Luscious Red #1

8"x 10" Oil on board

The tomatoes are coming on strong in my garden right now.  So, what better subject for a still life right? I found a clear bowl in the house where I have a studio in Bentonsport.  Put that together with adjusting my light source and voila.......a cheerful lush painting!

I'm on a roll doing several food related still life's right now.  So, expect to see several of these posted in a row.  Enjoy!

After morning breakfast

10"x 8" soft pastel on UART paper

Really enjoyed the day painting, visiting, & witnessing the reenactment of the Civil War battle at Athens MO on Saturday. 

3 of my plein air buddies & i met around 11am to  scope out the area.  I had the opportunity to be there earlier & sat up my easel by this camp fire.  The reflections on the kettle drew me in.  

Here'so a few more photos that may become future paintings.

"At Rest"

5x7 soft Pastel

I spent Friday, the 29th, & Sat., 30th, in Corning, IA  participating in their  11th Annual Plein Air event.  I'm thrilled to announce this work won 1st Place.

  I created this little jewel first thing Friday morning at Lake Icaria, just North of the community.  (The competition rules stated we could paint anywhere in Adams County.  )  Artist Carlene Atwater  & I camped out at the lakes Lakeview campgrounds & were very happy with how clean/well maintained the facilities & park area was.  A GREAT place for family fun!!!

It was exciting to see how this small community (1,500) supports the arts.  Corning Art Center is maintained by volunteers  and is a beautiful space.  They even have an  "Artist in Residence " program in place.  

"JULY"

16"x 12" - Acrylic on canvas board

Well, here's something totally opposite from what I normally do with paint.  I've been wanting to try my hand painting  abstract designs and I think I've discovered a new love.

I absolutely love the flowers in my garden which believe it or not, totally make me feel so inapt (inept?)  at painting florals.  I think the solution for me is to approach this subject matter with a free spirit expressed by keeping paint fluid looking.

I'm excited by the end result with this first abstract.  Be prepared to see a lot more, very soon.

Sign of Summer

8"x 8"  Soft Pastel

I love Cone Flowers.  There are patches of these beauties here and there in my garden.  I painted these from the front porch of the Iron & Lace Store.  (I transplanted a few to from my yard to mingle with Betty Printy's Queen Anne's Lace)

Wind out of SW

Oil 10"x 8" on Canvas board 

Bill Printy made this weather-vane that sits on top of the Iron & Lace store.  I had the perfect opportunity to Plein air paint today.  I still can't decide which medium I want to use in upcoming painting events.  I love working in both oil and pastel outdoors.  Each has its own unique set of issues when framing....the oils are wet and I have to wash brushes. .... pastels need to be framed under glass so it means more prep-work and toting glass around.  Decisions ! Decisions!  

Poster announcement

Here's this years pastel painting for Tassel Ridge Winery's Iowa Nouveau Poster.  This makes the 6th poster design I've created for the winery.  

Every year I have a different model.  Only one of the models I've used has actually had red hair.  This is such a fun project.  I love Art Nouveau and of course, my inspiration comes from the fabulous work of Alphonse Mucha.

The poster will be released in November.