Hartsel Herd Study

6" x 8" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

This is my color study for a larger piece that I'm working on. There are several buffalo herds around Hartsel, Colorado and if we're lucky, when we're up there the buffalo might be standing right by the road. Sometimes I can see a herd off in the distance silhouetted against the mountains. This day, we were lucky and a herd was right by the road, as if wainting for us! Special buffalo fences have to be built around these ranches/pastures, as buffalo can plow right through a normal barbed wire cow fence.
I think I'll enter this in Michelle Burnett's Following the Master's blog which focuses on western art this month.

Crystal Reservoir

SOLD
8" x 10" oil on panel
$100.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

Last week my plein-aire group painted at Crystal Reservoir, which is about 1/4 of the way up the Pikes Peak Highway. This reservoir was closed to the public for years, but is now open for bank fishing, hiking, and viewing. It's one of the reservoirs which supplies the water to Colorado Springs. This view is looking at Pikes Peak from the back.

One of fun challenges about plein-aire painting is the quickness which you have to paint, due to the changing light. When I left, the clouds were moving in causing the shadows, lights and darks to change. I had most of this done, and used a reference photo to just add the final touches.

Restful Moment

6" x 6" oil on panel
nfs

I painted this in the mountains on the same day as the last mountain scene (post before last.) We had gone for a long hike, and were resting on our lawn chairs drinking iced tea enjoying the view and the sun, (I think you have to be mountain campers to visualize this!) Hiking at 8,000 can be a challenge, and seems to become more challeging the older we get! These restful moments are becoming longer and longer! But, that's okay!

I kept watching the light on the tree and the grasses around it and realized there was another painting before me! So, here it is!

PEO Water Lilies

6" x 8" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

Once again my plein-aire group painted at the PEO pond. This time it was a beautiful, sunny day without the clouds and changing light. While watching the water lilies I realized that they're like flowers which grow from the ground, in that they open, appear to stand straight up, open wider, appear to be spreading their petals out. It seems so obvious that, of course, they would do that, but I guess it took several days and lots of looking before I realized that. I used Permanent Rose in this painting, also. It might become part of my plein-aire palette!

For those who were wondering, this is copied from google: "P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), one of the pioneer societies for women, was founded on January 21, 1869, by seven students at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Originally a small campus friendship society, P.E.O. soon blossomed to include women off campus. Today, P.E.O. has grown from that tiny membership of seven to almost a quarter of a million members in chapters in the United States and Canada. The P.E.O. Sisterhood is passionate about its mission: promoting educational opportunities for women. Our sisterhood proudly makes a difference in women's lives with five international philanthropies: P.E.O. Educational Loan Fund, Cottey College , P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund, P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education, and P.E.O. Scholar Awards. P.E.O. is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa."

Morning Shadows

6" x 8" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

We've spent the last several days in the mountains, fishing, hiking, reading, relaxing and painting. We spend a lot of time near Hartsel, in South Park, a little more than an hour west of here.

School started here last week, and of course, I can't help but remember all the years that was me. Now, I just continue to enjoy, and appreciate, all the time I have for myself, to do whatever my husband and I want to do, when we want to do it!

After the Rain

6" x 6" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
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I had planned on painting another white hollyhock, but last night's torrential rain made them look so droopy and wilted. So, back to the pinks. The last pink one leaned a little toward magenta. I wanted this one to really be pink, so I used some Permanent Rose, which is not in my usual plein-aire palette, but which we used at Studio Incamminati. I think it was a good addition to my flower palette.

Early Morning Hollyhocks

SOLD
6" x 6" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

This morning I was up and out in the backyard early. I wasn't going to be deterred by too much sun. The sun was filtering in and out of the leaves which created cool light and shadow, as well as warm spots. A fun and challenging time of day. Although, plein-aire light is always fun, challenging, and constantly changing. I find this really makes me look, and quickly put down my color notes.

Hollyhocks

6" x 6" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

The hollyhocks in our yard are about 8 feet tall this year. They're incredible! I'm sure it has to do with all the rain we had this past spring. I didn't get out to paint quite as early this morning as I would have liked, so, to stand in the shade (I could have used my umbrella!) I was tucked in by our back gate. I had to keep opening the gate and go into the path to stand back. I just should have set-up out in the park easement!

