Reflections on a Mississippi Sunset

One night a few weeks ago I sat on a pier in LaCrosse and watched light dance on the river in great multicolor flashes as the sun set. I took photos during the process and came home wanting to paint the nearly abstract water close-ups of those reflections…. this is the result. The photo colors aren’t quite right – I may try to photograph again in different lighting. I nearly finished it a few days after I watched the sunset, then let it sit until yesterday, when I quickly did a few adjustments and called it done.

“Reflections on a Mississippi Sunset”, pastel on Canson board, 16x20 in.

More Barns

I painted these in the last 2 weeks, but just photographed them today. I have another exciting painting in process – I should finish it tonight or tomorrow. The other pastel-related activity for me has been to purchase a new studio box and stock it. After much comparison, I bought the largest Heilman box, and kept it divided the way it came with 8 sections. I have SOOOOO loved the baby box I bought from Heilman last spring for my trip to the IAPS convention in June, that I knew I would be satisfied with another. I’ll post photos of it all filled up – just looking at it makes me happy.

Barn on the Hill, 9x12 inches, pastel on uArt600grit

Barn around the Bend, 9x13, pastel on Pastelmat

Another Bridge, Another Painting

Sparta has the coolest bridges for walking and biking. This one is over the LaCrosse River in the Park at the corner of highways 16 and 21, with the giant bicyclist, “Ben Bikin”.

Bike Bridge over the LaCrosse River, 9x12 in., pastel on uArt 600 grit

I did a sketch and took photos when I did this painting, done en plein air (in the outdoors) just a bit upriver of the bridge – Rushing Water on the LaCrosse River, 9x12, etc… 

There are 2 covered bridges in the network, and 2 like this with plans for more. I have like how they looked since each was built, but I never realized how heavily traveled they are until I painted plein air in the partk this summer. Kids and adults, on foot or bikes as well as strollers, abound in the parks and on the bridges. Kids stop to toss rocks, families wade in the water underneath them, people fish nearby. The waterways that flow through Sparta – the LaCrosse River and Beaver Creek – bring sparkle and music to our little city.

Rework, kinda like Reruns…

Since the July challenge ended I have reworked several of the one-day paintings. I also played with some handmade pastels, but that’s another blog…  Anyway, a major lesson for me confirms what I suspected: while I am capable of creating a complete and decent painting in a single day, my work benefits from thoughtful scrutiny which usually results in rework, ranging from major to minor. Here are the 4 paintings I reworked – “befores”, then “afters”.

Barn in the Valley

There is quite a difference in photo exposure, but the new (after, right) photo is also more accurate. Changes were made mainly to the bare tree behind the barn.

Round Barn and Shed in Autumn

Clarified shadows, redid sky color and texture, other minor changes. The color is a bit off in both, but more in the “before” which was taken in artificial yellow light.

Almost Home

Softened and corrected shadows, added highlights.

Farm in the Valley

On this painting, I deepened and corrected shadows, made the sky less uniform, pushed the background by cooling the colors, added warmer tones to the foreground.

I am pretty happy with all 4 of these now. What do you think?

July 31st, 2013 – Last Challenge Painting!

… but of course that doesn’t mean I am done painting!

This is not quite finished, and the photo is funky, but this is as done as it is going to be today… since it is now actually tomorrow. I really need to go to bed. But first I proclaim that I am quite proud of myself for completing 31 paintings in 31 days, many of them quite good.

“Farm in the Valley”, 16 by 20 inches on Canson board.

Here is the underpainting for this piece:

Goodnight and sweet dreams. Tomorrow is another day.

Day 30, Paintings 29 and 30! Yippee!!

I am so happy that I was able to finish 2 paintings today. I did the drawing and underpainting for “Almost Home” last night so I would be able to complete both. I painted “Rushing Water on the LaCrosse River” plein air this afternoon at one of our city parks, with a bit of finishing work at home tonight. As I look at both photos I can see areas that still need work- including correcting some shadows and angles – but for tonight let’s call them finished, okay?

“Almost Home”, 8x10 on Canson paper.

“Rushing Water on the LaCrosse River”, 9x12 in., pastel on uArt 600 grit

Day 29, Painting 28… just 2 days left!

Daylily in Coral, 9x12 in., pastel on pastelmat

I have never liked florals I have painted more than those I painted this month for the challenge, especially the 3 daylilies, the water lily and the sunflowers. Looking at a flower outdoors as a beautiful shape reflecting sunlight has changed how I approach the painting. I have grown artistically during July, and I hope to share some of that growth in words in the weeks to come. For now, the images speak for themselves!