Saturday, July 31, 2010

Two Days of Plein Air

Well this was a week for plein air painting, both in town and out. Tuesday I was in Mason close to the location where I painted the perky yellow house. This day's subject was the businesses along the  "300 Block of Main St." (9" x 12" oil on canvas panel) that are now fronted by triangular "square". New construction that reconfigured the intersection at the center of town and created some interesting angles.
 ...And then on Thursday I went to Winton Woods Park, Hamilton County to paint with the SW Ohio Plein Air Painters. "Pines and Queen Anne's-Lace" is a 12" x 16" landscape I completed at the Butterfly Bluff picnic area.

Got my water lily, architectural and landscape fixes in in one week!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Beckett Ponds Series

Here's the newest installment in the Beckett Ponds Series, "Beckett Ponds 19". This is an 8" x 10" oil on canvas to match those "dainty" works in this series. This one has a slightly colder cast and a nice shade of blue in the water reflections.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Mason Plein Air

Several of us went out to paint "en plein air" on Wednesday in Mason, but their were light showers passing through. We moved to one of the local parks and set up under a shelter. Of course, as soon as we moved the showers eased off and things started brightening up. This is the 9" x 12" painting I completed– "Pine Hill Park- Summer".

We had painted in this same park earlier in the year, before the trees were out completely. Here's an earlier view...
A different pond, a quicker painting and the redbuds with out– "Pine Hill Pond"

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

MAP Monday

For this week's Mason Area Painters meeting I revisited the photo research I did at Natorp's Garden Center. This is a 11" x 14" oil on canvas panel of one of their sales displays. Bright colors, reflections, in and out of focus, complex shadows... you name it, this one got it! I've got a couple more photos from this group to work on in the future, so more to come.

Friday, July 16, 2010

MAP Monday

With all the plein air painting this week, I forgot to post the painting from Mason Area Painters. Here is "Lakeside Bald Cypresses" started in the group and finished that afternoon. This is a view from my "weeping willow" research photos I took at Spring Grove Cemetery. This place is a Cincinnati area landmark on one of the most beautiful places to visit. No willows on the grounds, but plenty of locations for future painting. For more info on Spring Grove, visit their website:
Spring Grove Cemetery

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Two Days of Plein Air

I spent the last two days out painting "en plein air". Wednesday we were in downtown Mason again, but closer to the center of town. This little yellow house is behind the bank, across the street from the new "square". The drive you see to the left of the house goes into the banks parking lot. Several people stopped to comment on how much work the couple who own the house have put into it. It's a gem!

Today I was out with the folks from South West Ohio Plein Air Painters in Covington, KY. This is Wertheim's Restaurant... "Come where Kraut is King! Nestled in the heart of Covington's Historical "Mainstrasse Village" You will find authentic German Cuisine here, including the best Reuben Sandwich. Our award winning menu has something to please each member of your family from our publicized and well known signature Champignon Schnitzel, our sauteed Wurst and Mushroom appetizer not to forget our award winning and delicisous Kentucky Silk Pie: We think you will enjoy your experience at Wertheim's." Sounds good, doesn't it? I'll try to contact them to see if they'd like to buy a painting, or maybe I could wangle a free meal...

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Mason Plein Air

Last week we tried painting in the evening on Wednesday in Mason to avoid the daytime heat. Good idea on staying cooler, but the light sure changes fast. I picked this Dutch Colonial to paint because of the wonderful backlighting on the big Maple tree. The humidity was high and the sky turned pink, orange then red. I started with the sky color to lock it in, then worked on getting the house blocked in before the light ran out.

I had to go back on Sunday night (totally different lighting, even though it was the same time and weather) to finish. The tree had more back lighting and the porch light was on, so I added that too.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The View From Here: Mason, OH

As part of the Cincinnati Art Museum's "See America" series of exhibitions for this summer, members of the Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance were asked to submit artwork for inclusion in "The View From Here: Mason, OH". For some photos of the art hung in the gallery, go here: The View From Here: Mason, OH

Artwork from a total of thirteen artists were accepted into the show and I feel lucky to be included... in the art museum and I'm not dead yet!
Here is a list of those with work represented: Carol Abbott, Celeste Bryant, Alla Dorn, Louise Dusing, Chuck Marshall, Tracy Molitors, Barbara Pask, Meredith Raffel, Alicia Rizzi, Donald Schuster, Nancy Stapleton, Dianne Therien, Frankie Wheeler

Sorry everyone, we couldn't take photos of all the works close-up, due to museum reproduction policies. Thanks to Meredith Raffel, Executive Director, Mason-Deerfield Arts Alliance and Carrie Maras, Cincinnati Art Museum, Art For Life.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Beckett Ponds Series

The newest installment in the Beckett Ponds Series is "Beckett Ponds 18". This is a 24" x 36" oil on canvas painting, with not only lilies in bloom, but also a dragonfly. My wife said we needed one of these in the series, not just lilies and dragonflies in separate "portraits". Even though the park has been closed for construction (I hope they don't ruin it!), there will be more coming in this series.

MAP Still Life 3

Here is the completed still life from the Mason Area Painters meeting where we worked on some "quick studies"– 1 hour to finish a still life. (posted 7/6). Another few hours of work can make a bit of difference.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

MAP Still Life

Last week at the Mason Area Painters meeting we worked on some "quick studies"– 1 hour to finish a still life. At this week's meeting I went back into the first of the two of the panels I did last last week. Here is "MAP- Still Life 2" completed yesterday.

The second image is of panel two, just as I completed it last week. I'll also work that up into a more finished painting as soon as time permits.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Mason Plein Air

For this week's plein air painting in Mason we were invited by Little Rascals Photography to paint in their outdoor sets. Four of us painted and one did some sketching. My painting of "Shed with Pond" reflects the bright sunlit areas with deep shadows we encountered.

I'll be posting the "quick studies" I painting at MAP Monday at a latter time. I'll probably want to work on them some more before declaring them finished.