Hemlock Crossing Paintout

Tags

creek, plein air

On March 23, 2013 I went painting at Hemlock Crossing again with the PAAWM.org group and painted in about the same spot as two weeks ago. There’s so much to paint there and we all had a great time. Here’s a couple of pictures of Kathy Kalinowski and Sharon Tarr painting. It was a rather cloudy day but that’s ok with me.

Pigeon Creek-Hemlock Crossing

Tags

landscape, oil on panel, plein air

It’s been way too long since I’ve been out plein air painting so Saturday I finally got a chance to go out. I went to Hemlock Crossing to a spot I had scoped out earlier. It was cloudy and 38 degrees. It was fantastic to be out and a little chickadee kept visiting me, perching on a branch and watching with interest. 8 x 10, oil on canvas panel.

 

South Cedar Drive

Near my house is South Cedar Drive, a dirt road that is lined with beautiful maple trees. I have photographed this road so many times at different times of the year. This fall I was able to get out there and do a small 5 x 7 painting, about the time the leaves were just turning.

Wau-Ke-Na Art Walk 2012

This year’s Wau-Ke-Na Art Walk, which benefits the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy and showcases the talents of the Plein Air Artists of West Michigan, was a big success. It was a beautiful, sunny day and lots of artists came to paint, along with hundreds of people who walked the trails and visited with the artists while they painted. The SWMLC sold their 2013 Painted Sanctuary Calendar as well. If you would like to donate to the SMMLC please visit their website at http://www.swmlc.org.

My painting of the pond with Joy Richmond painting

 

Plainwell Paintout

The PAAWM group had a paintout in Plainwell, MI  on August 11 as part of the Plainwell Art Festival. It’s a beautiful, quaint little town. I loved this old brick paper mill building with the vines and the river flowing in front. So I tried painting it. It was such a lovely day with several artists attending.

Duck Lake Park

Tags

Lake Michigan, landscape

I went painting in July at beautiful Duck Lake Park in Whitehall, MI. There are many miles of gorgeous dunes and lakeshore to paint.

Duck Lake flows into Lake Michigan at this point.

Some young boys came by exploring the dunes, and saw me painting. They took this picture–it’s a little out of focus!

My finished painting—I added two “love” seagulls.

A Couple of Small Plein Air Studies

Tags

outdoors, plein air

I tried a small 5 x7 iris painting using flat hog bristle brushes, just for fun, after being inspired by Carol Anderson. She’s fantastic. I really like her paintings. Here’s her web link if you want to have a look — carolynanderson.com.

And also here’s a 9.5 x 4.5 painting I did in the dunes at Kirk Park on the 4th of July this year. It was hot and hazy. There were many people on the beach in the distance but I chose to just do the landscape as a study, complete with a few bits of sand mixed into the painting. Lots of poison ivy all around me too.

Painting Tulips

I went painting at Veldheer’s Tulip Farm with Kathy K. and Barb S. last Sunday. The weather was brisk and windy but the flowers and sunshine were wonderful. I like everything about how a flower grows, from the ground up, so I thought I would try a close up at ground level.

Black Caviar

One of my passions is the thoroughbred horse and thoroughbred racing. I have owned 3 thoroughbreds, all ex-races horses, for over 17 years now. They are my good friends and I love them.

I want to start doing some paintings of race horses and did this small painting of Black Caviar recently. She’s the second highest rated race horse in the world right now on the Timeform ratings, second only to the great horse, Frankel. She just won her 22th race, the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

http://www.blackcaviar.net.au/news/fright-and-flight-how-black-caviar-overcame-brain-fade

She’s unbeaten in 23 starts, 21 of those starts against the boys.

A quote taken from her website states her incredible accomplishment – “Black Caviar now holds alone the world record for international racing’s longest unbeaten career, moving ahead of Australasian pair Gloaming and Desert Gold, and US mare Zenyatta.” It’s absolutely thrilling to watch her run. Here’s her website: http://www.blackcaviar.net.au.

Portrait Class at GVA

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Portrait Class

This class was on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012 at GVA organized by our fearless leader, Kathy Putnam! Our great model was Felicia. I can only get a small sketch/painting (that’s what I call it) done in 4 hours compared to everyone else’s large paintings.