STORMY SKY IN THE GRAPEVINE

Pastel,  11 1/2 x 19 3/4 inch, St Germain

Notes

Didn't have enough pastel paper left for the whole scene,
so I focused on the sky in this painting
with a late aftenoon sun and long shadows
When I paint a scene like this,
I'm there on the top of these hills,
and in the shadow s of these trees


a landscape or city scape
without getting the exact feeling/mood,
is a shell without a soul. 

BEFORE FALL APPEARS

© Sunstruck, Oil, 24 x 32 inch, St. Germain

NOTES

Before Fall appears I lke to post this, because

it's hard to get the "feel" of a blazing desert sun burning on one's skin, plants are dried up, hardly any shade, or water to be found, when things are cooling down around you, and at dawn a veil of fog and clouds covers the landscape.

Because I know a little about drought, having lived in California for 20+ years, I started with this painting in April 2010 after the eruption of the volcano in Iceland. dealing with weather disasters. It belongs in the middle of a series of 13-15 paintings.
So this painting is not about a nice desert landscape,
it is such a serious drought, that people start digging for water.

~*~

SANDY BEACH

© Symbiotic Trees, 9 x 12 inch, Oil, St Germain

NOTES

late afternoon discovery of

-flowers on the river shore

- symbiotic spindly tree trunks

- late afternoon reflections in the water

At the last minute went to the art store in Yosemite Nat. Park to get a smaller canvas.

Perfect size for this little pretty scene in oil.

Except for the little spindly tree trunks. 

They would have come out more natural on a bigger size canvas. 

Considerable tweaking of background tree mass, 
as well as flower bush.
These colors look good in a pic, but not in a painting!
Started late afternoon on painting, so choose a purplish mood.

A lasting plein air impression of my vacation this year.

STUDY OF AUBURN HILL

~*~

 

ART NOTES 

Usually I do watercolors in the summer

in my vacation,

but this view was too tempting to pass up this Spring

Done in my Arches sketchbook I recently found

it's my favorite paper cold pressed 140 lb.

this is a side view of this hill,

planning to paint a top view in pastel

My watercolor interpretation above

is of this hill 

~*~

IRIS

 NOTES

Always loved the deep blue, leaning against purple of the iris.
Yet it seemed a difficult flower to paint. Vincent v. Gogh changed my mind. 
If I recall correctly, he has at least three paintings with irises in them. 

The blue-purple combined with green is not much see in paintings in general.
A good reason for an artist to dare commonality!

But how does one fill a square canvas with a mainly vertical shape? It looked kind of bare and stilted. Then I got an idea to put in the background 
as if it was wind moving the petals...and the rest is history. .





~*~

FOR EASTER

Fragrant Gardenia 24 x 24 inch Oil, St.Germain

Notes

Gardenia is one of my favorite flowers because of its fragrance. 
Sometimes I wish that the flower would be bigger.
I got my wish in my painting (24 inches big!)
As you can see, I layered the colors around its edges, 
so it would not look like a cut-out.

Wish for you a great Easter with nice weather:)

BEAVERDAM

Beaverdam, 12 x 18 inch, Pastel, St.Germain

NOTES

Even though I had a photo, I had to make decisions about a number of things 

Color-wise:

My decision was to play up the yellow, red and green  colors

All the other colors had to fit around them.

It still made for a serene painting, because

there was still quite a bit of white and shades of gray

Design -wise:

It may work great for a photo, but for a painting 

it's kind of tricky to have three "horizons" on top of each other, in an oval frame!

 I lowered the bottom part  so I would NOT have the beaverdam 

cutting through the middle of my paper!

About Focus of Interest:

I had to choose what would be most important for me in my painting.  

I didn't think the grey reflections would pop, 

when there are so many colors in the surrounding areas 

- unless I would paint only part of this scene. 

I lowered the bottom part, so I could have the beaverdam  

and the reflection of the trees (not seen in the scene) as the focus of interest.

original pic of Becky and Gary at woodynookcreations

Did my painting decisions change the mood of the original photo?

What are your thoughts on it?

THE LATE BLOOMER

The Late Bloomer Oil, 24 x 24, St.Germain

NOTES

Not intended to imitate Georgia O'Keefe! But just came out this way... 
a wilted rose on my table kept in this position for longer than a week
so I decided to use my 24 x 24 inch canvas that I didn't know what to do with for a year.
(nothing is cropped off the painting)
It was like the lid was blown off
of something I did not know was in me
and I painted 14 more flower paintings
all 24 x 24 and a few 24 x 30 inches.
That was a few years ago. 
I called them my Celebrity Collection.
Lately I've been feeling inklings 
to do a few more:)

ANGEL OF THE MUSIC ARTS

24 x 30, Oil, 

NOTES

Okay with me if you don't believe in angels. You can still enjoy the painting:)
But to make my intent clear, this is an angel of music and worship unto God. 

- On top of the left sleeve are different kinds of flutes  
- on  upper right sleeve are paint brushes.
- included ballet slippers for dance and a banner or flag, for artists who do flag work. 
One time I saw a guy dressed in a white shirt and black pants 
in his twenties (?) handling 4 white shiny flags at once -it was pure artistry! 
- for the story on the flutes, 
go to main blog page at end of weekend January 14 (click on right side bar Mysteries)