Pastel landscape painting of a winter river through the trees.

Pastel painting 10 inches x 10 inches     $450

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I’m continuing on with my winter river obsession in my current pastel paintings. Last weekend, John and I traveled west and south of Saline, shooting good research photos that I could work from back in the studio. We stopped at every little stream and creek and now I am flush with new ideas!

I am working on putting together a series pastel landscapes which all have Michigan rivers, streams and lakes as their subject. Hopefully later next year, I will mount a solo show of these artworks. Stay tuned!

Pastel landscape painting of a beautiful pond with autumn trees reflected in the water.

Pastel painting 11 inches x 17 inches     $650

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One of my close friends, and a long time client at our Ann Arbor advertising agency, has created the most beautiful garden and pond on the land behind their home. They own an organic fertilizer company, Ocean Organics,  and use their chemical-free products to nurture nature and make it blossom in breathtaking ways. On a sunny day last fall, I took some reference photos to paint from later in my studio. This pastel landscape shows my favorite view of the pond and the small bench where you can sit and take in the gorgeous scenery.

Gouache plein air painting of a sunlit birch tree.

Gouache painting 4 inches x 6 inches       $80

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I have been experimenting with another watercolor painting medium called gouache. It is similar to watercolor in that it contains a pigment suspended in water, but it is more concentrated and opaque. You can even layer white or pastel colors to highlight and create a thicker texture. In watercolor, it is necessary to leave the white of the paper showing through to create a highlighted area. I find that gouache is a kind of cross between acrylic and watercolor.

I painted this landscape painting in our back yard. When I saw the light hitting the tree limbs against the dark pines in back, I thought it would make an interesting composition. I didn’t really use the qualities of qouache for this piece–its more like a traditional watercolor painting. But stay tuned.  I have plans to take this new medium on our next trip and explore it more fully.

Plein air pastel painting of a house and rolling lawn in late autumn.

Pastel painting 10 inches x 8 inches       $200

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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!

Pastel painting of trees reflected in a river deep in the woods.

Pastel painting 10 inches x 10 inches   $450

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I have been crazy busy the last few days between work at our ann arbor advertising agency, studio work and GrandBaby time. I now have 5 of my planned 9 family portraits done for a project I am  calling my “portrait quilt”. I am hoping to have it finished and hung for Thanksgiving so the whole fam damily can critique it!

This pastel landscape above is part of the “Michigan Reflections” series I am currently painting. I am so drawn to light and shadow and, if you throw a couple reflections in, I am a real goner. I liked playing with the heightened color in this piece. I wanted to evoke the feeling of an early morning walk and coming upon a gorgeous treasure of a place, deep in the woods, that no one else knew about…

Plein air pastel landscape painting of a golden autumn field and distant tree line.

Pastel painting 9 inches x 6 inches       $100

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After the nice farmer man offered me his “back yard” to paint in, I drove way back in to his fields til I found this intriguing scene. I liked the strong diagonal of the grassy lane and the endless golden fields. The colorful little trees in the background made a perfect focal point. I painted quickly because now it was after five p.m. and REALLY cold. But I’m happy I stayed to add this pastel painting to my autumn landscape series. In a couple of months, when winter descends,  I’m sure I will be pining for this type of “mild” weather…

Pastel plein air painting of a dirt road framed in autum leaves.

Pastel painting 6 inches x 9 inches       $100

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It was friggin cold on Sunday afternoon. But I persisted. The colors in southeast Michigan are starting to burst out and I refused to miss the explosion! The back roads were filled with orange and yellow and this little lane looked like a perfect place to set up for a pastel landscape painting. Within 20 minutes, my fingers were absolutely numb. I was packing up to go when a sweet man who owned a farm on this road stopped to chat. He told me how beautiful the fields behind his house were and invited me to paint there. I couldn’t refuse. I will post that painting in a couple of days.

SafeHouse Center, an organization that fights to stop domestic violence and sexual assault in Michigan is very close to my heart. I designed a calendar filled with the art of local women artists as a fundraiser to help offset the huge funding cuts they are experiencing. The art is really amazing and the cause is so important. For a donation of $15 for 1 or $40 for 3 you can make a difference for thousands of women and children.

Thank you to the many artists who donated, to my friend and wonderful copywriter, Linda Fitzgerald, and to Kelly Parkinson and the Allegra Print and Imaging gang for making this calendar happen!

The calendars wold make wonderful holiday gifts. Please contact me if you are interested!

Pastel landscape painting of woods reflected in the water along a river bank.

Pastel painting 10 inches x 10 inches   $450

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This pastel landscape captures the place where Roxy and I go for walks every so often. The river wanders through this natural preserve in Saline and, at every curve, there is an awe-inspiring vision to paint! I am a sucker for reflections. They just draw me in every time. Plus, they are a useful tool in my quest to loosen up. I think I am definitely getting there on this pastel painting.

I’m working on a new watercolor portrait series right now. There will be at least 9 in this group and possibly 16. 3 are done. When I have a few more completed, I’ll post some.

Plein air pastel painting of sunlit fields in autumn

Pastel painting 11 inches x 8 inches       $200

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Another pastel landscape painting from my plein air travels last weekend. I was wandering around the farms south of Ann Arbor and noticed the sunlight illuminating the soybean crops and the green fields beyond. The colors were almost psychedelic and the stand of trees in the foreground made a perfect focal point. I’m really drawn to the way forests in the distance turn a vibrant shade of blue when seen through the atmosphere…

Visited the Chelsea Painters show at the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanti last night. Wonderful portrait and figure paintings inspired me to work on a new series of watercolor portraits!

Plein air pastel painting of a treeline in Michigan in Autumn

Pastel painting 8.5 inches x 12 inches   $200

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Last weekend was wonderful for plein air pastel paintings! I spent a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday painting the autumn fields around southern Michigan. The combination of the bright gold fields and the blue atmospheric woods was just too grand to pass up. Lots of people stopped by to catch a glimpse of my work and I even talked to a man who’d like a pastel commission of the sunset from his back porch.

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…