Streaming Sunlight

Streaming Sunlight

8x10 soft pastel 

Today was plein air in the park.  While we still have quite a bit of smoke in the area, I ventured out with my good buddy Tina and met up with the Plein Air Painters of Idaho.  Tina and I recently joined this fun loving group of fellow artists and I'm so glad we did!  We had a blast painting at the Katherine Albertson Park.  Tina even sold her painting on the spot.  How exciting is that?

There were plenty of good spots from which to chose.  The early morning light was streaming through the trees casting amazing shadows and turning the grass fluorescent green.  I couldn't resist painting this view.

Cherry Blossom Canopy

Cherry Blossom Canopy

8x10, soft pastel

On the way to breakfast with a friend the other day, I couldn't help but pull the car over to take pictures of the flowering cherry and plum trees. It's that time of year when the weather is cool one day and warm the next.  The spring colors are so fresh and vibrant...the trees and flowers just scream "paint me!".   It was quite warm and sunny this particular morning.  I met a wonderful gentleman who allowed me to snap a few photos of him as he enjoyed a quiet reading spot under the flowering trees.

Sunrise At River's Edge and several others

I'm one who never sits still for long and I've been crazy busy these past few weeks.  It's not that I haven't had time to paint...but I've been trying to embrace the word "balance".  I've been balancing my time between family, friends, the dreaded housework and my love of painting.  Balancing one's time is not as easy as it might sound.  My passion to paint is always tugging at my heartstrings.  It seems I can easily spend every waking hour painting or scoping out new places and subject matter to paint.  The more I paint...the more my passion awakens.

Following are a few of the studies I've done in the past 2-3 weeks (disclaimer...I don't think they're in the finished state but this is where I left off with each of them).  These paintings were squeezed in around family gatherings, lunch dates, painting with friends, and a massive spring cleaning of the house.  In conjunction with those things...I also found the perfect tray at TJMaxx to organize and hold the entire set of Terry Ludwig pastels I recently purchased....I so love TJMaxx!  I'm in heaven.

Sunrise At River's Edge

8x10, soft pastel

Redbud Amigos

5x7.5, soft pastel

Julia Davis Park

6x8, soft pastel

Grazing

6x8, soft pastel

Among The Wheat

8x4, soft pastel

Demo 2 with Karen Margulis

6x8, soft pastel

Demo 1 with Karen Margulis

4x6, soft pastel

Roadside Church

4x6, soft pastel

My new pastel tray with all the Terry Ludwig pastels 

nice and neatly put away (for now)..love it!

Hyde Park - 13th Street Pub & Grill

Hyde Park - 13th Street Pub and Grill

6x8, soft pastel

One of my favorite places to eat...or drink...or both, located in Hyde Park. Actually, there are many great places to check out there.  A fun place where bicycles out number cars. 

Hyde Park Goody's

Hyde Park Goody's 

6x8, soft pastel 

Ugh!  Today's painting was started late in the day which is usually tough for me to get in the mood to do.   But, I wanted to start the 30 in 30 a week early...I really don't know why.  I have the materials and subject matter ready to go and since there's really no hard fast rules to this endeavor,  I jumped in.  After 3-4 hours, I had the feeling I actually jumped into the deep end of the pool before I really knew how to swim.  Oh well, that's pretty typical for me.

In any event, I still find it very difficult to paint in a loose style.  I'll keep trying.  After all, this is all about practice....right?   In any event, Goody's is my first attempt at a cityscape.