Day 25: Redtwigs and Sunflowers

Redtwigs and Sunflowers
8x10 oil on linen panel
$225

                                                            

Day 25: This is the first painting in this series that I have painted from a photo...but I just had to do it. To keep it fresh I use a very quick sketch in clean pure chroma just enough to give me an idea of the space. Then I get out my palette knife and begin to lay in color...thick. I am really happy with this one! Hope you like it too!!

Sun Buckets and the Value of Critique

Sun Buckets

12x12 oil (Plein Air)

So Saturday I met with some of my group, the Wisconsin Plein Air Painters Association, to paint at the Southshore Park Farmers Market which is right on Lake Michigan. While the East cost was hunkering down for hurricane Irene here in the Mid-west we have been enjoying the stalled high that the hurricane provided. It was a stunningly beautiful day in the mid 70's and breezy. 

As I walked the area which was streaming with people and vendors all I could think was "simplify, simplify, simplify! But I kept returning to this flower lady and her buckets of sunflowers with the morning light causing them to glow. I started to paint fast! In 2 hours all those flowers were gone...sold! Then I turned my effort to work on the tent which rapidly became muddy. If I brightened it to show the sun on it it pulled my eye away from the focal point. But when I cooled it down it seemed dead. I was frustrated. 

After we painted we met as is our habit, to critique each others work. When it came time for mine we talked about the tent and one of my friends suggested that I change the color of the tent to blue. I liked that idea and it took me all of ten minutes to change it. You can see the painting before the change in the photo below.

Lesson: At some point in the painting process I need to be more concerned about making a painting then just copying what I see in front of me...:)

So Totally Pumped! These two pieces accepted in Randy Higbee's 6 Squared Show!!!

Soooo...off to Costa Mesa CA for these two little 6x6 inch oil pieces. They will be shown in some amazing company for sure! (http://www.randyhigbeegallery.com/Home.html) Opening night December 4th...show hangs till December 23rd...be there and get squared!!!

Sunflowers and digital alterations

Driven to create everyday...this is today's fun. Short bursts of sun shining through sunflowers...broken intense color, contrast, chroma. Frilly edges...botanical happiness!