July plein air Columbia Gorge

A gathering of Alla Prima artists painting plein air at the Womens Forum at Chanticleer Point, with views of Crown Point and the Vista House on a bright, hot day July 12.  I painted one horizontal 11" x 14" and a second vertical formal 9" x 12".  Fresh raspberries from the Corbett Market on the way home.  Beautiful drive, beautiful day!

Summer Plein Air

 Summer Meadow, Powell Butte

 Sauvie Island Wetland

 Columbia Gorge at Rooster Rock

Villa Catalana Pond

This summer I have not been able to paint plein air as much as I'd like for a variety of reasons, although it is always such a pleasure and challenge!  These are a few that were completed this summer.

In May I painted at Powell Butte Nature Park, beautiful at all times of year even when views of mountains are obscured by clouds. 

I've also painted at Sauvie Island and the Columbia Gorge at Rooster Rock State Park.  The painting of the Gorge is currently on view at Oregon Society of Artists, then will move to Rose Schnitzer Manor at Cedar Sinai Park after September 9.  

In August I painted at Villa Catalana as part of their annual Art in the Garden.  I completed a painting of the stone villa started the previous year from the same location, then turned my attention to the pond with water lilies and lotus flowers.  It was like a vacation in Europe in Oregon City!

March

 Steigerwald Refuge, plein air 9" x 12"

 Steigerwald Refuge, plein air 8" x 8"

Gibbons Creek, 5" x 7"

It was the official first day of Spring and National Happiness Day, so I did what makes me happy:  plein air painting!  This was my first time at Steigerwald Nature Refuge on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge, a wetland with a trail called the Gibbons Creek Wildlife Art Trail.  Perfect!  It was lovely, quiet except for the sounds of birds.  Huge flocks of geese floated overhead.  I finished two plein air paintings, then walked further up the trail to Gibbons Creek, almost to the edge of the Columbia River, took photos to paint from later.  The first painting included a view of Mt. Hood squeezed into the far right side, which did not look right back in the studio, so I wiped it out.  Aha!  Mt. Hood must be the star of the show, or not be there at all.

June Plein Air

Gorge at Crown Point 9" x 12"

Spent a wonderful day in June plein air painting at Crown Point looking out at the Columbia River Gorge.  The clouds looked ominous, but the rain waited until the following day.  It's been that kind of June, some clouds, rain, then 90 degrees, even 100!  I don't paint outside in the rain or hot sun, I do like to enjoy myself!  And that day was lovely, lots of friendly tourists asking questions and taking photos of themselves in front of the fabulous view.  A gentleman from Austria was of the opinion that the Danube might be more beautiful than the Columbia, but to me, the Columbia Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in the world and I never get tired of painting there.

March

Two views of the Columbia River Gorge, both 8" x 16", adding to two previous paintings in the same format, from my photos. The views from Rooster Rock State Park never fail to inspire me.

 Columbia Gorge October, 9" x 12"

Crown Point from Rooster Rock State Park, 9" x 12"

Plein air in the Columbia Gorge, a great way to spend an Autumn day!  The river level is low, revealing sand and grasses.  Deciduous trees at Rooster Rock State Park are turning gold and orange.  Morning fog turned to changing clouds with sunlight causing sparkle and glow.

Gorge

Another painting of Latourelle Falls, painted alla prima.  The first was larger, 14" x 14", slower, painted in layers to achieve translucence.  This one is 10" x 10", painted all at once in thicker paint, to capture the force of the water rushing and dashing against the rocks.  In musical terms, the first was andante, the second con brio.

Gorge

Painting en plein air at Guy Talbot State Park on a windy day at the Gorge last week, I walked the misty trail to Latourelle Falls with my camera, since it is too narrow to set up an easel.  This is my painting from a photo, 14" x 14".

Gorge re-visited

A few days ago, I painted one of my favorite places to visit, Rooster Rock State Park on the Columbia Gorge, from a photo reference.  The photo was taken at twilight a few years ago at the river's edge, at the end of the "nudist beach".  There were no nudists then, just quiet, peace and solitude, my hubby and me.  Today I went back to the Gorge to paint en plein air, but it was so windy I could hardly stand up let alone hold onto my brushes and expect my easel to stay put.  So took some photos and kept looking for the perfect place to paint, until I found it.

Summer on the river

Tuesday was hot so we took a drive down the old Columbia Gorge highway to the Sandy River, to swim and paint and people watch.  It was crowded for a weekday with boaters and floaters.  I managed to find a spot in the shade with a view of the river just large enough for my easel and body.  One step back and I got stuck by a sharp branch, shrubs on my sides, a steep sand dune in front.  So I painted fast and took lots of photos for future reference!  8" x 10" oil paint on canvas board.

