Pastel painting 8 inches x 11 inches $200

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Saturday started out fresh and sunny…perfect for a plein air pastel landscape. I drove out south of town and wandered til this little old shed popped up into view. I loved the way the sun hit the side of the building and the trees shadow wrapped around the roof. I painted quickly but it wasn’t long before the sky turned black and it began to rain. I was hoping to paint more but there’s always tomorrow…

Plein air watercolor painting of trees along the Huron River in Gallup Park.

Watercolor painting 9 inches x 3.5 inches
$80

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In Ann Arbor, we have a beautiful public treasure called Gallup Park. The Huron River runs through it and it is a gathering place for joggers, kayakers, dog walkers, families and courting couples. I try to get out there at least a couple of times a year to do some plein air painting. This small watercolor landscape was one of a few I did recently. The views are so varied that I can  just set up my supplies, paint, pivot, paint, pivot, etc., and get an interesting scene at every turn. I’m hoping to get out again this weekend with either my watercolors or pastels and capture some of the gorgeous red buds that are in bloom right now…

Pastel painting of birch trees in the afternoon light

Pastel painting 5 inches x 7.5 inches $80

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At a certain time in the afternoon, the light creates a neat phenomenon in our backyard. The birch trees are lit and there is a glow emanating from the woods behind. Its really beautiful and I tried to capture it in this pastel painting but I’m not sure I got it. Luckily it will happen again and again and I can practice on another day.

I usually use Rembrandt pastels when I do my plein air work. They are strong, semi hard sticks and work well in the field. But lately, i have become so spoiled by the creamy soft Unison and Sennelier pastels that I use in the studio…Maybe I’ll have to splurge and buy some for my plein air work too. What the heck. It’ll help the economy, right?

Watercolor painting of a tree-lined dirt road in the summer sun

Watercolor painting 5.5 inches x 7.5 inches
$100

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Last summer when I was busy painting old farmsteads, I came upon this quiet country lane, shadowed by trees. I sat on the side of the road with Roxy and made a watercolor sketch. It was beautiful, just like it must have been in the 1800s and not a car came by to spoil my view. I’m missing painting outdoor landscapes and can’t wait til spring comes and I can get back at it!

Pastel Painting of an old house and yard covered in snow

Pastel painting 10 inches x 10 inches
$450

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The snow has melted for a spell here in southern Michigan. It feels almost like spring–but we experienced Michiganders know better.  We probably have multiple blizzards yet in our future.

I just finished this pastel painting of an old farmhouse down the street after the last big snow storm. I loved how the cool blue shadows played against the warm sunlight on the house. I am really liking experimenting with the small square format in my pastel landscapes….

Watercolor painting of an old log cabin.

Watercolor painting 11 inches x 4.5 inches $100 + shipping

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This is a quick plein air watercolor sketch of the old log cabin at the Toledo Botanical Gardens. I am an absolute sucker for historical settings so this really drew my attention when I went down last year to paint the fowers. It has a garden that is full of crops that the pioneers would have planted in the early 1800s. And the interior of the cabin is full of primitive, wooden furniture.

This landscape was painted on yupo, a plastic-like paper that doesn’t absorb liquid. All of the colors pool together and stay very vibrant on the top surface of the paper.

Pastel painting of winter snow

Pastel painting 10 inches x 10 inches $450 + shipping

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There’s no doubt about it. Spring, summer and fall in Michigan are glorious. Winter, however, can be a bear. We just received another 4 inches onto the 12 inches of snow we got last week. The HIGH will be in the single digits the next 3 days. I decided not to fight it but to glory in the beauty of my own back yard. This pastel landscape shows the sparkling, golden light peaking through the trees.

Watercolor painting of trees, lillies and shadows against a green lawn

Watercolor painting 9 inches x 6 inches $100 + shipping

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While I am continuing to work on pastel portraits, I thought I would post some watercolor paintings from last summer. Remember? Back when it was warm and sunny? This is a scene I painted while sitting in  our backyard in July when all of the day lillies were just beginning to bloom.

Watercolor painting 5 inches x 7 inches $100 + shipping

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I painted this small plein air watercolor landscape last summer out at one of Michigan’s MetroParks. The dark river water was running fast and it was a bit daunting to try and catch the feeling of it. But I loved every minute of the challenge!

Pastel painting 5 inches x 7 inches $100  plus shipping

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Finally got over the creeping crud that our family had been dealing with for the last 2 weeks and have gotten back to painting! The beautiful fall colors have now faded and it is a little too chilly for plein air work, but I was able to shoot a lot of reference photos for studio work. This pastel painting is based on some shots I took on our town’s main street. It was early morning on a beautiful, clear day and the sun shining through the trees created some dramatic shadows.

Pastel painting 12.5 inches x 25.5 inches $800 + shipping

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With fall colors starting to take over, I had to do one more summery piece. I just finished this 4th pastel painting in my Treescape series. I called it “Breeze” because it reminds me so much of the sunny day up north with the leaves rustling in the wind. We were up near Petoskey and Harbor Springs and I was struck by how clean and clear the colors were, especially the new leaves which had just come out.

Watercolor painting 5 inches x 7 inches $100 + shipping

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Every year we take a trip up to Charlevoix in May with 2 of our best couple friends. The boys play golf, some ladies shop, and I wander around with my painting gear, capturing little glimpses of what Michigan must have been like before we paved it over with cement. This firey bush caught my eye in a park between Petoskey and Harbor Springs. Michigan has almost every type of landscape: lakes, trees, dunes, fields, farms, cities. It should keep me busy for years!