Hawk!

Added this HAWK to the collection at the Full Moon Gallery today.  I got an up close and personal look at this beautiful bird when visiting a Forest Service booth at an art fair.  He was gorgeous and aware.  Surprising that he was not bothered by the crowds.  He simply observed and looked regal.

It is snowing again! Day 23 of the 30 in 30 Challenge!

The good news is that there is no wind and the snow is stacking up again on the branches of the little apple tree outside my studio.  This helps to make a plan for the painting I will do today.  There are still a few apples left on the tree so the contrast is just what I am looking for.  I need to hurry before the robins come in today since food is scarce and they eat all they can.  Can't believe they are here, it has been such a cold January.  We also need to fill the bird feeder again.  I am just glad that we have our Hawthorne tree berries and the apples to help them along!  Oh, and our bunny is back!  He/she likes the apples too!

Day 23 of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge!  Check out the paintings here.  My favorite in the posts so far today is the tulips #28 done by Laurie Mueller!

Day 20 - A Study in Indigo

I love the Indigo made by Holbein!  It has an intensity that makes it possible to use it alone in a study and achieve the lights and darks in a range of values.  It has rich deep color that does not lose its punch when pushed to the limits of light and dark.  This series has been interesting, and I will start with the Indigo next time since it makes a value piece to work from when adding color in the subsequent pieces (which of course is the right way to start!).

Also, while on the topic of series, I refer you to a twice weekly letter from Painter's Keys that came to my Inbox this week.  It speaks to the merits of working in a series and the freedom a series imparts.

This is Day 20 of the 30 in 30 Challenge!  Check out the Challenge here.  You will see a wide variety of pieces done by hard working artists from the US as well as across the world.  A worthwhile diversion today.

Winter Scene 15 - Some Days Go Like This

Working on this aspen series using a similar composition plan, and some days the painting works and some days it is a bust!  Today is a an example of a overworked, poorly planned and do it again painting!  My overall plan was to use back light this time instead of light coming from the sides.  I like the sky and background trees, but have missed the mark on the foreground and kept adding darks to try to salvage.  Oh well, that is why I have lots of paper!  Will post on the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge just to show myself that everything does not always work out as planned, or more importantly that a plan is a good thing. Hmmm.  Wonder if a thumbnail value sketch might help?

End of Day 13 Post

Better late than never!  In the hopes of making each day in the 30 in 30 Challenge, I am posting at the end of my day and feeling the relief of making it happen even when it has been a long day!  This is a larger piece, 15" x 22" and one that I learned a lot from while painting.  Grading colors into the background to make a more interesting winter scene was the goal.

Winter Retreat - Day 11

Holy Cow!  Already Day 11 of the 30 in 30 Challenge!  This little cabin in the aspens was fun to paint and imagine how cozy it might be inside.  This is a departure from my other Challenge pieces in that it is done on watercolor paper instead of the canvas blocks I had been working on.  Mixin' it up!  

Underfoot!

More aspens!  This piece is an experiment in negative painting which means that I start with a design and then paint the negative spaces around it adding more leaves as it goes deeper.  Also experimenting with water droplets.  All fun!

Winter Is Here!

This series keeps coming back for more.  I did similar paintings last year and decided to have a go at the idea again since I am looking out my studio windows at early winter snow today.  This time I added some fall color since I am seeing grasses and berries pop up through the snow and I love the contrast.

Bottoms Up

My tulips are all done, but the memory is fresh.  

IdahoTangle

Continuing to learn about ZenTangle techniques. This piece is larger than my regular drawings in my Moleskine notebook, and another direction with a landscape, so more of a challenge. Work in progress.

Niagra Springs

The colors at Niagara Springs are spectacular in the fall. Niagara Springs is just one of the great places to visit in Thousand Springs State Park. Our paintings group spent a day there some time ago and I finally took those preliminary sketches a bit further.

City Streets

A trip to the city always inspires. The tree lined walks, tall buildings, and interesting light are subjects to paint over and over.

Snow Creek

Trying my hand at more snow scenes since it is snowing again today. This one is for Mikey!

Creekside

Hiked near the area around the SNRA Visitor Center and along Murdock Creek to get this view. The snow levels were low during the holidays, so we could get close to the creek. It should be gorgeous today since the snowstorm is dumping as we speak!