Finally--a few fall paint efforts to post

I have been a bit troubled  by my lack of computer knowledge, and so haven't posted in awhile.  Jane Welles, an artist from Nevada City, returned to the ranch this fall to paint.  She really loves plein-air painting, and is very good at it, so I feel very excited that she likes to come where I can watch and paint with her.   We went along the East Carson one morning, after school had started and there were less tourists in the area.  We actually found a great place  in a camp ground, with tables and  creature comforts.  The light was amazing, along with all that color.  So much for me to look at--so here is my small start---8 x 10---on Walis white with a watercolor underpainting, which helped me at least get the feel of the light.     I thought I may make changes on this--but its a good start, and reminder of a great morning--so I will leave it as is.

 Later that evening, Jane and I painted  in front of the old ranch house, in the shade, and just looked at what was close---the sun had begun to go down the huge mt. behind us, with the last of the light raking thru and hitting the locust tree at the driveway---it was amazing seeing this tree almost turn orange!   I didn't do a great job painting this, but I assure you , I learned something about light this day!!!   I didn't get pictures of any of Janes, but she painted a group of cottonwood trucks that were also hit by the light.  We had a great time!!!! Dark about when we went in.

A few days before this, I was painting with my friend from Dayton, Nev, Carol Karch--and we also had a great time.  I painted this one on the new Canson Touch--in a dk. brown shade.    It really was on interesting surface, and color to try--I will again.   Carole did a lovely painting wlso this day, which you can see on WC---we also tried an evening

painting using oils back at the house that day-----another fun experiance, light was leaving fast  but using a notan underpainting I was able to get this far in oils---9 x 12  I can go back into this one to Finnish if I choose but haven't yet.  So this is all I have done lately, and today we have snow and colder temps.    We did have a beautiful fall again this year----so wonderful its hard to believe it can be so beautiful.    Well, now for winter!!!

Sept.! So much cooler, but dry - - -

I have not been out painting in almost a month!!!  Its been warm this summer, and I have been indoors, really trying to learn to make a quilt correctly!  So many methods to try.  But now as the summer is cooling a bit and the night s are wonderfully cool, I have seen a different light beginning to show things  a bit more clear.  As we get into the fall, the sen goes into the southern part of the sky and I love the light.   This is one of out summer pastures, along the river.  I was going to paint the river, but instead liked the mt/ scene as the light on the mt. was something I wanted to try to paint with some belief.    Also, foreground practise is always needed in my world.  So, hopefully this will get me out there again, getting ready for the fall color and even some snow this year, on site!!!!

This is on Senniliar Pastel card, using Turpinod for an underpainting.  Brownish board, mounted on foamcor---9 x 12

August has been rainy , but cooler!

This has been a rainy and hot month this year, although not much actual rain has made it to the ground in our area.  There have been some gully-washers to the east of us, and long the East Carson River, which in right behind these hills in my pastel.    I stood under some huge Cotton Wood trees in out back yard in Dutch Valley and painted these clouds one afternoon that looked like nothing but rain was going to happen.   Actually, there wasn't much rain on this day, but a few days later we got quite a little storm.  Sorry to say, still not enough.  Its been so dry and hot  this summer, with poor Washington State, as well as Colorado taking the hugest tolls.    I can't wait until fall, cooler temperatures  and some fall color.   And I  am sure praying for a huge winter this next year.

pastel on pastelmat, sienna tone.

8 x 8

actually a square, fun to experiment with 

around the barn,   plein-air

I became re-acquainted with artist Jane Welles at the Markleeville Plein-air paint week we had this year.  It was nice to see her again as she lives way up in Nevada City-Grass valley  Calif.  She has been plein-air painting for a long time and I met her the first time right in front of the ranch here on Foothill Road with a painting group PaPoA's which were having a show at Lake Tahoe about 6 years ago.   She brought two of her painting friends back this past week-end, stayed at the ranch, and they all painted around our area Saturday and Sunday.  The friends were very good painters as well~~~ Linda Roemish  and Susan Moreno.  All three painted this weekend in oils, but also use other mediums as well.   It was great talking with them about art, and painting experiences.  The weather was hot, but rained each afternoon, Sunday really pouring as they made there getaway back home.  

