River's Everlasting Flow

River's Everlasting Flow
plein air oil  9" x 12"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h - normal price
$221.25 - holiday sale

This plein air painting was done this past summer in Salida, CO.  Salida (population more or less  5500) is about 3 hours from Colorado Springs.  The Arkansas River runs right through downtown Salida adding a wonderful feel to the town.  There are regularly kayakers, fisherman, rafters, etc using the Arkansas.  We did a float trip one afternoon.  There are lots of galleries and studios in the downtown as well.  I love visiting Salida.  It sits in a beautiful agricultural valley.

It's wonderful when I can set up and paint in a shady area!  And I really like listening

 to the waters' music while I paint!

The holidays are almost upon us.  For November and December I'm having a holiday studio sale.  All of my paintings are 25% off with free shipping.  Many of my paintings can be seen on my Daily Paintworks site, or scroll back through my blog.  Email me about any paintings that you would like and I'll send you a Paypal button with the reduced price!  Thank you!

Old Wringer

Old Wringer
plein air oil  10" x 8"
SOLD

This old washing machine (and quite a few others) was sitting in a former garden supply store.  I loved the color!  Right away I knew I wanted to paint it.  I photoed the others in case I don't get back there soon to paint, although I imagine they'll be there next spring.

I'm sure that this washer was thought of as very modern and made washing and rinsing much easier!  After items were washed and rinsed, water had to be removed by twisting.  To help reduce this labor, the wringer/mangle machine was developed.  The mangle used two rollers under spring tension to squeeze water out of clothing and household linens.  Each laundry item would be fed though the wringer separately.  The first wringers were hand-cranked, but were eventually included as a powered attachment above the washer tub.  The wringer would be swung over the wash tub so that the extracted wash water would fall back into the tub to be reused for the next load.  I remember as a little girl, my mom had the washing machine set up so that the rinse water would go into a big sink and that water would be reused for the next load.

The holidays are almost upon us.  For November and December I'm having a holiday studio sale.  All of my paintings are 25% off with free shipping.  Many of my paintings can be seen on my Daily Paintworks site, or scroll back through my blog.  Email me about any paintings that you would like and I'll send you a Paypal button with the reduced price!  Thank you!

Harvest Baskets

Harvest Baskets
plein air oil  11" x 14"
SOLD
$495.00 + $10. s/h

This painting is "sort of" plein air.  I had planned on painting in a nearby orchard.  The day turned out to be very, very windy.  The orchard has a large store with seasonal produce, jams, etc for sale.  The front of the store is several large garage doors.  So, I stood inside out of the wind to paint this.  Is that plein air?  Or is it just all prima, since I was not quite out doors?

Along The Path

Along The Path
plein air oil  12" x 9"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

This was painted in Goose Gossage Park here in Colorado Springs.  The park is a long, narrow park which runs between the Interstate and Monument Creek.  It has a wonderful path along the eastern side which over looks the Creek and is used by both bikers and hikers.  There are several spots right by the path and near the parking lots which make perfect over looks and are great places to paint.

The park is named after Colorado Springs' favorite "local boy done good" Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Goose Gossage.  It is a children's sports complex with softball, soccer, & baseball fields & a huge skateboard area all under lights.  After his 22 year baseball career Goose Gossage returned to the Springs where he raised his family.

Roadside Cliffs

Roadside Cliffs
plein air oil  9" x 12"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

I loved the way these cliffs became golden in the sunlight.  I had passed them on an overcast day and hardly paid any attention to them.  But on a warm, sunny day the whole scene became a painting waiting to happen!

Old School House

Old School House
Oil  18" x 24"
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$795.00 + $20. s/h

This is the 8th (of 9, although there will be 2 more later) of my recent Grasslands series.  This old school house appeared to be sitting in the middle of nowhere.  I should re-do that sentence:  This old school house was sitting in the middle of nowhere.  Actually, it is the community center for the town of Stoneham, which I mentioned in the last post about the book & the restaurant.  Anyway, Stoneham is out in the middle of nowhere.  There are about 4 buildings left from the "old days" as well as a very large, still in use granary.  I'm not sure who uses this community center, but it's there!

