Art Still GOING On

(I've been really neglectful of this space. Yikes!)  This summer we planted TREES on our property - spent so much time caring for them, and when not doing that, we tried to continue to GO traveling and camping.  Here are a few of the summer's 'additions to the stack in the studio'.  The gallery that I am a member of recently sponsored a week-long plein air event.  There are 3 painting below that I painted during that event.  AND I was on the planning committee as a PR rep.  I learned how to write and create press for different news media.  Exciting and fun!

"Andromeda" mixed media on canvas

"Sunrise Over the Wet Mountains" pan pastel on LaCarte 

(plein air outside my studio one morning)

"Snuggle Time" pastel on LaCarte

"Pure Purple" pan pastel and pastel on LaCarte

(plein air of MY petunias)

"Zinnias" pastel on LaCarte 

(this one won an award in the plein air competition)

"Wise and Wary" mixed media on Jack Richeson panel

"Pepper" mixed media on Jack Richeson panel
(I painted Pepper during the plein air event at Sky Fall Ranch 

in the Wet Mountains)

"Gnarly" pastel on LaCarte

Copyright © Dust Off the Butterfly and Pattie Wall/All Rights Reserved

Alla Prima Westcliffe 2023/Plein Air Paintout

 All week, during June 3 - 8, was 'plein air painting week' in Westcliffe, sponsored by the Sangres Art Guild.  This was the 14th year - it has been 'on hold' for several years due to COVID.  

All in all, it was a very WET time to paint outdoors - lots of rain this year - although I don't mind it at all. We need it in this high desert that generally has less snow fall in the winter than is necessary to make the Springtime alive. This year, the desert IS alive.   Needless to say, dodging rain times, it was tricky to get colorful, sunny times to paint. 

My 'brush' was not working for me, so I concentrated mostly on pastels.  Here are the 3 plus 1 miniature that I entered for the show. It was a great show - lots of out-of-state painters and some really awesome paintings!

The show is currently hanging at 3rd Street Gallery in Westcliffe.  

"Beckwith Mountain Morning"

11" x 14"

pan pastel, pastel and pastel pencil 

on Ampersand sanded pastel board

"High Desert Berm"

11" x 14"

pan pastel, pastel and pastel pencil 

on Art Spectrum pastel paper

"Indian Paintbrush" (mini)

6" x 8"

pastel and pastel pencil 

on Art Spectrum paper

"Morning Enlightenment"

pan pastel, pastel and pastel penciil 

on Kitty Wallis pastel paper

15" x 16"

I got a new 'addition' to my plein air painting tools - my 'painting wagon' served me well!

~Happy BLOGIVERSARY!~

 Today is my 16th Blogiversary.  Still kickin' - not as much as it used to but it serves a purpose, gives me a voice and a platform for my art and livin'.

This is a scene outside my back door.  I painted it from the breezeway. 

Brushing up on my plein air painting skills for an upcoming competition.

On a Roll...

But...don't hold your breath.  I am feeling marvelous that I have painted 7 paintings in a little over a month.  Hope to keep up the momentum.  Why? Because it's GOOD PRACTICE.  Learning new ways to use materials and mediums is a cathartic exercise at this moment in time.  

Here is a new watercolor - done from a reference photo from Terry Colby, who is a contributing photographer on a FB group I follow and have permission to utilize what I find there.  This image appealed to me because of the golden hour sort of light that was tripping across this bird's front surface.  

I purchased some basswood unfinished cradled boards by Ampersand.  I used Kilz house paint to seal them, then I added a few coats of Qor watercolor ground on top.  I love this surface ~ it loves watercolor.

Still wavering between people and animals - I am so much more comfortable with the latter.  Finding the courage to push back into a people portrait next.

"Baltimore Oriole"

8" x 8" 

watercolor on Ampersand/Qor treated cradled board

(not a native of Colorado, but awesome coloring - all the same)

Making the Most Out of a Photo

 While living 'country side' I often traveled country roads - looking for resource material for painting.  This painting has been done twice before. Why?  I loved the challenge of creating believable subjects.

Max and Major are two Belgian Draft horses - belonging to a local farmer - nearby where we lived in Kansas.  Having new Pan Pastels I have been looking for a subject - near and dear to my heart, and here was a photo that I have used before.  How could I improve it?  How could I paint it so I felt I had done my best rendition of the mood I felt when I took the photo?  Here is the final piece.  I loved how it turned out.  Kansas skies can be very colorless and bright, so one thing I did was created a believable sky beyond what I caught in the photo.

"Headed for the Barn"

9" x 12" Pan Pastel and pastel pencils

on Uart sanded paper

New Pastel Painting

"In the Still of the Forest Night"

Pan Pastel and pastel pencils

9" x 12"

on Uart 600 grit charcoal sanded paper

(deer image reference - compliments of Diane Epstein)

Merry Christmas and have a healthy New Year!

 

The Learning Curve

Pan Pastels have always been a mystery to me.  I bought a set of 'darker' hues some time ago.  I have tried them, without much success. Fast forward to having the use of an online class through Ivy Newport/Studioworks,  a class using Pan Pastels by Dawn Vander Stoep.  

I painted along with her with a pastel of an owl, almost entirely done with Pan Pastels. DH helped me buy 'deeper into the supplies' (early birthday present) which I needed for success with this medium. I now have a set of 40 pans. more about Pan Pastels here   Key to this medium for ME, is the small 'sponges and applicators' that are specially made for 'laying down' the pastel.

OK, now I get it.  You just needed to show me.  The first piece below is my paint-along with Dawn,  The second is my '2nd ever' piece with mostly Pan Pastels. As with most mediums, it will take practice and diligence to improve, but I have LOTS of time as....DH and I are suffering from a massive head cold/sinus infection, we are hunkered down and I believe at this rate, it will continue on into next week. Ho ho ho - Merry Christmas. Good thing I just went to Costco recently and bought the big pack of tissues.  Two COVID tests show that we are 'negative' for Coronavirus.

Today it is mega windy and cold and snowy here at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mtns - perfect day to be in the studio (sniff sniff)!!

paint along with Dawn Vander Stoep

"Sangres Cottontail Night"

pan pastel 

6" x 8"