Sunset Storm

(click image to enlarge)

Click Here to Bid - 6x12in. - oil on panel

A few weeks ago my husband and I went on a camping adventure down through Wyoming, into northern Utah and back up through Idaho. On the last evening we were way up on a hill/mountain/not sure, somewhere in Idaho, surrounded by bushes and a great view of the sky, when these clouds rolled in and started turning these amazing sunset colors. We wandered around with our cameras just saying "wow" over and over again. This little painting is my attempt to capture the scene, though it does the experience no justice.

That night after we crawled into our little teardrop camper, the thunder and lightening started. It was all around us and LOUD and I was scared of being struck. My husband assured me that since the whole thing was connected to the ground by rubber tires, we would be ok. : | Fortunately we didn't have to test that theory.

Where We Sat Last Night

 

Click Here to Bid - 8x8in. - oil on panel

During my recent EBB (several weeks where nothing went right in my studio) I ventured outside for new inspiration. I have been hesitant to take photos in Missoula, and I think it's because I have quite a few friends here, and I feel more self-conscious because of it. Well, I put that feeling aside and wandered around a few nearby neighborhoods with my camera (luckily everyone was at work). This was the first scene that really inspired me. And it took me 2 tries before I was happy with the painting. But I am. And that's always incredibly exciting after an EBB!

Living on the Edge

Click Here to Bid - 6x12in. - starts at $100 - click image to enlarge

Here's another landscape from Utah, from the same area as this recent one. We were overlooking the Canyonlands, near Moab. One day we drove down into the canyon, on a tiny, dirt road that had recently been damaged by flooding, barely clinging to the side of a cliff. It was pretty terrifying, but our Jeep handled it just fine.

Up and Over 1 & 2

 

Click Here to Bid (8x10in. - OIL - starts at $100)

Next up from the Sierras are two very similar paintings. I started one of them outside, on location, on a slightly smoky day, near the beginning of the trip. The wind started to pick up that day, which ended up blowing out the smoke, but also blew over a couple of easels, including mine. This was incredibly frustrating, mostly because up to that point my painting was going really well. But my turp can was emptied (all over myself and my new backpack!), so I had no choice but to return to camp to get more. But by then the light had changed and I knew that to finish the painting it would have to be on another day.

So I returned a couple days later, at the same time of day, only to find my scene had changed considerably without the smoke. I ended up repainting it quite a bit, and the result is this second painting below. And I really like it, but I also liked the original feel, so I painted another one at home, from photos and memory, and that is the painting above.

Click Here to Bid (8x10in. - OIL - starts at $100)

Early Rocks

 

Click Here to Bid (6x8in. - OIL - starts at $100)

Hi there! I got home from my California trip last week, but have been so busy with visits from relatives, helping a friend move, and catching up in general that I haven't had a chance to post, much less touch up any paintings. Until today. To the right you will see my illustrious, Sierra, painting pals (names below), and above is the first painting I did (a morning scene). We hiked to Garnet Lake this year. As usual, we carried our art gear and mules hauled our camping gear, food and (fabulous) cook. We camped for 5 days in the same spot, pitching our easels where/whenever we felt inspired, making sure to roll back into camp in time for cocktails and dinner. Every year we say it was the "trip of a lifetime," and this was no exception. The place is amazing, but the people put it over the top.

Pictured (L to R): Mark Fehlman, Cleo Villett, Kim Lordier, Terry Miura, Michele de Braganca, Bill Cone, Tia Kratter, Scott Hamill, myself, Karen (cook), Elizabeth (cook's daughter), & Paul Kratter.

Rise Above

 

Click Here to Bid (5x3in. - GOUACHE - starts at $75)

Here's a little gouache landscape from a hike I took in the summer along Blodgett Creek. I have a few of these little landscapes left that have been sitting around my studio. Today I pulled them out and they inspired me to do some new ones. So you'll see those soon.

Leaning Tree at Salmon Lake

 

Click Here to Bid (3x5in. - GOUACHE - starts at $50)

From a recent explore with the hubs. He likes to fish and so my search for painting material happily coincided with his search for lakes to fish in.

Also here's a little 4x4 gouache. It's from a magical hike during a camping trip earlier this summer. We drove a long way down a dirt road that we definitely needed our jeep for. When it got to be too much we hiked and went up, up, up. Then suddenly the view opened up and the road wound on forever in this beautiful view. Then the clouds shaded everything but the middle part and I went - WOW! I'm pretty happy with how the painting of it went, so it's going in my personal collection.

Bedrock

Click Here to Bid (8x10in. - starts at $100)

You might ask, "Why go all the way up into the Sierra Nevada mountains just to paint a close-up of rocks?" And yet, this is one of my favorites from the trip. It was in a place I passed by just about every day on the way to one spot or another. But this day I happened to glance over, and the light was just so, with that little bush up at the top, and I was enchanted.

Here is a picture of the beginning of the mule train that carries our camping gear and food. We carry our art supplies, which are heavy enough. It was a 12 mile hike in this time, with a whole lotta up.

