Pam Holnback

Git Along Little Doggies

2012-01-27T13:55:00.001-07:00

Git Along Little Doggies

8" x 8" Oil on Cradled Panel

$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is the companion piece to the rancher that I posted last month. He's still working hard! Just trying to get those doggies (calves) up and over the hill.

New Plein Air Video

2012-01-20T16:34:00.005-07:00

I created another plein air video. This one is of our trip last May to Sitka, Alaska. I posted these paintings and some of the photos from our trip in my blog in June, so some of this may be familiar. Enjoy!

I just watched this, and when viewed on my blog, about an inch is missing on the right side, ie: the whole front page doesn't show (some of the title is missing), some of the paintings are centered and there should be black on both sides and there isn't. I really don't know how to fix this. Does anybody have any suggestions? I guess if you want to see the whole page you can search for me on YouTube and watch it again there! Anyway, thanks for watching!

Serene Sunrise

2012-01-16T17:00:00.001-07:00

Serene Sunrise
5" x 7" Oil on board
$75.00 + $10. s/h

Sometimes the sunrises that I see out our deck are bold, bright and almost unbelievably colorful. This morning the sunrise was a bit softer, but just as beautiful.

Morning View -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 97/100

2012-01-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

Morning View -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 97/100

6" x 8" Oil

$85.00 + $10. s/h

This is another piece from a recent morning at The Garden of The Gods.

Morning At the Garden of the Gods -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 96/100

2012-01-12T16:15:00.000-07:00

Morning at the Garden of the Gods -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 96/100
8" x 6" Oil
$85.00 + $10. s/h

I'm lucky that I live sort of near the Garden of the Gods and can quickly head over there on nice winter days!

I clicked on a recent PayPal button today and it said that painting was not available. Well, sadly that painting hadn't sold, even though PayPal was saying that it had. So, I clicked back on several other paintings and my last 6 paintings all said not available when I clicked on the PayPal button. I guess I should be more vigilante about clicking and checking these buttons. I've never had this problem before. I called PayPal and they helped me figure it out. There was a glitch in my inventory tracking. So, fellow artists, check your buttons. And, if someone out there tried to buy one of these and was told it wasn't available, Please go back and try it now!

Mangrove Sunrise

2012-01-10T19:26:00.002-07:00

Mangrove Sunrise

6" x 6" Oil

$85.00 + $10. s/h

Just One More Chapter

2012-01-08T15:25:00.001-07:00

Just One More Chapter
6" x 6" Oil
$85.00 + $10. s/h

I loved how this man was almost all alone on the beach continuing to read. I agree with him; when you're in the Caribbean, why leave the beach!?

Caribbean Sunset

2012-01-06T15:15:00.001-07:00

Caribbean Sunset
6" x 6" Oil
$85.00 + $10. s/h

We were recently in the Caribbean. The sunsets over the horizon were beautiful.

Further Down The Road

2012-01-04T17:52:00.001-07:00

Further Down The Road
9" x 12" Oil
$155.00 + $10. s/h

Another one of our western skies. I had a comment about cloud edges. I use a Robert Simmons 3/4 " "SkyScraper" brush (aptly named!) to soften the cloud edges.

Afternoon Clouds

2012-01-01T13:32:00.001-07:00

Afternoon Clouds
9" x 12" Oil
$155.00 + $10. s/h

I had someone ask what colors I use for my skies. While that depends on the weather, for many of my skies I use a combination of Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cad Red Light (for a bit of graying) and White and push this whatever way the sky, time of day, weather pattern, location, etc. call for. As with all color mixtures in painting, there is no always perfect/, always/works color combination. And, I don't always use this combo. But, it is tried and true for me, especially with our incredible western skies!

May you have a Happy New Year! Thank you to all of you who've commented on my blog in 2011. Thank you to those of you who purchased paintings. And, Cheers to all of you who've I've met and become friends with through blogging & social media, those vicarious friends as well as those that I've been lucky to meet "in person!" I hope to meet more of you in 2012.

Afternoon Sky

2011-12-30T14:24:00.001-07:00

Afternoon Sky
9" x 12" oil
$155.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular price

I love how the clouds build up over the mountains in the afternoon.

Patzcuaro Rooster

2011-12-23T21:00:00.001-07:00

Patzcuaro Rooster
6" x 8" Oil
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular price

May you and your family have a Merry Christmas!

Moonet

2011-12-21T21:00:00.001-07:00

Moonet
6" x 8" Oil
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

As I've mentioned in the past, I often Google topics to find a title for one of my pieces, or for information when writing a post. Today I googled "cow poems". I had "A Child's Garden Of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson when I was a child, so when I saw this poem I thought it fit!

Stevenson, Robert Louis (1850–1894). A Child’s Garden of Verses and Underwoods. 1913.

24. The Cow

THE FRIENDLY cow all red and white
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might,
To eat with apple-tart.

She wanders lowing here and there,	5
And yet she cannot stray,
All in the pleasant open air,
The pleasant light of day;

And blown by all the winds that pass
And wet with all the showers,	10
She walks among the meadow grass
And eats the meadow flowers.

Lawn Mower

2011-12-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

Lawn Mower
Oil 6" x 6"
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

Some interesting sheep facts:

White House woolies
President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House South Lawn. The wool obtained from the sheep was sold to raise money for the Red Cross during World War I. The flock included "Old Ike," a tobacco-chewing ram.

Sheep on the White House lawn
Photo courtesy of
Presidential Pet Museum

Won't You Come Out Tonight

2011-12-17T21:00:00.001-07:00

Won't You Come Out Tonight
Oil 6" x 8"
$80.00 + $10. s/h
HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold during December are 20% off my normal price

OK, I know that this buffalo is not a gal, but the title seemed to work. And, yes, I did Google the song and read all the words. If I ever paint a woman w/ feet as big as the sidewalk, I already have my title chosen!
Click here if you want a quick song review!

Christmas Collage

2011-12-15T21:00:00.001-07:00

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices.

A few of these are still available for the Holiday price of $80.00. While I won't be able to send them out before Christmas, let me know if you're interested!

