Spring Greens

My next to the last class with these painters, and we painted spring flowers because it is Spring, after all. Everyone did a great job with this one. I had to finish mine at home.

Flower Painting

My husband surprised me with some flowers a couple weeks ago. When he is sweet enough to do something like that I record the moment for posterity.

Anniversary Flowers

My husband brought me some flowers for our anniversary last weekend. It's kind of a tradition that when he buys me flowers I paint them. That way I have a memory of them that lasts long after the flowers are gone. I waited a little too long to start on these, and the petals on the sunflowers had begun to curl. It doesn't really matter because I enjoyed the process and in the end that's what it's all about. If I ever stop feeling inspired to paint, I'll sell all my paints and brushes.

16 x 20

Anniversary Flowers

Light and Shadow

This is an example of a plein air painting that I began in the field and finished at home in my studio. I'm not always able to finish my outdoor studies. Sometimes the weather changes. Other times I spend too long on the details and the light changes so much I find myself doing what's known as "chasing the light."

For whatever reason, there are always going to be paintings that look great and need no modifications when you view them later, and there will be painting that need touch ups. Some plein air artists are purists. They won't modify a painting. Instead they will call it a field study and perhaps create a new painting using the study as a basis for color and value.

I'm not a purist. I don't want ugly paintings hanging out near me, so I will try to bring the painting to a place where it satisfies me. I've learned that I have to do this within a few days of painting the subject outdoors or my visual memory of the scene is likely to be gone. I also need a photograph if there was architecture or a building in the scene, to double check the perspective.

In this painting of a light post at Lakeside, Ohio, I knew I wanted to define the curves on the decorative roof accents and lighten the areas in the sun.

I'm displaying a photo of the finished painting, along with the photo I took as a reference to show the finished piece is not a photographic rendering. I maintained the structure, design and hues of the original and only used the photo as a guide to render the building more accurately and to place my shadows consistently. That's one problem with painting outdoors: your shadows will always move when you're painting on a sunny day.

Sunny Day Lakeside

9" x 12"

Daisies in an Orange Pitcher

These daisies were left over from an arrangement at work. You can always count on daisies to live longer than most flowers. I needed a break from another painting I have been working on for a few days and flowers are always fun to paint..

12" x 16" Spring Daisies

When Flowers Die

I planted some wildflowers in the spring and they have been blooming and re-blooming all summer. The frost has set in these past few weeks so I picked the remainder and put them in my small white milk pitcher. I wanted to do one last flower painting and I especially loved the firecracker daisies. Even when they're on their last legs they have unique colors and shapes that are fun to paint.

Wildflowers in a Vase

I planted some wildflowers in May and they are starting to look a bit droopy so I picked some of the better ones this morning. After I arranged them in a small vase I took them outside and proceeded to paint. The lovely yellow daisies look awesome contrasted with the lovely violet specimens. The dark shadow behind them is our white shed, in deep cast shadow. I'll miss my flowers when they're gone but I have this little painting to remind me that spring will be here again in April.

SOLD

The title bar is not working- I have no idea why. So I cannot post titles on these paintings. These are some black-eyed susans I painted yesterday.

Next is a picture of a ballet dancer who posed for our portrait group this morning. I hope to finish her next week.