Pastel plein air landscape painting of the Jordan River in East Jordan, Michigan
Pastel painting 11 inches x 14 inches
I almost always work on paper when I create my plein air pastel landscapes, using mostly Art Spectrum or Kitty Wallis paper. I recently bought a couple of Ampersand Pastelbords to try them out and was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked the surface. It is, of course, a heavier substrate, almost like masonite in weight. When painting on it, the surface feels “harder” than other papers I have used, but it seems to hold just as much pastel. I used a sand-colored board for this painting of the Jordan River. I think this plein air artist will buy a few more boards to experiment with…
Plein air watercolor landscape painting of Round Lake from Charlevoix, Michigan
Watercolor painting 9 inches x 6 inches $80
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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 watercolor landscape painting of a pond and surrounding trees.
Watercolor painting 11 inches x 7 inches $150
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The other day, I grabbed my watercolors and trusty pooch and headed out to the pond near our house. Roxy loves to run free near the water and I can relax and sketch the scenery. It was a great day for a watercolor landscape. The sun was out and the wind was blowing the billowing cloud formations quickly across the sky. I had to paint quickly to catch the effects…
In the studio I am working on a commission of the cutest little pup. Can’t wait to show it to my client. Let me know if you have a special animal you would like immortalized in a pastel pet portrait!
Plein air watercolor landscape painting of the shore along Crystal Lake in Northern Michigan.
Watercolor painting 7 inches x 10 inches SOLD
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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 a Lake Michigan Beach near Charlevoix
Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches
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Right near the Charlevoix light house on Lake Michigan, there is a beautiful pristine beach. Most of the bathers swim near the park area and this sandy stretch stays relatively empty. I sat under one of the covered picnic areas and painted this pastel landscape in the shade. I liked the simple, bold and dynamic composition of this scene. While I was setting up, two old advertising friends from Ann Arbor strolled up, hundreds of miles from home. I tell ya, its amazing how we are all connected in this big old world…
Plein air pastel landscape painting of the rocky shoreline along Lake Michigan near Charlevoix.
Pastel painting 6.5 inches x 6.5 inches $100
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Another pastel landscape scene from the shores of Lake Michigan. It’s amazing how the color of the water and landscape changes at different times of day. In fact, it changes by the hour. After spending an 90 minutes or so on this small pastel painting, the view in front of me didn’t look at all like the one on my easel. The water had become much lighter and the shoreline in the distance a dark, midnight blue…
Plein air pastel landscape painting of the shoreline near Mount McSauba in Charlevoix Michigan.
Pastel painting 12 inches x 5 inches $150
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There are so many beautiful points along Lake Michigan just made for pastel landscapes. I went out on the farthest point of the Mount McSauba natural preserve to paint this piece. I really enjoyed working with horizontal compositions on this trip. Its good for my creativity to work in different formats and paint different subject matter. I get bored easily and would go insane if I had to paint the same thing every day! Of course, it probably means I will never become an expert at anything. Oh, well, life is too short. So many paintings, so little time…
Pastel plein air painting of the Charlevoix lighthouse in midday sun.
Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 11 inches $200
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This lighthouse is like a magnet for me for some reason. This is the third time I’ve painted it in the last 2 years. I think it attracts me because it’s so stark and minimalist against the bright blue sky. Sometimes painting pastel landscapes can be overwhelming because there is SO MUCH out there to choose from that it becomes difficult to focus. Every once in a while, its nice to approach a simpler, straightforward subject!
Watercolor painting 10 inches x 7 inches $200 + shipping
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Back from a great week in Hawaii! We stayed on the big island near Kona and saw lots of unbelievable scenery. I didn’t get a chance to paint as much as I’d hoped but I’ll post a few of the plein air landscapes that I managed to fit in between Mai Tais. This white sand beach was rimmed with black lava formations and the blue sea crashed against them to make crisp white foam. A painter’s dream…
