Sept. 20 of 30//30

Here are two more quick studies in watercolor from the camping trip.  Brush Creek is calling…..

Sept. 19 of 30//30

As this is posted I am doing a plein air event.  Brush Creek Plein Air is Sept. 18 - 20.  I will post paintings from that event next.

Quick watercolor study for the oil painting from yesterdays post.  This was such an interesting tree right by our camp spot.  I sketched and painted it several times.  

Sept. 18 of 30//30

Today is my sisters 71st birthday!

This was photographed rather poorly, and I failed to crop and fix it.  Whooops.  This is the oil I did.

Sept. 17 of 30//30

Derald fished all day, from before light to sunset.  He had a blast in his kayak.

Watercolor
Across the cove, late day.  The sun set behind those trees, as you see in the above photo.

Sept. 16 of 30//30

Watercolor
Across the cove where there was a pop up camper.  The time was early morning.

Sept. 15 of 30//30

Same dock,  but different time of day.  This was mid day with a little color showing in the trees.
Watercolor

Sept. 14 of 30//30

Watercolor study.

I did several paintings of this area across the cove from us.  This was done in the early evening.

Sept. 13 of 30/30

Watercolor study.

The Airstream is a great subject.  She holds still well.

Sept. 12 of 30/30

The paintings I completed from Sept. 12 - 14th were done while camping.  Thus the late posts.  We were at Crawford State Park in SE KS.  It is supposed to be one of KS most beautiful parks.  Derald was in a kayak fishing tournament, and I stayed with the Airstream and painted.  Max and Woody kept me company.  I managed to read a book and my new Yoga Journal Magazine!

Watercolors happen to be my go to medium when we camp.  Easy and clean.  I did take my oils and completed one 9 x 12, which I really liked.  I kept painting the same subject as the light changed, and found it rather challenging.  It kept me on my toes for the light and shadow areas.

Lucky
1962 Safari Airstream

Sept. 11 of 30/30

I also painted 9 little mini flowers for those crazy little 2 x 2 inch frames.  I have given 5 away so far to the Charming Chicks!    Whew I need to scrape that little 3c scary guy.  

Busy painting my little mini 2 inch paintings.  

Standing next to Mary Jane Grinter.  They own the sunflower farm!  She was a real sweetheart.  She also paints.  I hope to get to paint with her soon.  

These little sweetie pie paintings will have new homes with the Charming Chicks, Nikki and Erin.

These little sweetie pies are waiting for their new home.  2 will go to our Charming Chick in Springfield, Joy.  Only 2 are left!  

Happy flowers.

Sept.10 of 30/30

You can see my notan sketch and get a feel for this little sunflower nest I was in.  I kept having to adjust the umbrella so the light wasn't on my canvas and palette.   

My hidden (well not so much) spot to paint.  

In the distance you can see another white umbrella and a red one.  Those are my painting buddies, Luanne Hein and Gregory Summers.  

Sept. 9 painting for 30/30

Only the 8th day and I'm behind!  Here are some photos of a sunflower farm I painted at with friends this week.  Thus, missed some posts…  But, these are well worth it!  This is Kansas folks!  Beautiful state.

This is my notan on the sketch book, and my underpainting determining the values for the light and shadow areas.  

Still unfinished in this photo, but you can see where I was going with it,
 I started this painting and thought 'oh my, I have NO idea how to paint all these crazy sunflowers.  I certainly must SIMPLIFY!  

The sky was rolling with clouds.  I can see I need to push the back rows of flowers further back.  

Sept. 8, 30/30 Challenge

Oil on canvas paper, from the series of mini paintings.

Sept. 7, 30/30 Challenge

Still working on the series of mini paintings.  Oil on canvas paper, 2" x 2".  This would have been a really interesting place to paint.  I am hoping I see this kind of landscape with light houses next summer.

Sept. 6, 30/30 challenge

This little guy was fun to paint.  Still posting the mini 2" x 2" paintings.  I actually did a little notan before I started each one of these.  Notans are my new BEST FRIEND.  I am seeing more and more posts on these.  Kevin Macpherson was one of many teachers I have had that stressed using them.  Joshua Been is a master at them.  He even sells them in his gallery.  I have purchased 3 or 4 of them and have them hanging in the hall by my studio as a reminder.

Sept. 5 of 30/30

2"x2" mini from Jim's stash of vacation photos.  I have never painted with such tiny brushes.  I actually had to go buy some cheap ones to do these.  Any of my painting instructors would flip if they saw these 3 hair brushes!  You just gotta have some fun when you paint.

Sept. 4 of 30/30

A friend of ours gave me an entire CD of his vacation.  The photos were printed with 12 per sheet.  Now that's small.  Low and behold I went to a garage sale and found a BOX FULL of 2 inch square frames.  Well, of course I had to use those cute little frames for something.  In kind of a painters slump, I have begun doing tiny 2x2 inch paintings.  Just little tiny studies.  I am enjoying the process.  After 9 little guys, my slump was over.  Who knows, I may have to enter a miniature show!

Here is tiny number one of the series.  I have no earthly idea where this is.  But thank you Jim for the photo stash!

2" x 2" oil on canvas paper.

Sept. 3 of 30/30

Due to technical difficulties, my post for day 3 was simply out of my control to post.  I tried every device I have to no avail.