Greens

A quick oil sketch on 9" x 12" canvas from a photo I took on a recent hike to Bridal Veil Falls in the Columbia Gorge.  Below the falls, trees are covered in moss, backlit on the sunny day.

Columbia Gorge

On a sunny afternoon recently, we visited one of my favorite places to view Crown Point from the Women's Forum.  Looking toward the east, the cliffs glowed from the warm colors of sunset.  The top painting is 12" x 24" and the lower 6" x 12", both from photos.  Looking forward to plein air in the Gorge!

Gorge Inspirations

Gorge from Crown Point

Rooster Rock Summer

Morning Fog

Several of my paintings will be seen at the Architectural Heritage Center's "Gorge Inspirations" invitational group artists exhibit November 2- December 31.  There will be an opening reception on Friday, November 2, 6:00-8:00 pm.   For more information on the AHC and the Gorge exhibit, see www.VisitAHC.org.

I have been painting plein air when the sun shines, and in my studio both landscapes and portraits, but, alas, there is a pesky computer glitch preventing me from downloading new photos.  I expect to catch up soon on this blog with photos of recent art work!

Gorge View

The Columbia Gorge, as seen from Benson Lake.  I painted Benson Lake Reflections last summer, and it is currently on view at O'Connors Cafe in Multnomah Village for the month of September.

Plein air

This is the season for plein air paint outs and I've been busy out there in on good days this week.  Monday I went to the Columbia Gorge and revisited the Women's Forum with the view of Crown Point, then found a wonderful spot to paint near the Vista House parking area.  It was not windy and there were just enough curious and friendly tourists to be interesting but not distracting.  I painted one of the Gorge view on a 6" x 12" panel, then a quick sketch of the Vista House, but it looked like a muffin so I ate it!  Not really, it got painted over back at my studio.  

During the week I painted flowers from a Farmers Market bouquet and today I painted flowers at R. Blooms in Lake Oswego.  More flower paintings will follow! 

Red, white, blue

OK, not much white and some other colors!  Crown Point seen from the Women's Forum is cool and blue.  I've painted this favorite view before and will again.  This one is from a photo reference.


Now that it is really summer, my car's air conditioning needed to be repaired.  While waiting in the waiting room, John found a box of art supplies (probably for kids, but I'm a kid at heart!) so I drew his portrait.  I liked the markers with patterned points like flowers, kisses, question marks.  He's wearing his USA tee shirt.


Stay cool!

Almost Spring

"Spring Flow" is a departure for me in two ways: it's vertical and it's abstract, although based
loosely on some of the rocks and waterfalls I've painted. It's almost a landscape, with the feel of water. Also, it's a paint-over on top of a previous painting that is now gone from existence except for texture and bits of color peeking through.


"Spring Gorge" painted last year at Rooster Rock State Park on the Columbia River when the water was high from Spring rains. This 16" x 20" painting is on view at Oregon Society of Artists.

Luminous Views

For this First Friday October 7th I will participate in two show openings. At First Circle Gallery, 640 SE Stark, Portland, "Luminous Views" includes several recent landscape paintings, both plein air and studio based on Northwest scenes. Many are of water, the Columbia River and waterfalls, such as "Columbia Twilight" looking east on the Columbia Gorge. The opening reception is 6-9 pm.

Also at Full Circle Gallery, Mercedes Rodgers of the Full Circle Gallery in Florida, will be showing the SOS Security Blanket made of squares of recycled plastic. Artists are invited to create 5" or 10" squares to be included. For more information, see FullCircleGallerypdx.net.

The Johnson Creek Art show also opens Oct. 7 at Spring Creek Coffee House in Milwaukie, 4-8 pm. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at the Johnson Creek confluence with the Willamette River to celebrate an improved habitat for salmon and trout. Contributions from art sales will be made to the Johnson Creek Watershed Council to further their commitment to a cleaner environment.

I hope you can join me or visit either of these art shows during October!

Villa in the Gorge

Joined a group of Portland Plein Air and Studio Painters and others for a wonderful day painting at a Villa in the Columbia Gorge. I was here two years ago and returned to exactly the same spot next to a shady pond, the end of a trickling stream, surrounded by greenery, with mossy rocks catching the afternoon sun. We shared a potluck lunch and a small black cat kept me company, almost knocked over my easel! Photos show the pond, my painting in progess and completed, 9" x 12" acrylic.

waterfall edge

Looking up to the edge of the waterfall, it seems to flow out of the sky; the mist nourishes moss and cools the air. Acrylic, 10" x 10".