why do we blog?

finished oil, 18x36

Fellow bloggers tell us your story. 
We bloggers always question our motivation for blogging. I have blogged since October 2007 and now I ponder how much the blog shapes my work and my time. Therefore I am taking a hiatus. During this time I will re-post some of the top posts during this time, some new and old interviews, but no new work. I want to see what happens if I take away the pressure of exposure. I think have enough work for the galleries for the next few months.... so my work will go undercover.
Maybe "my genius" will visit me more often and illuminate the path. maybe.

beach clouds

oil on wood, 6x12

More cloud studies and a quote.

"That landscape painter who does not make his skies a very material part of his composition, neglects to avail himself of one of his greatest aids." 
The sky is the source of light in Nature. It governs everything."
  John Constable


And inspiration from Constable about  J.M.W. Turner...
...Turner has outdone himself; he seems to paint with tinted steam, so evanescent and so airy.

oh to do that!

Plein Air and Mountain Maryland

pastel 9x9

In the field I am focusing on clouds- the ever elusive clouds. This is yesterday's small painting.

Good news! I have been invited to participate in the Mountain Maryland Plein Air . I love this event.  The people are wonderful! And

pastel 9x18

the location is beautiful: fields, water, big views.  I was fortunate to be part of this event two other times 2010 and 2011. In 2011 I won an honorable mention with the painting on the right.
I can't wait for this year's event. May 28- June 1. More on this later.

the western sky

Here are two plein air paintings from my last trip to Sante Fe. With a few adjustments to tie in the color harmony, they finally work. I am getting my mind set for Sedona.

tips for painting clouds

8x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart

Clouds have been a real draw for me ever since my sky memory studies this winter. I think all the time I spent just watching has helped me understand  so much better. Now I love painting them outdoors and finishing in the studio. I began this one in the mall parking lot at sunrise. I have found that the mall lot is a wonderful place to go to observe the sky since it is one of the only place we get a "big sky."

As the weather gets fine and attracts more plein air painters outside I offer a few tips:
*clouds are about warm and cool transitions, often within the same value
*clouds have mostly soft edges, remember they are simply moisture
*you have to know your light source and not get confused
*clouds that are closer to you are larger and have sharper edges

Studying clouds in value (gradations of black and white) will help you become a better painter of clouds (in color.) As we all know, "value does the work and color gets the glory" (quote from Richard McKinley.) I find that simply knowing the color design of a basic sky will help you understand so much so that when you next paint clouds it will all make sense. Most important just watch skies, you don't always have to paint.
Memorize. It will stick.

cloud study in value

9x9 pastel on somerset paper

Evening cloud study, this time I worked just with value. I played with wiping and erasing to make subtle marks.
Even though it is just a value study, I still needed to follow "the rules." Group the values into interesting shapes. Remember the land will always be darkest (exception- snow). And if you want skies to feel light you need to always keep in mind that skies are light built in a sphere. To show this the value and the strokes are very important.
This sketch was actually  a lot of fun to do. Clouds are simply fascinating!

Last night I was enjoying the beautiful photos on the website of the Cloud Appreciation Society. Check it out!  Here is the link.

Poignant Last Stand...progress continues

Still trying to find the way with this one, I just can't give up on it. It has improved...any suggestions anyone?

Racing Clouds

9x9 pastel and watercolor on Uart paper
A cloud study is fun to do, but VERY challenging. Talk about models who move!

June 20, 2008 Clouds (still unfinished)

16x20, oil on board unfinished
Worked ( struggled) on this a couple hours...still unfinished but I have to take off to Chicago. It may be impossible to post for the next few days...tootles till later.

June 19, 2008 Alone, but not Lonely and Clouds (unfinished)

step one, oil on board 16x20
Last night's storms were awesome. I don't know why, but I decided to to a -straight -oil. My sister said, "oh no, but your pastel are so nice."
Stretch. I guess that's why. I am having fun sliding around. It will take longer. More on this one tomorrow. I used my photos and my amazement at the show and began to work. It is wild to be able to mix colors on the palette rather than optically (which I tend to do with pastel.)

9x12 oil and pastel on board
I did this one yesterday out in the field near the merrill center. Finished it in the studio today. I am trying to give visual image to concepts and feelings.

May 21, 2008 The Line-up

9x12, pastel and watercolor on marble dust board
I am so glad I was able to get away to the farm and paint. This is the line of trees on the hill opposite the sunrise. The thick rain clouds are leaving.
In my spare time (??) I have been ready about the science of clouds. Fascinating stuff, those clouds! I figure, if I am going to paint them I need to understand how they're formed. It's sort of like studying the skeleton so that you can paint the figure.

May 20, 2008 Summer is Coming

9x18, pastel on masonite boards with ground
Hameau Farm has the best skyscapes. Fair weather clouds like these let you know summer is on the way. I can't wait!

May 17, 2008 Cloud Dance over Hameau

12x16 pastel on board
This afternoon I returned from my glorious experience at the artist retreat at Hameau Farm. What can I say, but, it was amazing! Susan Nicholas Gephart, a talent artist and warm, wonderful person organized the whole thing. It was held in Big Meadow, an Amish farm community. The Hameau Farm is run and owned by a really cool woman named Gay. Check out both of their websites, www.snicholasart.com and www.hameaufarm.com
The sky was so big out here that it called like a siren..,"Paint me, paint me!" So I did.
I will post more paintings as I finish them.

Dreamy Clouds in Potomac

6x8, oil on double primed Belguim linen on board
OK, so I am having fun already and my new colors from Gamblin have not even arrived! I did most of my color charts but my impatience to paint kept knocking at my door. So with a day hiatus I let it in. Not only will I be trying new colors (so many are available now that weren't before) and making the switch from pastel to oil, I will also be trying different surfaces to see which suit my pastel to oil needs. I like the juicy nature of the oils and the flexibility. With pastels changing things can easily get muddy.

April 1, 2008 Dramatic Clouds over the Eastern Shore

16x20, pastel and watercolor, step three, Dramatic Clouds over the Eastern Shore
Clouds seem like they should be easy to paint...but then again how to you give the feeling of water vapor with light coming through? It has form, but then again it's amorphous.

March 31, 2008 Underpainting for Tonkel View

16x20, watercolor on board
When I was on the Eastern Shore this week one of my goals was to do work on a commission, a beautiful view towards Oxford. How do I make it the special place it is? Drama for me is the key. The view luckily faces east with a marvelous sunrise and distant land. I worked out the composition an realized it needed a vibrant diagonal. So this is 2 days of watercolor work. Now for the juicy pastels!