Sauvie Island

Painting en plein air at Sauvie Island is like being in another country, another time, with wide open spaces and the sounds of birds. Fall is full of ripe colors. Painted sunflowers, corn and pumpkins, one day. Another day found a dirt road to a lake and blackberries, wildflowers, trees and clouds. Cows ambled past.

Crystal Springs

Painted at Crystal Springs on a cool day with a hint of Fall, a relief after the hot Summer haze. Using a new palette with a wet sponge, my acrylic paints stayed wet and flowed like watercolor, which suited this scene of a waterfall flowing into a wide pond full of quacking mallards. A pale willow tree spreads out in front of a curved bridge.

Summer Haze

It's been hot and hazy, due to wildfires in nearby mountains, creating a bright orange sunset and golden moon. Walking on Powell Butte, the haze covered mountain views and it was too hot for me to paint plein air, so I photographed wildflower covered meadows and retreated to my studio to paint. The next day I cut and tore and pasted papers for collages, and painted an abstract on canvas, still influenced by the golden haze.

water, rocks

More moving water over mossy rocks.