Cherries

 

Cherries

6x6 oil on panel

$150

 

Finally the cherries are in season.

Strawberries

Strawberries

6x6 oil on panel

$150

 

I went strawberry picking with my sisters.  When we got there all the fields were closed so we bought strawberries and sat in the sun. I just have to tweak the strawberry on the right and I will call this done. 

I started with just three strawberries and wiped it out four times.  I was going to try again later but I ate one of the strawberries without thinking.  This new arrangement worked so much better.

Essex

Essex

11x14 soft pastel on Colorfix Suede - Outback Blush

$200

 

I love to see how the marsh changes, day by day and year by year.  If it weren't for the little restaurant by the side of the road I wouldn't even believe these references were taken at the same place as last year's shots.

 

I may re-work this a bit but I have already re-worked it too many times so it might be best to start fresh and see where it goes.

Iris studies

Graphite

Colored Pencil 

Colored Pencil 

Pastel Pencil 

PastelPencil

 

A week of Iris studies.  The Irises lasted longer this year, about three weeks.  Fortunately the rains held off until I got a chance to study these.

Freshly mowed path

Freshly Mowed Path

9x12 soft pastel on LaCarte Pastel Card

$200

 

Yesterday I visited "Art in the Barn" in Essex Ma.  This path was mowed to provide a walkway down to the marsh.  All the green was a challenge and I almost wiped it a few times but every time I stepped away it had promise.  I like it now.

 

This was done on Sennelier La Carte Card, a beautiful surface but one that won't take a wet underpainting.

Mountain Majesty

 

Mountain Majesty

9x12 soft pastels

$200

 

My new Terry Ludwig set came last week and I challenged myself to complete this entire painting with only the one box - it is the Liz Haywood Sullivan landscape set. I did fine until the end when I dipped into another Terry Ludwig set for a deeper blue.

 

 

This is the pastel underpainting with an alcohol wash.

 

 

Plum Dunes

Plum Dunes

10x15 Soft Pastel on tan Mi-Teintes Touch

$400

 

My new pastels, Liz-Haywood Sullivan - landscape by Terry Ludwig arrived this week.  I spent a few days just looking at all the beautiful colors.  I also used my Gireault landscape set.

 

 

Blue Flags

 

"Blue Flags"

6x6 oil on panel $100

 

Iris season is so short, they like the sun but not the heavy rains.  I spent the week studying them, photographs, sketches, colored pencil and pastel.  This morning I did this oil study.  My goal was to stay loose so I stopped, I'm not sure if it is done.

Dad's Irises

Dad's Irises

6x6 oil on panel

 

These were my father's irises.  I have taken them with me every time I moved.  They bloom every year on my mother's birthday.

 

Toned panel with brush sketch



beginning block-in

block-in

Time to step away and evaluate.