“Butterfly Garden”

Oil     6"x8"     Canvas Board    

I was thinking about packing up and going somewhere to paint this morning when I looked out my patio door and saw the shadow of the fence stretching across the lawn and the wildflowers lit by the sun. I made a quick sketch to remember where the shadows were (since they were changing by the minute), and put it all down on canvas as quickly as I could. Monarch butterflies came and went, but I didn't try to include them this time. You can imagine them there among the flowers if you want.

"Tree Study"

Oil     6"x8"     Canvas Board

This is a quick little "warm-up" painting I did from a sketch....no photo involved. I really like it, and I enjoyed the freedom of not trying to paint every leaf that a photo would have documented. I think that's what I love about the look of plein air paintings. There's an uncomplicated freshness about them that sometimes gets lost back in the studio. On location, you can't possibly include all the details. You have to try for the essence of the subject and be happy when it occasionally all comes together. Below is the sketch I was working from.