The Marquess Barn, 9x12

"The Marquess Barn" 9x12" Pastel on sanded paper

Last Saturday morning I gave a two hour demo at Amato's Gallery and here is what I came up with. Of course, chatting with visitors is my favorite part, but because of the crowd, I chose to wait to finish it up. So I brought it home to my quiet place in the studio to finish. For me, there is no place like my studio to "contemplate the universe" as I work in quiet solitude. Interestingly enough, today I had a discussion with another artist about what we think about when we create. I have never been able to clearly explain what thoughts go through my mind while I am painting, but I think it is sort of a meditation, or maybe my mind is in complete concentration. Whatever it is, I like it a lot and think that it does a world of good.

This barn is the view from our family's farm house in Creswell, OR. This is the Marquess Barn, just south of our property line. Even though Spring is in full force at the time of this post, the photo reference for this painting is of course during the height of last Fall. There is so much beauty in this area of our nation: quiet, rolling hills with an occasional horse dotting the landscape, a broken down tractor or a winding river that divides a farmers land. This is what I search for as we drive home to the farm.

Little Lava Lake, 9x12 & Studio Sale update

"Little Lava Lake" 9x12" Pastel on sanded paper

As I was preparing for my Studio Sale/Christmas show, I stumbled across a pile of artwork that was somehow squirreled away in a portfolio in my closet. Now, this either tells me that I'm losing my memory or I'm a pack rat! Maybe someday I will find a stash of exotic treasures hidden away next time I'm preparing for a show! After all, I have been clearing out all my "stuff" and it has proven to be a much needed cleansing.

This one (above) was painted last summer on my trip to the Central Oregon area and had somehow escaped me. Like finding a lost friend, I looked at it with fresh eyes and decided it was a nice piece after all! Always the critic within!

Anyway, I'm glad to announce that my Open Studio went very well! We figured around 5o or so visitors that found homes for 22 pieces of art! To market this event I used Facebook, email, and standard mailers. Interesting enough, the most successful method of promotion was primarily a combination of both email and Facebook. The traditional snail-mail had the least amount of return.

Michele, me and Christine at my Open Studio

I always seem to be "laughing' in every post! Gosh, maybe a shot of me with my mouth closed would be nice, huh? As a testament to my friends, they are a great support and am so glad to have such a great group who support me and my ambitions. And now the new work begins!

Cast Shadows: Pacific Northwest Plein Air Landscape"

"Tabor Firs" 12x9" Pastel on sanded paper Sold

"Color Stance" 12x16" Pastel on sanded paper. Sold

These two pieces were accepted into an upcoming show called "Cast Shadows: Pacific Northwest Plein Air Landscape" that will be held at the Aurora Gallery. Show dates are posted in the "Upcoming Events" section to the right.

Honestly, I have been to several art shows, but Plein Air work, by far, knocks my socks off compared to studio work! And believe me, I do plenty of studio work to be able to say this without shame. To me, Plein Air work is so much more spontaneous and colorful than my studio work and I believe this is because I'm painting against the clock, racing to get the images down before the shadows change or the light is gone. Spontaneous, yes...and fresh!

Contemplating Gold, 24x24

"Contemplating Gold" 24 x 24" Pastel on sanded paper

I've been working on this for about a month and after many incidental distractions, I came back to it with fresh eyes. This is another addition to my "Variations on a Scene" series of the family farm. Again, the point of view is the same direction, but a bit closer and another time of day and season. Moody? Warm? Yeah. This time, I didn't take photos of the stages on this one, but I did take a video. I'm hoping to post that some time in the future. This one took a while longer because there has been a lot going on in my home. With the kids getting ready for the end of the school year, there have been ooodles of end of year programs and tournaments. I'm loving this stage with my kids...they are my fuel for art. When I come down from parenting, I go to my art with fresh eyes and high motivation to make another. I'm loving the journey!

Clover and Vineyard

"Field of Rubies" 9 x 12" Pastel on sanded paper

The weather has been incredible these past weeks in the Northwest. I was able to go out twice last week with my painting buddie Gretha. There is never enough time to paint it all, and the landscapes out in the rural areas are just spectacular this time of year! Some of the farmers have planted transition crops of red clover to nourish the soil. There are patches of it all down the Sunset Corridor (aka Hwy 26). This clover peaks in color in the morning and then the intensity dulls by mid-day. The sound of the bees working on the clover makes me feel intoxicated. And the hot sun on my skin...I'm feeling like summer is almost here!