Every where that we stopped on this trip my husband would warn me to look out for snakes.  I don't know if you've ever seen a woman tip-toeing around photoing in the grasslands, but if you have, it was me!  The woman from the restaurant (again, last post) warned us to be on the look out for rattle snakes.  My husband was right!  She said that she had recently run over one in her plow when she was out moving the fields.

A repeat from the past posts about this series:

A short while ago I received a phone call from a student at UNC, Greeley, Mina Jackson.  She is a freshman journalism major and wanted to interview about my paintings in the Grasslands Show.  Here is a link to the article she wrote:  Grasslands Article  I was so impressed with her preparation, she had 15 questions all ready to ask.  I think the article is well written for a first year student.  Thank you Mina!

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Tawny Cover

Tawny Cover
Oil  12" x 12"
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$395.00 + $10. s/h

This is the 7th painting in my Grasslands series.  While traveling through the Grasslands this past summer we found a restaurant tucked away in a very small town, Stoneham.  A book on the Grasslands was sitting near the entrance and the owner lent in to me.  I loved all of the adjectives and descriptors in the book and used many of them for the painting titles in this series.

I know we don't all read every blog that we see, so I'm repeating the interview & background about this series from the blogs that I posted the last few days: 

A short while ago I received a phone call from a student at UNC, Greeley, Mina Jackson.  She is a freshman journalism major and wanted to interview about my paintings in the Grasslands Show.  Here is a link to the article she wrote:  Grasslands Article  I was so impressed with her preparation, she had 15 questions all ready to ask.  I think the article is well written for a first year student.  Thank you Mina!

A repeat from the first post of this series:

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Morning Light

Morning Light
Oil  12" x 12"
SOLD

This is the 6th of the recent paintings in my "Grasslands" series.

I was thrilled that "Morning Light" received "Best Of Show"!

A repeat from the first post of this series:

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Vast & Quiet

Vast & Quiet
Oil  12" x 12"
click here for Paypal
$395.00 + $10. s/h

This is the 5th painting in my recent "Grasslands" series.  So many of the fields that we saw in the Grasslands seemed to go on forever, or at least for miles.  This one caught my eye as it was almost one shade of green with just vary subtle differences in value.  I wanted to create these mild differences so made the painting very minimal.  I'm happy with the results and the simplicity.

I know we don't all read every blog that we see, so I'm repeating the interview & background about this series from the blogs that I posted the last few days:

A short while ago I received a phone call from a student at UNC, Greeley, Mina Jackson.  She is a freshman journalism major and wanted to interview about my paintings in the Grasslands Show.  Here is a link to the article she wrote:  Grasslands Article  I was so impressed with her preparation, she had 15 questions all ready to ask.  I think the article is well written for a first year student.  Thank you Mina!

A repeat from the first post of this series:

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Ribbons Of Grass

Ribbons Of Grass
Oil  12" x 12"
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$395.00 + $10. s/h

This is the 4th in my recent "Grasslands" series.  I loved the way the ranchers' plowing created ribbons back & forth across the fields.

A short while ago I received a phone call from a student at UNC, Greeley, Mina Jackson.  She is a freshman journalism major and wanted to interview about my paintings in the Grasslands Show.  Here is a link to the article she wrote:  Grasslands Article  I was so impressed with her preparation, she had 15 questions all ready to ask.  I think the article is well written for a first year student.  Thank you Mina!

A repeat from the first post of this series:

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Gentle Rolls

Gentle Rolls
Oil  12" x 12"
click here for Paypal
$395.00 + $10. s/h

This is the 3rd painting in my recent "Grasslands" series.  I really liked this one.  I liked the different crops that were on each side of the road, the hay in the far pasture, the corn in the middle, the mowed field to the right & the plowed field in the front.  Ranchers, and/or farmers, always have more work!  Something in the field always needs a little care.

