Laundry Day

Laundry Day
plein air oil  8" x 10"
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$195.00 + $10. s/h

This plein air piece is from a recent painting morning at Rock Ledge Ranch here in Colorado Springs.  I've painted many times at the Ranch.  It's a historical, "educational, non-profit living history farm and museum that depicts life in the Pikes Peak region in four time periods:  American Indian area in 1775;  1860's Galloway Homestead;  1880's Chambers Home and Ranch;  1907 Edwardian Country Estate."  Every thing on the ranch is done "in period"...so, the laundry behind the country home was washed in a wringer washing machine and hung out on the line to dry.

My past Rock Ledge Ranch paintings have included sheep, barn, path, shadows, roof area of the country home, and poppies.  But in all of my time there over the years, I've never seen the laundry hanging to dry.  As I walked down the path and looked into the back yard I immediately knew that I'd found what I was going to paint!

My view of the garden from the path...I just knew that this was my painting!  I set up on the other side of the laundry in the shade.  When the "period dressed" woman of the house came out to take down the wash, I asked her to leave it up for a bit longer.

Rose Garden

Rose Garden
plein air oil  6" x 8"
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$100.00 + $10. s/h

Almost as much as the roses, I loved the shadows on the fence behind these roses.  Often it's the shadows that draw me to paint something.  I sometimes find myself walking around looking for something to paint when at a plein air location.  When the shadows create a great contrast against the subject, there's a painting!  Additionally, when painting it's good to notice that it's usually "warm light, cool shadows".  On a hot autumn afternoon, the shadows might lean towards warm.

Garden Of The Gods

Garden Of The Gods
plein air oil  12" x 9"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

This is a recent painting from the Garden Of The Gods, one of the most visited parks in the state of Colorado.  You could paint there everyday and never run out of rocks to paint.  The red rock formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago.

For those of you not familiar with this area here's a little history:  When the Garden of the Gods was being surveyed in 1859 one of the surveyors suggested that it would be a great place for a "beer garden".  The other surveyer was awestruck by all of the rock formations and couldn't imagine a beer garden in such a majestic place.  He said that it was a place for gods to assemble and named it:  Garden Of The Gods.  It is owned by the city of Colorado Springs and is visited by thousands of people every day.

Power Plant

Power Plant
plein air oil  6" x 8"
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$100.00 + $10. s/h

My plein air group recently painted in downtown Colorado Springs.  I had planned on painting one of the older warehouse style buildings, but was intrigued by the morning light on the Power Plant.   This is really a study in shapes.  It was a fun challenge and I hope to paint this again.

Cafe Umbrellas

Cafe Umbrellas
plein air oil  12" x 12"
SOLD
$395.00 + $10. s/h

This is another from the recent Littleton, CO paint-out.  It was a very hot afternoon, I had a short time to finish up before the paintings had to be framed and turned in.  I saw this cafe across the street from a downtown city park which had trees and shade.  Lunch was almost over and I knew the umbrellas would be pulled down and my painting would disappear.  Those issues made me work well, paying attention to what was in front of me.

Red can be a bit challenging, especially when it is right in the sun.  If you lighten it with white, it becomes too pink.  Too much orange and it becomes the wrong shade of red.  I like the square format of this piece.

Hidden Barn

Hidden Barn
plein air oil  9" x 12"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

This is another of the paintings from the recent Littleton, CO. Paint-Out.  The afternoon was very hot and I was looking for a cool spot along the river.  This barn was hidden a bit behind a hill, but visible from a parking lot.  And, luckily for me there was a tree that provided enough shade for me and it was right next to the parking lot.  How easy was that for a hot day!

I have to admit that I changed the barn colors from a dreary, faded tannish to a much brighter, nicer color.  I find cool spring greens, which you see here, a bit harder to mix and paint than beautiful, warm fall greens.  They're a bit bolder, brighter and sometimes seem too bright.  But, they've been dormant all winter and want to get out and express themselves!

Front Porch Light

Porch Light
plein air oil  8" x 10"
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$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is another painting from the recent Littleton, CO Paint-Out.  I had thought I'd paint at a local park that I'd seen marked on the maps we were given.  When I went to turn into the park, I saw the morning light shining on the front porch of this house just across the street from the park.  I knew that I'd found my morning painting!

The light on the porch is already different from my painting.  When I know that the light will change quickly and dramatically on the focal point, I paint that first and don't change it.  I love it when I can park right near where I'm painting!

Porch Trellis

Porch Trellis
plein air oil  10" x 8"
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$195.00 + $10. s/h

Earlier in June I participated in the 2nd Annual Littleton Paint-Out in Littleton, CO.  I wasn't very familiar with Littleton so the exploring for plein air locations added excitement to the event.  The paint out was sponsored and organized by The Depot Art Gallery.  They did such a great job!  There were 4 pages of different maps and a list of town locations, making it easier for those of us from out of town.  Littleton is about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours (depending on traffic) from Colorado Springs.

The downtown area of Littleton is small, but charming.  I found this front porch while driving around the older residential area.