Playing around...

with more studies on paper...

Study 22. acrylic on canvas paper. 6 x 4"


Study 23. acrylic on canvas paper. 6 x 4"

Study 24. acrylic on canvas paper. 6 x 4"

You can find a few of these works featured in Finding Fine Art treasuries on Etsy here and here!

Weekend gardening

Lately I have had a small break from painting, and have shifted into gardening. Last weekend was so beautiful (at least Saturday was), Derek and I couldn't resist beginning our first garden! Growing up, my grandparents always had a very large garden, and my parents usually kept a smaller one. You would think I would know lots and lots about it, but of course, I don't. This year I am committed to learning. We have an incredibly small starter garden to begin with...we will plant 2 kinds of tomatoes, lettuce, and a few herbs (basil, thyme, chives, etc.). See how it goes...I don't have the best track record for keeping plants alive.

How about you? Anyone planning on keeping a garden this year? If you have some advice, I'd gladly take it!

New Painting

April 22nd. oil and acrylic on canvas. 20 x 17"

New Paintings - studies

Study 14. acrylic on paper

Study 13. acrylic on paper.

Study 12. acrylic and graphite on paper.

Study 11. acrylic on paper

Study 10. acrylic on paper

the Magnolia

Our magnolia tree is beginning to bloom - I'm so excited! When we first bought our house in 2009, I was thrilled to find that there was a small magnolia tree in the backyard. Always have loved them. Growing up, I used to play under my grandmothers tall, beautiful magnolia. So fragrant and gorgeous in the spring!

Also, they provide wonderful inspiration for pink in a piece! I will use any reason to mix up some pink for a painting :) New works to come...

Photos

Last Sunday, Derek and I went out to enjoy the nice weather (almost 70 degrees!) and I began a few paintings. While I was setting up to work, we were almost attacked by geese and I wished that we had brought snacks to appease them. Those were some very demanding geese! I managed to get a few pictures of them, as they swam away after squawking around at us. Here are some other shots from around a trail that we like to walk, near the creek (which was unusually low). A few of the spring flowers were out, along with little fresh patches of bright grass.

one of the culprits...swimming away...

All in all, a good day.

Good luck to Derek tonight - He is teaching a drawing class at WV Wesleyan College and will be posting about it!

Spring has Sprung!

. . .and not a moment too soon. I had to celebrate the changing of seasons on my blog because it's very relevant to my art-making. As a plein air painter, spring means many more available painting days - much more production, and that's a good thing! I paint during the winter months here in West Virginia, and it can definitely be enjoyable. The silence and subtle coloring of the landscape are refreshing at times. But what a relief to leave behind my not-so-attractive, bright orange coveralls (okay, ugly) and icky black boots for jeans and a t-shirt! Here's my latest work that I painted on the 18th:

Also, tonight is the closing reception for a juried exhibition I am participating in titled small, etc. It's at the Jackson Kelly Gallery in Morgantown, WV from 5:30 - 7:00 pm. Anyone in the area should stop by!