Back Alley

Back Alley

plein air oil  12" x 9"

SOLD

Back Alley was the last painting from the recent South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration.  It was my "quick draw".  In many plein air events, the last morning is a quick painting.  In this event the paintings had to be done along Front Street, the main street in Fairplay, CO.  Or, in my case the Front Street alley also counted.

In a quick draw you have a limited time to paint....we had 2 hours, from 10 - 12.  Then, the paintings are turned in framed and at 1:00 an auction begins.  I've painted in the event for 5 years, and have scouted out the many locations along Front Street every year.  Front Street is about 7 blocks long.  I thought that I wanted to paint an alley scene.  When I saw the sun light on the buildings and trash can I knew I'd found my spot!  

The picture below was taken at 11:00, or halfway through the quick draw.  It's a fun event.  It makes you look, simplify the shapes, concentrate and paint!  The profits from the quick draw benefit the South Park Food Bank.

Log Cabin Door

Log Cabin Door

plein air oil 10" x 8"

click here for PayPal 

I love painting doors.  I've painted doors in Mexico, Santa Fe, here in Colorado, Italy.  I love their character, their stories.  I wonder who walked through these doors.  What stories do they tell?  This door is at High Plains Ranch in Jefferson, CO.  This ranch was part of the recent South Park Plein Air Arts Celebration.  

Below is a picture of the whole cabin.  Most of the time while I was painting it was bright and sunny. The ranch was homesteaded in the 1870s by a family from Sweden.  I wonder about the trip from Sweden to the Colorado mountains.  What adventures that family must have told!

South Platte Valley

South Platte Valley
11" x 14"  Oil
$295.00 + $10. s/h

This little valley is tucked away by the South Platte River.  Occasionally when there we see a few other people, usually fly fisherman.  But more often than not we're the only people around.

Glow Over Buffalo Peak

Glow Over Buffalo Peak
6" x 8" Oil
SOLD

This is the view we have up in the mountains.  I've painted Buffalo Peak, and this view, countless times;  different times of day, different months, different seasons, different weather conditions.  Each time the sky and the clouds are completely different.  Each painting is so different from the others.

I can truly see how Monet could paint Rouen Cathedral in so many different colors, values, and seasons. Although, have you ever really looked at his Rouen Cathedral paintings?  The drawing part is so similar in each one.  It makes me wonder if he sketched out the Cathedral many times on many canvases and had them all ready to paint.  Does any one know?  Any thoughts?

Bison On The Plains

Bison On The Plains
11" x 14" Oil on stretched canvas
$295.00 + $10. s/h

SOLD

I've painted this herd many times.  I love it when they happen to be near the fence when we're driving by.  There will always be several cars pulled over watching, photographing, just enjoying the majesty of the animals.

South Park Sunset

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.

Morning Shadows

Morning Shadows
11" x 14" Oil
$265.00 + $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 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. 

Sunset Over Buffalo Peak

Sunset Over Buffalo Peak
6" x 8" Oil on panel
SOLD

I recently hung some paintings at Dream Pastries in downtown Castle Rock, Colorado which is just north of Colorado Springs.  Dream Pastries is a bakery, coffee shop, breakfast and lunch restaurant, and wedding cake venue which hangs art work on its walls.  No sooner had I hung the work than this piece sold.  You never know where the next collector might be.  For those of you who live in the area, stop by for a pastry,  they're delicious.  And, if you become a FB friend you get a free pastry or coffee!

El Burrito

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

I wasn't sure if this was a mule, donkey or burro. So, I got out the old Webster's Dictionary and looked them all up. To teach you what I've learned:
burro: A donkey, esp, a small one used as a pack animal.
donkey: 1. The ass. 2. A stupid or obstinate fellow.
ass: Any of several quadrupeds smaller than the horse, and having shorter mane, shorter hair on the tail, and longer ears.
mule: A hybrid between the horse and the ass; esp. the offspring of a male ass and the mare.

So, this confused me even more. He's small, so he may be a burro or a donkey. He looks like he has horse in him, so he may be a mule. He seems stupid and obstinate, so he may be an ass.


We were driving home from fishing and he was walking around enjoying the afternoon, all by himself. When we stopped to look at him, he walked right up to the window.

October on the South Platte River

6" x 6" oil on panel
SOLD

This piece is from last week, before the 4 inches of snow froze the leaves in South Park. I know, those of you who live elsewhere have bigger rivers, but the South Platte is a typical Colorado River.

Light and Shadow

6" x 8" oil on panel
nfs

It was very windy when I went out to paint this morning. We often have high winds in Colorado, and it can be even windier in Hartsel, up in the mountains. So, my choices were to stand in the wind or go down into the woods. As you can see, I chose the woods. I thought I'd do another shadow and light study (like I mentioned in the last post) painting this piece w/ more light than shadow. But, I was drawn to these two trees, and so ended up w/ more shadow than light. That's ok, one day I'll do a study with more light than shadow.

Spinney Mist

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

We spent the last several days up in the mountains. The weather was beautiful this weekend; last weeks cold and snow disappeared. Once again we were at Spinney Reservoir. While my husband was out fishing, I was painting. Because of the mist over the peaks, this was a fun piece to paint. Like often happens when plein-aire painting, the late afternoon light changed so quickly.


This photo was taken when I was finished painting. At this point the light had changed dramatically. The reservoir was much lighter, the mist had increased and the mountains in the background had completely disappeared. The challenge is always sticking with the light as it was at the start, or changing the values in the piece. I think I do both, depending on my mood at the time and how the color and value look to me.

Spinney Wind

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

My husband and I have been up in the mountains for the last few days. I painted this yesterday on the banks of Spinney reservoir while he was out fishing. As often happens in the mountains, (Spinney is at about 8,000 feet)the weather was strange and quickly changing. The clouds were blowing in over the mountains, making them very gray. The clouds hadn't gotten to Spinney yet, so I was standing in the sun. But, the wind was blowing, making the water greener than normal and covered w/ small whitecaps. All part of why I like plein-aire painting. It makes me think quickly.

Hartsel Herd Study

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

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

Morning Shadows

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

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

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

A Great Afternoon

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

Colorado has vast, open skies and mile after mile of spectacular scenery. One has only to turn around and there's another painting.

Afternoon Glow

8" x 10" oil on clayboard

$75.00 + $10. s/h

contact me if interested

Sometimes in the late afternoon, even though the clouds are building up, the weather is great for my husband's fishing, and my painting.

Cloudy Afternoon

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

It's usually a lot safer, and more reliable, to fish in the morning in Colorado. We often have afternoon storms in the mountains and great fishing (and other afternoon activities and plans, like painting) may have to be changed quickly.

Sunset Over Buffalo Peak

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

Back up to the mountains in South Park. This is from a photo I took last summer. I know there are many discussions on painting from photos vs plein-aire painting. It is not always possible to paint outdoors; especially for those of us who live in climates that have cold winters and windy summers. And, sometimes even when the weather is great, life gets in the way. I never go anywhere without a camera and I use the photos as reference to paint from later. The point is to paint.

The Year of the Buffalo

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

Just recently was the Chinese New Year and it's the Year of the Ox. We don't have ox(en) here (in Colorado); I guess the buffalo is the closest we have. So, I think if we named our years we would have named this one the Year of the Buffalo.
While I was posting this the phone rang, and I talked for about 5 minutes, the whole time staring at the painting on the computer screen. I analized every brushstroke, color, and shape. I kept thinking I should go back and repaint this little spot, that little shape. It made me wonder how we know when a painting is done. Are we ever completely satisfied?