Susan Moreno, using oils

              The above small , square pastel on pastelmat is my second one for Sunday.  Composing a square is always interesting, and using the sienna pastelmat for plein-air was also interesting. Here are some shots of the other ladies working at their easels.

Linda Roemish, painting with oils

This was mid-morning, but the light on the fields and trees to the east of us was beautiful.  Blue chicory flowers were growing up thru the green of the hay fields, and the atmospheric perspective was amazing.  Each of us tried to catch the light the best we could.   I didn't take individual pictures of paintings, as I wasn't such of infringement---but there was some really nice paintings. Linda has work hanging in the Markleeville Gallery that is very very nice indeed, as does Jane Welles .

Jane Wells

Looking over Janes' shoulder

Susan Moreno

Last Day for the Plein-air event in Markleeville, Ca--

Ron  Schlorff

Thaleia  Georgiades--pastels

Last day at the Plein-air event in the Alpine County of Calif, Markleeville. - - -What a beautiful Sunday it was , too.   The event had run thru the month of July after a week of painting each day the week before it opened at the Gallery.   This last Sunday had a few of us painting in town, which is interesting because of all the sites there.  Town was full of tourists, campers and bikes so I do hope the Gallery did well. I did the old School house for my last painting, and visited with passer's by as I painted.    And this one of the water tower attop the hills which holds water for the colony there I painted during the week of painting  before the gallery opening.  Tomorrow, I go and get my work and say good-bye to the Gallery as they are also closing their doors.  I am not sure if its the economy , but most likely,  but its not able to remain open.  This is very sad, the gallery owner really worked,  hard, was progressive, and did her best.

This is a recent plein-air study I did along the West Carson River in the mid-morning.   It sure has been hot, and I wanted to be outdoors, where it was cool.  I helped load cattle for a trip to the sale.  After that, I grabbed my painting stuff and headed for Hope Valley where I spent a lovely two hours just looking at water.   As the sun moved  across above me, more and more rocks under the water became visible------time to stop!!  The green bushes on the far bank reflected such " greeness" onto the surface, and as the water is low this year, it was moving slow.    Still, a nice way to get out of the heat, and do some rock studies.       9 x 12 on Uart, turpinoid under painting-----Hope you all are painting!

OutdoorPainter.com | Plein Air in Silicon Valley | Home of Plein Air Magazine

OutdoorPainter.com | Plein Air in Silicon Valley | Home of Plein Air Magazine

Markleeville Plein-air event over

This past week, the 19th to the 24th, 19 plein air artists painted in Alpine County for the Markleeville Gallery that is right on the main street, hwy 89.    The gallery owner, Evelyn Yonkers does an amazing job setting this up, and this year was better than ever. We all met at the gallery on Tuesday morn--then off to paint.  Wedesnday, she met all in Hope Valley with a wonderful lunch and a break.  It was great visiting with all the artists that morning and I hope you check the galleries web-site for more information on the other artists.  I found the whole event to be so chock full of learning, and also difficult.  The week was a very windy one, but with planning you could get to some nice spots.  The late afternoons were worst.  The high lite was the on site Demo, right in Markleeville on the sidewalk, an oil painter did of a local resident.  It was amazing to watch her paint, and talk about it at the same time..   Her works are above, and her name is Debbie Gaulco, from Orangevale Ca.      Please goolge her for more information, she is amazing and her landscapes are to die for.  


       The week went both quickly and slowly for some reason, but the reception was very nice.  Early on Saturday morning a friend from Dayton, Nv met me in town and we painted the library.   I also met that day an Artist I had met before, years ago from Nevada City, Jane Welles.  She has painted with PAPAs for many years and does both oils and pastels.  A very nice lady.   I have 4 paintings hanging in the gallery, and I must say I hope I do better next year!     I did get smart finally, tho, and  got some nice plein-air frames 9 x 12, and had my framer fix then with spacers and glass for pastels so I could just drop my paintings in and get them to the gallery.  That worked very well.   I did do one that was a 11 x 14, that I didn't take to the gallery as it needed to be framed larger , and so I still have it.    I tried to do the ranch where I live in the evening , with the sun about  gone behind the mt. to the west of us.  This little ranch is in a valley, surrounded by sage hills and larger mts.    Here is my attempt.          So so ends another Plein air week for the Gallery in Alpine County.    I do have many plans for next year!    Happy painting.
     

