Finding the Way Through

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 28th (completed at 1:20pm as lightning started flashing)....$95 including shipping...I recall a science teacher once saying that water finds the path of least resistance, not unlike some of us. We had started painting around 8:30am at Barnsley Gardens near Adairsville, GA, when the sun was perfectly seeking out corners in the ruins. As we ate lunch, the clouds began to bank and we knew we wouldn't have much time before the rains came. Being overcast, the colors were muted and subtle, yet still wondrous.

Red Earth

4"x6" oil on sanded panel, painted on July 14th around 10:00am ... Just before time to pack up after a morning of painting, I picked up this little sanded panel and put down some paint. The rough surface slurped up the paint and I could feel it wearing down my brush. It's an interesting surface...don't know if I'll use it again...but interesting.

The trees were glowing as the sun raced across the sky. Paint quick, quick, quick.

out of town...

Just letting everyone know that I'll be out of town from the 16th until late on the 22nd. I'll be posting paintings soon after I return. While I'm gone, please feel free to check out past posts. Also http://southernpleinairpainters.blogspot.com should be interesting.

Willow and Weeds

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 14th (completed at 9:35)...$35 including shipping...While painting at Crown Gardens and Archives, an artist can find inspiration everywhere. This willow caught my eye as the sunlight filtered through its flowing branches. More information about Crown Gardens and Archives can be found at http://whitfield-murrayhistoricalsociety.org/blog.php

What Kind of Day...

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 9th (completed 9:35am)....$35 including shipping...I let the shapes of the tree and grasses dictate the direction of this little painting. Upon closer investigation, the reflected light at lower right/center appeared as the center of a breaking ocean wave.

A Different Kind of Day

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 10:30am)...$85 including shipping...The morning began soft and dream-like. As the sun rose over the mountain, shadows deepened and colors popped. I saw the gravel road as a stream, so I painted it as such.

Morning Stretch

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 8:18am)...$35 including shipping...The clouds were changing colors faster than I could mix the paint and put brush to canvas. Nature painted the sky and this mere mortal painted a canvas.

Soft Morning

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 8:00am)...$95 including shipping....The clouds were banked in a myriad of colors as the sun struggled over the mountain. Photography of this particular painting was difficult. The yellows are much softer and purples are more muted in the original. Apparently I'm entering the 'purple period' of my painting career...it seems to emerge in my more recent works.

three this morning

I did 3 plein air pieces this morning, but photographic conditions were terrible after I got them home. I set them into frames and shot them with indoor lighting...bad indoor lighting. The next best thing was to render the image into black and white, and hope for better photographic lighting soon.

blues, yellows, reds

7"x5" oil done while playing around with blues, yellows and reds. The morning sunlight was absolutely orange when it hit the hay bales and crib corner. Beyond the distant misty field, the mountain was blue/purple. The tree bark was shining almost red. This was a fun little piddly, cartoony way to spend time listening to the birds.

Kaleidoscope Morning

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 3rd (completed at 8:25am)...$100 including shipping...What a wonderful morning to be a plein air painter! It was perfect, perfect. I chose to include just a few hay bales which were scattered across the meadow. The sun hit the red foliage just as I was adding the final touches.

Morning Shadows

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 25th (completed at 8:15am)...$30 including shipping...The early morning sunlight cast a wonderful yellow/orange glow...but it was gone in a flash. Just enough time for a small one.

Exploring What's There

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on Tuesday June 30th (completed at 9:55am)...$85 including shipping...Sandra and I explored Crown Gardens and Archives in Dalton (GA) and found a painting in every direction. This small addition to the main structure was set deep in shadows and as the sun crept in, I began painting using only yellow ochre, alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue (and of course white). I had challenged myself to use a very limited palette. Next time I think the mixing will go faster.