Plein Air, Not!

This past week I joined a group of artists in Spring City, Utah to take a plein air workshop with artist Paul Davis.  Previously, the weather had consistently been in the mid 80's and sunny so I packed for those temperatures.  Fortunately I did pack a rain jacket and a fleece jacket.   The first two days we began painting outside when rain storms rolled in and shivering with cold, we had to cut each day short.  The third day the rain mixed with snow and the plein air workshop was moved inside.   We each set up some still life subjects and enjoyed the warmth of being inside.  These are what I painted.

"Blue Jar with Apple"

11x14 oil on panel

"Pewter Mug with Apple"

11x14 oil on panel

"Flowers in Blue Tea Pot"

11x14 oil on board

Iris

The last of our Iris finished blooming today.  We brought some of the rhizomes with us from Portland.  They stayed in a bag for the first year or two before planting them in our garden.  They are blooming here as well as they did in Portland, sometimes standing almost five feet tall.  I especially love the bearded iris as they continue to produce blooms for quite some time.  I painted this to help keep bring a little of summer into the coming seasons.

Last Iris of Summer

16"x20"  oil on canvas 

Addicted to painting

Hello my name is Sue and I'm an addict.  I'm addicted to painting.  It not only takes my daylight hours but I dream about it at night.  It's all I can do to not run into my studio when I awake in the middle of the night.

"Iris on Gold"

12"x16" oil on canvas

"Red Rocks"

12x16 oil on panel

Painting faces

I'm beginning to realize that I love painting faces whether it be people or flowers.  My first love in painting was flowers but I didn't want to be tied to flowers avoiding what I didn't feel comfortable painting.  So, I stopped painting flowers and began painting a variety of subjects until I felt comfortable with any subject matter.  It's all about painting shapes anyway.  It's all about painting values and shapes not objects and things.  It's also about trying to capture the emotion and feelings I get from those values and shapes.  That said, I'm feeling that old pull towards flowers probably evoked from being out in my garden which is filled with color, values and shapes.  Ah, I love summer, don't you.

"Iris Close Up"

8x10 oil

Springtime

Spring has finally arrived here in the Cache Valley.

I love the way our mountains hold on to the snow while the fields are a study in abstract patterns.

There is never a lack of inspiration when you are living in a lush, green valley surrounded by mountains.

And spring is not spring without flower!!!!

My first love

I've been spending a lot of time drawing which is something I don't usually do.  Drawing is really the foundation of good painting and I'm finding that taking the time to draw is really helping me loosen up when I paint.  I did the cowboy yesterday and the flower today.  I am limiting myself to one or two brushes rather than my usual dozen.  

"Red Flower

"

10x12 oil

Leaving the nest.

It was very hard for me to let some of my first paintings go to other homes.  Although most artists love seeing the red tag that marks a painting sold, it can also be like seeing your children grow up and leave the nest.  So much energy goes into a painting that there is a feeling of emptiness when they are sold or gifted to someone else.

Today I'm traveling down through memory lane recalling some of the paintings that are now in new homes.  Some have recently left and others have been gone for a while.  What helps ease the pain of separation is knowing these paintings are hopefully bringing others happiness.

Here are just some of my "children" that have left the nest.