Peaceful Easy Feel'n

Peaceful Easy Feel'n

8x10 oil on canvas

What's a girl to do when she wakes up to such an irresistible sky this one? Why, paint it of course! Good excuse to do a little cloud study this morning.

Clouds, waves, animals and kids... they just never stop moving!

Skinny 1 Burger Studies #2

 Lunch With Friends

6x9 oil on Arches Oil Paper

Ignoring the Parents

6x9 oil on Arches Paper

Need I say more? ;)

On site painting at Skinny's Place this afternoon

Sam

Sam

8x10 oil on gessobord

My son came with me today for the last Light Chasers outing of the season (just get'n too hot!) We met at Ken Thompson Park in Sarasota where there was plenty of shade and a nice cool sea breeze. He brought his iPad and found a spot in the shade to sit and do a "digital painting" of a nearby sailboat using the SketchbookPro app. So still, focused and concentrating, he made a good model for mom!

On the easel

His iPad painting (way less messy than oils!)

Light Study

Light Study

5x7 oil on gessobord

I set out this evening to do a larger painting, drove to the north end of the island, walked out onto the beach and got my easel all set up... only to realize I'd left my brushes at home!

Fortunately, I remembered I had a tiny 1/4" touch up brush in my purse and a small palette knife in my backpack, so rather than start a large painting, I decided to give my meager tools a whirl on a 5x7 inch panel and at least do a small light study. Necessity being the mother of invention, I actually really like the fine, expressive marks made by the palette knife, may have to use it more often!

Shaded Dunes

Shaded Dunes

8x10 oil on canvas

Working on simplifying my shapes (squinting), softening my edges (varying brush pressure and position), refining my values (comparing)... and trying my best to stay cool in the shade on this hot June morning!

Siesta Key Beach Path

Siesta Key Beach Path

11x14 oil on gessobord

Well it's definitely summer around here! (Even under my trusty easel umbrella I think I sweated off at least 5 lbs this morning!) But it was worth it for the chance to capture the gorgeous blue sky and billowing clouds over Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota with a few of my fellow the Light Chasers (most of whom were smarter than I and stayed in the shade of a nearby tree!) 

After using essentially the same limited pallet of colors for the past 3 years I've decided it's time to branch out a bit and experiment with some new ones. Inspired by the work of  Kim Casebeer and her book Ideas For the Landscape Painter, I'm having fun with a few new hues!

Happy Hour

Happy Hour

8x10 oil on canvas

So in addition to being a painter, I'm also a runner. (If I could just kick my running habit I'd probably get a lot more early morning painting done, in fact!) At a race expo once I saw a t shirt that said "Running is my Happy Hour." Now I'm kinda think'n I want one that says "Painting is my Happy Hour!" Anyway, I sure do love the light in that hour right before sunset...

Skinny1 Burger Studies

Before the Lunch Rush

6x9 oil on paper

The Lunch Rush SOLD

6x9 oil on paper

Attracted by the bright yellow umbrellas and variety of shapes, I did these small studies at a popular burger joint here on Anna Maria Island called Skinnys Place. Not only do they have great burgers and ice cold beers, but the ambiance is ultra beachy and laid back (no shirt, no shoes, no problem!) The walls inside are plastered in $1 bills and the chalkboard over the bar is usually pretty accurate when it states "Aprx. wait time 2 1/2 beers." 

Rose Study

Rose Study

 8x10 oil on museum board

I bought these sweet dusty pink roses the other day and have been wanting to paint them ever since! Tonight, as the sun was setting I grabbed by plein air set up and got to work. Actually I've been itching to try my hand at a flower still life ever since I watched Carolyn Anderson do a floral demo at the Plein Air Convention and Expo back in April.  Gotta say, she made it look sooo much easier than it is!
(My new Rosemary & Co. Ivory Dagger brush did come in very handy though!)

Evening by the Dunes

Evening by the Dunes SOLD

16x20 oil on canvas

I started this painting in my studio a couple weeks ago from a little 5"x7" plein air sketch I did back in December. The other night I took it back outside to resolve and fortunately there were some great cloud formations in the sky! I'm happy with the sense of light and atmosphere I achieved in the larger version. Nothing like working directly from life!

(Here's the original plein air sketch)

Meet Me in the Park

Meet Me in the Park

8x10 oil on museum board

Yesterday I painted with the Peace River Painters in Venice. I got there early, set up along the boulevard on Venice Ave.. and proceeded to paint a real stinker! Ah yes, it was one of those humbling mornings where I felt like I'd forgotten how to paint all together! Ugh.

I was all ready to pack up and concede defeat, but decided to wander over to the gazebo in Centennial Park first where I saw 4 or 5 other painters plugging away.  They were off to some real nice starts (and having fun!) which inspired me to rally, get my "head in the game" and give it one more shot. This was done in about an hour and 15 min. We then met at a friend's nearby studio for a quick critique of everyone's paintings. I reworked a couple little spots when I got home and am fairly pleased with how it turned out, especially the subtle value shifts in the gazebo arches. Glad I met up with my friends in the park after all!

Trailer Studies

Trailer Studies 6"x 9" Arches Oil Paper

This morning I painted with The Light Chasers plein air group at The Linger Lodge in Bradenton, an eccentric waterfront restaurant, trailer park and campground beside the banks of the Braden River. I had fun playing around with these little studies on my Arches Oil Paper, exploring cast shadows, values and form. One guy walked up to me as I was painting and told me how he'd lived there for the past 18 years and how it's just heaven. 

(He also pointed out that he works nights, holding up the beer in his hand at 9am while giving me a toothless grin and a wink, saying "so this is like my night time!")