Workshop on the Eastern Shore

Saturday I went to a plein air workshop on the Eastern Shore.  The workshop was lead by Carole Peirson.  What a wonderful day albeit hot!  We met at the home of a lady who lives on a farm.  There was a lot of things to paint: her beautiful house, the corn field, flower gardens, and there were really nice water views.  In the morning, Carole gave a demonstration.  We started painting around 11 or so (I didn't look at the clock all day!!).  I decided upon a water view and here is the result.  9x12 panel in oils.

Dead Tree

I've been out painting but not posting.  I got really disgusted with the quality of the photos I was getting.  So, I have been just painting!  Last weekend, I got a new camera.  So now, along with learning to paint, I'm learning how to use the camera.  It is a little more than a point and shoot and it has been a long time since I used a camera that had the ability to do more than take snapshots.

Anyway, here's one of my latest paintings.  It was painted at the end of 64th Street in Virginia Beach.  It is painted on a 9x12 linen panel in oils.

Phidias

The next statue was Phidias.  The flies were gone by this time!  (Thanks goodness!)  I tried adding this to the last post but my posting skills are as limited as my photography skills!  Also painted on a 9x12 linen panel.

Statues Again

Well, I certainly have been neglecting this blog lately.  I have been painting though!  Painting is much more fun than trying to photograph paintings and posting them to this blog!  But it is raining today so I thought I would catch up a bit.




The first one is the first one I painted after the previously posted paintings.  It is of Rubens.  This was the second time I had tried for this statue.  The first time flies were biting and I was not prepared.  I had never had any problems at the gardens before so I hadn't stocked up on bug spray.  The next time I went out to try and capture the statue the flies were still there but I was prepared!  I was so prepared I almost made myself sick.  Anyway here's the result from the second attempt.  It was painted on a 9x12 linen panel.

More Statues

I have been able to get out to the Botanical Gardens a couple of times in the past few weeks and decided to continue painting the statues in the statuary vista.  The first one is of Murillo painted on April 9th.

The second one is Crawford.  He was painted last Friday which was the 20th of April.

The third one is of Canova.  It was painted Saturday which was Earth Day and the Gardens were crowded!  I seemed to be distracted a lot of the time and it shows!  Also I was trying out  different brand of panel on this one.

They are all painted on a 9x12 linen coated panel.

City Lights

Here is the latest painting from the painting class.  The objective was to paint a night scene or an indoor scene.  I went through my photos.  I had night scenes but they weren't good for a painting.  So my husband and I went to downtown Norfolk and I started taking pictures.  I did't have a tripod and the only photo that turned out ok was the one that this was painted from.  It was painted on a 22"x28" stretched canvas

Two from the Botanical Gardens

I was able to get out to the Botanical Gardens this morning before the storms rolled in.  This is a statue of Titian by Moses Ezekiel.  There are a number of statues of artists along a grassy mall and all are deteriorating out in the elements.  This was painted on a 9x12 linen coated panel.  I went out today and forgot to bring my intended painting surface.  Luckily I had some panels in the car!


This next one was painted about two weeks ago.  It is a crabapple tree that was in bloom.  This tree is huge!  It is also painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

The Good Old Days

The latest assignment in the painting class I am taking was to do an abstract based on some pottery shards.  I was very uncomfortable doing this project and felt I was floundering the whole time working on it.   The Good Old Days is what I called it because that's what is reminds me of, days of my youth.  We were supposed to add texture, which is not very visible in the photograph.  The bright yellow band is textured, painted in bright iridescent gold acrylic.  The patterned area is patterned antique tissue paper.  The bulk of the painting is in oils painted on a 18x24 stretched canvas.  I will probably paint on it a little more when I get the time but it is basically finished.

Gazebo

Last week, I was able to get out to the Botanical Gardens on a really lovely day.  I found a nice spot in front of the butterfly meadows that had a view of the gazebo .  Running parallel to my view was a fence that I relocated.  Behind me was a very large magnolia tree so I couldn't step back and evaluate my painting.  I noticed the fence's perspective was off when I got home and did a little correction, but much to my dismay, not enough.  Anyway, here is the result.  Painted on a 9x12 linen panel.