"Vineyard Poppies" 9 x 12" Pastel on sanded paper

This vineyard was located in Forest Grove. I think it was Tualatin Valley Estates. I'm not even sure just how we got there. We followed the hills looking for red clover, but this was too beautiful to pass up. Gretha and I stayed for about 2 hours, some of that time was spent figuring out our pochade boxes. Again, I felt rusty, but not for long.

Harvest Glow... revisited

"Harvest Glow"  24 x 24"  Pastel on sanded paper

Gosh, I just seem to be fighting with myself about this piece!  It was the sky that bothered me. Like one of those thistles that gets stuck in your sock when trampling in a field!  Yuck!

I sat with it for awhile after the first post...waiting to figure out the answer.  And sure enough, the skies cleared here in Oregon enough for me to study them as a passenger in the car.  I'm often looking at the scenery when I'm driving and have come to the realization that I'm better off a passenger.  Anyway, I digress.  Here I've lightened up the higher clouds.  They were too orange last time around.  So, I had to wash off what I previously painted. I went outdoors and took the garden hose and washed the entire upper portion off!  It's hard to let go of all that precious pigment, but for what it's worth, the painting means more to me.  As the pigment washed away, I saw the original underpainting that had stained the Wallis paper.  This is my blueprint.  After it dried, I took it inside and started in on it again with more courage.  I tried to keep it simple and to not noodle with, keeping it fresh.  Hoping it worked!   Comments welcomed.

Orange Mist (study), 6x6

"Orange Mist (study)", 6x6"  Pastel on sanded paper

Back in October I had an Open Studio and created many, many small demonstration pieces. Some have since been finished, after adding more detailing, and then posted to this blog.  Some have simply been tossed into a pile of what I'd call "lessons learned".  This one piece in particular needed no touching up....no noodlin' or fussy touch ups!  A 15 minute piece!  Personally, I've always struggled to keep my work loose.  It's been a challenge for me, since I was brought up and encouraged to paint just like a photo realist.  As a child my teachers and parents would look and say, "Gosh, it looks just like the real thing!"  This encouragement helped me to continue with my work. Since then, I've worked to loosen up, with the encouragement of other artists that I admire.  I can make more art in less time now, leaving the photo realism for another day.

How were you encouraged as a child?  Did you continue or change? How has it affected your art?

Reds and Reeds (study), 6x6

"Reds & Reeds" (study), 6x6" pastel on sanded paper

Feeling a little happy from the recent news, the creative juices have been flowing! Stopped by two galleries today: Broderick Gallery and Portland Classic Gallery to see what's new and to get a boost. It's so awesome to view other's work, see the brushstrokes, colors, feelings.

I picked this one image up from my favorite Reference Image Library. Once started from my demos during Portland Open Studios, I've decided to finish it up. I'm so glad I did. There are so many ideas I'd like to put to paper! I'm thinking about making changes in my work, wanting to brighten up my palette and work on brushstroke quality more and more. I'm not sure if this one painting really does what I'm desiring but just the same, I'm so drawn to water themes and soft soothing scenes. It's hard to change a way or style of an artist's work, just like trying to change the color of your wool carpet. It's dyed into me.

Estuary at Dusk, 24x24

"Estuary at Dusk" 24x24" Pastel on sanded paper

Well, I wasn't so confident on posting "Estuary at Dusk", so I put it back up onto the easel and made some adjustments. The lower band of orange is gone...well, it's lightened up a bit. I took a foam brush and brushed off the offending orange/red. Then I applied a yellow and then a peach in the exposed area. Next, I scumbled some hot pink over the yellow/peachy horizon and stepped back to take the adjustments in. So, I'm generally pleased with how it came out. There are still a few minor touch-ups I'm going to address before I call it done and then I'll pull it off the easel. But for now, here it is!

Estuary at Dusk, 24x24

"Estuary at Dusk" 24x24" Pastel on sanded paper

I've been hesitant to post this one painting for some time now. It's been sitting in my studio since my Open Studio back in October. This is a different direction from my usual waterscapes, adding a sunset and trees. And the clouds...boy are clouds difficult to paint! During Open Studio I had it near completion and on display with a "title" suggestion box so that my visitors could help with a title. Well, here it is, and I'm still not so sure on it being finished but I'm just going to jump in and post it anyway! However, I am sure of the title that was selected from an entry by K.C. Rumble. There were some very good suggestions, but this one seems to fit. As promised, the visitor [K.C. Rumble] who submitted the winning title will receive a fine 12x12" Giclee' reproduction of this piece. So, thanks K.C. for such a great title!

