Warren County Holiday Tidings

I have four paintings in a show that opened Saturday night at Gallery 42 in Mason. Here are the two that I did specifically for the show, "1899 West 1" and "1899 West 2". My paintings won't be on State Representative Pete Beck's holiday greetings card this year, but Chuck Marshall's will be. Check out this photo to see what will be on the card: Chuck's Winner ... and my good friend Barb Pask took second place in the same show. Here's her painting: Barb's Winner

These paintings are different views of the same French-Bauer (a former local Cincinnati dairy) farm on State Route 63, West Main Street a couple miles West of Lebanon, Ohio. I'll be going back there to do additional work. There are some views of the fields and the barns, with those wonderful green roofs, I'd love to get on canvas.

MAP Monday

I finished this 8x10 painting, started at MAP group last week, this Monday. Titled "Fern Stairs– Natorp's" it is based on one of the photos taken before the Women's Night Out plein air evening we had at Natorp's Garden Center in Mason last June.

Home Commission 2

I was able to deliver the second of the house commissions received after the Hyde Park Art Show. This is the Romero-Cowdrey house in Hyde Park. This work was also a compilation of images that I took on site and those supplied by the clients. After discussing the possibility of a Winter snow scene, we decided to portray the home in Spring. I cut back on the flowering dogwoods and azaleas to keep from overwhelming the details of the house. And no, the dogs did not pose for their portrait.

House Commission

I just delivered the first of the house painting commissions I received from the Hyde Park Art Show. This is the Kempton-Osterhage home in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. The 12" x 16" oil on canvas was executed from photos I took on site and some supplied by the clients. Since I was there in the fall and they wanted to include features from the spring, I worked between photos to better reflect that season.

Friday Plein Air

I'm really running behind on posting work this week. I had jury duty and have been working on some commissions for some house paintings. The jury brought in a conviction and the commissions are just looking toward a few touch-ups. Those paintings will be posted after the clients get to see them.

This is the old (now that they're about ready to move into a new...) firehouse in Mason. I couldn't paint the fire engines, because they went out on a run just before I started. We painted in the afternoon this time (shadow on the East side of the building) to compensate for the cool morning.

Plein Air Thursday and Friday

Once again my plein air adventures took place on Thursday and Friday last week. My painting on Thursday was of "Three Pines" near the entrance to French Park, an Amberly Village location, but  owned by Cincinnati Parks. This is a newer park that was the estate of the French family and includes their large Georgian mansion, a large wooded tract and three or four picnic shelters. I skipped the architecture and painted this scene, looking back to where the entry intersects with Section Road.

Then on Friday I painted the "Last Three on the West". A view on Route 42 heading North out of town (I guess this was a week to paint threes). It was a very bright, sunny day, but cold with a brisk wind. Temperatures have dropped and the leaves have turned, but probably won't last long because of the drought. Rain earlier in the week brought many down and another good hard storm might be the end of fall color for the year.

Plein Air Thursday and Friday

We're finally getting the barest hints of fall color around here, but mostly on the hill tops. As you can see the cold airs have yet to invade the lowlands to start the leaves changing color. Another week or so before the rest of the trees start turning. This 9x12 is from Thursday in the valley of Glenwood Gardens, one of the Hamilton County parks. Another one of the outings with the SW Ohio Plein Air group.

This is from the Friday outing with the Mason Area Plein Air group. We were back on the North side of Mason, but painting on the other side of Rt 42. This house was from 42 looking down Kings Mill Rd. Up on a hill top there is more color coming in the trees. Caught it in the earlier morning so the shadows were long across the yard.