Winter Color

Winter Color, oil on gessobord, 12"x9"

The day I was painting in Indiana (on the one pretty day we've had here in the Ohio Valley in 3 weeks) was fun and had my mind turning with new ideas. I painted for two hours before the wind picked up, to the point I had to stop. As I was packing up, I glanced uphill and spotted this tree illuminated with the first sun of the afternoon.  I did a quick sketch on a fresh gessobord, then finished packing up for the day. When I was driving home I remembered I had forgotten to take a  reference photo for this, so this one was all done from memory. 

Grey Skies, Ohio River

Grey Skies, Ohio River,  oil on gessobord, 9x12"

After packing up my painting gear on Sunday, I took the back roads in Southern Indiana. About an hour later ended up here...O'Bannon Woods State parks. It has an amazing section way up on a river bluff. I hiked down as far as I could without falling off the ledge and set up the easel.  The wind was strong, and the footing a bit ominous, and it was quite exhilarating!!

Here is where I set up my easel. Luckily I had the sunshine after about an hour of painting to warm me up.

Westward

Westward, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

While I was deciding where to trek to paint yesterday, I painted this from a photo reference from my summer trip. Still wish I was there. Sigh.

Bundled 2

Bundled 2, oil on canvas, 14x18"

"Bundled 2" came right off the heels of "Bundled". I felt I had to keep the momentum going.  This one was a bit harder to paint because the hay bales were smaller and more numerous.  The color promotes the serenity of the scene but still allows the drama of it to come out.

Bundled

Bundled, oil on canvas, 14x18"

I have been wanting to do a haystack painting for a while. I was going through the photos I took at the end of the summer, and I came across the reference for this painting - a photo I took in Kansas while traveling west.  I am starting a few larger ones to see how it "feels" and to include them in an up-and-coming solo show I will have at the Polvino Art Center in historic Nicholasville, KY during the month of January. I hope to see you there!

Dynamic Duo

Dynamic Duo, oil on hardboard, 10x10"

I went a little bigger with this one. The shadows were definitely more wonky then whimsical. I tried to convey that.  

*One corner of the painting is 1/8" wider because I cut this board myself and went past my cutting line. * 

Shadows 2

Shadows 2, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

Here is the 2nd in the series of shadow paintings. I think I'm  hooked.  Advice: if you are in a rut of any size, shift your gears.  I've always looked at shadows as whimsical, but they are becoming a joy to paint.

Shadows

Shadows, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

Several weeks ago, when the weather in Louisville had turned cold but sunny, I took a walk on the city's pedestrian bridge that crosses the mighty Ohio river. There seemed to be an abundant amount of cyclist that day. I began to notice all the shadows taking different shape the closer they came to me. I snapped a few photos to paint from and noticed when I zoomed in the actual shadow took on a more beautiful form. I may do a few more paintings from the photos, but I think it is a good start! #251

Walkabout

Walkabout, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

My 250th painting I have posted since beginning this blog and so fitting that it was painted at Bernheim!

This is the second painting I started at Bernheim over Thanksgiving days. I turned my easel 180° from the location I was painting "Roundabout" - yesterday's post. It was a meandering path that lead from the perfect locations - the forest to the lake!
The light was fading and lovely. I did not take a reference photo when I was forced to stop painting but finished it from memory the next morning in the studio. It was a liberating feeling not to be tied to a photo reference, for a change. It is how I formerly painted, and may try and force myself to do that henceforth.