A Walk Through The Park

 A Walk Through The Park

8x10, soft pastel

It was a gorgeous day in the park right after a rainfall. The colors were amazing and this piece was one of my favorite plein air pieces this year.  The pink tipped green grasses really caught my eye. The colors that morning were amazing.

Footbridge In Winter

 Footbridge In Winter

12x9, soft pastel

This one is a larger version of one painted in January.  It sold but my sweet husband wanted one too.  So, here’s the larger version just for him.

Ladies In Waiting

 Ladies In Waiting

9x12, soft pastel

Day 3 of the #pswc21n21 challenge: Sunrise on a farm...”ladies” quietly waiting to give birth in their separate paddock. It was a beautiful scene several years ago when I took a few pictures as I drove around the countryside. The sun way just coming up and softly highlighting these gals.  They were simply beautiful!

Catching up!

 Well....I painted several paintings in January that I failed to blog about...so in the spirit of catching up, I’ll post them now.  Fortunately, life is getting back to normal lately.  A very good thing indeed!

Footbridge In Snow

8x6, soft pastel

The Final Bloom

8x10, soft pastel

Little Brown Vase

6x6, soft pastel

Little Brass Bird

6x6, soft pastel

Taylor Made

12x12 soft pastel

Tin Roof - A Study

Tin Roof - A Study

6x8, pastel

This little guy is a study for a larger piece...at least, I think!   I'm going to stretch myself and participate in the Eagle Plein Air Festival in Eagle Idaho during the first week of June.  As someone who is not a landscape painter...and rarely a plein air painter...it should be a harrowing experience...at least I can say I'm preparing for it!  I love this scene not far from my home...this roof is so weathered it's purplish!  Yum!

Camille's Garden

Camille's Garden

6x8, soft pastel

I'm not sure this one is finished...but for now, I will let it rest.  This is an early morning scene of the garden at Camille Beckman's.  A peaceful place indeed!

The Walking Path

The Walking Path

6x6, soft pastel

Time to practice on landscape...and the dreaded trees!  Someday I will either abandon trees altogether or make friends...not sure which one will win out.

Spring Thaw

Spring Thaw

9x9, soft pastel

The snow melted quickly once it started and the small pond behind our getaway melted within a couple days.  You can see in this scene that the morning sunlight was just creeping into view, warming the trees and beginning the thawing process.

Along The Shoreline

Along The Shoreline

20x16, soft pastel

It's always fun for me to see someone else's work-in-process so I thought I'd post a couple of the  WIPs of the latest, "Along The Shoreline".  I painted this scene before as a 12x9 but decided to go larger this time.  This piece is 20x16 and was just as fun to paint as the first one.  I hope you enjoy!

First Light

First Light

9x9 soft pastel

I'm on hiatus in Cascade, Idaho.  Sometimes with a new pup...you just have to get away for awhile to paint.  That was the case with this painting.   First Light is an inspirational little scene I found at dawn this morning just as the sun was coming up, touching the shoreline of our little pond.  I absolutely love the pathways through the trees and meandering ponds in this area and feel very blessed to have some quiet time alone to reflect, eat, and paint.  I took a lot of photo references today and nearly froze my fingers off but the excursion at dawn was well worth it.  I hope you like it.

Saguaro Canyon Pool House

Saguaro Canyon Pool House

6x12, soft pastel

 Well, I finished the 31 Day Challenge with a challenge to myself to finish as I had started, with an early morning scene from the neighborhood.  I sketched this scene in the car with my pup Benny patiently waiting in the back seat.  He was a trooper!  I couldn't sleep so I got out really early (3:30 am)...the lighting was beautiful but I had to return a couple hours later to get the sky colors at dawn.  It's a nice little piece that goes well with one I did previously...I rather like the long rectangular size.

Happy to have completed another Challenge.  They are always very taxing...but they get a routine going and a fire under the rump....so, all in all it's well worth the effort.  I hope you enjoyed viewing my work as I trudged along!

A Walk To The River

A Walk To The River

6x6, soft pastel

Some paintings just don't work out and for me, this one didn't...holding back on color is like trying to jump rope with one hand free.  In any event, this one is a scene from Cascade along the Payette River.  If I get the inclination I'll revisit it later and calm it down...for now, it's "finished".   It was daVinci who said "art is never finished, only abandoned"....he was talking about this piece....lol.