Old Point Comfort

Last week I was able to get out to Fort Monroe.  Ft. Monroe was recently released from the military which makes for easier access for painting.  While there, I noticed lots of potential painting spots!   I did a painting of the lighthouse there.  This spot is known as Old Point Comfort, called such by the early settlers of Jamestown.  The lighthouse was built in 1803.  There are houses sitting very close to the lighthouse which I chose to ignore.  I wanted to concentrate on the lighthouse exclusively.  Anyway, it was the second painting of the day and I was tired!  It was painted on a 9x12 canvas board.

Cupcakes

Today is my sister's birthday so I painted her a painting.  She baked these cupcakes about three years ago and I snapped a photo of them.  So now she has a painting of the cupcakes she baked.  They are painted on a 8x10 stretched canvas.

Spring Break

This week has been spring break from my painting class.  It was nice for two days this week so I went out to paint.   On Wednesday, I went to the Botanical Gardens cause I figured that some of the flowers would be in bloom.  I wasn't disappointed; I found this bed of daffodils.
Painted on a 6x8 canvas sheet.









Yesterday it was windy with winds gusting up to 30mph.  I didn't want to stress my new easel so I went inland where the winds were supposed to be less.

I ended up next to the dismal swamp and the Dismal Swamp Canal which is part of the Intercoastal Waterway.  I hadn't been there since I was a child, which was a long time ago!  The winds were there as well but the easel did fine (it didn't get blown into the canal!).  This one was also painted on a 6x8 canvas sheet.

Work Still In Progress

I said that I would post a photo of the last painting as I worked on it.  Well, we were given more time to work on it.  So, I still haven't finished it!    Anyway, here's the painting as of last week.  We've been on spring break so I've been painting other stuff.  Back to school next week.

Work in Progress

I have been working on this still life for a while, since last Thursday.  OK, that doesn't seem long, but I have been to school three out of the past four days working on it.  I hope I will get it done in time but who knows?  The painting is on an 18x24 stretched canvas.  I will post a picture of it when it is finished.

Cearphilly Castle

This is one I did for a Christmas present, not this past Christmas, the one before.  Last month I was able to snap a photo of it.  The lighting wasn't very good and the original looks much better.  But, most of the paintings on this blog have really bad photos.  I guess I need to invest in a really good camera but I'd rather spend my money on art supplies!  The painting is from a photo taken a few years ago.  It was a very clear, very cold day.  I think it was painted on a 9x12 stretched canvas.

 

What Fish?

This is the latest still life from the painting class I am taking.  The object was to paint glass and glass reflections.  I had this glass cat with the fish in its belly and I thought it would make for a funny still life with an empty fish bowl.  I basically used thalo blue, grumbacher red, lemon yellow, and a little burnt sienna.  Oh and paynes gray for the fish fins.  It was a fun painting!  It was painted on a 12x12 stretched canvas.

Stone Bridge Again

Last month I went out to the stone bridge at the Botanical Gardens to try out my new easel I got for Christmas.  It was a nice, warm winter's day and I was almost able to get two paintings until the wind blew off my second canvas sheet.  I must find some other way to attach the sheets to the board besides removable tape!  I had watched a video by Scott Christensen and I wanted to try his use of grays.  It was a fun day!

It was painted on a 6x8 canvas sheet.

Mystic Still Life

Last month I re-started the painting class that I  withdrew from in 2009.  That is why not many posts last month.  This is a still life from that class.  The assignment was something shinny.  I chose two crystal balls.  One is a quartz crystal, not quite clear, and the other is a smokey quartz crystal, not quite clear.  It appears that the painting is not quite dry.
It is painted on a 12x12 stretched canvas.

Along Highway 158

I did this during the holidays when I couldn't get out to paint.  It is from a photograph that I took on my way back from Raleigh in November.  It was taken at a wayside along US158 in North Carolina.
It is painted on a 6x8 canvas sheet in oils.