578 Solitude

The back roads of Plymouth, Massachusetts brought so many beautiful scenes for me to photograph.  This particular one was a beautiful stream, still partly frozen, with beautiful greys and other shades of winter in the surrounding land.   There were two beautiful swans with such bright contrast to the grey.

When I initially painted this, my inclination was to pump up the color and make the water a little brighter than normal, which I did.  After looking at it for awhile, I went back and greyed the water to it's more realistic color.  I'm happier with this version, which is more realistic.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/578-solitude/364737

577 Plymouth Beach, MA

I am enjoying this learning process of repeatedly painting skies and sea with a very limited palette; especially challenging are the grey tones.  With warm weather flirting with us, I am hoping to paint at the Lake in the near future. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/577-plymouth-beach-ma/364417

576 Back Road, Plymouth, MA

Another scene from my recent trip to New England.  It is so beautiful there, even on a grey day.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/576-back-road-plymouth-ma/364088

575 Captiva Island Welcome

574 Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts

Every click of the camera brought me a different scene to be painted.  Oh, how I am enjoying this learning process!  I hope it shows in my work.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/574-plymouth-beach-massachusetts/363687

573 Plymouth Beach, MA

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/573-plymouth-beach-ma/363489

572 Plymouth Beach and Rocks

I love the beach and being near water.  I especially love rocks.  While I was wandering around Plymouth Beach, I was wishing I could bring a suitcase full of them home.  The colors were so beautiful!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/572-plymouth-beach-and-rocks/353236

571 Back Road, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Last night, I was painting a different scene from another back road in Plymouth, Massachusetts which contained a little building, not really a house, more like a shed.  I felt good about the landscape but was so frustrated with the building.  I worked on it again today, and while it is better, it still isn't right.  I decided to leave it alone for awhile and start another painting of a scene with a small building.  This was one of those "Stop the car, I need to get out " moments when I had to take a photo. I am much happier with this painting than last night's painting.

Plymouth, Massachusetts is a really beautiful place.  And my BFF lives there.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/571-back-road-plymouth-massachusetts/352997

570 Eggplant in a Door County Bowl

I bought this hand made bowl in Door County last summer and I really love how the color of the eggplant compliments the free form stripe of the bowl.  I haven't been able to find much else to stage in this bowl that looks quite right for a painting.  I painted a similar set up once before, but wanted to try it again.
"570 Eggplant in a Door County Bowl"
acrylic - 5x7 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/570-eggplant-in-a-door-county-bowl/352776

"Charming Stone House in Gated Community"

Painting took a back seat to another project this weekend. 

Our community is a Bird City, and my Garden Club was instrumental in obtaining that designation.  Each spring our community celebrates Green Day with basically a Love-Your-Mother-Earth celebration, including a weed-out, recycling of hazardous materials, and including many other fun and educational activities.  This year we will partner with our Civic Foundation with a fundraising silent auction of hand decorated birdhouses.  I have been working on my birdhouse all week long, have snipped the tip off of my middle finger and cut another.  I should not be allowed near sharp objects, in this case, garden snips.  Here is a photo of my birdhouse, "Charming Stone House in Gated Community."  I really enjoyed making it. 

p.s.  my biggest dilemma was how to treat the perch---decided a paintbrush would be perfect!

569 Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts

Here is another scene from Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts.  I love the colors of the sea and using a palette knife.  Painting these seascapes is very liberating!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/569-plymouth-beach-massachusetts/352078

568 Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts

On Sunday, my friend took me to Plymouth Beach where I was so happy to see the grey sky and roaring sea.  I took hundreds of photos, catching every wave and frequent changes in the sky.  I even chased a few sea gulls off the cliff walk.    I have been influenced by artist, Roos (Rose) Shuring, who paints en plein air in the Netherlands, and am motivated to learn to paint the sky and sea in a new way.  Although she has inspired me, I am not willing to paint outside in the winter weather because  I hate the cold.  I have been visiting the Lake (Michigan) frequently since I have been home,  and realize there is not much difference between our Great Lake and the ocean.  I have always loved being near water, (hmmm, wonder if that's the Aquarius speaking) but learning through observation is very exciting to me.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/568-plymouth-beach-massachusetts/351865

567 Winter in Plymouth, Massachusetts

I just returned from a visit with dear old friends on the East Coast, friends who are more like family than just "friends."  The Boston area has MUCH more snow than we do here in the Milwaukee area, in fact, the day I returned home to NO snow, Boston's all-time record for the snowiest winter had been broken with a 2+ inch snowfall. 

This is a scene from a beautiful Plymouth, Massachusetts back road pond.  There were swans swimming in this pond, and perhaps they will make it in a painting one day.  My BFF indulged me with MANY stops for photo shoots.  I have enough painting photo references to keep me busy for a very long time.

