The Wheat Harvest

All week as I have been driving to Cedarburg I have watched as the wheat ripened a crazy yellow-gold color. Quickly it is harvested. As Cedarburg is closer to Lake Michigan then we are the grain hadn't ripened there yet or I surely would have painted it!  So today when the weather is amazing (70's and light breeze, sunny) I just had to paint it!!! This field is not to far from my home. I decided to do a small 6x6 quick study first so as to work out color, value and composition. I give myself about 15 minutes for this. In the study I didn't like how the tree landed right in the middle so I decided to keep it off to the left some in the larger piece. I may go back again this evening when the light is low!

Wheat Harvest-Study 6x6 oil

Wheat Harvest
12x12 oil

Painting Beloit and Evansville

117 Main
12x12 oil on panel
(Evansville WI)

So much painting this week!! On the 31st of May the Beloit Plein Air Competition began with work being turned in on Thursday June 7th. I painted 2 days as it is an hour and a half drive for me! This year we were allowed to paint on the whole Beloit College campus. What a beautiful place! I was drawn to the corner of the Campus called the "Poetry Garden" over and over again. Then one evening the dam on the Rock River grabbed my attention. Here are my results!

"Entrance to the Past"
20x16 oil on panel
(Beloit College, Beloit)

SOLD
"Silent Verse"
20x16 oil on panel
(Beloit College, Beloit)

"Taming the Wild"
12x9 oil on panel
(Beloit)

I painted a studio piece of my friend Carolyn walking through the Peonies in Green Lake:

"Carolyn in the Poenies"
20x10 oil on panel
(Studio) 

Then I spent a morning painting with my friend Marcia in her amazing flower garden:

"Marcia's Roses"
9x12 oil on panel
(Milwaukee)

And an afternoon painting with my friend Gail near my home in Ashppun: 

"Farm on Davidson
12x12 oil on panel
(Ashippun)

And finally I painted in the most delightful small town called Evansville WI... Magical!!! (See first photo...117 Main)

All works are available!!!!

Next up CEDARBURG!!!!

Now this is Exciting: 6" Squared

I am soooo excited and honored! These two pieces have been chosen out of 1200 to participate in the second 6" Squared show, sale and competition at the Randy Higbee (aka King of Frames) Gallery in Costa Mesa CA. Birthed on Facebook the first of these events (held in Dec 2010) brought an absolutely amazing body of work together from around the globe and savey collectors flocked to the show. All the works are 6"x6"...no exceptions. I have learned to love working in this format as it offers some exciting compositional challenges...Wish me luck!


The Event:

The Randy Higbee Gallery is hosting the second 6" Squared Exhibition and Sale. Once again, we will bring Nationally acclaimed traditional representational artists to a spectacular venue in Orange County, California. A Gala Artists' Reception will be held Saturday, April 16. The show will run through May 6th.

Click here for more info!!: 6" Squared Exhibition and Sale: Spring 2011

Square #27 Hoarfrost

Square #27 Hoarfrost
6x6 oil $100

All the Trees of the Field shall clap their Hands!

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12

Trees Clapping II 12x12 oil

Trees Clapping I oil 12x16

Ok... so at about 5:15 this morning I opened one eye and saw such a beautiful misty morning I couldn't believe it! I rarely bolt out of bed but that is what I did indeed! The field across the street from my house was sure to be incredible as the sun came up and burned through the fog. I dressed quickly against the mosquitoes that I was sure would be breakfast hungry... grabbed my cart and raced across the street. The bottom picture is what it looked like when I first got there. The 3rd from the top what it looked like about 45 minutes later...what an incredible change! It was still so beautiful I decided to try for one more before full out sun. I dashed back to the house for my needed umbrella...set it up and worked on the second one...very different light! I am writing this at about 8:15 after I have made coffee , downloaded the photos and lit up the computer so you get some idea of how fast these went. I am content!

I won an award!! Brush with the Wind" WIPAPA's first juried show!

"A Place in the Shade" 8x10 oil on panel

available $225

This piece took one of 3 first place awards at the Brush with the Wind show!! I feel so honored!!

I painted this at Old World Wisconsin http://oldworldwisconsin.wisconsinhistory.org/) which is an outdoor museum of sorts. It is a beautiful place where they have moved old barns from all over the state and created small ethnic villages denoting the varies ethnic groups who settled the state. The day I was there was a free day right after the kids got out of school...it was crowded! I had a hard time keeping the kids from putting their hands in my paints!! Just look at these munchkins!!

Check out this video! http://www.youtube.com/user/OldWorldWisconsin

Sheep and a tractor!

Tractor on Washington
8x10 Pastel




Shear Buddies
5x7 Pastel

Accepted!!

Into the League of Milwaukee artists Anderson Arts Center show Kenosha Wisconsin!!! This makes me happy! And Grateful! My Neighbor 12x16 oil on canvas