Fall Colors

The weather is great and the fall colors are at their peak. 

12"x 6" oil on baltic birch

plein air painting

This weekend I participated in a plein air event in Bloomfield, Iowa. The temperatures were freezing. Definitely a challenge but that did not deter the competition. I brought watercolor but decided against it when the watercolor artists complained about the water freezing on the paper. Still they turned in some very impressive artwork.

10" x 8" oil on panel

The temperatures definitely slowed down my progress leaving me to warm my hands often. This was started with a pencil drawing of the horses. I have found that I can't block them in with paint as well as I can quickly draw the basic forms with a pencil. A thin wash of burnt sienna over the drawing and then paint the horses before they disappear completely over the hill. 

12" x 6" oil on panel

Watercolor plein air

More artwork on the Fabriano soft white watercolor paper. It has been a while since I painted in watercolor.

Appleberry Orchard

Appleberry Orchard has some young trees dripping with heavy apples planted close together. 

10" x 8" oil on panel

Sundown Mountain Resort Dubuque

Tuesday during the Bluffstrokes plein air event was cold with intermittent rains in the morning and possibility of  rain in the afternoon. At the first light of day I took off for Asbury Road where I was told there were great vistas. After a failed painting I headed back to the Convent Suites with the intention of painting downtown. Gin was still there nursing a cold. When I told her about the great views along Asbury Road she asked me to show her the way. The road goes past Sundown Mountain Resort. We pulled over when Gin suggested we could paint there if we ask. They groundskeeper even offered to open the lodge so we could paint from the balcony. We had a beautiful view and place to warm up. When the rain hit hard we could go inside. Gin took a pic and sent it to a friend to brag. I remember the place back in the 70s when my husband and I took his teenage brother with us sking. He skipped school and told us his mother was OK with that. She was not, but he had a great time and was grounded.

16" x 12" oil on panel

Rocky Bank at Wilson Lake

Yesterday afternoon I sketched some of the residents of the one of the local assisted living homes. I did not get model releases so no pics. Wish I could share as I loved the interesting faces with lots of character. Sunnybrook sponsored the art center's current exhibit, so the art center director and I entertained the residents for an hour and a half as a thank you.

I had enough time after that to run over to Wilson Lake to paint. I liked the abstract quality of scenes like this pushing the limit of color with the red. 

8" x 10" oil on baltic birch panel.

University of Dubuque and other plein air paintings

Brush Strokes plein air event this year was a wonderful experience. The sponsors and volunteers did a great job. I am so honored to have been a participant.

This is the Heritage Center on the campus of the University of Dubuque. I had a hard time finding a place to park that was not restricted. This view was from a residential street that had a sign saying students and faculty of the DU not allowed to park, so being neither, I parked there.

14" x 11" oil on panel

Wednesday was a rainy day and we were allowed to paint interiors. Paul's tavern is a great place to eat and paint. This is a watercolor on gessoed panel with india ink. I spray an acrylic varnish over it.

8" x 10" watercolor on panel sold

Dubuque has several beautiful murals downtown. This is Michelangelo's David painted during the nocturne.

9" x 12" oil on panel

This one sold. I took a photo with my phone, not the best image. This is from the quick paint. Under the bridge is a good place to paint on a rainy day. 

12" x 9" oil on panel sold

Wilson Lake Trail

This seemed like a good idea at the time, a spot of light on the trail. Not too long after I set up the mosquitoes started in and I stuck it out long enough to rush through. I ended up with 4 bites on my face alone. This reminds me of a friend who bragged about the nice pastel box her husband made for her to go plein air painting. When I mentioned going out that weekend she said it will be too hot for her. I don't know if she ever went out.

6" x 12" oil on panel  

This was not as bad. I guess standing in the sun has it's advantages.

12" x 6" oil on panel

Golden Hills of Louisiana Plein Air

This weekend I participated in a plein air event in Louisiana Missouri. This was the view from the cemetery. 

14" x 11" oil on panel

I had time to finish a second painting at Stark Brothers Nursery. I did not show this one due to the limited gallery space. 

12" x 9" oil on panel 

Along the Rocky Shore

I would like to paint the water flowing over the dam at Oakland Mills but you face the reflection on the water. I turned my attention to the rocky shore with interesting green moss and a distant bank for depth.

