High Grass Trail

This is what my allergies just love.  Even though my eyes start to water I  think it is wonderful to be out hiking in the tall grass every once in a while.  

I enjoyed the handling and laying in of color with pastels on this and feel a little abstract application coming on.  I found myself working in vertical and horizontal strokes, loving the balance of each mark. I think what I love most about pastel is the fun of the application.
High Grass Trail, 14x11, soft pastel on Pastelmat paper
$475

BREATH OF FRESH AIR

6x9, oil on gesso panel, $90.00

Returned to an old favorite spot to work on landscape.  There are many aspects of landscape that I love.  Mainly getting out and breathing in.  

Stepping Out And About the House 10x8 oil

Onward and upward with the "About the House" series.  It sure is easy to pack up and step out my front door.  I only made 5 trips back in the house to get stuff.  Much better than driving home.  Which I have not done yet.  Ah well, you forget something and you just get along without it, but not 10 steps away.

This was a challenge with green.  Green grass, green plants, green green green.  Thank goodness there was a house to add some structure and shape.

Love these iceberg tree roses.  They line the walk up to my front door.  I decided to paint them from the side where I walk around my house from the back to the front.  We have these stepping stones that create a path to the front side walk and continues through to the other side of the house.  I like to almost jump from step to step.  It reminds me of being a kid and stepping on every line in the sidewalk. 

So it was a peaceful morning with birds chirping and neighbors out for a morning walk.

It was suggested that I do a nocturne painting...hummmmmmmm.  Thanks for the idea Marian (check here to see her blog).   

Cruising Through 10x8 oil SOLD

I was back out in Irvine Park Sunday. It was a nice day with walkers, skaters and cyclists out on this back path in the park. It is a good place to paint because it offers distance with hills and mountains. I usually stand on this path to paint the river bed that is on the left of this path, but today I decided to paint the path. I added the cyclists in the background when I got home. I am a bit chicken when adding figures and bikes. Hopefully you knew that is what they are before I told you, but if not I'm still working on these types of things. Figure I will get it if I try and keep trying. Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

Irvine View " 8 x 10" oil

I really call this Tom's trees, because we were copying a painting of Tom's in class 2 weeks ago. I think there is a value in copying a painting to get the feel of what it take to make that stroke or feel the thin or thick or just match a color. I have trouble when I think about the fact that I really am trying to find my own style. So I need to make sure I balance the importance of both in my life. I think the only answer is to paint , paint, paint!