One More Poinsettia -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 95/100

2011-12-14T21:00:00.003-07:00

One More Poinsettia -- 100 garden and Floral Oil Paintings 95/100
6" x 6" Oil
$80.00 + $10. s.h
SOLD

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

Here are a few more Poinsettia facts that I googled:

Poinsettias are priced according to the number of blooms. The more blooms, the more expensive the plant.
The flowers or cyathia of the poinsettia are in the center of the colorful bracts.
Poinsettias have been called the lobster flower and flame leaf flower.
Poinsettias are not poisonous.
A study at Ohio State University showed that a 50 pound child who ate 500 bracts might have a slight tummy ache.
Poinsettia sap that can irritate the skin and cause an upset stomach if consumed in large enough quantities.
A fresh poinsettia is one on which little or no yellow pollen is showing on the flower clusters in the center of the bracts. Plants that have shed their pollen will soon drop their colorful bracts.
Poinsettias represent over 85 percent of the potted plant sales during the holiday season.

Poinsettia 2 -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings

2011-12-12T21:00:00.002-07:00

Poinsettia 2 - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 94/100

6" x 6" Oil

$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in december are 20% off my regular prices

Many artists are painting holiday themed pieces, as am I. When I saw several other poinsettias I thought that the reds were so deep and strong. I went back and looked at my still life set up. My reds aren't deep because my poinsettia is a very cad red one. Not an alizaron one. Next year I'm going to get some in alizaron!

His Lonesome Cattle Call

2011-12-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

His Lonesome Cattle Call
8" x 8" Oil on cradled panel
$155.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices

This is from a fall trip my husband and I took over to the Western Slope. For those of you not from Colorado, the Western Slope is the name we call all of the mountains on the west side of the Continental Divide (which runs down the middle of the Rockies.) This was about 6 hours from Colorado Springs. We live on the Front Range. That encompasses Fort Collins, Denver, Colo Springs, and Pueblo, or all of the towns on the range (you know, like home, home, on the range) on the eastern side of the Rockies. Just a little geography lesson thrown in!

Anyway, we were out driving around on back roads and a herd of cattle came across a hill top. So, I had to get out! And then, this cowboy comes riding over the top of the hill. What a perfect setting and scene! Just meant to be a painting!

Sometimes when I'm looking for a title I use google to help me. When I googled "song lyrics about cows" up came this song, Cattle Call, by Eddy Arnold, sung along w/ Lee Ann Rimes. It seemed appropriate and provided a title. I especially like the yodeling!

(LeAnn Rimes and Eddy Arnold)

LeAnn:
(yodeling)
The cattle are prowlin',
The coyotes are howlin'
Way out where the doggies roam
Where spurs are a jinglin'
And the cowboy is singing
His lonesome cattle call
(yodeling)

He rides in the sun
'Til his days work is done
And he rounds up the cattle each fall
(yodeling)
Singing his cattle call

Eddy:
For hours he would ride
On the range far and wide
When the night wind blows up and slow
His heart is a feather
In all kinds of weather
He sings his cattle call
(yodeling)

He's browned as a fairy
From ridin' the prairie
And he sings with an western drawl
Singing his cattle call

LeAnn and Eddy:
(yodeling)

Poinsettia -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 93/100

2011-12-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Poinsettia -- 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 93/100
6" x 6" Oil
$80.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December are 20% off my regular prices.

I love the tradition of poinsettia plants around the holidays. They add such color to the house. Some interesting facts about poinsettias, complements of Wikipedia:

Poinsettias are native to Mexico.
The Aztecs called the poinsettia Cuetlaxochitl. They made a reddish purple dye from the bracts.
Chile and Peru called the poinsettia the "Crown of the Andes."
Poinsettias are part of the Euphorbiaceae family. Many plants in this family ooze a milky sap.
Some people may have skin irritation from the milky sap
In nature, poinsettias are perennial flowering shrubs that can grow to ten feet tall.
The showy colored parts of poinsettias that most people think are the flowers are actually colored bracts (modified leaves).
Poinsettias are priced according to the number of blooms. The more blooms, the more expensive the plant.
The flowers or cyathia of the poinsettia are in the center of the colorful bracts.

I might re-photo this. There's more contrast in the reds than shows here.

Old Chevy

2011-12-03T15:46:00.000-07:00

Old Chevy
12" x 12" Oil on cradled panel
$245.00 + $10. s/h

HOLIDAY SALE All paintings sold in December will be 20% off my regular prices

This truck belongs to my friend Marianne's husband, Grant. It sits on their ranch out behind the barn. I've painted their chickens, eggs, garden chair, and now their truck. I love the colors, I hope to paint this again! I think the 100th anniversary of Chevys commercial is so well done!

A Great "Good Morning"

2011-11-30T23:00:00.002-07:00

A Great "Good Morning"
5" x 7" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h
click here to bid at the Daily PaintWorks Auction

When I wake up and look at this view with my morning coffee I know that someone is wishing me a great "Good Morning"!

Today was a gorgeous Colorado day with afternoon highs in the 60s and lows last night of 19. It is typical to have more than 40 degrees temperature change in one day. Tomorrow's high is to be 26 with an overnight low of 4! Knowing how cold it will be for the rest of the week, I went for a hike at the Garden of The Gods this morning!

I had a question about how I paint these skies from my deck, ie: do I set up on the deck, do I paint from the kitchen? Actually, I do both of these as well as use photo references. I think that whatever way works best for the artist, is the best way to paint! As I've said, some mornings I just sit with my cup of coffee and look, as these sunrises pass pretty quickly!

Palette of Color

2011-11-28T23:00:00.004-07:00

Palette of Color
5" x 7" Oil
$75.00 + 10. s/h
click here to bid at the Daily Paintworks Auction

Sometimes in the morning our sunrises are quiet, calm, peaceful. Other mornings I look out and see only soft blues, with very little "real" sunrise. There are other mornings when the sky is a palette of color.

Blessed View

2011-11-27T07:00:00.001-07:00

Blessed View
5" x 7" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h
click here to bid at the Daily PaintWorks Auction

As we have family in town for the weekend, I'm not getting any painting done. We've gone for walks, have had great meals with lots of visiting, went to the movies. These sunrises from our deck were painted a short while ago to be posted this weekend.

The title for this piece is complements of Dean Haven who told me in a comment yesterday that I was "more than lucky to have this view...Blessed is more like it!" He's right! I thought that that made a great title!

Quiet Dawn

2011-11-25T23:00:00.001-07:00

Quiet Dawn
5" x 7" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h
click here to bid at the Daily PaintWorks Auction

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with delicious food, great friends and family. I am thankful for all of that and more. I am grateful for all the friends I've made and the many people that I've met through blogging. I am so thankful that I can spend my time painting. I would also have to say that I'm lucky to look at this view in the morning.

