Creek Bed in Amana

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This weekend was the Fresh Paint plein air event in the Amana Colonies in Iowa. This is one of my entries. I am slightly sunburned from painting this view but it was worth it. Even if I had not sold this one participating in this event was worth the drive. I had a great time visiting with friends and painting the wonderful scenes in and around Amana.  Thanks to Catiris Art Oasis for putting on this event.

12 x 16 oil on canvas board.

Demo Rose

This is my painting demo for a watercolor class. I forgot to bring props and had to make due with what was on my Kindle. The only image I could come up with was of a rose. This was challenging for students so I encouraged a background that is just playing with color and washes.

7" x 7" watercolor on 140 lb. paper comes matted to 10" x 10"

TBT

This is one of my early watercolor paintings. I have painted plein air at all of the Fort Madison Area Arts Association garden tours for the last 20 years. This one was bought by the resident gardener.

My first art fair. I think you can tell the time period by the perm and big goofy glasses. I was encouraged by my friend, Ruth Newberry to participate. My dad helped me make the folding screen using chicken wire and 2" x 2"s. 

Plein Air Sunrise

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This ended up more of a practice. I had one and a half hours to paint before the rain started. I have heard of plein air painters who would stick it out in the rain and snow. If this had been working out I may have stayed.

12" x 6" oil on canvas on panel

Intimate Landscape

I painted this for a Daily Paintworks challenge. It could be anywhere along the trail, from a small isolated puddle to the bank of a large lake.

 I remember a watercolor painter, Richard Hanson who painted a lot of scenes like this. I enjoyed his series of intimate landscape paintings but that was before the internet and he has changed his subject matter to street scenes. His current subjects are gritty street scenes. His images now "have conjured up scenes of homelessness, hopelessness, desperation, violence frustration and isolation". The same ability that gave you a connection to the landscape now connects you to the street. 

8" x 8' oil on canvas panel

Morning at Rodeo Park

    

This morning was cloudy with great plein air painting possibilities. The clouds change faster than I could keep up so I took a few photos before I started painting. After I blocked in the clouds, I concentrated on creating depth with the blue trees in the background. A warm red and Pthlao were mixed to create the muted purples in the clouds.

12" x 6" oil on canvas on panel

This was the first try as I attempted to capture one cloud that had light on the top and changes color to purple. The cloud changed before I could fill it out. I then wiped this off and painted the above scene.

Wilson Lake Road

I love sunlit roads and this one was so beautiful. The horizontal shadow pattern that leads you to the top and fades away makes it easier to create depth. 

12" x 9" oil on ampersand panel.

Peony

I went plein air painting with disappointing results. I then wiped it off and pulled out a photograph from this spring. I needed some practice on peonies anyway.

6" x 6" oil on canvas.

This is what I wiped off. I am glad I painted it anyway because I learned a little bit more about painting clouds.

Sky Study

Jessica and I went down to the river bank to paint, mostly clouds. The camera does not capture the subtle shades and colors. Painting on site hones your skill as the clouds do not stay the same for very long and after about an hour and a half the sky cleared up.

6" x 4" oil on canvas

Green Hydrangeas

I have a few Hydrangeas this year, not as many as last year.  

6" x 12" oil on canvas. to bid at auction

Young Rabbit

I had fun dropping color into a wet wash on this hot pressed paper. 

6.25" x 9" watercolor on hot pressed paper to bid at auction