2015 Cedarburg Plein Air Event: TOMORROW it begins!!! JOY!

So what's it like for the artists the day before an event like this? For me, as a mom,  I feel the kind of giddy I felt when my kids were little and it was Christmas eve. You see in a similar way it's all about preparedness. 

Did I do enough, shop enough, rest enough...you know, am I enough for this??? Will people like what I produce? 

So I have made my list and checked it 500 times!

Paint? check.

Brushes? check.

Canvas? Sizes? check...check.

Paper towels? check.

Solvent? check.

Frames...sizes? check check check...I hope!

Night lights? check.

Batteries? check.

Easel? check.

Framing tools? check

Raincoat and hat? check.

Umbrella/s? check.

Sunscreen? Bug Spray? check...check.

Lawn chair? check.

Wet panel carrier? check.

What am I forgetting???

One thing you should really know...well before the artists get to your community to paint...they have made quite a large financial commitment. It can be in the thousands of dollars!) Then they still need to travel, eat and sometimes find housing.

Here's the bottom line...Just like most Christmases in my house...The first time I pick up my brush to paint the JOY comes! Hope to see you there!!!

7 and 8 and 9 on the 11th...HELP I am way behind!! (30/30 Challenge)

I am behind in the challenge but I am still painting! No need to explain...just normal for my crazy life these days!! 

On Monday I decided to paint from a plein air study I did earlier in the summer in a beautiful garden center near me. There was something about the study I really liked and it is closer to the direction I want my work to take so I got out my 20x16 canvas and began by laying in an under painting using only paper towel. Where was the darkest dark going...the lightest light? What were the dominant contrasting colors and what colors were supporting? Mindfully defining the abstract shapes under the painting. The under painting only took maybe a half hour and as you can see a big chunk of the work was done.

Next I got out my palette knife which has become my best friend these days. Then I began to lay in the design on top of the still very wet under painting. As this can become a muddy mess very quickly I concentrated on keeping the "pieces of color" fresh and separate from each other so the eye does the blending and not the paint! That's how "Daisy Riot" was born!!

"Daisy Riot"
20x16 oil on linen panel

Here's a photo of both the field study and the completed painting...

Then on Tuesday I painted from my mind and memory "Tall Grass Meditation" (12x12) and a small 6x6 cloud study. If I can do two today I will be caught up!!! Whew!!