Some Mighty Fine Wine

2011-11-20T23:30:00.001-07:00

Some Mighty Fine Wine
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is one of the pieces that I have hanging at Summerland Gardens. I photographed it there, instead of in my usual spot, and there's a slight glare. I'll try to get over there and re-photo it.
I'm not sure that all of these are mighty fine wines, but...

Joy to the World by Three Dog Night
"Jeremiah was a bullfrog.
Was a good friend of mine.
Never understood a single word he said,
but he always had some mighty fine wine."

Tis The Season

2011-11-18T23:50:00.001-07:00

This The Season
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the second of the vintage, non shiny Christmas ornaments that I recently painted. It was great how so many commenters on my last post talked about the ornaments from their childhood, their mother's ornaments, etc. What wonderful memories of the past. I would love to have all, or even some, of the ornaments from my childhood trees to paint. How many ornaments from your childhood do you still have?

Yule Tide Treasure

2011-11-16T23:50:00.001-07:00

Yule Tide Treasure
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10.00 s/h

I love painting Christmas ornaments. I love the shine, sparkle and reflections. These ornaments are vintage, and aren't regular, shiny glass balls. They're antiqued and somewhat matte. I found this a fun challenge.

This is one of my paintings that will be at Summerland Gardens during the holiday season. This weekend, November 18 and 19, 10am-8pm is their Holiday Open House. Hope you can stop by and share some holiday cheer.

I also have paintings at Dream Pastries in Castle Rock. This Saturday is the annual Starlighting event, (the lighting of the star on the castle like rock). Events and openings will be taking place downtown, so please stop by there as well.

6 Inch Squared Show

2011-11-13T23:50:00.002-07:00

I'm pleased that these two pieces, "Make The Season Bright" and "Late Bloom", have been accepted into the Six Inch Squared Show at the Randy Higbee Gallery in Costa Mesa, California. The Holiday Gala Artists Reception will be held the evening of December 3, 2011. I hope that anyone in that area will be able to attend.

You're A Grand Old Flag

2011-11-10T21:45:00.001-07:00

You're A Grand Old Flag
8" x 8" Oil on cradled panel
$195.00 + $10. s/h click here to bid

Last fall fellow Daily Painter Original blogger Karen Werner posted two incredible paintings, Old Glory and Old Glory 2. They were my inspiration for this piece and I thought it appropriate for Veteran's Day. Both of my parent's served in WWII, my dad was in the Army and my mom was a WASP. My grandfather was in both WWI and WWII.

This painting is of the flag that was on my grandfather's grave when he passed away in 1964. The flag went to my dad, who later passed down to my son (who was given my grandfather's name as his middle name.) We don't hang this flag outside, I should probably take it to the VFW and have them ceremoniously fold it. I'm pleased how this piece turned out. If I paint it again, I might try to make it look even a little more aged and faded.

"You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave."
George M. Cohan

Warts And All

2011-11-06T22:00:00.001-07:00

Warts and All
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This post is for Andy Rooney, who just passed away. I so enjoyed listening to this cantankerous man. He was famous for speaking the truth, as he saw it anyway. So...."Did you ever wonder" why there are warts on gourds? As there is a purpose for everything in nature, the purpose of warts on gourds must be so that....animals don't chew on them?....frogs don't jump on them?...princes stay away from them?....any thoughts? Did the makers of Compound W ever really look at gourds? Why do you think that there are warts on gourds? Thank you Andy for all of your humorous thoughts and words.

Oh My Gourd

2011-11-04T18:29:00.000-06:00

Oh My Gourd
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love that there are things growing in the garden that have no purpose other than beauty and display....at least for me.

PleinAir Today/OutDoor Painter: Plein Air Magazines's Online Newsletter

2011-11-02T15:18:00.001-06:00

I was thrilled the other day to wake up and see that a photo of me painting on the Colorado River during one of the Quick Draws at Plein Air Moab is in Plein Air Magazine's PleinAir Today "Outdoor Painter" Weekly Online Newsletter. I've included a link to the article:

http://www.outdoorpainter.com/awards/plein-air-moab-utah-420.html

Plein Air Magazine provided each Plein air Moab participant with a recent magazine. If you're not subscribing to PleinAir Today Online Newsletter , I highly recommend it. After all, such great photos are included! Who knows, one of you might be in it someday, too!

Distant Light

2011-10-30T23:50:00.002-06:00

Distant Light
18" x 24" Oil
$595.00 + $20. s/h

I loved the way the distant canyon was lit up with the afternoon sun light.

While in Moab my husband and I hiked to Corona Arch (it is not in the National Parks.) It was a fun, but challenging hike, and I took lots of photos. And, here are some of them:

Much of the hike was across canyons. There are cairns along the trail so you don't wander off the trail.

At one point we had to climb up this ladder to continue. (It's bolted onto the top of the cliff.)

This is Corona Arch from about 1/2 mile away. The little dots below and near it are people.

This arch is before Corona Arch.

Here's Corona Arch from very close. I don't know how this girl could have rappelled

from it!! I plan on sticking to hiking and painting!

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Canyonlands After The Rain

2011-10-27T23:50:00.001-06:00

Canyonlands After The Rain
18" x 24" Oil
$595.00 + 20. s/h

Our first day in Utah was cold (39 degrees) and rainy. Because of that the next day gave us Maynard Dixon clouds.

Canyonlands National Park is very appropriately named. Around every bend in the road and across every vista is another incredible canyon. Here are a few:

Late Bloom - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 91/100

2011-10-24T23:50:00.001-06:00

Late Bloom - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 91/100
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I was working in the back yard this morning, raking and pulling out the dead annuals. We have one last, lonely hollyhock happily blooming away. I'm sure that it'll be gone by Wednesday as we're expecting possible snow and 19 degrees overnight on Tuesday. We've had such a gorgeous fall; I'm not looking forward to cold and snow.

Plein Air Moab 2

2011-10-20T23:50:00.003-06:00

Near Canyonlands
9" x 12" Oil
$195.00 + $10. s/h

This is the second plein air painting from my recent trip to Moab, Utah. We stopped painting around 4:00 because we wanted to head further down the road to photograph the late afternoon shadows on the canyon walls. At the time, I thought I'd come back and add more to the piece, but now, I'm not going to. It works as is.