Markleeville Plein-air week-2012

Starting Tuesday of next week is the Markleeville Gallery's Plein-air week .  Its a full week of artists painting in and around the town of Markleeville , Ca and the county of Alpine in Calif.     Most of the artists involved are professional and do earn their living by artwork.    I am for the second year going to partisipate and am very excited.   I am so new at all of this, but some of my artwork has been enjoyed by folks, and I guess I can only improve by working hard at it!!!   I am very apprecative that I can join them, although I still don't feel ready!!!       So I will try  to post my daily paintings for that week,   thanks so much for checking in from time to time!!!!  And Happy Painting!

most recent late PM Plein-air

This is  a scene I see and study every day of the year, as its right here where I am fixing dinner, or doing ranch chores.  This road runs right past the old house that My significant other grew up in, his father before him, and his grandfather before that and so on.  Its above the Carson Valley, on the south end and as the sun goes west, huge shadows run down the face of the Mountains -  -in the summer, this can start early it seems.   The light can be just wonderful - --   -then its all shadow, reaching way across the valley toward the east.  Nice on summer days when its hot, but I also live in Dutch Valley, another smaller portion of the ranch, about 6 miles to the east of this location and much more Nevada-looking, and the sun goes down much slower. .   This is the Southern Range (end) of the Carson-Tahoe Range of the Sierra Nevada's.   I used White Wallis, 9 x 12, mounted to foam cor, and a watercolor under painting to help cover all that white and set the L/S  pattern.   Then finished with the pastel, trying to catch the color of the light I was seeing.  I am not sure I made it,  and I see things I would do differently next time.  Still, I feel its close, and I love doing this, and so will again!

Plein-air work is work

I have still been working on my plein-air work., and today a great painter friend from Carson City joined me.  He said he was rusty, so we needed to get out there and get warmed up for the event in June.,as he is  a part of that.  We walked this a.m. out in the field to the north of the house, and found a scene. Here is my tri-pod easel I am experimenting with, and Ray is setting up out ahead of me.  He likes to paint the house at the ranch, and I just like the mountains.  Dealing with the very green foreground is always difficult and as its Early summer, late spring, there is a lot of bright greens!!!    Dealing with that is a talent learned over many years of painting I fear!!








This one is mine, in about 2 hours time, size  9 x 12, on a dark blue support by Colorfix.  I thought the dark blue would be hard, but I hardly noticed.  That is Raymond Peak with the snow, and the little irrigation stream leads you into the  painting.   The foreground needs more work, and some green color adjustments thru-out.   It was a good lesson and I am not sure what I think yet. I won't show Ray's work, as its his and he wanted to Finnish at home later.  We did another at the other end of the ranch, and boy, its just too hot for this early in the year!!   I need to re-do mine, but it was a good place to paint.   Here's  a shot of 2 I did a few mornings ago on the hilltop to the west of us.  I have been trying to do a least one a day, compositions are so hard to learn!!

Plein- air painting is not always easy!

Today I am going to post what I have been doing for the last weekend, along with  a couple of friends who also love plein-air.     One of the ladies I know is a well-known, wonderful plein-air artist.  She recently told me about the Tahoe Group that likes to have plein-air Sundays, then a small critique  with an artist who teaches at the college up there. That is David Russo, a very nice gentleman who is very encouraging. So I phoned my friend Carole, from Dayton Nevada and we met the group down in the Carson Valley. Trouble is, we were a day early!!  No matter, her and I went ahead and painted, and Carole did a very nice painting this first day- - - -I rather struggled, trying to get all I could it seems onto the paper!!   The next day, the correct day, we were again there to paint with these PA folks, and Thaleia  Georgiades also was there.  She is a pastel artist from California, belongs to the Sierra pastel society and is also the lady who has brought very famous artists to our area for workshops in the past.  A real pleasure to paint with her!  Again, I didn't do so well, but want to show you the work my friend Carole did:

This one just seemed to glow in the shadows!