For the #stradaeasel 31 Day Challenge I sketched this little abandoned farmhouse below.  The Challenge is a big stretch for me...even though I paint every day, I don't alway sketch in detail from life.  I typically complete a thumbnail sketch and then jump right in and paint.  So I'm tempted to sketch more often...I'm actually finding some value in making a detailed sketch.

Abandoned

Harry Needed To Chill Out

Harry Needed To Chill Out

8x6, soft pastel

This was a painting completed from life ahead of time since I'll be out of town and internet will be spotty.  A scene from our neighborhood.  Even though I live in Idaho...our subdivision was developed with a desert theme....many of the original cacti have died (no surprise there)...but the Joshua Trees keep hanging on. The fact that they survived last year's epic snowfall is amazing.  I call this little guy Harry.  He was a bit frosty this particular morning but still very beautiful.  I love the light green section at the top...as though he's ready to sprout new growth...you go Harry!

While traveling, I also completed this crazy little painting below of garlic.  Not my favorite painting for sure, but some days painting from life is like pulling teeth.  Day 15 of the #stradaeasel 31 Day Challenge.

Garlic

6x6, soft pastel

Cascade Fishing Spot

Cascade Fishing Spot

6x6, soft pastel

This is one of my favorite coves on Lake Cascade where we head each morning to fish during the summertime.  I love the way the sunlight hits the tips of the evergreens early in the day.   It's a painting from memory...can't wait for summer!

I did the painting above ahead of time since I am traveling and from memory but the image for the #stradaeasel 31 Day Challenge for today is below.  A one hour study while waiting for my grandson to finish basketball practice.  Wow, what a busy month!

Odessa, Washington

Edgar's Trees

Edgar's Trees

6x8, soft pastel

This is a take on Edgar Payne's Eucalyptus trees.  I like studying past artists that are inspirational and he certainly was, one of America's best landscape artists.

For the #stradaeasel 31 Day Challenge: I completed this little study below on the 13th looking outside the farmhouse window at sunrise...one of my favorite times of day.

Outside The Kitchen Window

6x8, soft pastel

Pond Ripples

Pond Ripples

12x12, soft pastel

A rainy day at the Botanical Gardens.  It wasn't feasible to paint in the rain that day so I took photos instead.  This one caught my eye because of all the ripples in the small pond.  I'm showing it on my easel because I'm jus not convinced that it's finished...so, for now I'll share it with you and assess it for the next few days, weeks, maybe months.   Ah, that's what happens sometimes.

For the #stradaeasel 31 Day Challenge, "Hanging Around The Spokane Airport"was created in the baggage check area...a great place to paint even though the subject matter was a bit odd.  This "toaster" plane was suspended from the ceiling and caught my eye with the florescent bulbs for the "toast" and "propeller".

Saguaro Canyon At Dawn

Saguaro Canyon At Dawn

6x12, soft pastel

It was fun to paint an early morning scene in our neighborhood when the landscape was filled with deep blues and purples and the snow was mostly gone.  This one actually worked out.  I loved the warm tones cast by landscaping lights which is what drew me to this spot.   The bare branches of the deciduous trees looked like glowing lavender spires.  In some spots I can see greenish grass so I played up the greens in great anticipation of spring.  Wishful thinking at this point.

Frosty Morning

Frosty Morning

6x6, soft pastel

Frost laced trees and shrubs greeted me this morning. The colors were quite muted and the neighborhood itself was pretty foggy.  If I waited until the day warms, I'd surely miss the frost and the neighborhood itself would take on a totally different feel.  The snow has been melting quickly the past couple days but in between our streets we have great little walkways where the sun doesn't have much of a chance to melt the snow.

Heavy Load

Heavy Load

6x6, soft pastel

Heavy Load is a scene from the common area across the street.  We have a great neighborhood with lots of open areas to walk the dog.  The snow was melting fast so the painting had to be a very quick study!

Backyard Smoke Trees

Backyard Smoke Trees

6x6, soft pastel

Every year I severely prune our smoke trees/shrubs and each summer they sprout new growth causing what looks like knots where the old growth meets the new.  I took a page from Vincent Van Gogh's Willow's At Sunset, 1888 while painting my backyard smoke trees.  He did a much better job on his willows at sunset than I did on my smoke trees at sunrise but it was fun trying out his style of painting boldly.  One can't help but wonder what he was thinking when he painted...as for me?  I am battling a cold so my meds may have kicked in mid-painting or, maybe I had too much coffee this morning.  Unfortunately, I think I may have pruned my smoke trees too much...right now they look like a gnarly mess as does this painting.