Here I am painting away...I know, my umbrella should be all white on the outside and gray on the inside. But, my all white umbrellas is so large (it covers my easel, me, anyone who's looking) that I use it only in my back yard. This one was left over from when the kids were small, and being my frugal self, I'm using it!

Here are some of the spectacular views in Canyonlands National Park:

We spent our 29th anniversary in Moab, and to celebrate went 4-wheeling. We drove across the bottom of one layer of the canyon:

You can more or less see the 4wd road (going diagonally across.) Then, we headed up the canyon:

Believe me...it was not pleasant going up! I think that I deserve the what did you do on your anniversary award!

Plein Air Moab

2011-10-17T23:50:00.002-06:00

Late Afternoon On The Colorado
11" x 14" Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

I just got back from a 10 day trip to Moab, Utah. It is an incredibly beautiful location and should be on every one's bucket list. It's like Disneyland for the outdoorsman with 2 National Parks (Arches and Canyonlands), hiking, touring, mountain biking, river rafting, 4 wheeling, ATVing, OTVing, so many photo ops; the list goes on and on.

Moab is about 7 hours from Colorado Springs. We took 1 1/2 days to travel each way stopping numerous times.

While there I participated in part of the 2nd annual "Plein Air Moab." It's a week long event where artists can paint within a 50 mile radius and be involved in 3 Quick Draw paint outs. This was my location, and painting, for the first Quick Draw which was held at the Red Cliffs Lodge Winery which sits along the Colorado River.

The event was from 3:00 - 6:00. At 2:45 there was a line to get your canvas stamped. By 6 you had to be back in line with your painting framed. When they said "quick" they were right! When plein air painting you have to capture the light and shadow at a particular moment and not change it. You don't want to chase the light.

Every where that you looked was a painting waiting to happen!

The Year of the Buffalo

2011-10-13T23:50:00.001-06:00

The Year of the Buffalo
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love it when we're up in the mountains and drive by a herd of buffalo. That's when I know I live in the west!

Not As Curious

2011-10-11T23:50:00.001-06:00

Not As Curious
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This guy didn't seem at all interested in me! Much more in interested in his meal!

You Gotta Love Her

2011-10-09T23:50:00.002-06:00

You Gotta Love Her
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

It's great how cows just love to look at you. They are so curious!

Rose Garden - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings 90/100

2011-10-07T23:50:00.002-06:00

Rose Garden - 100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, 90/100
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This piece is from earlier this summer. Just now realized that I'd never posted it. My plein air group, Garden Artists, painted in the most beautiful garden that day. I love the way the light and shadows created a pattern on the fence.

Sit A Spell

2011-10-05T23:50:00.001-06:00

Sit A Spell
11" x 14" Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This rock is on our property in the mountains. When our kids were little, we'd climb up on the top and "sit a spell." We decided that if we were a mountain lion, this would be our look out!

Paint The Parks Top 100

2011-10-02T23:50:00.001-06:00

Afternoon Light

16" x 20" Oil

I'm thrilled that my piece, Afternoon Light, got juried into the Top 100 of the National Parks Show, Paint The Parks. The exhibit celebrates our country's national parks, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the National Parks Foundation. The painting will be a part of the Paint the Parks National Exhibition, as well as presently in the PaintAmerica online gallery: www.paintamerica.org.

Those of you who follow my blog know that my husband and I love to travel and as often as possible our trips include National Parks. This light house is from Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego. I just happened to be there when there was an incredible sunset and the light was right on the light house.

Fresh Tomatoes - 100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings 89/100

2011-09-29T23:50:00.003-06:00

Fresh Tomatoes

9" x 12" Oil on board

$195. + $10. s/h

The tomatoes have been incredible this year. The cherry tomatoes in our garden have been so sweet!

For this still life, I also did a quick value study. After I'd set it aside I realized that the value of the cut tomato was too light. Because it's a study I didn't feel the need to go back and repaint it, but it certainly helped me realize the true value(s) of the inside of the tomato in the final painting.

Friday, September 30th 5 - 8 pm is the Opening Reception for the "Breast Cancer: The Courageous & Beautiful" Artists Coming Together for the Cure! Art Show at Cottonwood Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs. I'm happy to have three pieces in the show. Please join us as Susan G Komen for the Cure of Southeastern Colorado presents their art show to raise awareness and funding in their search for the cure. Stop by if you live here in the Springs. The show continues until October 18th.

Fall Morning

2011-09-27T23:50:00.002-06:00

Fall Morning
11" x 14" Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

The colors in Colorado in September can be amazing; they almost speak for themselves. For this one, I wanted to pay close attention to the values as the colors were already there.

I did this quick value study prior to the painting. I made a few changes in the composition and drawing, ie: less sky, changed the shape of the small tree on the left, but stuck pretty much to the values.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 88/100

2011-09-24T23:50:00.001-06:00

Skyward -- 100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings, 86/100
12" x 12" Oil on wrapped canvas
$305.00 available during the show at Cottonwood Center for the Arts

This is another of the geraniums on our deck. I am not ready for a fall frost!

This piece is one of three that I've submitted to the SE Colorado Susan G Komen "Breast Cancer: The Courageous & Beautiful" Art Show at Cottonwood Center for the Arts, Colorado Springs. The Opening Reception is Friday September 30th, 5 - 8 pm.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 87/100

2011-09-22T23:50:00.001-06:00

Fall Hollyhock
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

The hollyhocks in our garden are still blooming. But, we could have a frost any time, so I wanted to get a few more garden paintings finished.

This week in our garden:

Born To Be Mild

2011-09-20T23:50:00.001-06:00

Born To Be Mild
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is a previous piece, but it seemed appropriate to rotate it through again at this time.

I've had several questions about what to do with Hatch chiles. Saturday evening we had them for appetizers: sliced peppers and brie on crackers. Last night we had them for dinner: chile (pepper) cheeseburgers. These were absolutely delicious! Peel off the skins, slice, remove the seeds, lay onto the burger after flipping. Swiss cheese is recommended! I'll probably have enough menu ideas after a half bushel that I could write and illustrate a cookbook! In the meantime, I've frozen them, 6 to a quart size freezer bag, and will use them all winter!

Mild Things

2011-09-18T23:50:00.001-06:00

Mild Things
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Yesterday was the Fall Art Fair at Summerland Gardens. It was a beautiful day, partly cloudy, but luckily no rain. Summerland Gardens has been roasting and selling chiles from Hatch, New Mexico for the last few weeks. Regularly, a truck drives up from Hatch to deliver the chiles and everyday they sell as many as they roast.