                                                                                                                                                                   
And this next one is the one Thaleia just whipped out in moments.  We were in the valley , but rimmed by the Carson range of the Sierra Nevadas', which are really high.

 I was so amazed by how she drew this , making the mountains appear very large, as they are, and to show scale, the trees below so much smaller.  A great lesson to be sure.   The critique session was fun, and I went home with a lot on my mind.  Did some more reading , looking and studying.  I read Carlson's and Paynes' books a lot- - - -and also now the new Plein-air mag, which is wonderful.   This morning, I ran out from my home and from 8:30 to 10 am, I painted this one. I believe I am very slow in learning all I want to learn!  But , its a great thing to be doing.  We are all so different in our response's to nature and our world.  Each day I will be painting something, or at least doing the Thumbnails in my sketch book.

Plein Air again

This is a Spring time  Plein-air , size 9 x 12  , I recently did trying to get going again on My plein-air work .  Its something I love to do and it requires commitment . Now, this one isn't so bad, the valley floor was still colorless sorta, and the elevation is high and things hadn't begun growing yet - - -but warm enough most the snow was gone.  We did not have much snow this year, and it is getting hot now even.    This next group of rocks are on a sage brush hillside at a lower elevation, and different terrain altogether.  I hope that difference shows.

This grouping of rocks is above the fields  at the ranch in Dutch Valley and were in direct sunlight.  I hope the painting doesn't seem odd without the sky showing---we are looking down a hillside!

Happy Easter and spring is here

This isn't right!!  Geese don't lay eggs this high up, in a nest in a tree!!!  When the eggs hatch, the little goselings don't have feathers for a long time, yet they walk around and even swimm!!  This dumb goose is really high in this tree, I used a lot of zoom to take this picture.  I was out with my cow, taking pictures and heard a  noise., I looked up and saw one goose fly away, the other still sitting on the nest.  We had been seeing this, but couldn't believe it was a for sure thing-- - - but it looks as if it is!!  So the little geese are going fall from this tree, and it will be upsetting!   I will be watching this daily!!  I really do find this upsetting!

And its storming again today, too!

I have been working on this snow-y fog scene from photo's taken about 2 weeks ago.  We had snow, but also heavy fog coming down the mountain behind the ranch house on Foothill.  I shot a few pictures, then ran inside to start a fire, but keep thinking how could I actually paint the fog effects, and have them look believable?    I choose a 18 x 24 inch Amber-sand pastelbord in grey and drew out the composition and then slowly worked on this.  At one point, I placed a photo of it on Wet Canvas and asked for feedback.  Many good artists did come online and offer suggestions to help solve the issues I was having.  I really appreciated the feedback and tried to use many of the suggestions.   My main problem seemed to be values, and in this type of painting, where you have to work with close-values it can be diffeicult.  But this is where it is now, and I will leave it on the easel for awhile and see if anything jumps out at me to fix.

I believe Quits are art, too

This beautiful quil was made by sister,  Ardy Schacht, who lives in Yerington, Nevada.  She works so hard on these, and putting together the patterns and the colors are an art form all its own.  This is a sampler quilt, which means it has a sample of various blocks instead of a pattern using one block.   It has a very home-spun feel to it.  I just love it!!   Here is a picture of Simba checking it out.

He seems to think its swell, but he isn't laying on it for a very  long time, if ever!  Now I feel I need to work hard and make a quilt, also.  So many projects, and idea's and so little time!

finnished----for now

Well,  Now its all done----unless I decide to change something!   I will let this sit awhile, on a bookcase or someplace where it catches my eye as I go about my daily routines, just to see if anything stands out for changing.   I found out its true that if you place Nupastles in your freezer for a short while, then sharpen them with a hand pencil sharpener you can create a wonderful point for detail---if you need it.   I also learned that Nupastel is really GOOD on the Suede Mat Board surface, coming of as smooth as butter.    If I were a more detail person, this would really be good info!!!!   I wonder if I am?   There is still so much to learn, not just about pastels, but also Art, and finding your niche or style.  So far, I seem to love it all. 

