Mary's Pizzaeria - Lugano Switzerland

I started a new painting last night..(Tuesday)... and really got a lot blocked in. It brings back fond memories of when we used to live nearby .... Varese....Italy, just 25 minutes away. The scenery and lake in this area are gorgeous.... probably one of the most beautiful places that I have ever lived!

This is the famous Mary's Pizzeria in Lugano.... the southern, Italian speaking canton in Switzerland. They have the best pizza you've ever tasted! :)

Good News!

Last night (Friday), I attend the reception for the Stems Plein Air preview event. It was a tough competition.... over 250 paintings were submitted. The winners were kept secret... so it was a delightful surprise when I discovered that "Turtle Crossing" received a 2nd place cash award and "Meet Me At the Oak Tree" received an honorable mention award. Joshua Been won best of show. He is a wonderful painter from Colorado.

There have been good sales so far... over 25 paintings were sold.... at the VIP patrons preview party which was held at the Rice Gallery Thursday evening. The paintings will remain at the Art at the Center ... Tomahawk Community Center ... for viewing thru July 11th. The ribbon awarded paintings and the honorable mention winners will be transported to the Arboretum for the much anticipated annual "Stems Garden Soiree Event, June 26th.

It will be a busy June and July! Next weekend I am taking a workshop from Phil Starke, and in July I have to have paintings ready for the Rice reception, and I will be returning to Door County for their annual Plein air event.. with two other painters. This trip has become my favorite event of the year!!! :) While we are in Door, we will be staying at Sunset Shores located in Bailey's Harbor. Thank you Judie!!!! http://www.sunsetshoresresort.com/sunset_shores.html

"Meet Me At The Oak Tree"

Here is my 2nd submission for the Stems Plein Air event. The little white specks are reflection on the wet paint.

This year there has been a huge increase in artists attending the event. There is an amazing amount of talent. The judging and selection for the Stems gala will be done Thursday. We won't hear until late Thursday on the prize awards and selection for display and sale at the Stems gala later on the evening of June 26th.

Turtle Crossing

Getting ready to turn in 3 paintings for the Stems Plein Air event Monday at the Rice Gallery. We started the event on May 22, and it will end on June 7. Judging will begin, and announced on Friday.

Here is one of my submissions... a 16 x 20 that was painted at the Kansas City Arboretum.... over a period of 3 different days.

Far Niente's Spring Folly

It has been a while since my last post! I have been ill with Bronchial Pneumonia, and have not had the energy to paint until now. Spring is here.... my energy is back..... and my plein air bag is re-stocked.....and waiting in the car.....and I'm ready TO GO!

Adirondack's of Door County

I painted this during the 'dockside' quick paint' competition during the week long Plein Air Door County Festival 2009..... sponsored by the Peninsula School of Art, this past summer. It actually won a people's choice award.

The quick paint event was held early Saturday morning..... the final event. We had to get our canvas stamped, and had two hours to complete the painting. The bull horn started and ended the event. This is the 2nd year I attended this event.... and had a wonderful time. In 2008, I actually sold one painting right off of my easel!

I am taking this painting, plus Early November, Taylor's Trail and the yet untitled Barn Makeover to the gallery this afternoon for their opening scheduled for this Friday, the 19th of February from 5:00 - 9:00 pm. Drop by if you are in the area.

Early November

This was from a demo that I did in December during our last gallery opening. Patrons were in a festive spirit, listening to live music, sampling great food, and looking at beautiful paintings. Many were surprised that I only used red, blue, and yellow plus white to complete a painting. It was fun answering questions about how I paint.

The painting was inspired from a walk with my daughter through a beautiful nature trail in Lenexa KS.

Taylor's Trail - Loomis California

Since I have struggled with the barn painting..... I really needed something new that I was excited about. I picked a large.... 36 x36 canvas. For reference.... I used my plein air version and a few digital images that I had taken while attending Mac Hanson's workshop a couple of summers ago in Loomis California. It was a beautiful park but the weather was a miserable! The temperature stayed around the high 90's/100....a real heat wave, so I took shelter in the shade. :D

Laundry Day

I redid "Barn With Blue Door" so many times these last couple of months! You know the story.... fix a little, adjust a little, then you realize that you have a totally new painting! I have about 6 layers of sky..... and who knows how many times I changed the grass... road.. barns.. etc.

