Early Morning

A quick run up to the park to catch the early morning light. A repeat of the scene from the previous post on June 4th.

6" x 8" oil on panel

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

View from the Farm

Went to a farm to paint cattle but instead I took photos of them and painted this view. Painting directly on slick white Utrecht gesso shows the brushstrokes. It was a struggle but I kind of like the look. Also it would be easier to wipe off and that would leave a nice ground.

10" x 8" oil on panel

This was the view from the side of the road. I am not as happy with this done on a burnt sienna ground. The corn is knee high but this does not show it well. This one I should have wiped off.

6" x 8" oil on canvas panel

Skunk River Stream

This is the view of one of the streams feeding the Skunk River. This is one I will have to come back to later. 

11" x 14" oil on panel

New crops

This is cropped to 8" x 8" from a 9"x 12" original. I took a class from John Preston and we painted simplified cow shapes. This is my attempt as simplification. 

The original.

Galland School

Along river road is Galland School; Iowa's first known pioneer school built in 1830. The original was cut up and used for firewood. This model of the original 10' x 12' school was built in 1940. Prior to that the Keokuk Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution marked the school's original site with the boulder and plaque in 1924. 

10" x 8" oil on panel

Cropping to a 6 x 8. I went to this site thinking I would have a nice view of the river as a background; this is one of those times I wish the trees were bare. 

morning at Rodeo Park

Started at 6:20 pm about 20 minutes later than I planned. In the one hour I painted, the shadow at the bottom right moved out of the scene. The upper portion stayed reasonably close to the same. Early morning light is beautiful but fleeting.

12" x 6" oil on panel

Plein Air

Last Saturday during  Paint Van Buren County the clouds were out in all their splendor. 

12" x 6" oil on canvas

The painting from the two hour quick paint, The new bridge and trail system along the Des Moines river outside Keosauqua, Iowa made for inspiring scenes.

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. 

Little Library

Thanks to the Fairfield Arts Association the city of Fairfield Iowa will have approximately 16 little libraries in Fairfield's Central Park. They will be set up in time for the First Friday Art Walk. This should be a very creative group with artistic as well as architectural expertise. If you cannot make it to the unveiling they will be on display all summer with silent bidding to start in August and end on the First Friday in September.

This is my entry with help from my husband who built it and offered more than enough suggestions for the images. Also thanks to the neighbor girl and her friend who posed for me.

Storm on the Horizon

A cloudy day that I added a distance storm, because with a painting you can. 

Indian Summer

Another view of the kayak from a previous post. This was from a photo taken late last September during an Indian Summer which is a period of unseasonalby warm, dry weather in autumn, in this case after the leaves have fallen. Probably would have been easier to paint when the trees had nice autumn colors.  

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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

Lake Geode Nesting Area

Went out painting in Lake Geode. After I was set up I heard a lot of Canadian Geese flying above and squawking. I think I was fairly  close to where they were nesting. All around me was tall grass and I could see a wing pop up ever so often. I was told it is not a good idea to get too close as I see utube videos of geese chasing people.

11" x 14" oil on canvas

Clouds over the Mississippi

The painting on my previous post reminded viewers of the airdance or tube man. I wonder if there is anything in the clouds here that looks like something. Maybe I should have painted something in. 

It was a great day to paint clouds if you can paint fast or at least have a good visual memory. Jessica joined me at Riverview Park and painted a nice view of the distant shore. 

8" x 6" oil on panel

I had time to try again this time graying the various shorelines to give that feeling of depth.

10" x 8" oil on panel

Study for Early Morning at Wilson Lake

When the sun hits the trees in the early morning light.

8" x 8" oil on canvas

Geode Stream

Got out a little today. I did not really want to put in the tree on the left, mainly because I had to make that bare tree stand out against the distant tree line but, I felt that the composition needed it 

This is one of the streams that feed into Lake Geode. One winter, years ago my sister and I went ice skating on this stream and onto the lake. Several of the ice fishermen warned us about thin ice. We figured if they were on it we could be too. I often read on Facebook remarks about the dangerous things we did as kids that didn't kill us. 

12" x 9" oil on Raymar panel

Early Spring

It is that time of year when the grass starts to turn green but the trees are still bare. 

8" x 8" oil on canvas

Puddle in the Park

Jessica and I went to Rodeo after the rain. This was a good opportunity to paint puddles and also work on those "naked trees" as Jessica calls them. It took me a while to figure out the obvious, that a puddle is simply a small lake and an edge is just a bank. That took away the that fear where I freeze up and paint small tight details. Still do that on those trees.

8" x 10" oil on canvas