A repeat from the first post of this series:

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Ocean Of Gold

Ocean Of Gold
oil  12" x 12"
click here for Paypal
$395.00 + $10. s/h

While driving through the grasslands of Colorado photoing reference material (i.e. grass!) my husband asked me how I was going to paint these.  At that point I wasn't quite sure what the paintings would look like, what the composition would be, etc.  I knew that would all fall into place.  He said to me that I should paint them like my "ocean" series that I did on several past trips to Mexico.  As I looked out the car window I realized that the grasses were like the ocean:  rolling hills of color and waving with the breeze.  This painting definitely reminded me of the ocean, (although golden) with the sand in front.

A repeat from the first post of this series:

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Field Of Clover

Field Of Clover
Oil  12" x 12"
click here for Paypal
$395.00 + $10. s/h

I recently participated in the "Grasslands Inspiration IV Show" in the Mari Michener Gallery at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, my alma mater.  The paintings for the show were to be of the 7 "grassland counties" in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been to that part of Colorado.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing art related that I want to do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area taking 100s of photos and getting inspired by the grasslands.  Both of us had a great time and couldn't get over all of the different "grasses" and their many, varied colors!

Upon returning home I spent hours editing the photos, then sketching my favorite locations.  I did several dozen sketches before starting the paintings.  Originally I had planned on doing very large paintings, but due to time, most of the paintings were 12" x 12".  I ended up loving that size and painting 9 12 x12s as well as 2 larger paintings of the grasslands!  I was motivated by a new inspiration!  This was one of the three paintings that I submitted to the show.

For the next 2 weeks I'll be posting grassland paintings.  Enjoy!

Window Reflection

Window Reflection
plein air oil
9" x 12"
SOLD

The was the 7th & last painting done at the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration in Fairplay, CO earlier this month.  This was painted during Saturday morning's "Quick Draw".  We could set up any where on Front Street (which is the main street of the old part of Fairplay).  The quick draw was from 10 - 12.  Our paintings were to be turned in framed by 12:30 & there was an auction at 1:00, with the proceeds going to the food bank.

I did a series of paintings of walls & lanterns of Mexico and saw another painting here.  I was drawn to this light and it's reflection.  With the limited time, I knew that I wanted to paint something that was familiar.  I was happy with the result & happy that this sold in the auction.

South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration is a wonderful plein air event!

Mountain Pond

Mountain Pond
plein air oil  12" x 12"
SOLD

This painting was done at the Beaver Ponds Environmental Education Center just outside of Fairplay, CO during the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration earlier this month.  This was the 6th and last painting done during the main 3 days of the event.  One of the great things about this plein air event is that the town of Fairplay organizes locations to paint.  I'd never been to the Center, nor did I know about it.  It was very interesting.  Of course, beaver ponds, but trails in the woods, a river, lots of aspen trees.  Upon first arriving I decided to walk the circular trail to find a spot to paint.  I saw very large hoof prints in the mud.  I am very familiar with elk prints, these were so much bigger, I knew they must be a moose.  The Center owner said that they frequently have a moose family near by.

After just a short while the shade around my easel disappeared and I was too lazy to walk back to my car to get my umbrella.  You want your canvas and palette to be in the shade, so I propped another canvas up to help a bit.

Friday evening is the Event Show in the bank lobby (there's only 1 bank in town.)  Every day at 4 pm we turned in 2 framed paintings from that day.  Each day at dinner one painting received a "Painting Of The Day" Award.  The awards for the 3 day event were given out on Friday night at the reception.

I was thrilled that "Mountain Pond" received an Honorable Mention!  And I was also so pleased that the painting sold!

Up Your Alley

Up Your Alley
plein air oil  12" x 9"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

This alley is the 5th painting from the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration in Fairplay, CO earlier this month.  I had also spotted this location when I was scouting on the first evening in town.  I loved the shadows in the alley and the bits of light on the rickety, old fence.  The wobbly, old out buildings created fun shapes & shadows.

