View from Chain Bridge

6 x9 pastel and watercolor on marble dust board
Today I spent the day visiting the museums. In particular I went downtown to see 3 Sanford Gifford works and Thomas Moran's big works at the Renwick. It was Thomas Moran's work that struck me. Talk about AMAZING space!!!!! Inspired by his Yellowstone painting I took out one of my own river paintings from this summer and started planning a new big one. I'll post sketches and preparatory work tomorrow. I was surprised by one more thing. This time I went up to the Luce Center in the American Art Museum. It is like a display/storage room and there was this little treasure by Sanford Gifford. I am guessing that it was a study done on location. It was only about 2.5"x 5"! I can seem to get it to attach...sorry.
More exciting stuff tomorrow as I plan!!!

Down River/ Interview

about 4 x11, pastel and oil on marble dust board
Exploration. I kept thinking about this painting and couldn't sleep so why not just go to work? This time I changed the format and underpainted in oil (for more vibrancy). I like this stretched out version as it gives a whole different feel. I think I will do another.
On another note, Casey Klahn has posted an interview he did with me called Plein Air On Purpose-Loriann Signori. If you have a moment please check out his site Pastel to see it. I really feel honored. It's my first interview ever! Thanks Casey!

Subtle Shifts/ Two Small Paintings

about 6 x 6, pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
Each is $100.
Two paintings done one after another. The bottom one was first. My focus was the subtle color/value shifts that happen on an overcast morning. The top one was done second. This time I decided to eliminate the drawing stage and simply go in it with massing. I know my preference. I am interested to learn: which do you prefer?

Flushed Crimson

8 x8.5 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper $100.
The light key was first established in frozen watercolor. At 19 degrees I had to work fast. Next, what is most important to the feel of the place? Answer: silvery blue contrasted to the orange/crimson colored light.
Back in the studio......Now let me see if I can use the light of this study and return to my river paintings of the last two days. It's exciting to wonder what will happen.

Where To Go?

8 x 12 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100.
How far can you take an idea? That is the question today. Trying to develop a concept is not done in one shot. Instead it takes many trips inside (one's head) trying to figure out how to push it. During these times the only conversation is with the painting- not the scene or reference material. This is my river and I am developing that calm sunset/ stillness in twilight.

Twilight on the Potomac

8 x8.5 pastel and watercolor on marble dust board $100.
Last night, when crossing the American Legion Bridge, a marvelous sunset display happened. Unfortunately I was driving. Fortunately, I decided to play the memory game. Remember that light. Today I tried to recreate it.

Subtle Song of Teal and Magenta

6 x6 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper
underpainting-below

Decisions, that's what it is about. What's the concept? Where is the major area of interest? How does one "travel" through the painting? Tools we use are many. Today's focus was edge and where to put the exciting color. Both things demand the viewer's attention. Therefore they must have mine.
You can see the spots where the fat snowflakes fell on my paper. I would have stayed and painted many small paintings today but the wind was whipping my umbrella away and today I could not be without that!!!!
The reservoir is my friend.

Chattering Winds

about 8 x 11 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper
Ahhhhh the reservoir...my muse.
It felt so good to be back to the reservoir....finally. The thirty mile an hour winds still couldn't stop me. Prepared, I took the two cloth grocery bags stored in the car and filled them with everything, and I mean EVERYTHING loose in the car. Next, I attached them to my easel and voilah! a stable easel. I decided that I really wanted the water to feel choppy, the kind of chop you get on a small body of water.
And how do you make the feeling of wind?
This will be my Saturday post. I hope to go see a Hudson River School exhibit in New York this weekend.

Windy with Chance of Doughnuts

about 6 x6 each :top -pastel and watercolor on marble dust board, bottom- oil on paper

Today is a very windy day. I went out to the reservoir and painted then on the way home I bought a pink doughnut. After seeing the one Susan had painted recently I was inspired to do something completely different.. This one has these BIG jimmies on top. I think they were hearts and snowflakes. My goal was to paint the first painting in pastel and the second in oil with the palette knife. Familiar to unfamiliar. In the process I would hopefully transfer what I learned with pastel to the knife painting.
I am feeling a bit elastic lately as I stretch to work with this knife.
Sincerely your rubber band painter,
Loriann
PS I will post the reservoir pastel for tomorrow.
PPS I have recovered enough, so I am ready to go back to the outdoors. Boy, have I missed it!!!!!

