Plein air Sunday July 27, 2014. Lagoon at Steinberg skating rink

          My second meet up with the MOPAPA group on Sunday July 27, 2014.  We met again in front of the skating rink by the lagoon.   I stationed myself under a big tree and worked on this little bridge over the  water.   It was challenging to get the correct dynamics of the bridge, and yet keep the brushwork loose.   I think these kind of challenges are beneficial to help me learn the process.

Plein air Forest Park, in St. Louis, July 18, 2014.  Clear skies, beautiful day...16 x 20 oil on canvas.

Sunday morning Forest Park

I started working with a great group of plein air painters in the St. Louis area.  They choose a different spot to meet, generally going to a place for 2 weeks in a row.  The first time I joined them they met at Forest Park, by Steinberg skating rink.  I picked out a tree that I thought was interesting and got to work on my 24 x 24 canvas...  All of the others were working much smaller, but since I've done that for so long, I decided it was time to paint bigger. 
     One DOES need to bring bug spray, I found that out, and a lunch, too, is a good idea.   I'll have to scale down all the numerous things I thought I needed.   This for me is definately a learning curve.....


     Here is my first plein air finished painting.   Wow... there are SO  MANY  greens !! challenging...

Return to the humble pear

I painted in the breakfast room while my granddaughter took a nap the other day.  Peaceful.....

Look what arrived in the mail today.   It's the book I designed, through Blurb, with 70 of my favorite small paintings.   I love it...

     The reason I decided to do it was because my computer was not working, and we thought we might lose everything on it, including all my pictures... I thought I'd better get them into a book before that happened.  --We DID manage to get the computer working again, too !  yay !

Here are some of my peonies from my garden.  I've got to paint fast.  They completely disintegrate in one day, when I bring them inside. 

I've set up my paints and table easel in the breakfast room, currently.  That means I can sit and paint instead of standing, but it also means I'll probably be working smaller, which I'm not sure is the greatest idea.  It WILL get my energy back into painting, though, and that IS a good thing.  
     Here's another small one from yesterday.  It's my tulips from Trader Joes.  I love their flower selection.

Farmer's Market succulent

     I haven't painted for awhile, and feel bad about that, but last weekend the plein air event in Webster got me going again.   I'm going to do my best to keep my paints handy, and MAKE this happen !  Yesterday I was able to set up in the breakfast room, while my granddaughter napped in the studio.  I managed 2 paintings.... whew.... here is the first one.

PAINT WEBSTER event May 10

Our neighboring community sponsors an annual event for artists to paint and draw the city, it's business district, churches, wonderful old houses, etc.  There were over 150 participants in their 8th annual plein aire event.  I decided to paint this lovely home in the area, with the early morning sun casting interesting shadows on it's face.  The biggest 2 challenges for me were the hot sun shining on my back, neck and canvas, and the constantly changing arrangement of the shadows on my subject.  I had a great time and had fun seeing all the entries at the award ceremony later in the afternoon.  The collection of paintings will hang at a nearby gallery for the next week.

Baby Marigolds

Getting ready for Spring... FINALLY !   We still have weather here that's a bit out of whack, but I'm hoping for a pleasant, not too hot, spring, and summer, too !
     Time to think about shopping for new plants!  They say that rabbits don't like to nibble on marigolds, so I'm giving them a try !

Sleepwalking

     This reminds me of the middle of the night, when I can hardly make out the shapes in my own house, as I wander to the kitchen at 3:00 in the morning.   Sleeplessness is baffling, and bothersome, but not so much that I'd take a medication for it.... ever.  The moon is sometimes surprisingly bright.  Bright enough to read my book.... who knew?
 

Mediterranean abstract

     Reminder of the beautiful blue Mediterranean sea, the red sunset, and the hint of focus, in the darks.

"Illusive"

     These are challenging, although you might not see why.  They require a different type of "educated eye" to evaluate and work to get the desired results.....
"things that make you go, Hmmmmm"
 

In Progress....

     I had fun starting a couple of bigger ones this morning.  I need to let this one steep a little while longer, to see if I need to add something besides a signature.   Any suggestions? 
 

Abstracts in oil--- such fun

     I've been exploring abstracts, and having a ball.  I need lots of canvases to work on, and I work spontaneously, backing up every now and then, to see from a distance.  I've also been working flat on the table, getting a sense of a series, with freedom to move from one image to the next.
     It is so much fun, and it is so illusive.

     I just looked up that word, and it gets confused with elusive, which could be applied here, too....     
      Illusive- based on illusion, Elusive- something that is evasive (hard to catch, or obtain)

Anyhoo, I digress:  These are exciting, and you're never quite sure if you've "got it" or not.   With a realistic painting, I know whether or not I've been successful, but with these, it's all emotion, which is exciting, but hard to judge.   I'll let you be the judge, and I'll just keep doing them. (like a quote from Andy Warhol)--"It's not your job to say whether it's good or not, just go back in the studio and keep creating art"   (not a word for word account, but pretty close.)
     I'd love your comments on these, if you could leave one for me... thanks

fun with acrylic experimentation the last few days......

     I'm toying with the idea of big abstractions.  I'm exploring some techniques, getting my juices flowing.  Fun, fun, fun, I'll have to say that !
     Acrylic inks are fabulous, made by Daler-Rowney.  I've had them for a long time, and never played with them before.  I especially love the pearlescent ones !

     Next I'm going to work on collage, and abstractions, too.