Category Archives: Plein Air

It’s been awhile ~~ here’s my latest painting!

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I just finished an intensive four day workshop with outstanding local artist and teacher, Bernie Dellario. We were expected to make up a ‘color chart’ exploring the ways in which 3 tube colors (yellow, red & blue) + white could mix together to make virtually all the colors you might want.

We also painted ten 3-value monochrome paintings; ten 3-value color paintings; and a plein air painting which we then translated into a larger ‘studio painting’ (hopefully retaining the 3-value structure of the studies). Here’s my 16″ x 20″ studio painting of our cannas, through which we can enjoy our neighbor’s yard.

Cannas, Bamboo & Joe Pye?? Oil on linen panel. 16×20.

Here are the initial monochrome and color studies. Note that I included the bushy Joe Pye plant (?) in the black & white study; left it out of the color study; and then re-inserted it in the larger piece. Am glad I did – it’s now my favorite part of the painting!

  • B&W 3 value study.
  • 3 value color study.

Mississippi Workshop – Part II. Water & Wildlife.

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It would be impossible to retrace our workshop footsteps and recount all of our painting triumphs and pratfalls, so I’ll just say:  WATER and WILDLIFE!   We spent every day painting by beautiful waters ~~ the old Ocean Springs harbor, the gentle marshes of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the sparkling Ocean Springs beaches and the marshy streams meandering down to the shore.  Here are a few shots of the waters we enjoyed.

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And as for the wildlife, there was a feast for the eyes ~~ from bombardier pelicans, sunning alligators, eel-gulping herons, osprey, crab and who knows what else.  And I guess we have to count as ‘wildlife’ the daring youngsters, male and female, who paddle boarded within feet of the alligator after he decided to take a dip in the harbor.

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Remembering Our Recent Workshop on Mississippi Gulf Coast – Part 1

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In writing my last post, I realized I hadn’t described our recent workshop in any detail.  It was great ~~ a delightful mix of ‘7 Palettes‘ painting buddies and Kathy Stowe, another Maryland-based friend; two of my sisters (Ceci & Susan); and three other Coast-based artists — Marylyn Gibson, Sherry Carlson and Curtis Jaunsen.  And of course our most excellent instructor, Marc Hanson.

Marc and Terry Miura are two of my most favorite landscape painters (not to take anything away from our outstanding MD-based artists).  Painting ‘rock stars’ in my book.  I’ve taken workshops with each of them and our 7Ps group sponsored a workshop with Terry not long ago.  It was fun to learn that they both trained at the same school in California!  Must be something in the water (or the OMG) out there!

Here are the beautiful demos that Marc did during our four day workshop.  I bought ‘On Canal by Old OS Harbor’ as a memento of the wonderful experience.

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The ‘7 Palettes’ Kicked Off a Summer-long Exhibit Yesterday!

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Yesterday, some friends and I, who collaborate on all things art as The 7 Palettes,  opened a new exhibit in Bethesda, Maryland.  Our art — some 40+ pieces — will be displayed for three months at Maplewood Park Place on Old Georgetown Road.  Come see our pretties, please — any day between now and August 24, from 10 to 4 daily.   And congratulations to Sara Becker, whose large abstract painting sold during the Opening Reception!!  Way to go, Sara!

 

Our Kentlands Exhibit is Featured in Today’s Washington Post!

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Today’s Maryland edition of the Washington Post showcases our new Kentlands Exhibit in its Going Out Guide.  Congrats to Nancy Butler on the use of her beautiful painting, Difficult Run, to represent the work of the Seven Palettes!  Come see this lovely exhibit anytime through September 5th.WAPO 7 07 2016 Going Out Guide

 

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Catching Up on Recent Paintings ~ Somber House

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view from my back door, painted 'live'

View from my back door, painted ‘live’.  Oil on Arches Oil Paper.

I’m kind of a housebody (take after my grandmother Ceci), so I don’t often paint ‘plein air’.  While my art buddies were out painting in the hot summer sun, I decided to paint what I see out of my back door window daily.

I’m thinking that lovely blue sky is too cheerful for the mood of the painting.  What do you think??

A Second Painting for the Writers Center Exhibit

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Here’s another of my paintings to be featured at the Writers Center exhibit, opening in late June.  A ‘plein air’ painting (done in the great outdoors) painted along S Street, NW, DC, in a workshop offered by Carol Rubin, another wonderful artist.

three colorful bushes on S Street, NW, DC

S Street Lollipops.  Oil on Linen Panel.

 

Painting/Padding the Neighbors’ Weeping Cherry Again

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Beautiful Memorial Day weekend, leisurely breakfast at the kitchen table, spotting a bird flitting away from the weeping cherry next door. Just had to do a quick celebratory iPad painting of the tree — now decked out in its full greens, beautifully offset by the juicy dark shadows under the flowing branches. Have a good, peaceful and remembering weekend.

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Weeping Cherry. original iPad painting.