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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Backyard Marsh

Yesterday I decided to paint the marsh again, but a different view.  And I tried something different.  I used just three colors and white.  The colors I used were cadmium yellow pale, grumbacher red, and french ultramarine.  I was sorta pleased with the result but I wonder if a different red or blue might have given better results.  It was painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

Sequoia in Fall

Sunday I went back to paint the Sequoia at the Botanical Gardens.  I love that tree!  Most of the deciduous foliage has disappeared.   Winter is coming!  I'm not looking forward to it.  I may go back in the Spring and paint it again!  it was painted on a 9x12 canvas board.

First Plein Air Knife Painting

Friday, while most people were braving the malls, I went to the Botanical Gardens to paint.  I am really going to have to start Christmas shopping sometime soon!   But not while there is a nice day to paint!!!  I thought that there would not be many people there, but I was wrong.  I thought I would try the skills I learned in one of the workshops I took and tried painting with the knife on location.  This was quite difficult!  And the results weren't the best (but a fun time!).  But anyway, here it is.  It is painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

A Long View

Here's the first one I did at the Pinkum Garden event that was put on by the Charles Taylor Center in Hampton.  The Pinkum Gardens are private and are located in Carrolton near the James River Bridge.  The sun was really sparkling on the water which I didn't quite capture. Those brown marks in the water is an old pier.  This event was October 8th of this past year.  It was an enjoyable time as they all are!  It was painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

Fountain With Palm

This is yesterday's painting from a trip to the Botanical Gardens.  Yesterday's trip was intended to be studies of simpler objects but I ended up painting this fountain.  This is one of my first attempts at painting with a knife other than a few stabs here and there.  Haha, it looks like August's earthquake re-arranged the right side of the fountain base!  This painting is a combination of brushes and knife.  It was painted on a 9x12 canvas sheet.

Tomorrow I am off to Raleigh for four days at the Art of the Carolinas!  I am excited and hopeful of gaining many new painting techniques.  I signed up for six oil related workshops.  I will be returning next Monday ready to test my new skills!

Autumn

Yesterday it was a really beautiful day so I found a few hours and went to the Botanical Gardens to paint.  I found a nice spot next to the lake and this picture is the result.  It was panted on a 9x12 canvas sheet  oils.

Across the Marsh

Yesterday is was too windy for the Botanical Gardens so I set up in my backyard in the mist of some trees. I did have a view of the marsh and of the neighbor's backyard across the marsh through the trees.  (The marsh is mostly in my yard.)  This was painted on a 11x14 unbleached canvas sheet, panted area about 11x13.5.

Cotton Field

Yesterday while driving back home from a visit to my daughter's house in the farmlands of Suffolk, I spied a cotton field that I thought might make a nice painting.  I figured I better get back there quickly before the cotton was picked so today I went back and painted it.   It is painted on a 9x12 linen covered panel in oils.

This was one of the most fun times I have had painting plein air.  I know the painting isn't the best but it was so fun, it is the only plein air painting that I have framed and hung!  --a memento of a really great day!

Healing Garden

This is a painting that I did at the Botanical Gardens about two weeks ago.  It needed some touch-ups so that is what I have been doing today.  All of the paintings that I posted today were plein air paintings that needed touching up.  Usually I do that sooner but not on these.  The area painted is the Healing Garden.  It is painted on a 9x12 stretched canvas.

Foot Bridge

This was painted at the Botanical Gardens last week.  I did some touch-ups in the studio today.  It was painted on an 8x10 canvas sheet.

Scenic View

The view is from sitting in the chairs!  This painting started off as a plein air from a plein air event in Carrolton, Virginia.  It was the second painting of the day and I was not able to finish.  I started on it yesterday and spent way too much time on it, considering the resulting painting.  I'm not pleased with this one either.  So, practice, practice, practice!!  It was painted on a 9x12 canvas panel.

Fern Glade

Yesterday I went back to the Botanical Gardens.  It was very breezy so I looked for a spot in the trees.  After walking around for about an hour, I settled on this scene in the Fern Glade.  While painting, my easel almost collapsed twice.  I was able to catch everything without too much mess.  (I caught the palette in my hands.  The mess was on me!  The paint under my fingernails was difficult to remove!)  Well, the painting turned out about as good as my hands did.  It looks a little better in person, but not much!  I was not happy with this one.  Painted on an 8x10 canvas sheet.

Stone Bridge

This is yesterday's painting at the Botanical Gardens.  Leaving this scene while going back to the car, I spotted some nice scenes that I am going to try and paint today.  This was painted on an 8.5x11 canvas sheet, mountable to an 8x10 board (in oils, as usual).