This painting was done for a dear friend of mine's daughter.  She is getting married this month to her 'lobster love'.  Lobsters mate for life.  He is one LUCKY fella.  She is a real 'catch'.  Oh boy, I need to quit now.  Oil on wrapped canvas.  NFS

On a side note, anyone who knows me very well knows I really do not like the color orange.  But, I struggled through this one and actually enjoyed it…..since I used MY favorite color for the background.  Win/ Win.

Sept. 2 of 30/30 challenge

I have had the fortune of a wonderful teaching career.  During those years at the high school level I had several very special students that I have kept close to my heart.  One in particular has been such a blessing to me to have the opportunity to reconnect with.  She is now married, with two beautiful children and a wonderful husband.

 Although I have not met this darling baby yet, I have seen lots of great photographs of her.  She must be 6 months old now, oh how time flies.  This is a little 6 x 6 oil I did from a photograph her momma took.  I know she is much more beautiful than I could paint.  Its odd how you see something so perfect, so precious, so beautiful, such a gift from God, that you just can't capture it in paint.

Meet Amelia.

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge

Leslie Saeta has a challenge starting today!  30 in 30.  It is fun to challenge myself for the diligence to paint daily, and to attempt to get back in to blogging.  As much as I enjoy reading blogs, I certainly need to contribute to my own.  I figure its a win WIN.

Todays post is a 12 x 16 oil on canvas paper.  The scene is of The Scout, a sculpture located here in Kansas City, MO.  In the background you can find indications of the four Sky Stations sculptures and our new Kansas City Performing Arts Center.

Augusta Plein Air 2015

Augusta Plein Air was just wrapped up Sunday with the final sale.  It was a beautiful event with near perfect weather.  Spring is here, so we did have a few cloudy moments and a sprinkle or two.  But the temperatures were perfect.  Kudos to the team of people headed up by the committee chair Kathy Kessler.  The event runs as smooth as butter on a hot summer day.  We had a new venue this year in New Melle, a neighboring town.  The town welcomed us with flags everywhere!  Another warm reception and wine flowed at the final purchase award of $500.  The town was buzzing with activity.  Lots to paint, and everyone had a great time.
Here are a few photos of the plein air event.  Sign up early for 2016.  You get to select your booth space and try for a private estate paint out event.  There were two this year.  The private event also has a $500 purchase for each day.  Not to even mention you are fed lunch and dinner, and the venue is always a spectacular area.

Max had his debut for plein air.  He was amazing.  That little guy laid at my easel for 2 hours at a time.  Never barked, never complained.  Perfect little companion.

one of my paintings

Louanne Hein

Allen K.

Shawn Cornell, one of the judges.  I took a workshop with him a few years ago.  Great guy.

Teddy Jackson and Allen K. at one of the wineries. 

Zak Barnes

Kathy Kessler and Max.  He was the plein air greeter.

This is how we roll.  Organization is a key.  Especially with dog kennels!

Pastelist Michelle Wells doing a demo for her 1/2 day workshop.  It was great, and we were all sorry it wasn't longer.  Maybe next year?

Verants property.  A beautiful place.

Only one tick!  Amazing for all the tall grass and weeds we trekked through.  

View from a winery.

Winery and house for sale…..1.3 million.  

Artist set up in front of the wine cellar.

I have a lot of pictures of Maxs rear end!

Patrick Sanders, who is an extraordinary painter.  He won Best of Show, First place oil and a number of other events.  He was on a roll this year.  Interesting he is selling his house and buying an Airstream to do the plein air circuits.

Inside the wine cellar.

Paige Clausen painting a beauty.

This was my painting, which sold the day of the sale.  It was my favorite one too.

Max and his buddy Leo.  We had a great time with Kathy and Leo.  

It was fun to see a Joshua Been displayed at one of the events.  He really should return and do a workshop.

Jason Sacran's winner from last year.  Another beauty.

Kathleen Hudson won this year at the winery with this painting.  She had her new baby and mom…..and I thought I was busy with Max!  Yicks.  

Marcia Willam working on a watercolor in New Melle.

Everyone was missing their dogs at home.  Zak has a young St. Bernard, and he really took to Max.  

This was a vineyard I ended up painting, and it sold.  I don't have a good photo of the painting unfortunately.  

The underpainting is the only decent photo of the scene.  

Spencer Meager, working on what was a blue ribbon for best watercolor.

Henryk working on a window view.

Mark with Leo and Max.

This painting cleaned house.  Patrick Saunders took the awards with this one.  It was a beauty capturing light.

Final Sale Day.  Outside and inside artists had work set up.  The weather was perfect.

Teddy Jackson and Tammy Dickerson's work.  They are very prolific painters!

I liked this one.  Those fields really laid down.

Paul painted some wonderful scenes.  He laughs and says he is a once a year painter.  He was selling them!

Jane Flanders selling one.

The night of the sale, the last day, I stayed and did a nocturne of this scene.  Warm summer evening.  No bugs or mosquitos….near perfect.  But I was getting homesick! Two weeks away with Max.  It was a great event.  I had a fabulous hostess!  I treated myself to Yoga, a message (to die for) and got my hair cut and colored.  Much needed.  My home town hair dresser is recuperating from knee replacement surgery.
The return trip was so easy.  Max was great.  Driving to Augusta he threw up twice!  So the ride home was a snap….no throwing up.  :)