We Came, We Saw, We Painted 2013 (Wisconsin Plein Air Painters Association and the Art*Bar)

Here are the 4 Pieces accepted into this juryed show at the Art Bar!

Opening May 10th

Come join us for art, fun and Music

Awards at 8:30 

http://wipapa.blogspot.com/2013/04/join-us-may-10th-at-artbar-we-came-we.html

New Harmony and the start of the Plein Air Season

Every year I look forward to what I call the "start" of the plein air season. For me it begins with a trip about 8 hours south from me in a beautiful little antique town called New Harmony Indiana (http://www.newharmony.org/) where I get an early peek at spring and where the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association holds a competition! There are a number of opportunities to enter starting with what is called the "Field to Finish" competition. Every year you can do a simple sketch during the competition with the thought in mind of using it as a resource for a completed studio painting. Then the next year you submit both pieces to the Hoosier Salon (http://www.hoosiersalon.org/newharmony.html)  . The opening of this body of work is the kick off for the event! They hung mine in the window this year!!!

So Gentle the Harvest
18x18 oil
$700
Available at the Hoosier Salon, New Harmony through May!

My husband grew up in this area and so it is never an art only trip. We stay with his mom and visit with the rest of his family and friends. This year when we arrived we all had some health issues to deal with. I had to go to Urgent Care as I woke with a screaming pain in my jaw and face. I was diagnosed with TMJ...an issue with the jaw joint and nerve. It defiantly put a damper on things and made it difficult to concentrate on painting.

Monday-Wednesday saw some great weather in the 70's and even 80's. Daffodil's and tulips up and forsythia were in bloom when we arrived. By the time we left the dogwood, lilac's and red bud were all out and the place was greening up fast!! I got to warm up the brushes a little on tuesday!

Forsythia
12x12 oil
sold

However all that great weather blew out of there on Thursday which is when the competition began. Had I known I would have brought my snow pants with me!!

March Solo Show: Washington House Inn: Cedarburg!

20 Pieces are up and ready for you at the Washington House Inn in Cedarburg! Stop in and see them or better yet stay a night at one of the coolest Bed and Breakfasts in the area!! http://www.washingtonhouseinn.com/

The Gift: Guess what I got for Valentine's Day??Roses

Roses I
5x7 oil on linen panel
$80

Roses II
5x7 oil on linen panel
$80

Been itching to paint these since Thursday!!! Just a couple of small ones!! :)

My First Ever Self Portrait!

Self Portrait
16x20 oil on linen panel

I've never done a self portrait before and (as my grandson's classmate said the other day) I am old. 59 in fact. I have been painting now for over thirteen years and I thought it was time to tackle my own face.  The model kept moving...can you believe it? I did learn a lot and will probably do this again not because I am enamored with myself but because I am determined to learn how to paint people in all their nuances! I did discover a real cool way to make a lovely deep flesh tone by mixing Grumbacher Red and Richeson Shiva Yellow Citron (which is a relatively new color on my palate that I am in love with). My friend Carolyn said I was the kid in school who always had the big box of crayons!! Ha!

Loosy Goosey:

8x10 oil on linen panel

Just how loose can one get and still have have the mind create form?  What does this look like to you?? Today's experiment...

30 Day Challenge: Epilog

I sit today surrounded by the distinct smell of oil paint and 30 fresh new painting. I have most of them in frames which I did as a protective measure. For the most part I did not paint small. Five of them are 8x8 and the rest vary up to one 16x20 so storing wet painting with thick paint applied with palette knife was a bit of a challenge!

Starting next Tuesday you can find these paintings at Gallori in Oconomowoc WI:

And this piece has already found a great home!!