Value, Contrast, and color---on Suede Matboard

I have been wanting to do something different than landscape, and since the weather has finally decided to do something itself I stayed in and practised my drawing.  I love to draw with just pencil - - -but do get in a hurry and don't make wonderful finished pictures this way - - --I love color to much!!!   It seems I can't wait to put them into color so this is a value map and helps get the color so much easier.   I decided to use a different type of surface which does not allow for underpainting.  This is suede matboard, in a reddish brown violet color.  I used a white Seral paper to get my drawing onto the board.

I then began to block in with colors and values.

It did seem to take a while for me to feel comfortable and get going on this.  Judging the colors on this color of support was not easy it seems.  Maybe as it was close to the colors in the cat itself.     And here is the little nosey cat watching to see what is going on!

I thought I would let things  simmer day a day or so, and think about how to get where I wanted to be a little.   How much in dtail, how about the darkness in the background---??

Plein -air this mid-morning

Using a new board by Canson,(  New to me)  in the twlight tone,  I planned to try this spot in plein-air today.  Its the mountain stream that always runs down the mountain, and its one of my favorite places because of the big tree.   My thought was to try and improve on my forground work, and while you can't paint every grass, you need to try at at least show the feeling of it - -- the light hitting it maybe - - - -  I struggled, but feel I did take away someting to learn from.   This paper is mounted, but they put the textured side out to paint on - - -I have grown use to painting on the smooth side and this took  some getting use to.    I bought a lot of it, so I will have to practise a lot more!!!!  Its going to be an early spring - -and maybe a hot summer so I need to get going!!!

Little dirt road of memeories---Pastel

Just finnished this today,  its a road about a mile from the house and its where I have both road, and walked alot.  Its nice in the Spring, even tho its mostly sagebrush and pinon pines.   October tho, you can pick those nuts for a wonderful treat!!    This is on Pastelcard by Senniler - -and is 11 x 15, with a turpinod underpainting of sunlight and shadows.   Great Fun!

Pastel 18 x 20 on very agressive surface

I  Had made a homemade surface last fall for winter-time indoor work.  You know, on those days when you aren't up to really creating, you can experiment with products for making surfaces to paint on.  I used a heavy archival piece of foamcor, measured out my size, then taped the edges.  I thin brushed acrylic gesso inside the taped off shape, let that dry, and gave it a second coat.   Then I mixed  some gesso , water, and dry pumice together and painted that on with a foam roller.  I let that dry, and spent all winter contemplating what to use it for!!   It did turn out to be highly sanded, so to speak.   This week I decided to try a full scene of this years fall color looking up Hope valley, west to east.   First I gave it a watercolor underpainting----I think I should of gone darker at this stage.    Then I began my first blocking in with the harder pastels.

It was about 3 hours of getting the block in done - - -I think I was having trouble with getting the blues and greens in to make the forest recede.  The sky was painted in with yellow which I think worked.   The time I was trying to paint was 11 am to about 1 pm - - -the light is very cool at this time, but since it was late fall, the sun was far into the south.   I am not sure of this very rough surface.   Some times I do like it, but not sure today.

This is where I stopped - - - I will need to think about it to see if for me its really done.     And now to think up another project!!!

Done for now - -

I  will stop here with my oil painting - - - - I finished by myself, and maybe there will be changes to make.  For now, I will let it dry  in site, while I think it over - - - -how I could do this better - - and many things about oils - - -they are different for sure.   Its magic when I watch Ray put down a brush stroke on one  of his paintings.  And last year, in June, I watched Charles Muench paint a beautiful small plein-air of a blue house here locally.   It was just beautiful work.    You have to applaud those who have gone all the way, doing all the work and studying in Oils all  they possibly can and then finding the time to PAINT, and paint steady so they can grow in their art.  Amazing dedication, and a true love for art.    I do enjoy art, but seem to go a  lot slower!   I will be out will my pastels, plein-air again soon.  I spotted a great painting that needs to happen just today as I was on my bike!!!    I do enjoy plein-air!!

