Summer Bouquet

Summer Bouquet

10x8, soft pastel

Painted this summer...and repainted larger this fall for an upcoming show.  I just loved the sunlight hitting the cement stoop in front of a local shop...especially how it cast shadows from the glowing flower bouquet.

Summer Bouquet

Summer Bouquet

6x8, soft pastel

Wow!   It’s time to get caught up on this blog.  The reason I’m behind on posting is that my Blogger app on IOS devices stopped working (months ago) and I’m just now finding a solution that seems to work for posting to Blogspot.com.  So, I’m back.  I also didn’t participate in the 30in30 Challenge in September taking that time to travel to see family and enjoy what was left of summertime.  Now that fall is in full swing...It’s time to get back to business.

I participated in the Eagle Plein Air Festival in June and had a great time...even though I was outside my comfort zone.  I was delighted to win a best dry media ribbon for the little plein air piece above.  I also painted the piece below at the Quick Draw competition (which was sold during the auction that followed).  The Plein Air festival was a blast and I met several new friends along the way.  

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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!

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!

After The Game

After The Game

8x8, soft pastel

Flushed cheeks, tossled hair....oh, the sweet face of a young boy after a baseball game!  This is Jake after a game on the Fourth of July.  Pure sweetness...and a bit of sweat-ness too!  

Hyde Park - Dining On The Patio

Hyde Park - Dining On The Patio

9x12, soft pastel

The best part of a hot summer day is dining out on a patio...especially at a restaurant where I don't have to cook or do the dishes.  Heavenly!  This is the 13th Street Pub & Grill at Hyde Park in Boise.  The patio misters were going full blast on this particular day...cooling the diners just so.  I think I'm ready for the return of summer!

Footloose

Footloose

8x8, soft pastel

Oh to have the free spirit of a child!  This was a particularly hot summer day.  The grandsons were visiting and playing in the backyard.  They would march on a stone path through the flowerbeds and pick blackberries from the tangled berry patch.  Often the sprinklers would come out to cool off.  On this particular day Tyler was all about cooling off the right way...in the buff (although he was a bit hesitant when he approached the sprinkler).  Not many of us would be so carefree.  That's what I miss about childhood...being footloose and fancy free! 

Snowed In

Snowed In

6x8 soft pastel

Ah, remember those hot days of summer?  The days you could lounge around on the patio soaking up the sun?  Perhaps you have in mind a picnic and a barbecue...a walk in the park...a trip to the zoo or an outdoor concert?

About now is when summer seems to be so very far off!  Snow piled high and not a beach ball in site.  But sooner than we think, we'll be dusting off the patio furniture listening to the morning doves cooing and planning our summer gardens.

Sisters

 Sisters

12x18, pastel

What day is this?  I have lost track!  Day 13-15,  "Sisters" is finally done!  I am going to celebrate with a brat (a bratwurst not a spoiled child)...a beer...and a nap...in that order.

With the 30in30 I always seem to learn something every single day.  With this one I learned if I go big...I've gotta pace myself because I'm not experienced enough to paint loose and fast.  Oh well.  I'm happy with the results even though I imagine I will continue to tweet it a bit.

These two sweet girls are my grand-daughters and are two of the best girls I've ever known.  They've grown quite a bit since the reference photo was taken but this particular summer evening I remember well.  A warm summer evening on the farm and a barbecue at their grandparents house to celebrate my son-in-law's birthday...what could be better?  

The girls were glowing from the sun setting behind them.  It was also pretty windy so their hair was flying all over the place!  As you can see they were pretty intent playing with their dolls and were oblivious to just how awesome this scene was...or, is that just the opinion of this slightly biased grandma?

Work in Progress...

I suspected the day was coming...and here it is!  I shouldn't have been surprised...I chose a complicated piece and started with a large format (12x18).  But, I really love this scene.  I remember the day clearly.  It was a hot summer evening and the sunlight glow around the girls playing was amazing...we'll see if I can pull this one off.  I wish it was better than it is...but I keep reminding myself I have a ways to go.

Scoop....Dump

Scoop...Dump

8x8, soft pastel

Day four...a break from the snow!

Today's painting is a typical scene that took place whenever my grandsons came to visit.  They always knew where the dump trucks were stored and loved to play "scoop...dump" under the arborvitaes.  Scoop...dump is a name I believe my daughter came up with which describes exactly what they do...nothing more...nothing less...a lot of scooping followed by...(you guessed it) a lot of dumping.

Juicy, Sweet, Slice of Heaven

Juicy, Sweet, Slice of Heaven

6x8, soft pastel

Crazy, busy day...and worst of all, it was late in the day before I started to paint. All I could think of was "what am I going to eat for dinner and what am I going to paint".  So I painted what I wanted to eat.  I love cantaloupe this time of year...they are a juicy, sweet, slice of heaven.