Plein air in Amana, IA

8"x10" Oil on board

Above is one of 7 paintings I was able to complete during the "Catiri's Fresh Paint" paint out during labor day weekend.  I'm not exact on numbers, but I believe around 35 artists participated this year. We were literally  treated as celebrities with the red carpet rolled out and photo shots as we entered for the revealing of finished works/awards banquet.

Temperatures soared in the 90's all 3 days of the event.  It was definitely a learning experience for me. WATER! WATER! WATER!  I hate to admit it but my body took a day and half to recover from the pace.  Soooooooooooo out of shape!

 

View of the Iron Bridge

Oil on panel 8"x10"   SOLD

This is the second oil I've created with having the old iron bridge in Bentonsport, IA as the focal point.  It's a view from the front porch of the Iron & Lace store.

Here you can see how I like to create works sized 8x10 and smaller on a support made out of foamboard.  I glue and tape layers of board together to give it strength.  It's much lighter to carry then something made out of wood.  Lately, I've been using cardboard instead of the black foamboard shown here.

Using black or the "brown" cardboard creates a neutral middle value tone that surrounds  a work.  Working on a surface like this helps me keep my easel clean from paint.  A support panel like this also provides a means for me to transport a finished painting without worrying about smearing the wet paint.

All about Lace

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7"x 5"  Watercolor on paper

This is one of the pitchers that Betty Printy creates and sells in her store "Iron & Lace".  She takes the actual flower "Queen Anne's Lace" and presses it on to the leather hard clay.  She then applies her glaze and the flower turns to ash when the clay is fired in the kiln.  

This design has been Betty's signature work since 1986.  I have endless still life arrangements around me when I'm watching the store for Bill & Betty Printy.  

This is "officially" the second watercolor painting I've ever created.  I say officially because I've used watercolor off and on to create sketches/renderings for clients in the stained glass industry.  Now I'm having fun learning about this medium.

It's different then Oil and Pastel in that you basically layer going light to dark in value.  Where, in oil and pastel, I establish my hottest highlight and darkest dark on a mid toned canvas, or paper.  Then work dark to light for the most part.

Here's my little corner of the Iron & Lace store where my easel is mounted on the wall,  Betty's Raku fired pottery is all around my paintings.

"The Painted Lady"

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24"x 20" Oil on stretched canvas

I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. (I've been spending most my time in the garden when not teaching, demoing, or watching the Iron & Lace store.)   

My, how time fly's.....much like the dream state of this painting.  The building in this work will soon be a Bed & Breakfast in Brooklyn, IA.  The owners were pleased with the composition.  It evolved from the description of what they wanted as an image for note cards, business cards, etc.

Buckskinner Measuring Spoons

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6"x6" Oil on panel

This was a fun exercise in using a limited palette as Burnt Sienna being the dominate color.

These spoons were created by artisan Steve O'Grady of Bloomfield, IA.. He supports and participates in Buckskinner (Mountain men) Rendezvous through out the Midwest.

A small group sets up camp every year in Bentonsport along the Des Moines River during the villages open business season.  I couldn't resist this set of measuring spoons hand forged by Steve. 

Field of Lace

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14"x 11" - Soft Pastel on Board

I had the opportunity to take several pictures of one of my friend's place where they turned 80 acres back to prairie grasses and other plants.  A beautiful place in the NE corner of Van Buren Co. Iowa.

This was a foggy morning that she invited local artists to come paint.  I wasn't able to set up on location that day, but loved all the Queen Anne's Lace in bloom so thank goodness....camera was in hand.

I started this work with a watercolor underpainting over AS Colourfix Multi Media Primer on a masonite board.  There's a few places where you can still see the watercolor wash.

In Van Buren Co.

My plein air painting buddy, Jessica Kirby, gave me permission to use some of the photos she had taken on a painting trip I missed.   Here's the set up...looking on my computer screen at one of the photos she took while in Lacey Keosauqua State Park, Van Buren Co., Iowa.

Quick sketch in to lay out my composition

Starting to block in some color (and I have to say, I rather like the abstract look going on here too. Hmmmmm......this may be a direction I go in the future.)

and the finished work below.

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9"x 12"  Soft Pastel on Wallis paper.

I believe the time of year in the photo was Fall.  I need to visit this spot now (early Spring) and check it out.