Plein air pastel landscape painting of Harbor Springs, Michigan from above
Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 11.5 inches
We spent a wonderful long weekend in Charlevoix, Michigan over Memorial Day. Its a trip that we take with our good friends every year and we always look forward to it. The guys golf, the ladies shop and I paint. At night we enjoy wonderful food, wine and friendship. I dropped off a lot of new paintings to Tvedten Fine Art, my gallery in Harbor Springs, and of course, I painted my way there and back.
This pastel landscape is from the bluff that overlooks the beautiful harbor. Luckily I was able to find a For Sale sign up in front of one of the gorgeous mansions on the hill. It looked like no one was home…I hope they didn’t mind this plein air artist parking in front and blocking their view…
Pastel landscape painting of afternoon sunlight streaming through pine trees in winter.
Pastel painting 17 inches x 11 inches
This is Michigan right now. Freezing, brutal, icy — and yet hauntingly beautiful. When the sunlight shines through the trees in my backyard, the snow lights up with color. I’ve been working on very detailed, realistic work lately and I felt like doing a pastel painting with a bit looser feel. My friend Liz’s abstract paintings inspired me. Although this is still very much a recognizable landscape painting, it is moving in a less realistic direction…
New Year’s Resolution #1: Dig out the Studio. Check.
I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I had art and supplies everywhere. Pastel paintings going out to galleries, watercolors coming in from shows, donations lined up for my favorite non-profits. My studio was a mine field.
So I finally buckled down and cleaned the whole dang thing. I threw away a LOT of paintings that I once loved but am no longer proud of. Paper, pastels, books, and tools are now all in their correct place. With the help of my wonderful husband, I even created a new, organized painting storage area. (Note the very anal retentive title labels on each painting…)
As a Michigan Plein Air artist, I HAVE to paint indoors during the winter. Now, with a clean studio, I finally feel free to create again. Ahhhhh….
Plein air pastel landscape of a Michigan wetlands in mid November.
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
Last week, my friend Cecily and I braved the cold and set out to find a nice spot to paint outdoors. We felt the need to commemorate our artist friend Mary Beth Koeze who had just passed away, and, when you think of it, what could be more appropriate than to create art?
I think this is probably my last Michigan plein air pastel painting of the season. It was COLD. My fingers were numb and my ears frozen. How artists paint in deep winter, I’ll never know. But this wetland area had always intrigued me and I’m happy we seized the moment to capture some of its beauty.
Plein air pastel landscape painting of a colorful fall tree and barn.
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8.5 inches
Yeah! What a beautiful weekend for plein air pastel painting! Crisp blue skies and cool weather here in Michigan. I loved my time in Italy painting watercolors, but I was really pining to get back to a juicy pastel landscape. This farm just south of my hometown Saline fit the bill!
After I get my feet wet with pastels again, I will be painting a pet portrait commission that I received this week. Really looking forward to capturing this sweet Borzoi puppy! Let me know if you have an animal buddy who is yearning to be a model…
Plein air watercolor landscape painting of Round Lake from Charlevoix, Michigan
Watercolor painting 9 inches x 6 inches $80
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
When we were in Charlevoix this spring, I sat near their newly reconstructed waterfront and painted this watercolor. The dock area was bustling and a lot of people stopped by to peak at my progress–always a bit disconcerting…
I always find it challenging to do a watercolor landscape of a lake or ocean (commonly called a seascape). You want the water to be believable, yet you need to do it quickly and not fuss over it too much. Watercolor can be very unforgiving. I can’t tell you how many of my paintings never see the light of day. Hopefully I learn something from every attempt. Lots of education starting in a few days in Italy!
Plein air pastel landscape painting of an old mill along the Huron River in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
Our plein air pastel painting group met at a new location last weekend–Parker Mill. It’s the site of an old 1800s mill and is surrounded by woods and a beautiful little creek. Many of the others had painted here before, but for me, it was completely new. I was immediately taken by the old architecture and set up to capture the buildings while the early morning sun was still casting a warm glow on them. I love painting weathered old buildings in pastel, but I must be careful not to “over accessorize” them. I have to keep repeating my mantra….Simplify, simplify, simplify…
I painted another pastel landscape of the nearby river and it will post it in a couple of days.
Plein air landscape painting of Crystal Lake from Beulah, Michigan
Pastel painting 6 inches x 6 inches $100
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
On the way to Crystal Lake, we stopped in Beulah at the beach in town. John took his afternoon nap and I did a quick seascape pastel painting out of the back of the car. It was a bit stormy and rough but made for an interesting, moody pastel landscape…
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Check out my offerings at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/jill-stefani-wagner.html
Plein air watercolor landscape painting of the shore along Crystal Lake in Northern Michigan.
Watercolor painting 7 inches x 10 inches SOLD
Please contact me if you are interested in similar artwork.
I can’t believe how long it has been since I’ve painted any watercolors. I’ve been so infatuated with the bright, opaque pastel pigments, that I’ve neglected the medium that got me excited about art in the first place. When we were “up north,” I did pull the paints out for a watercolor landscape of the shoreline along Crystal Lake.
When I go to paint in Italy in the fall, I have decided to bring only my watercolor supplies. Pastels are too bulky, fragile and dusty for international travel. Plus, for some reason, I think of Italy as a location made especially for the nuances of this water medium.
Plein air pastel landscape painting of Crystal Lake near Frankfort, Michigan.
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
My friend has told me, over and over again, how beautiful Crystal Lake is. She said the color of the water is unlike anything I would see in Northern Michigan. After visiting a few weeks ago, I am now a believer. The water depth is relatively shallow for a long way out and appears a shimmering light aqua color. Then, suddenly, it drops off sharply at the “blue line.” It is truly a stunning view and I wanted to capture it in a loose, colorful pastel painting.
I was again trying to capture the essence of the scene, not necessarily every ripple and highlight. Not quite sure how successful I was, but I had a blast painting this pastel landscape!
Plein air pastel landscape painting of an old farmhouse seen from the fields.
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
Wandering the farmlands of southeastern Michigan, I find many beautiful old farms tucked into the rolling hills. I did this pastel landscape painting just west of Saline. While I was painting, an old man who was cutting the lawn came up to my easel to chat. I thought he was the owner of the farm but he was neighbor who rented the land to plant his crops. He explained to me that the owners had recently moved to a senior home and that none of their children wanted to take on the hard work of farm life. So, over time, this old place built in the 1880s, will probably be abandoned. When I paint, I often wonder about the history of the site: Who lived there? What did the many generations of family experience here? Sometimes I’m lucky to learn some interesting little tidbits about my subjects and that makes them all the more fascinating to me.
Plein air pastel landscape painting of silos seen from summer Michigan fields.
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
This field is not far from my house in an area that is scheduled for a large business park development. It breaks my heart to see all of the beautiful woods and farmlands eaten up by urban sprawl. Its one of the reasons I keep painting pastel landscape paintings of farms and fields. I’ll be able to remember them after the huge steel and glass monstrosities replace them…
