Plein Air and Short Sabbatical

Green Bridge at Fairbrook's

Kathy's Garden

Waterfall Fountain

Old Main at St Martin's University

These newly framed paintings were painted this summer at our Olympia Art League Plein air outings. Three of them are now hanging at the Bonsai in Tumwater for the Plein Air show. They will be there through the first Saturday in January 2011.

It has been a busy few weeks. I have work hung in two regional shows, the Peninsula Art League show in Gig Harbor, and the Eastside Association of Fine Art in Bellevue. My piece "Plein Air" (see August 3, 2010 post) recieved an Honorable Mention award at the PAL show.

And finally the Children's Theatre Mural is finished....at least my part is. There are a few details to be completed that aren't painting. But I feel really good to have the painting finished! It has been a big job but I am hearing good feedback from children and and their parents!

My daughter is soon due to have her second baby, which means mom/grandma will be taking a sabatical from painting for a few weeks to help her out. I look forward to a new grandchild and helping with his older brother, 20 month old Ethan.....but I will be ready to get back to art in no time. :-)

Happy Tornado Days!!!!

Wow...so much has been happening I feel a little like I'm in a tornado! And when I see it's been 2 months since my last posting.....oh my!!!!

Since that time I have....

1.worked on a huge mural project on three walls of the Children's Theatre in our church, Faith Assembly of Lacey. It's only about half done and the project is amazing. More of that at a later date when we are finished and I will post final photo. For now this is a "teaser".....a close up of the Ice Cream shop! :-)

2. Have had work accepted in three...yes, three....juried shows. 3 paintings in the Puyallup Fair Fine Art Exhibit; one accepted into the Eastside Assoc. of Fine Artists' which will hang in the Meydenbauer Center Oct.27-Nov. 13th; and finally two paintings juried into the Peninsula Art league show at the Gig Harbor Civic Center Oct 20th through Nov 19th.

3.Painted two large acrylic paintings (30 x 40" each) of Olympia Street scenes.

4. decorated a wedding reception for the daughter of a friend.

5. Attended two conferences and spent a week vacationing with my husband, and all my children and grandchildren on the Oregon Coast!

6. Painted at "Paint Outs" with friends, and one day at a class.

7. Oh...yes...and a yard sale! Ha!

So no wonder it feels like I've been in a tornado. It's been a very busy time! But a happy time...and now back to finishing that Children's Theatre Mural!

Happy tornado days to you...until next time. :-)

My Garden Steps

My Garden Steps

pastel, 12 x 16"

I have always loved these rock steps beside my back garden. This piece was executed with quick energetic strokes and in that abbreviated vignette style!

Painting On Location

Plein Air

recieved "Honorable Mention" award

at 2010 Peninsula Art League's Open Exhibition

Every Thursday from May through the first of September I paint on location with a group of artists from Olympia Art League. Several of the artists have painted together for years and new artists join us each year with a combination of excitement and nervousness. The seasoned artists are all kind and welcoming and it doesn't take long for the newcomer to feel at home. But painting on location takes some time to adapt to. The first attempts to capture the scene before you can be extremely frustrating. But as the old adage states, the more you practice the more you improve. The critiques at the end of each session help the artists to assess their works strengths and weaknesses and we all go home with ideas to try next week. There is discipline in painting "plein air". Pushing yourself to get out there, no matter the wind, cold, heat or humidity. But the rewards are great. We are invited to beautiful private gardens, and magnificent landscapes, and our skills improve over time. Paintings on location tend to be quick studies, with fresh nuances of color that you cannot capture from photographs.

"Plein Air" is a pastel painting, 18 x 24", painted in the studio following one of our garden visits. The artist is one of the faithful members of our group, Karen. Can you feel how she is absorbed in the moment, surrounded by the gardener's artistry.

A Study in Neutrals

Honolulu Coffee

I love the balmy evenings on Waikiki Beach. I tagged along on my husband's business trip to Honolulu, and each evening when he was free we would walk down Kalakaua Ave. On this particular walk we stopped in at Honolulu Coffee Co for a cup of wonderful Kona coffee. It was a quiet evening in there, with only this one woman sitting at the window facing the Surfrider Moana Terrace. The hotel is a beautiful old hotel with white columned terraces filled with rocking chairs. The whole mood was mellow and relaxed, and I just had to paint it hoping you capture that mood of the evening.