Again, a little bit of artistic license was used.  I found the leaves of the trees to the left of the buildings in the back yard a bit distracting.  I preferred the simplicity of the mountains as a back ground.  It created one more interesting shape instead of a mess of leaves.  I often do a pencil sketch before beginning a painting.  This helps me plan the composition.  It was as I was scribbling in the leaves in the sketch that I knew they would be distracting.

Green With Envy

Green With Envy
plein air oil  12" x 12"
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$395.00 + $10. s/h

This tractor is the 4th painting that I did in the recent South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration, Fairplay, CO.  I had spotted it the first evening when I was walking up and down the alley off of Front Street in Fairplay.  I loved the complementary colors, but there was no light on it in the evening.  I decided to head back to it earlier in the day on another day.

I used a bit of artistic license and shortened the body just a bit because I wanted to use a square canvas.  One of the challenges of a plein air event is the planning that goes in to it in advance.  You have to decide how many and what size canvases to take.  The canvases all get stamped on the back before the painting begins.  Each canvas has to be framed upon "turn it."  So, you have to pack the right size frames, hardware and tools.  Additionally, you have to be able to frame a painting quickly, and often from the back of your car.

Hartsel Bison

Hartsel Bison
plein air oil  9" x 12"
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$295.00 + $10. s/h

This painting was done on the morning of Day 2 of the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration.  This day was sort of a free day i.e.:  the town of Fairplay didn't have an organized location but made suggestions, or we could paint any where within 30 miles of Fairplay.  Hartsel is about 15 miles from Fairplay, and I knew that there's a bison herd there, so I made that my destination.  However, just because there's a herd doesn't mean that they'll be close enough to paint.  They don't care if they're near the road.

Well, they were sort of close.  So I set my plein air gear up right by my car, right by the side of the county road and painted away.  The bison appeared to just be standing around, but as they chew, they step, they chew again and step again.  After about an hour the bison were pretty far away and no longer near by.  

Old Coffee Pot

Old Coffee Pot
plein air oil  12" x 9"
$295.00 + $10. s/h
click here for Paypal

This piece was done in the afternoon of the first day of the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration.  I painted yesterday's posted piece in the morning, then lunch was delivered to us out on the ranch.  We're not talking about a simple sandwich, we're talking pulled pork barbecue, cole slaw, fruit, cookies.  As I said, this is a GREAT plein air event!

Anyway, as time progressed, obviously the ranch owners purchased modern appliances and kitchen utensils.  The old favorites weren't thrown away, they were set up around the barns and out buildings. Every one of them called out to me to become a painting!

Ranch Rocker

Ranch Rocker
plein air oil  8" x 10"
$195.00 + $10. s/h
click here for Paypal

I recently participated in the South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration in Fairplay, CO.  This is a wonderful plein air event.  The town of Fairplay organizes it so well, providing food every day, arranging painting excursions to private ranches, & having evening gatherings.

This rocker was painted the first morning out on a ranch about 20 minutes from Fairplay. The ranch family has lived there for 4 generations.  After walking all around the ranch and being a bit overwhelmed by the views, trees, buildings, etc. I focused in on this old rocker.  I could imagine the pleasure the "rockee" would have enjoying his view and resting after a hard days' work.

Honoring 100 Years of Our National Parks

I have a show hanging at Cheyenne Mountain State Park Visitors Center here in Colorado Springs.  

In honor of our 100 year anniversary of the National Park system, the show is of paintings of 

county, state and national parks and wild life areas we have visited.  These photos show one wall of the show.  The paintings are from Bear Creek Park, Colorado Springs;  Arches & Canyonlands National Parks, Moab, Utah;  Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, CA;  Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado;  Paint Mines Archeological District, Calhan, CO;  Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO;  Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah;  Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, CO;  Big Bend National Park, Texas; as well as a few more local Colorado parks.  