There were bushels of chiles, mild, medium and hot, just waiting to be roasted. I set-up and painted this one in the afternoon.

I couldn't resist! Smelling the roasting all day, I bought half a bushel...the exact ones roasting in this photo! I confess, I bought milds! Which ones would you have bought?

More Figures from Peggi Kroll Roberts Workshop -- Day 2

2011-09-15T23:50:00.001-06:00

More Figures
9" x 12" Oil
$195.00 + $10. s/h

The workshop once again started with 10 one minute almost blind contour line drawings of figures. Always a great way to warm up.

Each day something new was added to the value studies. These started the same as those done the previous day, ie: pre-mixing a dark and light value and painting only two values for each 20 minute pose. Then, the cast shadows were darkened and the edges hardened. The form shadows were lightened and the edges softened.

I'm not sure why yesterday, in the middle of the day, 5 posts were sent out to some of the people on my email list. Oh well. I guess it's better to hear from me too often, than too little!

Saturday September 17, 2011, I'll be participating in the Fall Art Fair at Summerland Gardens 124 East Cheyenne Road, Colorado Springs. Hope you can stop by if you're in the neighborhood.

Value Figures

2011-09-14T23:50:00.007-06:00

Value Figures
9" x 12" Oil
$195.00 + $10. s/h

I just returned from a 10 day trip to California which involved: a family wedding in San Diego, a visit with our daughter in San Francisco, a day with fellow blogger and friend Nancy Hartley (we saw the Stein collection of Matisse's, Picasso's, and more at SFMOMA), a visit with my college roommate, and a Peggi Kroll Roberts workshop. Every minute of the trip was great!

I'll be posting from Peggi's workshop over the next few days. Each morning of the workshop started with 10 one minute almost blind contour line drawings of the figure. A good warm-up.

This painting is of figures showing only the light and dark values. We pre-mixed piles of lights and darks, sketched the figure, then painted just the values. We had 20 minutes for each figure. Peggi did a great job of demoing and showing samples of the exercises.

Storm Study

2011-09-10T23:50:00.001-06:00

Storm Study
11" x 14" Oil
$245.00 + $10. s/h

Colorado used to have many late afternoon storms. But, in the last ten years or so they are much less frequent. This is a quick study of an approaching late afternoon storm. I love how there's both strong dark and light in the sky.

Wildflower Field

2011-09-07T23:50:00.001-06:00

Wildflower Field
11" x 14" Oil
$245.00 + $10. s/h

While many parts of the country have had heat and little rain this summer, Colorado has been lucky. In certain parts of the state we've had more than the usual growth of wild flowers due to frequent rains.

South Park Sunset

2011-09-04T23:50:00.001-06:00

South Park Sunset
11" x 14" Oil
$245.00 + $10. s/h

This is the view from our trailer in the mountains. I love the moments just at the tail end of a sunset.

Home On The Range

2011-08-31T23:50:00.001-06:00

Home On The Range - SOLD
8" x 10" Oil

I was recently asked by a woman who owns three of my paintings if I would donate a piece for a fundraiser. She is the founder of this fundraiser/event, The Family afFaire, which feeds The Grace Fund, an affiliate fund of the Pikes Peak Community Foundation, an organization that helps people with MS, ALS, or spinal cord injuries. In 6 years this group has raised $600,000.00! I thought it was such a worthy event and donated "Home On The Range." Cows seemed an appropriate family painting. I'm thrilled that the piece sold and that I was able to help out.

Yesterday I went to Summerland Gardens, where my work is shown, to change out a painting. I found out that I'd sold three paintings the day before to a friend of the above mentioned woman! The donation was truly worth it, both financially and emotionally. I know that as artists we're asked to donate paintings to causes. I've read several posts where people ponder this. As a daily painter, I have unsold pieces in my studio and have made donations. As with all donations, whether of money, paintings, time, I think that it's a personal choice.

Violet Hydrangea

2011-08-28T23:50:00.002-06:00

Violet Hydrangea
6" x 8" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

Hydrangeas are difficult to grow in Colorado. We're just a little bit (a lot!!) too dry. This is from my sister-in-law's garden in North Carolina.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 86/100

2011-08-26T23:50:00.002-06:00

By the Bushel
100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings, 85/100
6" x 6" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

I just ran into Walmart. When I was walking out the door I noticed the most wonderful smell. Right on the front walkway, chiles from Hatch, New Mexico were being roasted. They were selling them by the bushel. Boxes and boxes of them were stacked up near the roaster. I wish I'd had my camera or phone. You gotta love living in the west!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 85/100

2011-08-24T23:50:00.002-06:00

Three Amigos, 100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings, 84/100
6" x 6" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h SOLD

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

I love it when a blogger friend suggests a title. This title was suggested by great commenter Sherry Autumnleaves. It fits perfectly! Thank you!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 84/100

2011-08-22T23:50:00.002-06:00

Three Hot Ones
100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings, 84/100
6" x 6" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

I have quite a few of my paintings for sale at Summerland Gardens. Not only does Summerland Gardens have flowers, great things for your garden, an incredible gift shop and an art gallery with work by local artists, but they also offer cooking classes. And, they are now roasting organically grown fresh green chiles from Hatch, New Mexico. (Ok, I should have mentioned this with my last post!) Hatch is known for it's large, meaty and distinctively flavored chiles. (I sound like a commercial!) They're fabulous! And available hot or mild, fresh or roasted, by the bushel or by the pound. So, back to the cooking classes....not sure what to do with green chiles? There is a green chile cooking class this Wednesday, August 24th! And, of course, new daily paintings of chiles! Now I really sound like a commercial! The roasting will continue into the fall.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 83/100

2011-08-20T23:50:00.003-06:00

Hot Or Not?
100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings, 83/100
6" x 6" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h SOLD

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

At this time of year, many people roast chilis. Fresh roasted chilis are a great addition to a meal.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 82/100

2011-08-17T23:50:00.004-06:00

An Apple A Day
6" x 8" Oil
$75.00 + $10. s/h

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

Recently my plein air group painted in a garden with apple trees. We have little crab apples in our yard, but not "real" apple trees. This yard is on the west side of town, which means the foothills, consequently black bears visit this yard regularly!