This painting is a study in using mostly neutrals, which is a huge departure from my usual love of vibrant color. I am happy with the results though, and feel that it is entirely appropriate for that mood of quiet and repose I wanted to evoke.

Time Flies in my Studio

Yellowstone Trail

One of the problems I am having in my new studio....I lose track of time. Earlier this week I recieved a phone call while painting in my studio. It was my husband wondering when I would be home, not realizing I was just outside in my studio. He was getting hungry and wondering if I would be fixing dinner that evening. When I looked at my clock it read 8:30 PM!!! I had NO idea it was that late. Time just flies when you are having fun!! My painting space is now so wonderfully peaceful and I get so focused I totally lose track of all time! What a wonderful problem. I painted "Yellowstone Trail" this past week in my awesome studio! It is a composite of several photos taken at Yellowstone National Park.

My Studio is completed!

Interior and Exterior of my completed Studio

It has taken some time, but my studio is finally completed! Here are photos of the vertical shelving that makes finding everything I need so much easier and quickly accessed. The opposite end is my painting space, with a sink and shelving along the other wall. Outside I now have a little bench and some pretty pots. It is a beautiful little place to create!

New Studio

I am getting a new 10 x 20" studio building behind our house. We had it built offsight and then delivered and set on blocks. Since then we have wired, plumbed and insulated it. Next comes the drywall, painting, and then moving in. All this means of course that there is less time to paint. But when it is finished, it will be an amazing space to paint!!! It has two great skylights besides the windows, so the lighting is so much better than the space I have been working in! I can't wait!!

Tulips For You

Tulips For You

pastel. 12 x 16"

This is the first floral painting I have done in a very long time! It felt so good! I will probably try more!

Espresso ala Spring

Spring inspires and energizes me! Definitely one of my favorite times of the year. When the beautiful spring trees and the rhododendrons, tulips, daffodils, and other spring flowers bloom, my heart just sings! This painting is a tribute to the beauty that surrounds me.....and of course my love of the smell of the coffee shop, and visiting with friends over a cup of espresso! What could make a more perfect day?

Al Fresco

Al Fresco

20 x 20" Pastel

New addition to my coffee shop series. Experimenting with a different color palette is always challenging, but you learn so much. Here I tried working with purples and greens.

Two of Coffee Shop Series

Having Coffee

Northwest Summer

Two more of the "Coffee Shop" Series that have not previously been posted. They were both done in 2009, and the medium is acrylic.....

"Having Coffee" ....30 x30" acrylic on panel

"Northwest Summer"...24 x 30" acrylic on canvas

Northwest Pastel Society 2010 Member's Exhibition

April 23 - May 26, 2010

Excited to have my painting chosen to be one of the promotional postcard paintings!

"Coffee Break" on the bottom right corner!

2010 NWPS Member's Show

Northwest Pastel Society Member's Exhibition

April 23-May 28, 2010

Blue Horse Gallery

301 W Holly St #M1

Bellingham, WA 98225

11am-5:30 pm Monday - Saturday

Artist Reception,

April 23rd, 6-10 pm.

The Stroll & Coffee Break have been juried into the 2010 NWPS Member's Show in Bellingham.

The Blue Horse Gallery is a beautiful space, and if this is at all like last year's show, it will be sensational and something you will not want to miss if at all possible!!!

Coffee Break

Coffee Break

Pastel

Feb. 2010

17.5 x 15.5"

This is a new one in the Coffee Shop Series!

The Stroll

The Stroll

Pastel

12 x 16"

Feb. 2010

It's been a long time....

"Beach Bonding"

Pastel 12 x 18"

Finally....Holidays, then a bathroom remodel, have kept me from painting. It has been far too long. I worried I would not be able to pick it right up.... but yes!! I can still paint. And it's as if I am making up for lost time. The paintings are flowing fast and furious.

Ahhhhh....it's a joy to paint again!