As the show is in the Visitors Center, I created a small information sheet about each Park which hangs by each painting.  If you're in the Colorado Springs area, please stop by the Visitors Center.  The show hangs until the end of October.  

Fallen Log

Fallen Log
plein air oil  9" x 12"
click here for Paypal
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This log is on our property in the mountains.  I've looked at it for years, slowly rotting away.  I always take my painting supplies when we go up there in case something jumps out at me waiting to be painted.  I saw the light, shadow, grasses and decided that this was an interesting painting.  I'd also recently looked again at Richard Schmid's book and remembered his painting of a log and was inspired!

Old Blue

Old Blue
plein air oil  11" x 14"
click here for Paypal
$395.00 + $10. s/h

I found this old horse trailer when I was painting in Como, CO.  Como is about 2 hours west of Colorado Springs in the mountains.  Here is some info on Como:

It is believed the town was named by miners from Como, Italy, who worked the coal fields of the area. In 1879, the town became the location of a depot of the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, which was extended over Kenosha Pass to reach the silver mining areas during the Colorado Silver Boom. Later, the town served as a division point for trains going northward over Boreas Pass and southward toward Garos and over Trout Creek Pass at the western end of South Park. The town has many historic weathered structures, including the roundhouse, hotel, and depot and has the air of a ghost town that is still nevertheless populated, by twenty people. It has a small commercial district consisting of a post office, gallery, hotel. The depot has been renovated with plans to make it an area tourist attraction.

PAAC 20th National Exhibition

Thursday night was the opening of the PAAC National show at Mary Williams Fine Art in Boulder, CO.  I was thrilled to have been juried into the show.  It's always fun to go to openings and connect with artist friends who I see only occasionally and to meet new artists.  

Thursday evening I met an artist who I've known online for 8 years!  That was fun to meet in person and now we're trying to get together to paint.  She lives here in Colorado, it's a big state, but about 7 hours from Colorado Springs.  You never know what opportunities painting is going to open!

Grasslands Inspiration IV Show

I was thrilled and honored to receive this award last night at the Opening of the 

Grasslands Inspiration IV Show at Mari Michener Gallery

University Of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO.

It was a wonderful show full of great photos, watercolors, oils, acrylics and dry media 

influenced by the grasslands of north-eastern Colorado.  Thank you UNC (my alma mater) 

and the Northern Colorado Heritage League.

The show hangs until September 23.  Stop by and see it if you're in the Greeley area!

Grassland Inspiration IV

Grassland Inspiration IV:  Looking East Prairie Appreciation Show

UNC (University of Northern Colorado) Michener Library Greeley, CO  

August 22 - September 23, 2016

These are two of the three paintings that I will have in the Grasslands Show at UNC in Greeley.  Because I had participated in the Littleton, CO paint-out in early June, I received an email a short time later inviting me to participate in the Grasslands Show.  I had never heard of this show, but am an alumni of UNC and thought that it would be fun to participate.  There were well laid out eligibility and requirement "bullets" in the brochure.  The most important was that the paintings had to be of the 7 "grassland counties" i.e.:  the seven counties in northeastern Colorado.  It had been years since I'd been up there, Greeley is about 2 1/2 hours from Colorado Springs.  So, my husband, always supportive of any thing related to painting that I do, and I spent two days driving around the back roads in that area and taking 100s of photos and getting so inspired by the grasslands.  It was really fun!  

Upon returning home I spent hours editing my photos and looking further for inspiration.  Then I sketched dozens of pictures of my favorite locations.   Dozens because once I started looking I was so inspired by all of the different colors of the grass.  Then, I started painting.  My idea had been to do three pretty large paintings, but it was already the third week of July and the paintings were due in Greeley on August 17th!  That didn't leave me much time, but I work well under pressure.  Because I wasn't sure which of my sketch/ideas would become the largest painting, I decided to do several 12" x 12" "practice" pieces first.  Well, those "several" pieces became 7!  I loved painting those 12" x 12" pieces.  While deciding which of those would become a larger piece, I started on a large square painting of an old school house sitting in the middle of nowhere.  Then I also started on a large square of a windmill.  