Morning Shadows

2011-08-12T17:06:00.001-06:00

Morning Shadows
11" x 14" Oil
$265.00 + $10. s/h

I loved the way the morning light created such beautiful colors in the shadows.

Tomorrow, Saturday 8/13, I'll be participating in the Canvases in the Canon Art Festival. Artists will be located at both Starsmore Discovery Center, (where I'll be) and Helen Hunt Falls here in Colorado Springs. Part of the proceeds of sales will go to North Cheyenne Canyon Park and Friends of the Canyon. I hope that you'll stop by if you're in the area.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 81/100

2011-08-09T23:50:00.005-06:00

On My Deck
100 Garden and Floral Oil Paintings, 81/100
12" x 12" $245.00 + $10. s/h

"END OF SUMMER" SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. All other sizes are marked down as well. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

These geraniums were so much fun to paint. We have 5 big pots of them in the corner of our deck. I sat in the shade (part of the deck is covered) and painted away. We all have tubes of paint that we rarely use, maybe from past workshops, or given to us by someone sometime. I have a tube of red paint called "Geranium Lake". I have no idea where I got it, but I used it in this piece. And, the reds work!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 80/100

2011-08-07T23:50:00.006-06:00

A Peek at the Garden
8" x 10" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 79/100

2011-08-02T23:50:00.004-06:00

Pink Ladies
8" x 10" Oil on
$100.00 + $10. s/h

END OF SUMMER SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

I think that these roses look like a group of ladies excited by what's in front of them!

For those of you wondering how our twins are doing, here they are, eating up a storm!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 78/100

2011-07-31T23:50:00.004-06:00

END OF SUMMER SALE! All paintings purchased in the month of August will be marked down. My 8" x 10" oils will be on sale for $100.00. My 6" x 6" and 6" x 8" daily paintings will be on sale for $75.00. Please email if you are interested in a painting posted in the past and I will change the paypal button just for you!

And Now Some Pinks

8" x 10" oil on board

$100.00 + $10. s/h

We have quite a few varieties of pink flowers in our back yard throughout the summer. These vine roses (I'm sure that there is a real name!) are now gone, but looked beautiful while they lasted.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 77/100

2011-07-29T23:50:00.002-06:00

Day Lily
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Day lilies are interesting in that they are almost a geometric flower, which seems an oxymoron. I think of flowers as organic.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 76/100

2011-07-26T23:50:00.002-06:00

And Now Some Orange
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

The day lilies in our garden are gone, but two weeks ago when I painted this they were prolific.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 75/100

2011-07-24T13:34:00.002-06:00

And A Fourth

Oil 6" x 6"

$100.00 + $10. s/h

I just can't resist these coreopsis! They're bright, happy looking, everywhere in our back yard, and fun to paint!

Several of you mentioned in comments and emails that you didn't know what coreopsis were, or that these coreopsis look different from those in your part of the country. So, I've included some photos of the coreopsis in our backyard this week:

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 74/100

2011-07-21T23:50:00.002-06:00

And A Third
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Those of you who follow my blog know that I love to paint series. I often paint three of something. It helps me see the colors, values, simplify shapes. Since we have so many coreopsis in our back yard, I just keep moving around and seeing another great shape just waiting to be painted!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 73/100

2011-07-19T11:55:00.001-06:00

A Second Coreopsis
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

With this coreopsis, I used the purple complement for most of the dark and shadows, with touches of cad orange. This darkens by graying a bit, and the effect is not as cool as the previous painting.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 72/100

2011-07-16T23:50:00.000-06:00

Coreopsis
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Right now our back yard is filled with coreopsis. So, I decided it's a great time to paint yellows. Yellow can be tricky. Do you darken it with green and make it cool? Do you darken it with orange and make it warm? Do you use the complement, purple, and gray it a little? I'll be posting coreopsis done in all of the above ways. In this one, I mixed the cool yellow and brushed it on, one stroke, then a clean brush: over and over. I like the way it's kind of "stripey."

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 71/100

2011-07-11T23:50:00.000-06:00

Another Tea Rose
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is another tea rose from our garden. It's hanging at Fairie Tales Restaurant. I realized that I'd forgotten to photograph it. I think we all have our perfect spots for taking pictures of our paintings, places where we know the light is just right. I wasn't familiar with all the spots at the restaurant and think that this is a little bright. I'll reshoot it next time I'm over there.

This week in our backyard:

I have yet to paint the candy cane roses or the liliums.

This week in our front yard:

We only have these two lonely flowers in our front yard.

Now we only have one flower in our front yard!

Morning in Monte Vista

2011-07-09T23:50:00.001-06:00

Morning in Monte Vista
11" x 14" Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This is another landscape from our trip in March to the Monte Vista Crane Festival. I painted it after the trip from a photo. I love the late winter colors of the grasses. I'm sure that now it would be beautiful greens. The area is full of marshes, so there's not a problem with lack of rain and dry, ochre grasses that we often have.

This week in our front yard:

We left the garage door open, which we almost never do, and the deer came right in! She just meandered away when I came out and looked at me as if I was bothering her!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 70/100

2011-07-07T23:50:00.000-06:00

Oldie But Goodie
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Recently my plein air group, Garden Artists, painted at my friend Marianne's ranch east of Colorado Springs. I've painted there before and posted paintings of her chickens and eggs. Well, here's one of the chairs out by the barn. It's a great place to rest and watch all the animals and to paint!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 69/100

2011-07-05T23:50:00.001-06:00

Just As Good
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10.00 s/h

I painted these strawberries several months ago and thought I'd posted them with the other two. They posted on DailyPainterOriginals in May, but not on my blog. So, here they are! I do not grow strawberries in our yard; too many squirrels!

I'm thrilled that fellow artists Dottie Lirette, Susan Bandy and I now have our art work in a recently opened restaurant, Faerie Tales. Faerie Tales BakeHouse and Catering has expanded to have a restaurant, as well, and all the businesses are housed in one location: 1015 West Colorado Avenue, Colorado Springs.

Here are a few pictures from the restaurant:

Their food is delicious, their wedding cakes look incredible, their patio is a great place to have a meal. And, of course, the art work looks great!! I'll keep you posted on the wine tasting and opening!

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 68/100

2011-07-02T23:50:00.001-06:00

White Cosmos
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

When I first looked at these guys, or gals, I thought it would be too busy with all the other flowers in the background. But, just suggesting them with brushes of color seemed to work.