Mountain Crack

Click Here to Bid (6x8in. - starts at $100)

I've tried a composition sort of like this before, but I guess I like it because here it is again. One huge difference between this trip and the three I've been on (to the Sierras) before, was there was no smoke! California has had a wet year, and because of this, the number of wildfires has been thankfully low. I'm happy about this for lots of reasons.

Tree Shadow

Click Here to Bid (6x6in. - starts at $100)

PAINTING ON BLACK GESSO, some thoughts
This is my second success on black gesso, and I thought I'd write down a few things I've learned so far. First of all, compared to painting on white, it is much easier to judge dark values, since I'm putting them all straight on the darkest dark, black. Also, it is much more fun to put on bright colors, because they really pop against the black, especially if I leave little bits of black showing through.

I do have to be careful to go light enough with my values! Because the colors look so bright against the black, it's easy to misjudge them. I had to alter this one after it was dry because I realized I didn't go light enough with the orange wall. Also I had to find a different color to draw my scene with first. Normally I use burnt umber, which doesn't really show up on black. It worked to mix a little bit of yellow and red in with the umber.

I HIGHLY recommend trying it! If nothing else, it gives one a different perspective on values. I will definitely do more.

Two Dudes and a Puddle

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I went back through my files of a Seattle wander for this one. These dudes were just too cool for words - that and the sky reflected in the puddle made it absolutely impossible not to paint.

As for the cold wax and oil workshop I took earlier this week, I want to show you just a few examples of the absolutely yummy texture I was able to achieve. This was really just SO much fun! Especially since I was able to share the experience with some art buddies. Eventually I want to use cold wax in my regular, realistic work. For now I need to experiment more, and overhaul my studio so I have more room to put stuff!

Farm House

sold.

As promised, here is my last painting from the alpaca farm. I painted this house several times, but this was the only one I was really happy with. I want to point out, specifically, the little bit of palette knife work. It required mixing up a thicker pile of paint than I'm used to, which jerked me out of my "cheap" zone, but I did it!

Fenceline

 

sold.

One day at the alpaca farm, I wandered down to a lower field and parked myself for the entire day, determined to focus on trees. We were encouraged to do one small, quick study, for no longer than 10 minutes. I went ahead and did another, 20 minute study as well. And then I did a longer painting of the same subject. The painting at the top is the longer one, and this next one is the 10-minute study. I like them both quite a bit, but I feel funny listing a 10-minute study, so I'm going to start it at $1. (click here to bid on this study --^ 6x8in.)

To the left is the  20-minute study. I'll just say this - I learned a lot from it. Starting with ... too much pink ground showing through!

A Small Courtyard

sold.

I did a painting very similar to this as a demo for my class in France. I was really taken by this scene, which I happened upon while exploring the village below our chateau, and wanted another go at it. I'm not usually crazy about scenes without strong light, but this has enough built-in value shifts/contrast to make it inherently interesting.

Shady House

sold. (6x8in. - click image to enlarge)

We pass this house every time we drive out to the coast. Every time, I think, man I'd love to paint that. So one time, when I was with my artist pals, we pulled up the long drive and knocked on door. But either no one was home, or they didn't come to the door. We couldn't tell. I snapped a few pictures anyway, on the sly, and just got around to painting it.

Jumbled Rocks

Click Here to Bid (8x8in. - shipped mid-March)

This one I did from a reference photo (or two or three) from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. I've camped/painted there with friends the past couple of years and it is a magical place. Sadly I won't be able to make it this year.

Dry Creek Bed

Click Here to Bid (6x12in. - click image to enlarge!)

I've been experimenting lately with some landscapes from my photo files. I have a quite a few I won't show you, but this is one I like. The scene is from the Escalante area in Utah. We camped there last spring, way way out in the middle of nowhere. It was pretty sweet. One morning I walked along this dry river bed for about an hour by myself, taking pictures and enjoying the serenity.

Colorado Color

sold. (6x12in. - click image to enlarge)

This is another one from Colorado. It was right at the beginning of fall, when tree colors were just starting to change, but the grass was already golden.

Across the Pond

sold. (6x12in.)

I painted this on a recent trip to Colorado.  My friend Penny and I had driven out to her friend's farm, and found this lovely pond at the back of the property. I had just learned about galkyd, and so experimented with this painting. I love galkyd! I actually painted the house and yellow bushes first, just to make sure I got those in before the light changed, but then I painted in the trees. And then all the pond stuff. So by the time I put in the distant mountains and sky, the paint on the trees was tacky enough not to make mud where they touched. This is a solution to a problem I've had forever with landscape painting!!

Also, here are all my kids (and me, and 2 of our illustrious hosts) from my San Antonio, Texas workshop last week. You guys were awesome!!

Narrow Enough to Step Over

sold. (12x6in. - click image to enlarge)

I painted this one from a photo I took recently in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This little creek was near our camp, and one of the few that we could step over easily. There were plenty more that took a bit of navigating. I had a few unsteady moments, but never fell in the water. Amazingly.