Roll Call (study), 6x6

"Roll Call" 6x6", Pastel on sanded paper

Well, I do have another study of a farm, but this one comes from the Image Reference Library on Wetcanvas. As posted below from my Open Studio series, a good number of the previous small studies were images taken from this library. All are copyright-free photos, available to study from. This library is quite the resource for artists. This little barn has seen better days, with it's slumpy roofline. My husband came up with the title "Roll Call" and so it is!
Offered through PayPal, unframed, $75.00.

Color Field II (study), 6x6

"Color Field, study II" 6x6", pastel on sanded paper

This is the last and final study of my small farm studies. This particular one is so colorful! I'm really liking the combination of colors and the warm and cool play of the landscape. I started this one off with a vibrant red underpainting in the field area, and a yellow underpainting in the sky. I'm pretty close to making a LARGE series of these studies. Maybe... we'll see. Anyway, I can't hold myself down to any particular direction now, but maybe that's just what I need. $75.00, unframed.

Ponderosa Hillside (study), 6x6

Ponderosa Hillside", 6x6" Pastel on sanded paper

Have you ever spent time in the California Sierras? The climate is very hot in the summer months, and I wanted to portray the temperature in my painting "Ponderosa Hillside". It's reminiscent of my visits camping in the Lake Tahoe area as a kid. Oh, the beautiful area that takes all your troubles away, washing out the business of city life. If this piece seems familiar, that is because this is my pastel demonstration #3 that I painted on my second day of Portland Open Studios. Now it's completed, giving it the much needed color and detail. $75.00, unframed.

Color Field I (study), 6x6

"Color Field study", 6x6" Pastel on sanded paper SOLD

Here is the second study of the 3 farm series. I'm really, really liking this one and I have decided that I will keep this one for my own personal reasons. The feelings I get when looking at this painting of my Grandparents' farm are that of my youth and longing to belong, the smell of the cut crops, the colors, and true fondness..... It makes me feel good. Isn't that what art is supposed to do? Having that connection to a piece of art, when it creates a bond, and feeling of great pleasure to the eyes is the reason why I paint. This is what it does for me.

Bishops' View, 9x9

What a day! I went out with my painting buddie, Gretha, to plein-air paint at 2 lavender farms today! What a day! The temps rose to around 91 degrees even in the shade, but we kept painting well into the late afternoon till 6pm. We first started out at Jackson School Lavender farm around 10am and worked till we were done at 1:00. Ate our lunches and headed over to Bishop House Lavender farm. Above is the result from that location. Both Gretha and I sold our pieces right off the easel! Now that was fun!

Beyond the Lavender, 15x11

"Beyond the Lavender" 15x11"

Packed my painting bags and went out to Jackson School Lavender farm in the late afternoon to plein-air paint. This was the first for me to paint so late in the day, but what colors there were! As the sun drifted lower and lower, the fields got warmer and warmer. The gravel from which I painted even had a pinkish cast to it. This coming weekend is The lavender festival and many local farmers are hosting artists as well as the general public to come out and enjoy their fields. In this piece, I injected the fields with aqua, rust and yellow ochre to give it some punch, although the colors may seem a bit off due to monitor settings. I spent most of my time on the background this time around, working on the depth of the scene. Enjoy!

Peony View 5.5x11

"Peony View" 5.5x11" Pastel


Here is my work in progress. It looks like a view through a window!


In the element...

Another great day out painting en plein-air at a beautiful peony farm in North Plains, OR. We had 15 artists in all, including Gretha (my painting buddie), Bev, Kathy, Patty, Mary, Phyllis, and of course a few others from our Paint Out Group. This time, I decided to paint sitting, and I found it more relaxing than usual. The only disappointment to sitting while painting is that I can't easily stand back to view my work in progress. In the above shot of me, I'm using my new modified Open M Box which I just love! It carries my pastels with absolutely no breakage! I've put memory foam in it, which is the best thing about it! I may post the modifications some time in the future.

"Paulina Marsh" 5.5x4

"Paulina Marsh" 5.5x4

On the same trip to Central Oregon as the previous post below, I came upon a beautiful lake that was formed by volcanic activity. Paulina Lake has a lot more bluish-greens than most lakes because of the overgrowth of algae and offers interesting edges on the shoreline. I'm offering this little original pastel study framed in a simple, black metal frame with a spacer between the pastel and the Antique White matboard. Shipped the next day to your continental US location. Monitor colors may vary.


FRAMED: $75.00 + $8.00 shipping continental US only.