Then, we went on a week long trip, so I wasn't able to finish the windmill, or start on the larger one of the grasses.  But, I chose the two of the 12x12s that I liked the most (above), framed them and submitted those two and the school house.  I think that it's important that we always know what we can do and just do it.  I realized that I wanted to enter this event, I didn't have lots of time, but I could do it.  And, I'm really happy with all of my paintings!  I'll post them soon.  

Hanging On The Line

Hanging On The Line
Oil  16" x 20"
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$595.00 + $20. s/h

Last month I did a smaller plein air painting of this laundry.  (click here to view that piece)  This is a larger studio piece, from a different view, but the same laundry "hanging on the line."  This laundry is  from Rock Ledge Ranch here in Colorado Springs.  I loved all of the different whites and the movement created by the breeze.

I also think that I loved painting these laundry pieces because they remind me of my childhood.  when I was a little girl my mom hung the sheets out on the line to dry.  I remember them blowing in the breeze and remember running through them.  As artists, we paint what we see, but we also paint what's in our hearts.

Corn On The Cob

Corn On The Cob
Oil  8" x 6"
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$100.00 + $10. s/h

This is the same ear as yesterday's post, but shucked.  Decided to get 2 done before dinner!

Sweet Corn

Sweet Corn
Oil  8" x 6"
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$100.00 + $10. s/h

Corn on the cob is one of my favorite vegetables, right up there with asparagus.  Right now the stores and farm stands are selling lots of corn.  The best corn in Colorado is from Olathe on the western slope.  I think that it's the cool nights and sunny days that make the corn so delicious.  It's so sweet that people talk about "the Olathe sweet corn being ready!"

Sometimes you have to paint right before dinner!

Downtown Art Walk -- First Friday

Downtown Art Walk -- First Friday

As in many towns across the country, here in Colorado Springs First Friday evening is a great chance to head downtown and visit galleries and enjoy art.  This past Friday I painted during the Art Walk at Cacao Chemistry, 109 N. Tejon, Colorado Springs.  Cacao Chemistry is not a gallery, but a chocolate store, and soon to be dessert bar, that uses its' walls as a gallery.  I love when venues support the local arts!  I set up my easel in the front and had a great time meeting people as I painted.  

Additionally, Friday was the opening of the Olympic Games.  Colorado Springs is "the Olympic City" with many of the sports teams main offices here, as well as the head quarters of the US Olympic Committee and the Olympic Training Center.  Several blocks downtown were closed off to traffic and a there was a huge Olympic Celebration.  It included athletes still in training, former Cirque de Soleil acrobats performing on a 2 story portable contraption, Brazilian dancers in spectacular costumes, and the largest display screen that I've ever seen showing the event direct from Rio.  Thousands of people came downtown to enjoy the celebration.  Many of those spectators came into Cacao Chemistry for chocolate, and to see what I was doing!  Thank you Cacao Chemistry!

Summer Blooms

Summer Blooms
plein air oil  10" x 8:
SOLD

I recently participated in a plein air event hosted by the FOX Garden Group.  FOX is the "Friends Of eXtension", which is a part of the Colorado State University Extension Group.  This group deals state wide with "serving current and future needs of Coloradans by providing educational information and programs that safeguard health, increase livelihood, and enhance well being."  There are Extension offices in many towns in the state.  In Colorado Springs they have volunteers who who can call to ask questions about gardening, plants, etc.

The local FOX group has an annual garden tour.  Last year, my plein air group, Garden Artists, was invited to paint during the 2 day annual event.  That was a big success and this year we were invited once again.  I spent 2 days painting in 4 gardens.  This painting was done in the Saturday afternoon garden.  Not only was the event wonderful for gardeners to see gardens new to them, but for me, being a gardener and artist it was amazing!  (Also, it was in a neighborhood very near to mine and so convenient!)  The FOX group is very organized;  there were several volunteers in each garden to answer questions about flowers & gardening.

