Summer Plein Air Painting

Last week I traveled to the Irish Hills area of Michigan with four artist friends to do some plein air painting. We rented a house on Vineyard Lake and painted the countryside. We visited Hidden Lake Gardens the first day and painted a gazebo.

Hidden Lake Gazebo 11" x 14"

Loving the Evening Light

This painting began as a plein air piece and I finished it in the studio. There are many lovely cottages at Lakeside. Members of this historical gated community take pride in their neighborhood and most of the cottages proudly fly the stars and stripes. With so many beautiful cottages it's sometimes hard to decide which one to paint. It was the late afternoon light that drew me to this screened in porch, in particular the glowing light on the hanging basket.

12" x 16" Cottage Path

In Memory of Kellen

My fifteen year old nephew died from ALL leukemia 3-1/2 years ago. He would have been 19 this month. Every year around his birthday I think about doing a portrait of him for his mother, but I never have been able to look at pictures of him for too long without crying. Finally this year I was able to do the portrait. They say time heals all wounds but I think time just makes the wound more bearable. Kellen had the biggest widest grin on earth and a heart to match.

As a Christian, I know Kellen is in a far better place than here but that doesn't make his absence any easier for the family to bear.

Back on the Farm

I like going out to Sue's place to paint. She has seven acres in the country with a barn, an old chicken coop, some woods, a stream, a pasture and a stunning view of neighboring farmland. I am mostly drawn to the barn; I love its shape, but I have painted her manure spreader and a few of her other outbuildings. I was at Sue's place last fall when I needed a larger picture of the steer who was munching in the pasture and I climbed through the electrified fence to get one. Later she told me the steer was a bull and it might not have been the safest thing to do. I thought all bulls had horns so it hadn't occurred to me he that he wasn't neutered.

On Monday it was another view of the barn that interested me.

Sue's Barn, June

9" x 12"

More Plein Air Work

The second day of the Waterville Arts Council Plein Air event was last Friday and my friend and I decided to head out in the country. First we painted a corn crib east of town and in the afternoon we headed west toward Whitehouse. There is a barn on Finzel Road that I have always loved and the restaurant across the road was empty so we set our easels up under the overhang for shade.

Waterville Corn Crib

11" x 14" oil on canvas

Barn on Finzel Road, June

Plein Air Paintings

Tis the season! Warm weather and sunny spring days mean it's time to break out the easel and get outdoors to paint. I attended the first paintout of the season in Waterville June 5-7. The first day I arrived late and painted down by the river.

My first painting is a view looking westward down the Maumee River. I stood on a rocky riverbank and enjoyed myself.

11" X 14" oil on canvas

The second painting I completed that day is the Route 64 Bridge. It was built in the 1940's. The light was nice on this metal monster but I wonder if I painted it because it was a comfy place to paint; I was lazy and I didn't feel like moving my easel. I've heard the old adage that a good painter can find a painting anywhere but in my case I struggle. I like to be inspired and not have to make too much up.

11"x14" oil on canvas, Route 64 Bridge