Reservoir Dreams

about 5 x7 oil on paper
So the knife won't let me sleep. It calls out to me, "Yoohoo, try me again.See if you can do it." So I get out of bed, go back into the studio and try, again. This time I decided to paint the reservoir from one of my pastel paintings. I KNOW the reservoir right? I should be able to do it...right? So I struggle through once again.
I know what Jala means when she talks about cursing the knife. It's so clumsy. But I learned tonight that if I wait a little it dries enough to scumble new paint on top...like I do with pastels. One small satisfaction. Now I will try to sleep again.

Inside the Turn

12 x12 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
I have put away the oils for now. Frustration brings me to what I know. I began this one Monday right before sunset and I tried to finish it in the studio. I guess tomorrow is another day.

Way Back Yonder

about 4 .5 x7 oil on marble dust board
OK....so I haven't a clue what I am doing.
Taking risks. That's what it's about when you want to learn. Stretch
I am recovering from my surgery. It's hard or eat and talk...but I can paint....or maybe not. Groan.

The Knife Please

6 x6 oil on paper
All this talk about palette knives and seeing these luscious paintings forced me, a dedicated pastel painter, want to take a stab at it (pardon the pun). Yes, the knife is cumbersome, No, I don't know what I am doing. Yes, I will do it again. My favorite parts are the streaks of unmixed paint and the thick glossiness of it. I didn't draw, I just slabbed on the paint. Palette knife painters out there...please give me some tips...ok?
I did this and one other today, Monday. I will post the pastel landscape later. Tomorrow, Tuesday, I have surgery...so I will sleep the day away, unaware of everyone. Weird, uh? Don't worry, it's dental surgery. When I was 16 when I thought I could do anything, I surfed. Well, I landed up with a surfboard in my mouth. Ouch! Therefore, every few years I need a, should I say, tune-up.

Edge of Paradise

7 x7 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
This is the Potomac River at Riverbend Park, on the Virginia side of the river. My focus was much the same as yesterday's post. Edges that have no lines, simply color touching color.
Ahhhhh, that is the life! I love the colors that winter presents..those rich violets, blues and muted reds. A banquet I can eat from every day. Subtle with a quiet beauty. mmmmm.

Today's Dessert: Floating Island

about 7x7 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100.
How to make water have distance, depth, reflections and atmosphere is always a good challenge. Squinting will always help...but then of course you have to make choices.
Today I was thinking about color to color edges.

Another thought: The river shows signs of spring, pileated woodpecker, owl, and a CROCUS!!!!!!
Yipee!

Amethyst Light

about 6.5 x11 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100.
Color harmony sometimes means ignoring or changing what is there in order to find harmony. After all the goal is to make a painting, not to simply record, right? I always keep that in the back of my head when I work.
This is a new reservoir, north of here, Triadelphia reservoir. In Maryland and south there are no natural lakes that I know of. The glaciers did not come this far south. That might explain why I go to reservoirs. It makes me miss the many lakes of Connecticut (where I grew up).

The Colors Between

about 6.5x 11 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100.
Richard McKinley wrote about it, so did Jala....... one of the most subtle aspects of making a painting work is the colors between. To begin with, I do not blend colors, physically that is. I rely on visual blending. So the colors between is a concept that is consistently on my mind. The colors between means when you join two colors, the edge where they meet. Rather than blending with my finger,a total no-no for a double barreled (bandaided) artist, I blend with placement of another color. "What color do you place there?", is the question.
Alongside that thought is the mixing of my watercolors. Today I mixed on the paper.
It was GOOD to be back to the reservoir. I am never bored with that subject. I hope you aren't either.

Light Dance

7x7 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100
Back to fingers... well the issue with pastel is the very coarse sandpaper on which I love to paint. It sands away skin and nail. The bandaids drive me crazy, lefty painting is clumsy...but eureka! why not use my right ring finger and thumb! Studies show that an artist should never paint like she/he writes. The reason being the tripod (writing) grip sends messages to the brain, "I'm writing, I'm writing." That's not the message an artist wants. Therefore I have always held my brushes, pastels with a side hold. Now this is just a little funkier.