Today in our backyard:

Our backyard is filled with flowers and pathways, creating a yard with not much lawn...much less to mow! And, you can see a fence behind the flowers to keep out the deer.

Today in our front yard:

This is my friend waiting for me to go out the garage door to get the mail! That's her bedroom where she takes her afternoon naps.

Red Or White?

2011-06-29T23:50:00.001-06:00

Red Or White?
6" x 6" Oil
SOLD

I've been wanting to paint a piece on a background toned in black This wine glass seemed like the perfect opportunity. I like the effect and think I'll tone some more dark.

This is the painting the client chose. Which one of the four wine glasses would you have chosen?

I Prefer Chardonay

2011-06-27T23:50:00.001-06:00

I Prefer Chardonay
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the third of my wine glasses. I love how the sky reflected in through the window onto the glass.

A Nice Merlot

2011-06-25T23:50:00.001-06:00

A Nice Merlot
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

In painting this series of four I used both white and red wines. It not only made it more fun for me, I thought that that would give the client more color choices. After meeting with her I thought that I should have asked if they preferred white or red wine. In retrospect, I'm glad that I didn't as I might have only painted that color.

Today I participated in the Art Fair at Summerland Gardens. It's such a beautiful location in which to paint and show work. Friend, fellow blogger, and organizer of Daily Painters of Colorado, Kimberly Conrad, came down from Denver to participate. She has started Club 47 on her blog as a way to lose 47 pounds. All are welcome to join and do something 47 related. I am going to attempt to finish my 100 Garden and Floral Oil Painting Series, I'm on # 67, in the next 47 days and donate $4.70 of each sold painting. I may not get them all posted before the 47 days, but I'll get them painted.

Here I am with Kimberly. Check out her blog here to find out about Club 47.

Red, Please

2011-06-23T23:50:00.001-06:00

Red, Please
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10.00 s/h

I received a commission to paint a wine glass. This client had purchased two of my other pieces, wine bottles and corks with a cork screw. She wanted a third, knowing that that would look better in her home. It isn't always that you get to see where your pieces are and how your pieces look in someone's home. But, she invited me over to get my opinion, see her colors, and see about the third piece. The two paintings are hanging in their great room, over a small bureau that they use as a bar. They look great (if I may say so myself.) I hope to be able to see the third, when it's up. I loved painting the wine glass. So, I painted four and let her choose the one she wanted.

Saturday a group of artists will be painting, and showing some work, at Summerland Gardens 124 East Cheyenne Road 80906, during the Farmer's Market. The market is from 10:00 until 3:00. Stop by if you're in the neighborhood.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 67/100

2011-06-20T23:50:00.000-06:00

Backyard Tea Rose
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I love it when the Tea Roses in our backyard blossom. They're such a happy looking flower and I love painting them.

This week in our yard:

Quiet Evening

2011-06-16T23:50:00.001-06:00

Quiet Evening - Plein Air Alaska #14/14

6" x 8" oil on canvas on board

$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the last plein air piece from our trip. Thanks for sharing the adventure with me!

Here are a few pictures from the town of Sitka.

Mount Edgecumbe -dormant volcano

Darker Grays and Greens

2011-06-15T23:50:00.001-06:00

Darker Grays and Greens - Alaskan Plein Air # 13/14
8" x 10" oil on canvas on board
$100.00 + $10. s/h

Often the gray and green values were a bit dark. It makes for great contrast with light sky or water.

Most of the photos I've been sharing have been from our time out on the Inside Passage. We spent more than a week in Sitka. The following photos are trees and totems from the Sitka National Historic Park.

With only 17 inches of moisture each year, we don't have trees like these in Colorado!

Snow Light

2011-06-14T23:50:00.002-06:00

Snow Light - Alaskan Plein Air #12/14
8" x 10" oil on canvas on board
SOLD

I love how the snow on the top of the mountain peaks creates its' own light.

I mentioned seeing whales. We also saw sea lions. Unfortunately, I saw this guy out of the corner of my eye when I was reeling in a salmon.

He was hungry, and it was his lunch time! So, he helped himself to my salmon! Really, this was

pretty cool to see! Sea lions have few predators: orcas and man (only Natives.)

So, I started all over and he got my next salmon! At this point I was a bit irritated.

We planned to bring these salmon home!

Practice makes perfect. I got several more!

I am pleased to announce that I have joined Daily Paintworks. Please go to the site, click on All Artists, and see all of the art! It's great that their expansion allows so many of us this opportunity.

More Grays and Greens

2011-06-13T23:50:00.003-06:00

More Grays and Greens - Alaskan Plein Air # 11/14
5" x 7" Oil on canvas on board
$75.00 + $10. s/h

Gray and green values were abundant in Alaska. Everyday had different scenes with different values and colors.

And everyday had wildlife. Often a whale,

or two.

Greens and Grays

2011-06-12T23:50:00.001-06:00

Greens and Grays - Alaskan Plein Air #10/14

6" x 8" oil on canvas on board

$100.00 + $10. s/h

We were lucky to only have 3 days of rain out of 3 weeks in Alaska. It could have been raining all of the time! We had quite a few days of blue sky. But, many of the days were green and gray.

It was always beautiful when the blues would peek through.

A Great Alaskan Evening

2011-06-11T16:10:00.001-06:00

A Great Alaskan Evening - Alaskan plein air # 9/14
6" x 8" Oil on canvas on board
$100.00 + $10. s/h

So many of the evenings in Alaska had such beautiful light and were when I did most of my paintings.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 66/100

2011-06-09T23:50:00.003-06:00

Peonies
6" x 6" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This morning my plein air group painted at a home with a magnificent garden. Every square inch of the yard has been turned into growing space for herbs, vegetables and flowers. It was magnificent! And, the freshly baked rhubarb pie was delicious! Thank you Natalya.

Alaskan Eagles

2011-06-07T23:50:00.001-06:00

Alaskan Eagles - Alaskan plein air #8/14
9" x 12" oil on canvas on board
$195.00 + $10. s/h

I've mentioned the challenges of plein air painting and the challenges of plein air painting on a boat: changing light, strong glare, reflections on the water, boat movement. Don't worry, there are more! The tide! And how quickly it comes in and goes out!

When I started this piece the eagles were happily landing,

posing for me,

then taking off.

I soon noticed that the tide was coming in, and my rocks were getting smaller

and smaller,

and smaller! It's a good thing that I was about done!