Another morning painting on my own.......

Can  you tell I have been painting on this again?  sometime the underpainting of Burnt Sienna looks like the painting itself.    Today I was brave enough to have another go at it, studying it carefully for a place to begin I tried to continue.  After having Ray;s wonderful help, and seeing that I had so much to correct last time I was a lot more hesitant.  I do understand that this is my first studio painting in Oil, and that it will be a huge learning curve even to be able to mix my paint - - - -but I don't think I really understood the actual feel of working on this with no answers except to try this and that, in a way!  Ray has been wonderful in his help, and the way he helps.  He lets me do my thing---study that, then find ways to correct it.  That way I can really see what I am doing or thinking wrong.   I really appreicate his help.

I have a lot in the saddle area to do, and his rope to finnish, and most likly a lot of corrections - -  -but this is where I am today.

Another morning in Oil paint

Well, today I began painting again----=my last day on this I had begun to feel that I did not have some of it drawn right, which made the body of the mare feel too cramped in - - -so I did send an S O S  out to my friend who is so very good teaching painting in Oils, as well as painting pretty amazing himself.   Ray Freeman came back out to help me figure out where I went wrong.   Yes, it was in the drawing mostly.   Measure---Measure- -  -measure!!!    we must learn to measure, and compare relationships.  I had drawn this imagine using a grid method, which works - - -but I do need to pay  more attention to spatial relationships and to learn to use this method more effectively.   As a result, I needed to lose those hind legs - - -- I had wanted to retain a little of them, feeling it would look odd without them - - -but hey - -  -you really don't feel that way when the corrections were made.    I also was struggling with my background-----So, after Ray left, I thought about it again---and this is where I am now.    I may yet change it.   In taking the photo today I see I cut the dogs legs off-----I will do better next photo as her legs are still there!    I also did a small dog this week in Pastel.   He belongs to my elder 1/2 brother, and is very cute.  Am still working on this background, too.

But here he is - - -I may add some softer violets and a bit of yellow to this background.   Hope you are all painting!!

corrections!!

This is the second  layer on this painting, with value and color corrections!   I spend the first days on my own as I painted  and decided I needed some help from a very good oil painter that I know, who does a lot of western-type scenes as well.  So I called him, and he came over to see what he could do to help.   Its Ray Freeman, and he is not only a wonderful artist - - he is a very patient teacher, and very invested in the whole effort.  We go Plein-air painting together sometimes, and I have painted on site in oils with him - - but not very well.   He also does pastels.   So, with his help, we worked this over and brought those values closer in some areas, and he talked a lot about mixing warm and cool  value for each color mix we had going.  We talked about color harmony, and he really gave me a lot to think about.   I haven't touched it since he was by, but I have plenty to work out on my own!   Oil color is the same in therory, but you do need to learn the properties of each color,  and mixing with the white and black is a lot different.  I am not using black per se' in this painting, tho.

finally, a new post!

Today I want to quickly post my newest efforts in Oil.  I have my poor camera back, so I took a few pictures today to show you what I have been up to this month.   Its been cold, sunny each day, and no storms, but cold.  So I began an oil painting to do indoors so I can learn to paint in oils, and mix colors easily.     This is one I have already done in Pastel, so I am a bit familiar with it.  This time, I wanted an abstract background, but showing light and shadow.   So far I have this.

Painting the dog was fun, and seemed to flow for me----the rest, not so much!  Sure am wondering where I am going with this!  I did choose a limited palette, to make mixing easier.  I left this for about 2 days, then tried again today with the horses head and got this far.

                                           

This picture seems to have gotten a lot of shine reflected back into my camera--I did shut off  the flash.  I am painting in my home by the bay window that faces to the North.  Really nice to be at home, but I have to say----Plein-air painting is still my favorite!!!     So, as I paint more I will post and let you know how this experience is going for me!