Analyze your grip...what message are you giving your brain?

This painting is at a new spot on the Potomac river. There is a little pond before the actual river and the light dances over it, especially with the tiny ice pieces still visible.

Thank you to everyone who sent me support over the finger issue. What would I do without you'all?

Diptych/ daisies-in progress /fingers

You are probably wondering why I posted my diptych and my fingers in the same post, eh? Well, it's to offer an explanation. Both of my plein air paintings are unbearable/un-postable today. Sob. So I am posting the diptych that is in process.
And my fingers... well that's to show you I finally went to the doctor. Two nails on the right ( my painting hand) refuse to grow back. They are past the quick and each time I paint I saw the nail bed down some more. No more details please. Well my doctor's advice was to stop painting with pastels for now. Not an option. We compromised and I am wearing bandaids on both fingers. (I detest gloves!) They are cumbersome at best.
Tomorrow is another day.

Geese Glow at Twilight

6 x6 pastel and watercolor $100. plus tax
On the way to the reservoir I was shocked by the view of this field. It had the foggy glow of early autumn. And finally geese! So off the road I went.
I want to add thank you to everyone for taking the time to visit my blog and support me with your thoughtful comments. What would I do without you?

Melting for You

about 8x12 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
I was delighted to see a brand new reservoir today filled with exciting new shapes. The ice is melting. After days of temperatures in the 50s and 60s (OH! do I love Washington DC!) the ice has made new shapes as the reflective water appears. Spring is coming....whoooooaah wait a minute! It really is only a tease, but a wonderful one.

beginning are ends

8x9 pastel and liquid !watercolor on Uart paper $100.

"Slowly dusk pours the syrup of darkness into the forest." (quote from the children's book Twilight Comes Twice) This is the other side of twilight, the late afternoon, moments before darkness approaches, when the last beams of light slide through.

It was warm and spring like and I am beginning to wish winter might just GO away. The only problem is my hands came out of my pockets too much. The result...too many strokes!

The Table is Set

9 x 10 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper $125. plus tax

Frozen again I take the time to choose more carefully where and how to place the marks. I like it better when the mark is a feeling of a thing rather than a thing, like a tree. This one succeeded on that account.
The watercolor sets the table and the pastel is the food.

Tagged and tagging back!!!!

I have been tagged by a very talented artist over there in California, Marian Fortunati. Check out the beautiful paintings on her blog. http://marianfortunationdailypainting.blogspot.com/
Thanks Marian! The part I love about tagging is that I get to tag 7 other fine artists. There are more I would like to tag, but that's the rules. I apologize if you have been tagged repeatedly. It's a compliment! And this way others will get to meet you (through the blogosphere) and appreciate your wonderful blogs. So here they are:
1. Jala Pfaff- an amazing artist whose paintings range from a small still life to magnificent portrait to a calm Rothko -like abstract in pastel. SHE can make an avocado into art.
http://jalapfaff.blogspot.com/
2.Brian Eppley- what juicy landscapes and produce he paints! Thick yummy paint! http://brianeppley.blogspot.com/
3. Bob LaFond- a pastelist with a hankering for his towpath and canal. (I can sure understand that!) Vibrant color!
http://markandremark.blogspot.com/
4. Karen, A Visual Journey- Karen has become a master right before our very eyes-amazing work! http://phippsart.blogspot.com/
5.Casey Klahn-Now I realize most people know his famous blogs about art, moley sketching and pastels. If you don't you should...so here's your opportunity. While he spends a lot of time promoting and helping others you should really check out his pastels! Wolf Kahn is his hero, need I say more? http://thecolorist.blogspot.com/
6. Dori Dewberry does it all- figures, landscapes, interiors, portraits and even a still life or two.
http://dewberryfineart.blogspot.com/
7. Brian Mcguran- who does beautiful work with the moleskin exchange- cool project, check it out
http://bmcgurgan.wordpress.com/


Now comes the harder part and tagees this is for you too, You must list 7 things about you- something we don't already know.