Hillside Pottery

8" x 10" oil on canvas on foamboard
nfs

Yesterday my plein-aire group painted at Hillside Gardens. We paint there about once each month and have our show there annually. There are always hundreds of pots. I've painted them many times over the years, but am always fascinated by their colors, shadows, reflections, and the way they're displayed which allows for constant variety in composition. As always w/ plein-aire painting, the light changes so quickly which forces me to lay in my big shapes and paint only what's important.



I recently received the Bella Sinclair Award from Laurel Daniel. Laurel was the first person that I didn't know personally who commented on my blog. I always appreciated that. This award is for "Friendship, Sisterhood, Sharing & Caring." I want to share this award with the following artists: Debbi Smith-Rourke who regularly comments on my blog, Kimberly Conrad who started Daily Painters of Colorado, and Natalie Italiano teacher at Studio Incamminati and soon to be blogger.

Manitou Springs

6" x 8" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
SOLD

The other day my plein-aire group painted in Manitou Springs. Manitou is the next town to the west, more or less touching Colorado Springs. It is a historic town, with many buildings built in the last century. It was a fun painting challenge, as the morning light was quickly changing.

Unbelizeable!

6" x8" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10./ s/h
contact me if interested

This is yet another painting done last week in Belize. I used to spend any spare time on vacations reading. In Belize I read and painted! There were never endless painting opportunities and gorgeous locations all around! What a beautiful country!



This is one of many spectacular beaches, (not the one I painted above). I loved painting the palm trees. They were constantly moving...continuous breezes blew in from the water. And, we don't have palm trees in Colorado!

Maybe someone can help me. I tried to load a Paypal buy now button. But, when you pushed "buy now" an error report came up. So, I called Paypal and they said it was a blogger error. But, now when I'm in "create post" I don't see my pictures, I only see gibberish. It still works to post, and I know where to type, but...I've done something and don't know what. Has anyone else had this situation!?

You Better Belize It!

6" x 8" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

This is another painting done on the beach of our hotel, Mata Rocks. I'm standing in the same spot of shade, but looking up the beach toward the town. San Pedro is an easy walk down the beach.



One day we went on a fishing and snorkeling excursion. We had to catch our lunch which was prepared on this beach.



Here's our "catch of the day": fresh snapper, fresh lobster, potatoes, all wrapped in foil and baked over a palm frond fire. I especially like the table cloth!

Ambergris Caye Flower

6" x 6" oil on panel
$75.00 + $10. s/h
contact me if interested

Our third day in Ambergris Caye we had scheduled for a day of reef fishing. But, the morning was so windy and the water so choppy, that boats weren't going out. So, not to be deterred by Mother Nature, while the rest of my family took a morning nap, I painted one of the flowers from the bouquet in our room. Mata Rocks Resort had beautiful bouquets in each room. I have no idea what this flower is called, it has really long stems, but it was so beautiful against the tropical yellow walls. Later in the day, we golf carted around the island, the only cars on Ambergris Caye are the taxis, which are mini-vans.

Ambergris Caye 2

6" x 8" oil on panel
nfs

This scene is painted from the same shady spot as the last post, but facing the opposite way. The water on Ambergris Caye is really green. I know I'm painting the light on the water, so that must mean the warm sun mixing with the blue reflection creates the green. Or, maybe because there was so much green sea grass in the water. Whatever the cause, it was really fun trying to mix the greens w/ the limited palette I took w/ me. I don't think this photo does the painting justice, because the water near the horizon is a little greener.


This photo, although not shot on the same day as the above painting, sort of shows how green the water looked. The dark areas are sea grass. Every day, starting at 5:30 am, boats would pull up at the dock to take guests diving, fishing, snorkeling, sailing. It was sort of a boat-taxi spot. Boats came all day; and after the trips everyone would share their days events.

I just had to throw this in. This is the 6 seater plane on which we flew from Belize City out to the island of Ambergris Caye.

And, this is the local airport. it was pretty easy to find our luggage!!