"567 Winter in Plymouth, Massachusetts"
acrylic - 5x7 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/567-winter-in-plymouth-massachusetts/351395

566. Dusk at Lake Fanny Hoe

This is another painting with photo reference generously provided by my friend, Krissy.  I am not very familiar with boats, but I am enjoying learning about them through painting.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/566-dusk-at-lake-fanny-hoe/351072

Cat in the Hat, huh?

I am in the Boston area to visit friends and to attend a baby shower for someone special.  I did not bring painting gear, so this was the creative project for the day, a diaper cake.  The theme of the shower is Dr. Seuss, but I'm sure you figured that out.  It was a fun thing to do with my friend.

565 Anticipation

Weather here in Milwaukee has been mild and Spring-like with temps in the 40s and 50s. Snow is melting and it is a mud bath for Oliver.  I love the sounds of the birds, and am so excited about the Great Horned Owls who are nesting in a willow tree in our semi-urban neighborhood.
Hoo-ooo-ca- CHOO.  Estimates are that babies were born last week and Mama is glued to the nest, so every day is a new adventure.  I am dreaming of Spring and Summer as are most folks here---"sick of winter."  On close inspection, I saw hostas starting to poke through ground that is not covered in snow.  

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/565-anticipation/349380

 

Jason Rohlf, Fortune Tellers

 I was very excited to see Jason Rohlf's exhibit, Fortune Tellers,  at the Judy A Saslow Gallery in Chicago.  I fell in love with his bird series a few years ago, and I appreciate the direction his style has since taken, the vibrancy of the colors and the intricacy of the patterns.  As a long-time quilter, I can't help but be drawn to the the geometry involved.   Even his "shop rags" are beautiful (third picture above).   I had hoped to meet Jason in person, but unfortunately weather in New York did not allow him to be present. 

While we were at the gallery, a large group of children, perhaps a school group (on a weekend?) and perhaps their parents were there too.  The kids were very inspired by Jason's work, and each seemed so proud to have their pictures taken in front of his paintings.  At one point, all the children were sitting on the floor with their heads down, eyes closed, and were told to imagine what THEIR gallery would look like and be called.  Paper and crayons were provided, and the children were given time to think for a few minutes, and then were instructed to draw.  Important messages were also delivered about the importance of doing well in school, etc.  The kids were an added bonus to our visit.

Congratulations to a Milwaukee artist who is a constant inspiration.

564 Misunderstanding

I

Yikes.  I just realized I painted this once before, but I thought I was painting a different view.  I guess you can paint the same thing several times and the paintings will never be exactly the same.
To me, the onions look like they are at odds, perhaps there was a misunderstanding. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/564-misunderstanding/348639

563 The Headlands, Mendocino

I took the photo reference for this painting in 2012.  It was such a beautiful place and despite the cold and fog, my fellow plein air painters loved the experience. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/563-the-headlands-mendocino/348054

562. Citrus in the Spotlight

I was not happy with 553 Citrus in the Limelight which was painted in daylight, so I repainted it and I like this much better.  So 553 no longer exists since I painted over it.

561 Lake Fanny Hoe2

This is the oil painting I mentioned yesterday.  I am using water soluble oil paints so that I don't have to mess with the chemicals.  I am untrained with this medium so I have a very steep learning curve ahead of me.  I am proud of the patience I had with this painting.  I didn't rush and I enjoyed every stroke and learning how the paint works.  I have much to learn, including how to photograph a wet painting to avoid the glare.  I am out of my comfort zone, but eager to learn.  Suggestions are always welcome.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/561-lake-fanny-hoe2/337531

p.s.  Just realized I forgot to sign this!

560 Sprite

My second (really the third) painting of Lake Fanny Hoe, Copper Harbor, Michigan is (surprise) painted in oil paints, my first real oil painting.  It is too wet to move and photograph, so maybe tomorrow it will appear. 

In the meantime, I continue with the blue and white bowls with endless possibilities, and so far, I have not tired of painting them.

"560 Sprite"
acrylic - 6x8 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/560-sprite/337372

559 Lake Fanny Hoe, Copper Harbor, Michigan

A friend of mine posted this and other photos of her Upper Peninsula, Michigan vacation spot on her Facebook page.  She is a very skilled photographer and generously gave me permission to paint them.  Her compositions are "painting ready!"  This is the second attempt, the first being covered by this painting.  I will try again tomorrow!

Today was a monumental day, in my humble estimation.  For the first time, I was able to easily switch from a left brain function, quilting, to a right brain activity, painting, and then back again to quilting.  I have always struggled with that---it seems like it has to be one or the other, but not both in one day.

I have had a very complicated quilt consisting of a guestimated 1,000 2 inch squares laid out on my son's bedroom floor for months.  This weekend was the "do or die" weekend to get it off the floor and into my studio to start piecing.  It is a complicated pattern, "Trip Around the World" en pointe and nearly put me in the loony bin.  Sewing all the pieces together will be time consuming, but I am excited about working on it. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/559-lake-fanny-hoe-copper-harbor-michigan/337087