Blog

Did I show you all this little oil painting I made earlier this week when up on federal hill with the Wednesday painting group?

Its the carriage house to the north of the main house: loved how the dogwood tree contrasted with the shady side of the building.

Unfortunately, the wind was too bad to paint from life, so we made sketches and took photos, then worked in the studio.

8×10 oil on canvas

Some step by step progress photos of the oil painting of the Market House Theatre I made the other day while visiting Paducah, Kentucky: very friendly and artsy river town.

Looking forward to visiting again!

Greetings while plein air painting from the ’other’ side of the Ohio River: Fort Massac, Illinois. This is where Lewis and Clark stayed for 3 days on their trip out west-they recruited their interpreter here.

Created with photos or technology—painted directly from observation and my emotional response: while the wind blew, and the shadows crept up the buildings. One building a little skinnier than it should be, but I wanted to squeeze it all in.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

The march trend in Kentucky seems to be: either no wind and no sun, or sun with lots of wind!

I’m in Flemingsburg hoping to catch this sun without being Carried off to munchkin land!

Wish me luck!

sorry for no sketch…was busy chasing this palette before it floated into the creek! I have an ok underpainting. Let’s get some color out!

If you are the kind of person who likes your artists to suffer for their art, you’ll LOVE this painting. Other than being happy to paint sunshine, this has been a miserable experience. ive had too keep my left hand (freezing) in n the palette, to keep it from blowing away. ok, enough crybaby me…let’s get back to work!!!

Spring suffering 8×10 oil on canvas

My neighbors at Blevins Daylily Farm gave me permission to paint some of their daffodils. I’m so honored to be here. Hope to capture some of the natural beauty that surrounds me right now

Here’s my sketch. Flowers painting is a whole other ballgame. My first try for the season. Let’s dive in and paint!!!

The values are worked out. Color time! Hope I brought enough YELLOW!!!

Aaah, the artists life! what In the world was I thinking when I chose to work in this position?!?!

Well, this is not the first time daffodils have been my ruination. I had a lot of fun, but between the moving light, flowers constantly moving in the wind…and my poor choice of posture. Those flowers broke me, lol!

I’m not one to give up. I’m going to try again, but will pick a better time of day and perspective.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Thanks again Dana and Susie for letting me paint your flowers!

Greetings from the Woodlawn Cemetery in vanceburg ky! Some of the lewis county ancestors are tricksters: knocked my paint box down with the wind. I’m going to be respectful and hope they will let me get a painting!

Here’s my sketch with the composition: going to try and get the whole bend in the river with town in the foreground, mountains in the background

I have my values worked out. Time for color!

mid day isn’t the best time for dramatc colors, but I have a color harmony worked out. now it’s detail time

Still working. Can’t say my office doesnt have a nice view

Vanceburg-ancestors view march 2024.

8×10 oil on panel

Greetings from historic old Washington. It’s been wet all day, and I wasn’t sure if I’d get a chance to catch a painting. These trees are demanding to be painted.

Working the values out: tricky on an overcast day, with dark brick, white brick and blossoms

I’m going to call this the awkward teenager stage. I hope it will turn out ok, but there’s a fear it’ll break bad and grow up to be dysfunctional.

I’m feeling better now that I’m pretty sure my unruly teenager is going to be ok and NOT bring shame and scandal to the family name

Taylors Corner On A Grey Day In March 2024

oil on board
8×10″

I haven’t been able to get out and paint until today. Went to visit my art/plein air buddy Sue Ellen Gorman. She lives in one of those beautiful and wonderful parts of Kentucky where cell phones can’t reach you: so instead of sharing each step of my painting live as it happens: you are getting a playback this evening from home:

Here’s my sketch. I want the blossoming tree to be the star of the show, but I also like the dark evergreens in the background.

My underpainting, with the basic composition and values more or less worked out.

The first color choices. We are looking into the sun, so it’s a little bit tricky with the color work.

this painting has lots of oil and shine. I’ll take a better photo once it’s dry in a week or so.

Early Bloomer
oil on panel
8×6″

Thanks Sue Ellen! For sharing your neighbor’s beautiful blossoming tree–and the delicious dinner afterwards!

It’s a cold grey one today, so I thought the cheery bright white toll house had an interesting contrast with the trees in the background.

Painting my response from direct observation: no photos or technology.

Sketched this composition…using different shades of pencil to work out some values during the sketch phase

Brrr…49 degrees and dropping. this temp wouldn’t be bad if there were some sunshine or no wind. Sorry for being a crybaby…yes, I am living my dream: just didn’t want you all to get the wrong impression that the artist life is all sunshine and rainbows. My values are worked out on the board. Color time! And by color, I mean grey, lol!

the colors are more or less in place. Now it’s bringing it all together and a few details…

Well, that’s a wrap!!! Looking forward to some spring flowers and sunshine next week!

The Toll House 8×10” oil on panel