Poppies from Life

Did these Saturday morning in my backyard. Love this time of year with everything blooming. Want to paint it all.

Poppy Passion

every year I have to paint poppies, they grow in my garden and the ones I do from nature are better than the ones I do from photos. This one is from a photo, but I loved the composition. Have to try again from nature, they are blooming now.

Simplifying the Complicated

Didn't simplify very much! This is a 6 x 8 study done on location that I loved the location. Didn't really think in advance about how much detail there was. My brush was old (have since tossed it for a better one)and yet I continued to daub on the paint because I loved being here in this place. The light changed in an hour (of course) but the scene was so engaging it was a challenge to simplify it into paint. Patterns, light, and shadows. That's the key, it always is. "Paint what you see" wasn't so helpful, because I saw a lot. So I took off my glasses. Always helps, to simplify into near-sighted vision. Squinting can have the same effect. You CAN see the forest AND the trees!

Painting from Life

Painting from life is always a good thing. With several others, we had intended to go paint a location a mile or so away from my house. The wind was extreme, so headed for a fellow painter's studio. He had set up several still lifes which seemed like a let-down after the plan to paint outdoors for the first time since last summer. It was really a good experience, as it took the same concentration, color mixing, and "seeing" that is crucial to painting of any kind. Any time one can paint from life is preferable to using photos for reference. I recommend it!

In season again

My apple tree is in bloom and I painted these beauties several years ago at Happy Apple Farm in Penrose. Orchards in bloom have always inspired me as I have seen other artists interpretations of them for years. I loved seeing the orchards when I drove between offices for work the year I lived on the Western Slope. I did a few touch-ups on these this winter and they kept me going until now,as the real thing has returned. I have not painted since April, as I have been teaching and not had 2 days off in a row for a month. I realize the first day off is for errands, getting caught up and then the second day I feel like I have the freedom to paint or do something creative. It takes time to be creative. The orchards and I are back in season again. Yay.