Quiet Lake

Quiet Lake, oil on gessobord, 12x12"

I did some quick sketches at Bernheim Forest and Arboretum a couple days ago. I had planned on staying for a few hours, but the heat and the bugs got the best of me.  I enjoyed the small amount of productivity I was able to accomplish in a short amount of time.  I used one of the sketches to produce this painting,  remembering the light  that was affected by the heat and humidity that day from memory. 

Near and Far

Near and Far, oil on gessoed watercolor paper, 12x8"

I was up late, unable to sleep the other night and produced this painting. I was a good way to spend my insomnia.

Collection

Collection, oil on gessoed watercolor paper, 12x9"

Day 5, 30 paintings/30 days

Cattail collections are becoming some of my favorite subject matter.  Perhaps it has to do with plant matter, or being at the waters edge, or standing in the beautiful, reflective light or the fact that every time I work on a cattail painting, the color palette is so calm and appealing.  

Cattails 3

Cattails 3, oil on gessobord, 8x10"

Cattails 3, oil on gessobord, 8x10"

Here is a painting I did last week. I love painting cattails, and I had taken this photo reference the last time I was at my favorite Nature Preserve. The light was bright and the water was actually the star of the show this particular day.

In other news, I found a vintage camper, drove 5 hours to South Bend, IN then drove it home to Louisville this weekend. Yesterday, I spent the day tearing out replaced ceiling paneling that was hiding a lot of previous water damage, and found more work then I ever imagined (mold, rotting everything), BUT I got it, and am extremely excited over it's potential for my mobile gallery/studio, ARTwheels. 

My gofundme account is still very much active and seeking donations from all you wonderful people, the money now directed towards the unanticipated, complete renovation that this camper lovingly needs. Here's the link, and thank you to all of those wonderful folks who have contributed already. It is because of you this dream is coming to fruition!!!
https://www.gofundme.com/mvc.php?route=search&term=artwheels

Murky

Murky, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

A small cattail painting from a cloudy day.  These were brand new spring cattails, and extremely green with freshness.  I realized as I was working on this small painting that this is one of the subject matter that, for right now, I enjoy painting on a larger scale. May go out today in search of more cattails. They are like a little village all their own.

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Chaos

Chaos, oil on gessobord, 9x12"

I painted this last month, but it was lost in the shuffle of preparing for the art fair.  The cattail series quickly became my favorite subject matter....it was a great opportunity to learn to paint foreground and interpret intermediate ground using color rather than detail.  Each of the paintings presented something new and fun, and I am hoping to return to them soon. 

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Crooked

Crooked, oil on gessobord, 5x7"

This is painted from an intense zoom of a photo, of the plant life lining the water's edge of Lake Nevin at Bernheim. The crooked reeds drew my eye to them over the cattails I have been painting.  I worked with four colors which made it challenging and fun.

Celebration

Celebration, oil on canvas 9x 12"

The background turned out just the way I wanted it too on this painting. So for this, I am entitling it "Celebration"!!

Crowded

Crowded, oil on gessobord, 6x6"

I attempted over the weekend to paint outside. Or I guess you could say, I DID paint outside for over 2 hours, took what home what I worked on to try and tweak them in my studio. Not satisfied with the results, I wiped the paintings away with turp and tried to get on with the rest of my day. 

At midnight I was frustrated that I had not "accomplished" anything so I went back to painting.  What resulted was two relatively loose and quick sketches. I used a limited palette and zoomed in to a tiny portion of a photo I had taken on site. This made it a bit blurry which helped in the end to paint quickly. And that is the end of the story.

Composed

Composed, Oil on Canvas, 14"x18"

When I was researching a bit about cattails, I discovered that the majority of the plant is edible, and Native Americans used them for food and in their basket weaving. The one thing that is constant is they are always found near water. That's probably the reason why I have always loved them and have become enamored with painting them. 

Close up

Close Up, oil on gessobord, 6x8"

I have so many pictures of these lake banks to choose from so I guess I will have to paint them all until I am able to get outside more. Each cattail paintings I have and am working on, even though different, is allowing me to work on several things:  

1) more abstraction

2) more gestural painting (perfect subject matter for this)

3) the push/pull of background vs. foreground

One thing in particular in regards to #3, that is allowing me to stay fresh with the subject matter, is the darker foreground colors of nature vs. the lighter, pastel, and often stark white of the background.  I am having to work very hard not to make everything the same value, which, unfortunately is easily done, and causes everything to appear washed out.  Adding the right amount of contrast (which is always there in nature even if you don't see it at first glance) is taking extra effort and thought. I am lingering longer at what I think is a finished painting, and then working more.

Cattails 2

Cattails 2, oil on canvas, 10x20"

Another day of fun, loose and colorful painting. AND it's on canvas :-)  AND it's bigger :-) :-). Tell me what you think....I think I am onto a new series.

Cattails

Cattails, oil on gessobord, 6x8"

I was able to do some hiking over the weekend and took some photos around the squishy borders of lake Nevin at Bernheim.  I didn't take my gear with me to paint, because I knew the ground would be severely saturated from the snow melt. I did focus on some beautiful close-ups of cattails, one of my favorite plants. I love them because when they open, their little wispy fluffs set free by the wind.  These were so fun to paint as well. They definitely kept me loose and from getting into "detail-itis".