Home Away From Home 6x6 oil

Looking through photos can be a trip down memory lane.  This is a painting of a home we stayed in on a family vacation while traveling through Germany 5 years ago.  The house belongs to some family friends not too far from their home in Augsburg.  Seeing the photo reminded me of a train trip from Munich back to this house.  It is extremely memorable in that we got off the train in the wrong town.  There was not another train that day at that station and we walked for 4 hours to get back to this house.  We were never so glad to see that cute arched doorway.  I must say that it was my oldest son, Eliot, that figured out that we got off the train too early and lead us home calm and collectively.  It was really a beautiful walk and after I got over feeling so stupid I really enjoyed it.  It was a time I will never forget because I realized that my son was grown up.  He left for college that fall and I knew he was ready.

We traveled together for 3 weeks that summer.  It is a trip I cherish.

Hydrangea In Pink 10x8 oil

Here is another in the hydrangea series.  I have not taken as much care setting up lately.  I tend to cut a flower out of the yard and plop it in the window.  This makes for confusing light.  I have the light in the room and the light coming through the window.  It kinda kills any drama.  I just want to paint right now.  Not a lot of concern for the details.  Just practicing moving paint around and mixing.  

This painting now belongs to Kate!

Across the Street 4x6 oil

My computer sits in a room with a window that faces out to the front of my house.  Sometimes I feel like I am in another world just watching the comings and goings of neighborhood life.  It is very tranquil to be the observer.  I see the light change and the wind blow and people out walking.  

Directly across from my window is a pink stucco house that is the background of all the comings and goings I see out my window.  So I had paint left on my palette and attempted to paint it.  I think i really wanted to just play with the paint before cleaning up.   I had fun laying in thick paint.

The neighbor that lives in this house is in her 70's and lives alone.  She is extremely active in the community and recently wrote a historical book on the history of Villa Park.  I admire her for all she does.

Hydrangea in Pink and Green 6x4 oil

There is the second of the hydrangea paintings.  

Hydrangea in Pink and Green 6x6 oil

I have two hydrangea plants in my front yard that have never really done that well.  They either have not gotten enough water or they are planted where they get too much sun.  So this year when the June gloom hit in May and stayed until today, my hydrangeas just thrived.  I don't unually pick them for vases, but I wanted to paint them.  So I did two small ones.  This one and another I will post next. 

I toned my canvas rose, which I think in the end gave the overall painting a very warm feeling.   

The Hunt 6x6 oil

It is a process when I paint.  Taking out the paint and setting up is part of it.  I find the other part is settling the mind and deciding what I want to accomplish in the time i have.  

Today I woke with a headache and wanted to paint, but could not clear my head.  I looked through photos and looked outside.  Just wanted to paint without a total plan.  Found this little photo of a grand nephew from the Easter egg hunt at my house this year and like the shadows.  So I started the process pretty lacking in energy.  It is a sketch for the most part.  I want to study the figure in the landscape more.  So this is a bit rough, but a start in a direction of study.
TEXT

Gifts of the Earth 12x18 pastel

This is the latest DSFDF challenge.  I liked the subject selection very much and decided to jump on it and get it done.  I still had my box of loose pastels out.  I usually pull out my trays of pastels when I work in this medium.  I have had to reorganize my studio space to a much smaller area.  So this little box of pastels fits better than getting out the whole extravaganza.

A Rose 6x6 pastel

I have been cutting roses from my yard to put in small vases around my house.  They don't last long and I keep saying I need to paint one.   So today I was sitting at my desk and staring at this rose in its open stage, knowing that tomorrow would be to late.  Yes, tomorrow the petals will fall and another opportunity gone.  So with a box of miscellaneous pastels, I dug out a few colors that might get this rose across with justice.  At the same time I completed something and that makes me feel good.