Wednesday, July 21, 2010

“Rapids on the Red”

DSCF3325
6x8    Oil    Canvas Board   

A few of us went down by the river to paint Monday evening. It was a gorgeous night but, as usual, the sun came and went several times as it slowly sank in the western sky, making it tricky to paint the light. Still, what better way to spend an evening than gazing at a beautiful scene and trying to get it down on canvas.

Friday, July 9, 2010

8th Street Art Show

I just finished up two very enjoyable days of sitting outside in beautiful weather, surrounded by art and artists and people who appreciate art. It was great. Thanks to everybody who stopped by my booth to chat. It was a lot of fun. The icing on the cake is when somebody likes a painting enough to want to own it. But I loved just hearing people's comments, too. Here are a few more images of the show.



































































































Thursday, July 1, 2010

Workshop Paintings





















“The Red Door”
Oil 8”x10” Canvas Panel

This great Victorian house is on Nicolett Island between Minneapolis and St. Paul…a place I may never have discovered if it wasn’t for attending this workshop. So many delightful subjects, so little time. My fellow painters were spread out, up and down this street, painting their own impressions of the neighborhood. Sharing the experience with other artists in a setting like this is one of the most enjoyable aspects of being a plein air painter. Now, I just have to find a group here in Fargo with whom to go forth and paint!

About the Workshop

The painting above and the two below were done at a plein air workshop I just attended in Minneapolis, MN. The instructor was Brian Stewart, a well-known artist and a signature member of the Plein Air Painters of America. This was a great opportunity to learn from an artist whose work I’ve admired for a long time. And it was especially fun to get to explore Minneapolis and St. Paul and discover great places to paint within the metro area. We painted on two different islands in the Mississippi River, in parks, and at a living history museum. The workshop was sponsored by the Atelier in St. Paul. (Check out the links I’ve included if you’re curious about the people and places.)



“School’s Out for Summer”
Oil   7”x9”   Canvas Board  

I loved the way the morning sun lit this old schoolhouse and bounced around, even in the shadows and the foreground prairie. If these walls could talk!





















“A Room With a View”
Oil   7”x9”   Canvas Board  

A close-up of the schoolhouse…but it could just as easily be an island cottage in Maine, lazing in the afternoon sun. There’s something timeless and universal about white-painted clapboard. I was drawn to the “window within a window” aspect of this subject. I can almost feel the breeze and hear a fly buzzing in the window. This is about as peaceful as painting on location can get.