Monday, September 30, 2013

176 Simple Joy

This little vignette was captured on the grounds of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert.  I love everything about rocks and have painted them many times. 

Sunday, September 29, 2013

175 Fragrant Beauty


In the garden war between growers and rabbits, the rabbits have been winning.  This one was spared, and was enjoyed by all.

Friday, September 27, 2013

173 Tumbling

I bought these pears at the farmer's market because they were so beautiful, but they were delicious, too!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

172 Montgomery Reserve Sanctuary

This is the most peaceful place in the United States that I have ever visited.  The trees were so enormous and it was impossible not to feel very small in so many ways. 

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

171 Indiana Wind Farm

This is a little different style of painting for me, but I felt as though it was appropriate for the subject.  I was fascinated with all the wind mills on Indiana farmlands as we drove through cornfields this summer.  They look so futuristic in their settings.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

170 Aspen Study

At the Hacienda del Sol in Taos, New Mexico, I was taken aback by the simple beauty of a cluster of cut Aspens leaning against a shed.  I had fun painting this but it was tricky getting the palette knife in the small sections.  It will be easier and even more fun on a larger format. 

Sunday, September 22, 2013

168 Coming to an End

The air is cool and crisp, and Fall is definitely here.  The trees are beginning to turn and my gardens are looking a little tired.  I hate to see summer end.   These are my zinnias and the purple flowers are called black and blue salvia.  Here in Milwaukee, we have a large population of sphinx moths, however most people are calling them hummingbird moths because they hover the way  hummingbirds do and enjoy many of the same flowers.  They particularly like my black and blue salvia.  Apparently they are common in our area, but no one remembers ever seeing them before.  They are really fun to watch, and certainly a challenge to photograph.

Friday, September 20, 2013

166 A Gift of Still Life

A friend gave me three eggplants and a sunflower from her Chicago roof top garden.  What more could I ask for? -- a beautiful flower,  a new variety of eggplant, and a complimentary palette.
(Please excuse the poor quality photo.  It's a gloomy day and I cannot get the colors right even with manual adjustments.)

Monday, September 16, 2013

162 Moonshine

This set up was at an antique shop in West Virginia.  I remember my father had moonshine jugs many years ago, so I thought of him when I saw these.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

156 Heavenly Blue

This is my favorite of all morning glories, and there are over 50 varieties.  Heavenly Blue are a light shade of blue in the morning upon first opening, and gradually darken as the day progresses.  If the flower is bruised, it turns purple and as you can see, the spent flower is a pinkish purple.  Some also get the same purple color along the white "star" veining.  Probably T.M.I. 

Monday, September 9, 2013

Sunday, September 8, 2013

154 Mixed Bouquet

I'm a sucker for the flowers at the farmer's market.  I can't resist buying them.   In this bouquet, sunflowers, stock, statice, gladiola and celosia--all so cheery.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

153 Charlie's Bell

This is my nephew's bell and the moment I saw it, my heart skipped a beat----all that texture!  the rust! the patina!  It is quite large.   I painted it once before on a larger canvas and really enjoyed using the palette knife to get all the little scraps of color.  Working on a smaller format was more difficult.

p.s.  I'm so happy this isn't a skyscape!

Friday, September 6, 2013

152 View of the Harbor


This is a view of Eagle Harbor in Ephraim, Door County, Wisconsin right near The Hardy Gallery, a historic gallery located on a peninsula.  What's unique about this gallery is that it has graffiti covering the outside of the building.  It's difficult to see that it was January, but it was so cold and icy and the (Green)  Bay was just beautiful.

I am relieved to have made the decision to move on from skies/clouds.  I admire the Daily Paintworks artists who make their skyscapes look so natural and believably beautiful.  I've diligently studied these paintings on line,  and have come to the conclusion that oils would probably be the preferred medium.  With acrylics, everything just looks like a big mess on my canvas. 


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

149 Camel Rock

Some people collect figurines of owls or elephants or turtles.  I collect camels, so I was thrilled to discover Camel Rock near Santa Fe, New Mexico, and I really enjoyed painting it/him.

Monday, September 2, 2013

148 On the Road Again

Still working on clouds.  Maybe I'll revisit the two pink cloud disasters this week, and will hope for a miracle.

This is somewhere in New Mexico, where the skies are beautiful everywhere.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

147 Big Top Under Blue

For many years, families camped out days in advance in downtown Milwaukee to reserve seats for the Great Circus Parade.  Antique circus wagons, animals, a ferris wheel, merry-go-round, and clowns--Ernest Borgnine being the most notable, all traveled from Circus World in Baraboo, Wisconsin to entertain children and adults at our lakefront's Veteran's Park for days leading up to the parade.    On a beautiful July day, I visited the park, and felt 12 years old again.

Unfortunately, funding for the Great Circus Parade has dwindled, so what was an every-year occurrence, is much less frequent.