The other day I wondered why the writing next to one of the pictures was off. Today I'm wondering why the first group of 4 photos is bracketed together, how that happened, and how do I undo this!? Any thoughts?

Silvery, Green Alaskan Light

2011-06-05T23:50:00.001-06:00

Silvery, Green Alaskan Light

Alaskan plein air #7/14

6" x 8" oil on canvas on board

$100.00 + $10. s/h

Both the sky and the reflective water in Alaska often had a silvery, green light.

In case you're wondering about those shrimp pots from the last post, twice we went shrimping and had great dinners! It was quite a bit of work!

1. First we filled bait boxes. Then, took the pots from the stack, flipped them over, put the bait in, and tied the nets shut.

2. Next, we threw them down from the roof to the main level, then attached them to a line and threw them in! (Although I think that this photo is actually pulling them out.) We then motored back to our anchorage and waited 24 hours.

3. Using a hoist made it all easier.

4. Each pot was lifted to the roof. The
shrimp were then dumped into this big pot.

5. The head of each shrimp was broken
off and thrown back in for someone
else's dinner!

6. Getting dinner ready! These shrimp were

soaked in salty water for 24 hours to make them

less rubbery and tastier.

7. Then all the pots were stacked so we'd

be ready several days later to do this again!

I'm sure some of you are familiar with all of this. But, catching fresh shrimp is not something we do in Colorado! I truly felt like I was on the TV show "The Deadliest Catch"! We just didn't have any rough water!

I'm not sure why #2 is so erratic. It looks perfect when I look at it in my posting set-up, there aren't any strange word spaces and there's not much room between #2 and 3. Any thoughts on this? Oh well, it's always something.

Shrimp Pots

2011-06-04T23:50:00.002-06:00

Shrimp Pots
Alaskan plein air #6
6" x 8" oil on canvas on board
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I've mentioned the challenges of plein air painting, and have mentioned some additional challenges of plein air painting on a boat, ie: changing light, changing reflections on the water, high glare. Another one is boat movement. As the boat sways and rocks slowly with the water, you aren't always aware of this. But, when you're painting and look up and the shadow right in front of you is different, you just go with what was there! You can't keep changing light and shadow.

So, in this case, I painted the shadow in right away and didn't change it!

These are the shrimp pots, and shadow, when I started the piece.

This is just a little while later. I'm still painting.

And this is the shadow just a little bit later still! I was just about done at this point. The movement made for challenging painting, but great sleeping. Just like a baby must feel in a cradle!

Evening Light

2011-06-03T23:45:00.002-06:00

Evening Light

Alaskan plein air #5

6" x 8" oil on canvas on board

$100.00 + $10. s/h

The early evening light was so strong on the water that it appeared as one sold value. Very few differentiations were visible.

Just a bit later the light was so different.

Alaskan Buoy

2011-05-31T23:45:00.001-06:00

Alaskan Buoy
Alaskan plein air #4
8" x 6" oil on canvas on board
$100.00 + $10. s/h

I felt like painting a still life, but in the Alaskan wilderness that wasn't much of an option. So, I just painted what was right in front of me!

It's a little hard to tell, but these are seals right next to the boat. They're curious guys!

I'm not sure if the one on the right is yawning or talking to me.

On Thursday, June 2nd I'm going to be one of the vendors at Cowgirls and Cocktails, a breast cancer fundraiser here in Colorado Springs. It's from 5:30 - 8:00 at the Penrose Equestrian Center. I'm thrilled to be supporting such a worthwhile function.

Cloud Reflections

2011-05-30T23:45:00.003-06:00

Cloud Reflections

Alaskan plein air #3

8" x 6" oil on canvas on board

$100.00 + $10. s/h

We had a little bit of all kinds of weather, but pretty good as far as Alaska goes. There were a few days of light rain, many cloudy, gray days, and a few days of beautiful blue skies.

Those of you who are plein air painters know that painting outside has lots of fun challenges. Changing clouds in the sky is one, but changing cloud reflections in the water is another! I put the lightest reflective whites in first and didn't change them, even as the reflections floated away across the water.

This is looking the other direction. A completely different mood and feel.

These reflections were all taken in the late afternoon/early evening.

Another View

2011-05-29T23:47:00.006-06:00

Another View
Alaskan plein air #2
6" x 8" oil on panel on board
$100.00 + $10. s/h

For this piece I'm pretty much standing in the same spot on the stern of the boat. I think that I painted these last two pieces between about 5:30 and 7:30. It was a quiet first evening. People were resting or out on the beaches exploring (no, not like warm sun-tan beaches!)

Here's a close up of an Alaskan beach: mollusky, slippery, rocky. Maybe I shouldn't call this

a beach, but a shoreline.

Here's another beach, way easier for walking. I took my "ExtraTuf" boots to get in and

out of the skiff.

Alaskan Evening

2011-05-28T17:08:00.001-06:00

Alaskan Evening
Alaskan plein air #1
6" x 8" oil on canvas on board
$100.00 + $10. s/h

My husband and I just got home from three weeks in and around Sitka, Alaska. We had an incredible trip. Our first few days were spent in Sitka in SE Alaska. (I have to admit that I knew very little about Sitka except that Sandra Bullock was there in "The Proposal." Actually, she visited for one day to get the feel of the town. The movie was filmed in New England.) It's a beautiful town, on the water, with incredible scenery.

The next ten days five of us spent on a boat in the Inside Passage. This is where we anchored the first night. It takes awhile to get used to the sun setting at 9:30 and rising at about 4:30. We put towels over the porthole window.

I want to thank everyone who commented on my posts while I was away. We had internet only occasionally. I'm trying to get caught up with all of the posts on my dashboard and emails.

Outside of our B&B the first night.

Sitka harbor as seen from our boat.

Waters in the Inside Passage are usually pretty smooth.

100 Garden & Floral Oil Paintings, Original Artwork by Pam Holnback, 64/100

2011-05-23T23:50:00.001-06:00

Mother's Day Trowel
8" x 8" oil on cradled panel
$195.00 + $10. s/h

This was my Mother's Day gift to myself last year. I needed it! Even with all of it's use, it still looks pretty new.

Afternoon View

2011-05-19T23:50:00.001-06:00

Afternoon View
6" x 8" Oil
$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the view from our deck. When clouds approach in the afternoon, we have a front row seat.