Ft Laramie, WY

Ft Laramie Nat'l Park, 8 x 10, oil study on panel

Here is a close up. It was really windy and the dust was aflyin':

If you click on it, you see all the dust in the paint! 

A little insect got stuck, but then blew away.

Here is the scene.

I did make it a bit more colorful than real life ... guess I had on my rose-tinted glasses again... or are they orange-tinted?

It was dramatic out there. 

I had a sense of urgency because the wind was whipping so.

Found a good painting spot - sort of out of the main wind coming from the N.

Figs - fini

Figs on a box, 8 x 8, oil on panel

Finally got a photo in the nice light. I love the orange and pink together. 

The figs, Ficus carica were delicious as well.

They look like this inside. Anyone else like figs?

I went to Fort Laramie today and painted. It was VERY windy but I found a place out of the wind, sort of. Will post that painting study tomorrow.

Figs! phase 1

I know this is a blurry photo, but wanted to take it even though it was nighttime,  to post.

I got figs with some character at the store (Whole Foods, Ft. Collins) on Sunday.

I wanted to paint them before they are all gooey and gone!

Feral felines

There are wild cats (not wildcats) running around everywhere through the backyard of this building. 

Most are gray. Gonna do some sketches of them just for practice.

Dec 1

the beginning ... mood painting

Abstract

If you haven't seen PSY'S  original Gangnam Style music video, 

you probably should before you watch 

Anish Kapoor's cover of Gangnam Style by PSY in support of Ai Weiwei

Enjoy!

My homage to Gerhard Richter,  9 x 12,  oil on paper

North Platte outing!

The set-up

The scene

The painting!

This took  an hour or two (kind of lost track).
First outside use of my plein aire pochade box!
I am a little shy about showing this, not sure if it reads correctly to anyone but me...
but what the heck.  Limited palette,  5" x 7" oil on canvas panel.
Leave comments?

Cow - fini

Cow in progress

With fenceposts

Without fenceposts! 

10" x 7" acrylic and oil on 140# paper

I think she is finished. May need a tweak or two. 

Decided at the very end that the fenceposts were not needed and were a distraction.

Pochade Box!

So, no chance to paint today, but wanted to share a photo of my birthday gift from my husband:

A plein air painting Pochade Box! Ben Haggett makes them by hand. 

It fits on our old Slik tripod beautifully.

Hope the weather isn't too cold to get out.

Thank you, Matt! xoxox

Cow - Page 2 (posted 11/24/12)

Decided to continue to work on my cow. She intrigues me.

Cow - Page 3

Well, I didn't realize that one of my posts was saved as a draft...

Anyhoo - this poor ol' cow is comin' along.

Nebraska

Conestoga Wagon at Scotts Bluff National Monument

I like the shapes of the "ribs" of the wagon when the canvas is removed (for the winter).

It was rather awesome to be walking in the ruts that the wagons made

on their way along the Oregon Trail.

Wyoming

Possible painting idea, note the angus cattle grazing

Beautiful eveing, another painting idea?

Happy Thanksgiving! (Persimmons fini)

Two Persimmons, 6" x 8", oil on pastel board

Below are the pair of "plate" paintings hanging on our kitchen apartment wall. 

I like them. I like the negative shapes.

Love to paint on pastel board with oils.

Oh, and if you have some time, go to the link below to see a 

wonderful exhibit of figurative paintings by current painters!

Enjoy your family and friends this THANKSGIVING and find some art everyday!

Persimmons - Day 2

working away 

Leaves - Yucca

Wyoming leaves - real and 2D -  9 x 11
acrylic & oil on sandpaper mounted on foam core

Yucca glauca (soapweed)

 More about Yucca

(for you nerdy types, like me)

Seed pod of the Yucca

Very cool flat seeds that are stacked on top of one another.

Persimmons #1

I didn't get as much painting done today as I thought I was gonna ... but this sketch is a start.

Found other stuff to photograph:

some heads in someone's yard (!)

the bigger of three lions in a driveway with a 3-car garage! Rawrr!

And a yucca seed pod with flat seeds piled up inside!  

I will put a photo of the yucca plant in another post. 

Oak Leaf

While the real leaves are apparent, it is fun to paint them.

I love the black & white views.

Another beautiful Wyoming evening. Last night's photo.

Attempting persimmons tomorrow ... wish me luck!

Faces #5

Salman Rushdie, 6" x 5.5", oil on panel

Did you guess correctly? Has anyone ever read him?

I read Luka & the Fire of Life, and want to read

Joseph Anton, his latest.

While procrastinating about continuing with my painting the other day, 

I sketched this:

It is my little wooden table easel. So great.

Gold Leaf

Which leaf is real?

In this b&w it is actually harder to tell!

One more for tomorrow.
I am painting SR today. (Another hint)

Burgundy leaf

Which leaf is real?

Ok, no I didn't paint today.

This was done a couple of days ago.

It is the first of a series of leaves on one surface. More to come.

Faces #5 - Page 2

A little further...

Yep, P. R. got it.

Anyone else give a try?

Faces #5 - Page 1

Ok, getting started on my next Faces painting.

Anyone know this guy?

It is serendipity that I paint him today, as today is the Hindu holiday

Diwali, or Deepavali.

(that is a wee hint)

 I am using my foamcore invention for this panel again!

I also am thinking of painting this gal.

Actually it is technically started.

Faces #4 - Ann

Almost finished

6" x 6"  oil on panel

I am always amazed at how a painting will sometimes "finish itself".
I thought I might be working for a few more days, but it is done.

Thank you to my good friend, Linda, for this photo of her mom.

Faces #4, cont...

I am continuing to work on my Faces series. 

(See the start of this one on 9/21/12 post.)

This painting is definitely not Alla Prima (painted all at once), but I found this link by 

Larry Seiler, 

who suggests that once a paint stroke is laid on, leave it! 

Counting brushstrokes is not something I aspire to do, but I get his point. Thanks Larry!

Also, here's another pear painting:

Aceo, oil on paper

The Bath

We needed a little painting to go on the bathroom wall.

Here's a sketch I made first:

8" x 10" acrylic and oil on canvas panel

The Bath 

after The Tub, mixed-media sculpture of 1888–89

Edgar Degas (French, 1834–1917)

Bronze, number 26/A

8 1/2 x 17 7/8 x 16 5/8 in. (21.6 x 45.4 x 42.2 cm)

H. O. Havemeyer Collecton, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929 (29.100.419)

Today was warm and beautiful here in SE Wyoming. 

This morning, after biking for 45 min at the local PT office (they have a "gym"), 

my walking route home took me up toward the "airport":