Roadside Hollyhocks

Roadside Hollyhocks

10x8, soft pastel 

Door County is one of the most picturesque places I know. Boats, harbors, spectacular sunrises and sunsets...and more flowers than you can imagine!

Lillies On The Rise

Lillies On The Rise

11x14, soft pastel

Did I mention that the summer is flying by?  Well anyway, here's another piece that didn't make it into the blog during the past couple months.  I originally painted this one as a 6x8 study then decided to paint it in a larger format.  I love the lily pads reaching up beneath the water towards the sunlight.  I also love the turquoise colors and movement of the water.  So refreshing!

Have a great week!   -c

Tea Rose

Tea Rose

8x6 soft pastel

Sometimes the simple things in life are the sweetest.  A little bud from a gorgeous rose bush...simply sweet!

The Nose Knows

The Nose Knows

10x8, soft pastel

A dog lives and dies by his nose...sniffing out every scent along the way.  Westies typically have black noses...but occasionally there's one with a soft pink nose.  Many are born with pink noses that change into black.  I love the expression felt when I look at this painting...lovingly looking up to his master.

Lily Pad Down Under

Lily Pad Down Under

6x8, Soft Pastel

    

 Today I had a shot of inspiration from an artist buddy who is in Vienna, Austria today at the Albertina Museum.  She shared photos of works by Monet and Degas this morning...two of my favorite artists!  

I've been meaning to take a swing at lily pads for a couple years...and today was the day! I have quite a few pictures from various areas around Idaho and the Midwest...always imaging how awesome they might be...and I have to say, I had a blast painting this little study.   I think I'll paint a larger version!  I hope you enjoy!

The past couple months have been a blur.  Lots of travel, a long bout of influenza (I never get the flu!), a wonderful surprise birthday party, working on refining the Plein Air Painters of Idaho's website and preparing for a couple of art shows. Life is exciting right now...and yes, I have a few paintings to share that I haven't gotten around to posting but I hope to soon.  Thanks for reading!  And, if you're a fellow artist....keep on painting!  

Desert Color

                         Desert Color

                      8x10, soft pastel

When in Vegas, one must paint cacti.

Be Mine

Be Mine

5x7, soft pastel

Well, a new month begins and after all of those fishing flies I just had to default to a small bouquet of flowers (something a bit more girly).  My favorite composition is one where there's an elevated L shape thing going on...which there is in this one (the table top and the stripe down the right side).  

This is a painting I've been thinking of for a few months...ever since I purchased a couple new kitchen towels.  It's no mistake there's a couple of red stripes running through it...my favorite color.

Be Mine is going to Flying M, a local coffee shop where there's an annual silent auction to benefit the research and cure of AIDS.   If you're in the area, be sure and go check out all the fabulous artwork on display!  There will be quite a variety of works on hand. 

Fly 21 - Orange Flamethrower

Orange Flamethrower

5x9, soft pastel

I've been painting all the flies in this series in a 5x7 format.  However, this Orange Flamethrower just demanded a longer size to accommodate its gorgeous tail.  

The Flamethrower is another tube style salmon fly, this time with a double hook.  I couldn't find my original source for this particular fly...but I know the guys at The Canadian Tube Fly Company could set you up with the supplies to tie this beauty! 

Fly 20 - Yellow Sally Stonefly

Yellow Sally Stonefly

5x7, soft pastel

The metamorphosis from egg to nymph to fly is fascinating.  As shown below (courtesy of Encyclopedia Brittanica).  While the nymph stage is quite long (12 months)...the change from late stage nymph to a fly taking flight is only 24 hours.  As the emerging fly's wings dry out on the surface of the water, they're pretty suseptable to being snatched up by a hungry fish.  Lucky are those who live long enough to take flight!

Fly 1 - The Poynder

The Poynder

5x7, soft pastel

Well, we're off and running with the January 30in30 Challenge! 

The theme I chose is an artist's nod to the men in my life who love to fish...which is the case for almost all of them I think.  From my dad (who died in a fishing boat accident on the Mississippi) to my brothers, husband, son-in-laws and grandsons the love of fishing has been in my life since day one and is alive and well today. 

I'm sure throughout this month I'm going to learn a whole lot more about fishing...specifically about fly fishing...and more specifically about flies.  I'm planning on painting 30 flies and I've already learned that there are hundreds...no, probably thousands of various fly patterns!  

