 2008 Sunflowers for Home

about 10x13, pastel on board
I began this one on Saturday and couldn't resolve it. The Kensington Farmer's Market is a place I have loved. I find it difficult to paint things so close-up...it's as if I become claustrophobic. Yipes, I'm too close!!!!!
I did enjoy playing with the wet-looking pavement and the light.

August 6, 2008 Verdant Gorge

about 11x14, pastel and watercolor on board
Green is the color that dominates the landscape at this time of year and the Washington
area is VERY green. Therefore it was a challenge to take on this view. As Richard says, orange is the secret to green and violet is its friend. Underneath the green is a burnt sienna wash and the pinkish violet rocks easily spoke to the violet part of the shadow green.
This is the view of the gorge from Chain Bridge. Thank you to all the cyclists that tolerated me in the walkway of the bridge this morning.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

August 5, 2008 Violet Bend

about 12x13, pastel and watercolor on wallis board
Quiet morning before the rain and I decided to enjoy one of my favorite spots on the canal. I call it Big Bend.

Welcome to all my new subscribers! Thanks for joining my blog! Back to the studio.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

August 2, 2008 Sweet Escape (diptych2)



13x21.5 pastel on board 13x10.5 each individual piece
Just disappearing into the warmth and luxuriousness of a summer day, that's what this painting is about. Can you feel it?
I said I would write more about 25/75. Actually it's 2/3 and 1/3, those are the proportions of light to dark passages in a painting.

Friday, August 1, 2008

August 2, Hope and Longing-finished!

21x28, pastel and oil on board

OK ...signed...done! after days of looking at t I knew it was the sky that needed a little umpff to show the light coming through the fog.