Here are a few from me.
1. I did my first plein air painting at age 10.
2. When I was young and lived with my Mom, my brother and I would swim across the lake and back each morning (during the summer). My best memory was one morning when the fog was so thick we could barely see our arms. The silence was broken only by the rhythmic stroking of our arms.
3. I did the polar bear plunge in frozen Lake Michigan, twice.
4. I met my husband, Paul, on Valentine's Day 10 years ago. I knew it the minute I saw him.
5. For years, each summer, I would pack my bike in a box and take a plane to a European city. With only tent, sleeping bag and a few clothes I would cycle 70-100 miles a day (till I finally tired or got somewhere good). I never had an idea where I was going- only that I was going. I would buy a map when I figured out. It was a great time in my life. I met so many wonderful people and saw fantastic things.
6.My sister is an amazing person. She has a big heart. She has been my biggest supporter throughout my life. Even when I doubted she always believed in me. Thanks Toni.
7. When I was young I insisted that people call me LuluBell. Now where did that come from??????

Polishing Diamonds till They Shine

10 x9 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper $150. plus tax
When you paint you have to have a vision and stick with it. That means as the landscape goes through its hundred changes at dawn you keep the one that made your concept. This sort of orangey/gold glow over icy silver blue was my concept. I decided gold would predominate. (one has to make a choice) It was another FROZEN day so my hands remained in my pockets more often than on the board. Those are my best days. More understanding...less impulse.
It can be like mediation. As the sky and water greens kept creeping in I had to pull myself back to my golden "meditative" state. Restraint.
This is one of my favorites so far. I'm not sure if it will show well in jpeg.

Clean the Box Day, celebrate it if you wish!

Today was my annual "clean the box day." I must admit I am not a cleanliness freak (did I hear some giggles?) But once a year, a day I dread, I take everything out of my plein air box. I wash the foam inserts and scrub the box clean. Then I gently clean each pastel and assess the need for its presence or replacement. My impetus was the arrival of my new Terrages and Thin Lines. Since I use only the Heilman backpack box space is a premium. It measures only 10.5" x 13.5".
I must admit I feel incomplete when I am not able to do my daily painting. It truly is my vitamin. I continue work on the large gorge painting. :-)

Rhapsody in Pink and Magenta

9 x14 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100. plus tax
I decided to create a new painting using yesterday's painting as a reference. This time the goal was to push it to the extremes with beautiful color/light.
Seriously I am in LOVE with the Diane Townsend terrages!!!!!!

Moment between Flakes

5 x7 pastel and frozen watercolor on Uart paper $100. plus tax
Painters need to make many decisions even before the first stroke is placed on the surface. What value and temperature key do you want? Next, how will you group things to make 2 or 3 basic shapes?
Those basic decisions made, I decided no snowflakes- only the feeling of an off and on snowy day. Usually I talk to myself a little to describe the feeling. ( I might look a little odd at this point)
Today I also played my usual game-how few strokes could I make? Those Diane Townsend Terrages help with that- chunky, no picky points. I like them more and more each day.

Spring Tease

7 x7 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper $100.
Ahhhhh, we are experiencing a brief respite from the cold. Two days of painting in above freezing weather...almost feels tropical. Yesterday's (I haven't posted it yet) painting was done in 57 degrees and today's (above)was painted in 37. Nice. Enough about the weather. But the fact is it influences the painting in many ways: 1. warm enough to stray far from the car 2. watercolor doesn't freeze 3. fingers don't freeze. And 3. Comfort of the artist! Does it make a better painting???????
Check points for today-1. Two or three major masses √
-2.discreet color shifts √
-3 intriguing light √minus, not as consistent as I would like
On another note , I used the Diane Townsend terrages again...I like their crunchy feel.

Secrets by the Reservoir

11 x13.5 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
Yesterday I drove by the reservoir in the the late afternoon. With no time to paint I quickly took a photo and recorded my observations. At this point I know the reservoir intimately so I did not open the photo till the last 15 minutes of my work on this painting.
The studio can be so freeing because it's much easier (for me) to move the land masses and light to create a painting. Success? Not really, but I am full of ideas for what is next.
On another note, today I used the Diane Townsend Terrages on Uart paper. I still love them and their grittiness, but realize they are best for big works. I think I will check out her thin lines collection. I think they are the same substance.