Your comments are always welcome!

Re: Barn with Blue Door

I am reposting my barn so you can see my progress. I am still not finished...... I have been diligently working over the pink sky. I am getting close.... then just adding the finish details.

Barn With Blue Door

My newest painting is a barn I saw this summer in Iowa..... set in the middle of cornfields......on my way back from Door County. I snapped the photo from the hiway as we were driving back home! The unusual blue door of this bar attracted me, It is still in the rough stages. I had a blue sky, but it competed with the blue door..... so I decided to paint the sky a brilliant pink as an undertone. After the undertone is dryer, I will scrub blue on top of the pink.... to see if I can get an interesting vibration going! I will post the finished painting soon. Keep your fingers crossed that this will work! :)

Sycamore Lane

Great news...... I was invited to join the Rice Gallery of Fine Arts! Yesterday, I finished up all of the paperwork, and delivered 9 paintings just in time to be included in this month's landscape exhibit. Drop by and enjoy colorful people... great art... good food and beverages.. and music too, Friday, October 16 - 5:00 - 9:00 pm! I am very excited to be included in this beautiful gallery!

Finished this new painting that I started last week.... although it was a bit wet, the gallery wanted it for the exhibit. I will write more after the opening reception..... Hope to see some of you Friday evening.

Untitled

I started a new painting last night. Here is a picture of the underpainting so far. I am really enjoying the larger size, (36 x 36), using large brushes, and the square format. It went together fast.... all in about 1 1/2 hours! So glad that it is Friday, and I have a whole weekend to work on it. Who knows..... maybe I can complete it this weekend! Will post followup pictures this weekend. It is my favorite time of the year..... walking among all of the glorious colors of fall.

Edge Of Summer

Another painting finished. This landscape is from my neighborhood walking trail in Corporate Woods, Overland Park, KS. I painted this one earlier on location, en plein air (8 x 10), and used it as a reference for making a larger studio painting.

Alfresco

I am finally finished! This one took far too long. It became very complicated. I think I will turn it against the wall, and re-look at it in a couple of weeks. This will give me 'fresh eyes' when I look at it again, and hopefully catch any glaring errors that I missed.

The Golden Hour

This was a tough one to do, and took me much longer to finish.
In order to push the hedge row back into the distance, I had to cool and simplify. I painted flagstones then removed them because it became too important. I altered the values in the flower bed between the table and the chair..... and the list just goes on and on :) I swear, it becomes a 'war' between you and the painting.... and I want to WIN! :)

Re: Stems Garden Soiree

I am back home.... and the reception was lovely..... and PACKED!!! The judges had to select from over 270 paintings. There were many, many beautiful paintings. I promised to report back to you the results for my paintings.

Much to my surprise..... "Path to Grape Bower" won 2nd place

"Marder Woodland Garden - Station #5 and "View Across Margaret's Pond" both won honorable mention........sooooo...... that means all 3 of my paintings will make it into the Stems Garden Soiree's auction next Saturday evening. I am so pleased and excited!

I think in total .... about 50 paintings will be on display for the Stem's Garden auction next week. I feel very honored to be among them.

I think tonight..... I might fall asleep with a huge smile on my face!

Stem's Plein Air Painting Event - 2009 - A Garden Soiree

View Across Margaret's Pond
11" x 14"
Oil on Linen Panel


Marder Woodland Garden - Station #5
11" x 14"
Oil on Linen Panel

Path to Grape Bower
11" x 14"
Oil on Linen Panel
It's been a while since I've posted! Lots going on...... and have not been painting as regularly as I was before. I am back..... and will be painting my heart out :)

A lovely gallery here in KC, the Rice Gallery, is sponsoring a plein air event for local artists. Over 75 artists have signed up. We had two weeks to paint, at the Overland Park Arboretum, on-site, from June 5 - 19th. A patron's private preview is scheduled tonight at the gallery, and judging will take place Saturday. The winners will be announced Saturday evening at the reception. The paintings that are selected.... will be transferred over to the Arboretum on June 27th..... for the big Gala and silent auction. It has been so much fun! I was out almost every day for the last week and 1/2. It was so beautiful to see so many artists out painting. I hope it becomes an annual event.

