Plein air pastel landscape painting of a sunlit lawn and trees.
Pastel painting 6.25 inches x 6.25 inches $100
This is a small pastel painting that I did this summer sitting in my driveway and looking out toward my neighbor’s house. The sunlit patches of lawn created an interesting pattern that culminated with the bright light around the porch next door. Theirs a lot of texture showing through the pastels from the rust colored primer I applied on a small piece of illustration board. I like to work on small pieces every now and then to break up the pressure of the larger ones!
Plein air pastel painting of a path in a park in Michigan with a bridge in the distance.
Pastel painting 12.75 inches x 5 inches
I painted this scene in Gallup Park in Ann Arbor a couple of weeks ago (right after I jumped into the lake to save my first plein air painting of the day). I have been challenging myself lately to stop looking for the “perfect” subject matter for my pastel landscapes, and just paint what i see in front of me. This is probably not the type of scene I would have searched for, but I am pleased with the results. If you’ve seen much of my work, you know I like to work with odd shaped compositions. This extreme horizontal worked well for a panoramic-type view.
Pastel plein air landscape painting of the woods near the Raisin River in Saline, Michigan.
Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 11.5 inches
After painting the landscape at Weller’s that I posted a few days ago, I shifted my position and did a pastel drawing of the scene from a slightly different viewpoint. This scene incorporates more of the river and is in a vertical format. Same woods, rocks and tree but completely different effect. Its amazing the number of compositions you can create from the same subject matter…
Plein air pastel landscape painting of an old Michigan farmhouse in the sunlight.
Pastel painting 11.5 inches x 8.5 inches
Yay! This Michigan artist is finally smiling! We actually had sunshine here on Saturday. I did my usual plein air thang and wandered the back roads til I found something that caught my eye. I was yearning for bright light and shadows and this old farmhouse did the trick. I love doing paintings of architecture – especially historical buildings. The owners told me his home was built in 1847 and it’s still a gorgeous structure. After I finished this pastel landscape, I drove for an hour looking for another spot, not wanting to waste the sunshine. Somehow I ended up back at home, painting at the pond in our subdivision. Go figure.
Plein air pastel painting of farm buildings in the early morning light.
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
My friend Karen and I hit the plein air road last month while our husbands played golf. We didn’t have to travel too far from the golf course to find a scene we both liked. There were some old farm buildings, with peeling orange paint, just down the road. Karen set up for oil and I did a pastel painting while the bright morning sun was at its most dramatic. I had just enough time to start another pastel landscape before the guys called and were ready to be picked up. I will work to finish that one in the studio.
Plein air Watercolor landscape painting of an old Victorian house and gardens.
Watercolor painting 9 inches x 6 inches $100
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
I think I have painted this house on one of the main streets of Saline 3 or 4 times before, in both pastel and watercolor. I painted one version of it that is quite large and has sold very well as a giclee art print.
This time I did a quick watercolor landscape sketch while sitting under the shade across the street. The architectural lines of the house and surrounding porch are classically beautiful and the gardens leading up to it create a dynamic entry way.
Starting to pack art supplies for my painting trip to Italy. Unbelievably excited!!!
Plein air pastel landscape painting of an umbrella table and chairs on a summer deck.
Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 4.5 inches $80
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
AHhhhhh….Nothing like summer on the patio! I painted this little pastel painting one morning last week. Didn’t have time to go out plein air painting but this pastel artist had to get something on paper! I was drawn to the dark silhouette of the chair and tables against the psychedelic green lawn. This will be a nice memory when winter closes in on us in December…
Watercolor landscape painting of an old Victorian house.
Watercolor painting 9 inches x 13.5 inches $400
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
I’m really getting excited about my trip to Italy this fall. I will be spending two weeks in a small village in Umbria at a painting workshop. The art school is located in a 15th century monastery and we will use the chapel as our indoor studio. But most of the time we will be traveling to tiny hilltowns throughout the region. Ahhhh….bliss!
I’ve decided to work mostly in watercolor when I’m there, and that inspired me to start painting in the medium again. This watercolor painting is from my many reference photos of old houses in our county. I believe this house is on Main Street in Milan. I love to doing paintings of architecture especially when the rigid structural forces are contrasted with natural landscape elements.
Plein air pastel painting of a house and rolling lawn in late autumn.
Pastel painting 10 inches x 8 inches $200
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
I was sure that my plein air days were over for this year but it looks like we will have another nice weekend. I’m planning to go out somewhere exotic for a long session tomorrow but this afternoon I found time to do a pastel landscape painting right from my own backyard. Almost all the trees are bare but there are a few colorful leaves holding on.
I broke down and bought MORE pastels. Its like a sickness. I have to try all the brands and their different colors. This time I purchased a bunch of Great American pastels in shades that were not already in my collection. I had heard they had a wonderful creamy texture and they do! Its like painting with butter! I swear I am going to produce a cool tshirt that says, in huge letters: “Whoever dies with the most pastels wins.”!
Support a local artist in your community: Give original art for your holiday gifts this year!
Watercolor painting 8 inches x 5 inches $100 + shipping
Please contact me if you are interested in this artwork.
This is a watercolor painting of one of the beautiful old houses on our hometown main street. I love this old Victorian home and have also painted a large pastel of just the front porch called Golden Light. The original is still for sale and giclee prints are also available. This old architecture reminds me of a simpler, slower pace of life.