I chose this first fly solely because it's so darn beautiful!  I don't believe it's a fly that would be used here in the Pacific Northwest because it's an Atlantic salmon fly...a "wet" fly which means it goes under water...as opposed to a "dry" fly which is designed to sit on top of the water.  

A shout out and special thanks to Monte Smith who has graciously allowed me to use his flies as my inspiration.  If you'd like to learn more about flies, check out Monte's blog at http://www.nwflytyer.com it's loaded with lots of fly tying instructions, images and other fishing resources.  Monte is a master at tying flies!  Who knows, by the end of the month, I may be typing my own flies!

Darby

Darby

8x6, soft pastel

Darby left this world a few days ago and is greatly missed by his human.  The first week is especially tough.  So, I thought I'd try to cheer her up today and remind her of happier times.

That's the funny thing about Facebook...or any other social media site.  You can communicate with like minded people and support one another through all the trials and tribulations this crazy life throws at you.  It was fun painting Darby with his gorgeous pink ears..even the grass was reflecting off the fur on his chin! I imagined him running and playing (wherever it is we all go)...maybe with Scooter and Tubby!

Hollyhocks 2

Hollyhocks 2

12x9 soft pastel

For some reason I failed to share this second Hollyhocks painting (the first one was completed last May).  I love this scene...it was captured on an early morning walk in Door County, Wi.  I just had to try it again.  It hangs in my house and I love it...must be the vibrant colors!

Weeds For Sale...Pick Your Own

Weeds For Sale...Pick Your Own

9x9, soft pastel

During the cold winter months a few people from the plein air group I recently joined meet on Wednesdays to paint in a local greenhouse (Edwards Greenhouse in Boise).  This painting was from our first week.  I painted the scene because the sign made me smile.  There were lots of colorful flowers and grasses surrounding the bench...but not a weed in site! 

Early Morning Hollyhocks

Early Morning Hollyhocks

12x9, soft pastel

Today is a painting of hollyhocks taken last summer while I was walking during the early morning hours in Sister Bay, Wi.  It was a memorable trip attending the Door Co. Plein Air Festival where I met many new friends. Good memories!

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.

Daylily

Daylily

6x8, soft pastel

We have gorgeous daylilies in our yard.  Maybe not quite yet (since it's early March) but soon they'll be popping out reaching for the warmth of the sun.  It always amazes me how short lived the blooms are...but they're beautiful all the same.

Poppies Down Under

Poppies Down Under

10x8, soft pastel

While painting this one, I imagined laying amongst the poppies looking up on a warm summer day.    It's a breezy day and while there are no clouds in the sky you can almost see the wind along the horizon line gently moving the tallest of the poppies.

In the Pacific Northwest we've had a very warm and dry winter so this painting goes out to everyone on the East Coast hit hard this year by snowfall after snowfall...take heart...spring and summer are  coming!  Really!

Heartbreak

Heartbreak

6x8, soft pastel

How do you paint heartbreak?   I googled this phrase this morning after having to put our sweet little Tubby down unexpectantly.  He wasn't feeling good for several weeks and while he was in for his dental exam the doctor found a large tumor.  I hate cancer.  It was obvious we needed to put his comfort before our own agony and say goodbye.

So, most of today has been a blur.  I was going to blow off painting anything.   It's tough to paint without my little studio buddy.  This evening I decided to try a very quick sketch of him.  While it's far from my best...it's all I can do today.  Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.  Goodbye little guy!  

The Smirk!

The Smirk!

8x8, soft pastel

Painting 24 of the 30in30 Challenge is Brian...with what is best described as a half smile...better yet...a smirk.  You know how it is...(if you are a grandparent that is).    You've taken 100s of pictures of the grandkids...perhaps even in one single day, trying to capture and encapsulate the overwhelming love you have for them in a spectacularly frozen moment.

Then, you see IT...a golden opportunity! The perfect shot!  Your tremendously awesome and beautiful grandchild is concentrating on something else...gazing off into the distance...unaware of the scene before you.  So, you "sneak up" on him (or her) and attempt to capture that perfect candid moment.  That moment when the light is just SO right...streaming down onto his innocent face.  The colors in the room are alive with vibrancy.  BUT,  just as you are about to "snap" the photo...he senses what you're up to and looks up...quickly changing from his heavenly far off gaze into.......THE SMIRK!    Eeeeeegadddds!

The First Dance

The First Dance

6x6, acrylic

An abstract underpainting and then a spin-off into a fantasy world.  I imagine these two are on their first date together, a bit shy yet attracted to each other.  Oh, what delicious tension.