Here are my submissions for the Rice Gallery for the "Stem's Plein Air Gala". Wish me luck..... and keep your fingers crossed.... that I have some paintings chosen to be entered into the exhibit/auction :) I will keep you posted as things occur.

Fruits of effort from Mini Workshop this weekend in KC

Spring Time at Kill Creek Park 9 x 12 oil on panel

Autumn Blush 9 x 12 oil on panel

This weekend I took a little mini-workshop here in KC from Dona Aldridge!  She is a wonderful artist, and a dedicated teacher.  I had a great time and made many new art 'sister' friends!  It was too cold to go outside and paint, so these are from some reference photos I had

The paintings are still wet.... so they do not photograph well..... the colors are off a bit.  I will repost them again when they are dryer.  I always photograph them without the flash.... but the wet paint still creates glare.

MORNING RITUAL

A little corner of my greatroom..... I love to sit here in the morning and sip coffee while reading.

"SATURDAY MORNING"

I was getting a bit weary of my "painting a day project", and needed a little break. I decided to try an interior room of my home, so my unmade bed became my subject this Saturday morning.

I had this down by noon. I am enjoying the larger canvas. I am trying to keep most areas soft and neutral. I am really liking the rosy glow against the neutral grays.

Finished and ready for my signature!!!  I am very pleased with the finished painting.  I think it is one of my stronger paintings.  

PS:  This just won a Blue Ribbon Award Monday night (3/9/09)

PLAY TIME

This is the third painting that is using time as a reference, which could result in a series that goes on and on!!!!! This is a painting of a toy elephant with that old pottery barn clock again. I have a basket full of toys for my granddaughter, and this is one of her favorites. I'm not certain if I will carry on this 'time series' ..... What do you think???? I am kind of running out of ideas ..... and am tired of painting the same clock ! Your comments are appreciated.

"Quiet Time"

The ellipse on the face of the clock caused me GRIEF!!!!!  The clock was actually turned a bit .... with the left hand side turned back into the picture plane, with the right hand side closer to the viewer.  I don't think my painting reflects this...... but since my original blog goal was to post my paintings as they are,  ..... unaltered ..... here it is!  Any suggestions how to achieve this would be appreciated :)

Carole

Time To Smell The Roses

I have been away far too long!  It feels so good to be painting again.

My wish for everyone .....

a joyous .... healthy ...... and a prosperous new year :)

"LYLE'S ROSES"

Sunday,  was a beautiful fall afternoon here in Kansas City.  A friend and I dove out to the countryside and stopped at a lovely farm to do some sketching.  The owners gave us a bouquet of roses that had to be painted!!!!

"MUMS IN A CUP" SOLD

These tiny chrysanthemums are from my garden.  I love the autumn with all of the abundant colors.
SOLD

"ROMA'S ON THE VINE"

"FRESH FROM THE MARKET"

More fruit today!  These apples are from our local farmers market.  I am still using a limited palette of Cad yellow light, Cad red light, and Ultramarine Blue plus Titanium white.

Your comments are welcome

"THREE RED BARTLETTS"

The colors of harvest are abundant!

"THREE ON A PLATE"

This is #11 of my "painting-a-day" series.  I am enjoying the challenge of painting something new everyday.  Each new subject presents new problems.  This one was to depict the freshness of the fruit.  One of the biggest challenges is to get something on the canvas within two or three hours.  I am painting each one, without additional editing, so that months from now.... I can see if I have achieved growth.  Your comments are most welcome.  

"DESERT ROSE AND A PEACH"

I love this set of dishes, and have had them for years.  Always beautiful on any table!