It can be challenging plein air painting under any circumstance, but with 100s of people touring the gardens I had to be very focused.  Many of the visitors had never seen a plein air painter and came to talk to me.  It was a great marketing event and overall a win, win situation.  I'm already looking forward to next years' tour!

Pink Hollyhocks

Pink Hollyhocks
Oil  16" x 8"
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$395.00 + $20. s/h

I loved painting all of these hollyhocks.  And, I love having them in our backyard.  These long stretched canvases are perfect for hollyhock paintings!

Hollyhocks are easy to grow from seed.  While they are a perennial, many only bloom bi-annually.  It's a good idea to plant seeds 2 years in a row.  That way you'll have them growing in your garden every year.  Once they start growing it's easy to sow some of the plants' seeds in the fall.  Also it's easy to save seeds over the winter and sow more in the spring.

Hollyhock Spires

Hollyhock Spires
Oil on canvas  16" x 8"
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$395. + $20. s/h

This is the 2nd white hollyhock in this size.  (See my last post.)  There's one more to post, but in a another color.

We have hollyhocks growing in our backyard in several different locations.  Many hollyhocks are bi-ennial (blossoming every other year.)  Luckily we have enough that there are some blooming every year.  Many times I save the seeds over the winter and throw them back into the ground in the spring. Some new sprouts regularly appear.

I photoed this over and over with 2 different cameras.  There is just a bit more yellow in the flower than appears here.  Will keep trying.

Backyard Hollyhocks

Backyard Hollyhocks
plein air oil  16" x 8"
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$395.00 + $10. s/h

This is another floral done plein air in our backyard.  I love going out (to the mountains or elsewhere in town) to paint, but oh, it's so easy when you can just walk out the back door and paint!  My only problem with it is that I'll look down and see weeds in the garden or things growing in the grass that aren't grass and start weeding.  Soon, I've been weeding away for 10-15 minutes and many weeds are gone, but my painting is waiting!  Oh well, if that's my biggest problem in life I have a good life!

Ranch Meadow

Ranch Meadow
plein air oil  10" x 8"
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$195.00 + $10. s/h

This piece was done recently at Rock Ledge Ranch here in Colorado Springs.  A friend and fellow artist had "Julie's 3rd Annual Paint Out" to celebrate her birthday.  It's open to all area artists and has grown each year.  It was a really fun morning with artists from different plein air groups who might not normally paint together.  I was thrilled to have won the "Most Paint On Her Apron Award"!

I've painted at this ranch many times over the years, last month I painted some laundry.

Rose Garden

Rose Garden
Oil  10" x 8"
SOLD
$195.00 + $10. s/h

Recently my plein air group painted in a garden in an older home near downtown Colorado Springs.  I painted there last year as well (click here for that piece).  It is immediately obvious that this couple loves gardening and has spent years cultivating this love.  This house belonged to the woman's grand parents (she grew up in the house next door) and has been in her family for generations.  Somehow, knowing stories like that make painting in a location a bit more fun.

Curving Waters

Curving Waters
Oil  10" x 8"
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$195.00 + $10. s/h

I painted most of this piece (I added a few highlights later in the studio) on a recent morning in Tarryall, about an hour or so west of Colorado Springs in the mountains.  I don't think that you can ever stand before a river and not feel a bit in awe.  Rivers are like old souls or older loved ones, they seem calm and comforting but underneath they are strong and powerful.  Rivers are both terrifying and beautiful;  just look at Mother Nature in a river.

I have painted many river pieces.  They are challenging, as the subject in front of you doesn't pose well.  But their light and dancing sparkles and vast, contrasting colors draw me in.  Many artists paint rivers, as do poets write about them and singers compose and sing of them.  For many, rivers are a bit religious, and not just for baptisms.  As Bob Dylan said: rivers are "Just like God, the river is deep and mystifying, cleansing and strong, ceaseless and never-ending. It makes you wonder why anyone who lives within 20 miles of a river goes to church to pray."