6" x 12" oil on canvas

Cattle Pasture Plein Air

This Saturday I participated in the Paint Marceline plein air competition. This event was organized by the North Missouri Arts Council. They supplied a map of possible locations, which saved a lot of time driving around sizing up the scenery. I stopped off at this century farm and as I was walking around the owner came home. When I asked about cattle, he very kindly drove me and my gear out to where the cattle were cooling off in a mud pit under a hedge apple tree... perfect. I liked the tree that caught my attention first and then I quickly saw the cattle.  I always wanted to paint plein air in a cattle pasture and the owner assured me they were friendly, but watch out for the cow patties. They did stick around long enough for me to sketch a few of them. The mud was another challenging  element. I soon found that when dropped off in a distant cattle pasture in the hot sun I needed to plan better; I forgot bug spray, sun scene and something to drink. I guess it encouraged me to paint fast.  

14" x 11" oil on canvas

Mosquito Park

On a recent shopping trip to Burlington I stopped at Mosquito Park. This is a little park with a big view of the Mississippi River. Cloudy days make for challenging grays and the view pushes the distant grays. This is definitely a place I plan to revisit. 

This was painted on a dark mossy green ground, basically wiped off from a previous painting

6" x 12" oil on panel

This was wiped off. I got a phone call and had to quit here. I painted into a Pthalo blue and Burnt Sienna mix with Liquin added. I think I could have left that unfinished look, after all it is basically a study. Another place to go back to.

6" x 12" oil on panel

Three Tree Trunks

A couple of years ago we went to Wilson Lake to paint lotus blooms. They must have thinned them out because my latest trip to Wilson Lake yielded a few sporadic blooms. I did find this scene with the late afternoon sun peaking through the foliage.

I started this with M. Graham's Walnut Alkyd Medium mixed with burnt sienna and ultramarine.

8" x 8" oil on canvas  

Three Tree Trunks

A couple of years ago we went to Wilson Lake to paint lotus blooms. They must have thinned them out because my latest trip to Wilson Lake yielded a few sporadic blooms. I did find this scene with the late afternoon sun peaking through the foliage.

I started this with M. Graham's Walnut Alkyd Medium mixed with burnt sienna and ultramarine.

8" x 8" oil on canvas  

Study in Greens with water

Late afternoon at the lake. The water changes so fast it is hard to keep up with it. When the wind picks up the water has ripples with dark green and white. When it is still, there are slight ripples that just make the reflections a little wavy. 

14" x 11" oil on canvas

Devil's Creek

This is a spot I used to go to years ago. When the river is up the road there gets flooded. When it recedes the road is broke up and full of deep potholes. But worth the slow drive around the potholes. It is a great fishing area, so I have shared the bank with fishermen and women.

12" x 6" oil on canvas

A walk on a trail through the tall weeds will lead to spots on the bank with this great view under the bridge. It was too challenging for me to capture the reflections of the waves on the bridge, but I had to try. 

14" x 11" oil on canvas

Bangert Gardens

Our plein air painting group had the opportunity to paint in Bangert Gardens. It was gorgeous with way too many vistas and put together for maximum impact. The smoke trees were at their best. I attempted to paint this one but fell short on the colors

6" x 6" oil on panel

They had statures throughout the gardens with this one capturing the joy of  just being there.

12" x 6" oil on linen panel

This was just a studio piece I painted to warm up for a larger piece. It does fit the theme of a view from the garden.

8" x 6" oil on canvas panel

Paint Van Buren County

Last weekend was the inaugural plein air event for Van Buren County. A three day event that started Friday with a quick paint under the bridge in Keosauqua, Iowa. This painting was my last one; painted on Sunday morning as I stood at my easel in full sun. Came home with a sunburn and the money from the sale, well worth it.

12" x 9" oil on Raymar panel. 

Late Afternoon on Wilson Lake

When you want to plein air paint but not enough time. Using the paint left over from the last painting.

8" x 8" oil on stretched canvas.

Runoff Stream

I wanted to paint this from the bank but could not find a trail down. The challenge of painting this perspective was appealing. 

6" x 12" oil on panel