Plein air pastel landscape painting of rolling fields in early morning.

Pastel painting 6 inches x 9 inches   $100

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

Finally got a chance to get out and paint this morning! 8:30 am, out in the fields with my dog, Roxy. The sun was in and out, and every once in a while, the light on the fields was heavenly. On mornings like this, painting plein air pastel landscapes is pure joy!

Plein air watercolor painting of a beautiful fountain with figures in St. Joseph Michigan

Watercolor painting 8.5 inches x 11 inches $200

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

I’ve been hard at work on my Saline commission and haven’t been able to work on any new paintings this week. I thought I’d post this bargain “oldy but goody” watercolor landscape from a vacation I took a few years ago. “Maids of the Mist” is a beautiful fountain that was originally made for the World’s Fair in Chicago but found a home in St. Joseph Michigan in 1892. I was atracted by the sparkling white water against the dark green foilage of the trees behind. I also liked the idea of the old fountain contrasted with the modern farm storage in the background.

The Side Door Gallery is having a reception Friday night for our Ann Arbor Pastelists show. 6-8 pm in downtown Dexter. Stop by if you can!

Watercolor landscape painting of Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Watercolor painting      6 inches x 9 inches SOLD

I have a close friend whose son-in-law is a Gettysburg fanatic. I can totally relate. After our last visit there, I think I have become a life long devotee. The place is filled with awe inspiring history and emotion.  When you understand the story, and the horror, of those few days in 1863, it absolutely astounds you. My friend asked me to create a watercolor painting for her son-in-laws’s birthday and I was honored to do it. This watercolor commission recreates the view from Seminary Ridge, where the famous Pickett’s Charge began.

Plein air pastel painting of sunflowers in August.

Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 11 inches   SOLD

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

Spent a lovely afternoon with my plein air group painting in one of our member’s garden on Wednesday. There were so many great views, I didn’t know where to start. I finally decided to zero in on her fence of sunflowers since I had never painted them in either pastel or watercolor before. I love doing flower paintings in sunlight because of the interesting light and shadow effects that occur. That’s what its all about for me…light patterns!

Off to work on my watercolor commission of Gettysburg!

Plein air watercolor painting of a hotel viewed from a Florida beach

Watercolor painting 9 inches x 6 inches $100

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

We just signed up for a week in Florida again this December and it reminded me of a few plein air sketches I did last winter down there. I painted this watercolor painting sitting on a comfy chaise lounge on the beach. Ahhhhh!

Plein air pastel landscape painting of Pond Farm near Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Pastel painting 9 inches x 6 inches   $350

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

This is the 3rd plein air pastel landscape that I painted for the nature conservancy paint out a couple of weekends ago. Pond Hill Farm is a beautiful working farm off 119 run by a local family. They sell all sorts of produce and meat and even have a little cafe on site. This piece is available at Tvedten Fine Art in Harbor Springs and 20% of the proceeds will go to the conservancies in Northern Michigan.

Plein air pastel landscape painting of rolling fields of purple flowers outside Harbor Springs, Michigan

Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 11 inches   $200

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

Another plein air pastel landscape from last weekend. All the fields around Harbor Sprints were coveerd with a soft purple haze of flowers that was just beautiful. We found out later that what we thought were flowers were actually invasive weeds that are taking over the hillsides and are definitely not good for the environment up there.

I’ve been crazy busy this week and haven’t had a chance to paint at all. But the good news is: I have 2 commissions waiting to be started! I love having an assignment! One is a large pastel commission of downtown Saline, and the other is a small landscape painting of Gettysburg.

Plein air pastel landscape painting of Spring Lake near Harbor Springs, Michigan.

Pastel painting 6 inches x 9 inches   $100

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

On Friday, I researched all of the nature conservancy areas near Harbor Springs so that I would be ready to paint early Saturday morning, the day of the paint out. Spring Lake is a beautiful little area between Harbor Springs and Petoskey. I painted this pastel landscape about 4 pm when the reflections were strong. The lily pads made a strong, bright focal point for the piece.

I had an unusual and exciting phone call on that day. The set designers on the remake of the movie “Red Dawn” called me and asked if they could use one of my painting notecards (below) in their film! The movie is being shot in Detroit and one of the art directors picked up my card from one of the galleries in the area. They couldn’t promise that it would appear, but it was still a neat request!

Well…so much for no rain. It poured all day Saturday with just a few peeps of sunshine. But the intrepid plein air painters gutted it out and produced an amazing amount of really fine art. The reception at Tvedten Fine Art was wonderful and many works were sold to benefit the area’s Nature Conservancy. Including two pastel landscapes I did of Angell Farm! Great fun!

Plein air watercolor painting of a palm tree at Sanibel Island, Florida

Watercolor painting 4.75 inches x 7.75 inches $80

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

Another Florida palm tree. There are so many palms down south, they all feel the same after a while. But if you look really closely, they have their own distinct profiles and personalities. This one looks like an old grandpa to me, a little worse for the wear but still very strong and vibrant. Painting quick, plein air watercolor landscapes gives me a chance to explore a more abstract composition and play with strong, bold color.

I’m doing the plein air paint-out up north today. Doing a “no rain” dance!

My friend Cecily Donnelly currently has an exhibition at the University of Michigan Hospital, main lobby. Check out the art review at:

http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/local-visual-arts-8909-umhs-gifts-of-art-cecily-donnelly/

Plein air watercolor landscape of palm trees at Sanibel Island, Floriday

Watercolor painting 4.75 inches x 7.75 inches $80

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

We love to spend time down on Sanibel Island during the frigid winter months. The landscape is SOOOO different there that it often takes me a while to adjust. The different colors, textures and vistas of this pretty island recharge my senses and I tend to paint with a bit of wild abandon. This psychodelic watercolor landscape was painted right outside our condo early in the morning.

This weekend I will be participating in a wonderful plein air event in Harbor Springs, Michigan:

” Wet Paint / Fresh Ink ” Show        Saturday • August 8th 2009 • 2nd Annual

Tvedten Fine Art (my new gallery “up north”) holds this invitational event every year in August. They are planning a follow up coffee table book to be published after 5- 7 years. It will depict the best paintings and writings of all of the past shows. 20% of the art sales and proceeds of the book will go toward supporting the local conservancies that work so hard to protect the beauty of Northern Michigan.

There will be an Opening reception August 8, 2009 – 6:30 – 8:30p.m. at Tvedten FIne Arts in Harbor Springs. Please stop by if you are in the vicinity!

Plein air watercolor painting of a tree and summer fields.

Watercolor painting 4.75 inches x 7.75 inches   SOLD

Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.

I spent a wonderful vacation weekend with my daughter and grandson and didn’t get any painting done. So I thought I would post this plein air watercolor landscape that I painted last year at this time. Its my favorite subject–the fields and farms around Saline, Michigan. This is another piece that I painted on yupo, a plastic-like paper that causes watercolor to pool on the surface instead of seaping in. It really helps me to loosen up and forget about the itty bitty details.