Plein Air Elk Rock Island

 Painting plein air at Elk Rock Island, near Spring Park, Milwaukie, Oregon.

 Light and Shade on the River, 9" x 12"

View through Trees, 12" x 12"

Spent a lovely, sunny day on the Willamette River, exploring and painting at Elk Rock Island park.  It's really a peninsula when the water level is low.  Spotted an eagle nest, but no eagles, just an occasional Canada goose, plus people with babies, dogs, and radio controlled miniature off road vehicles.  I expect to do at least one more painting from photos, and hope to go back soon.

Plein Air at Crystal Springs

It's not the peak of the rhodie season, but Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is beautiful at this time of year.  On a recent sunny day I painted plein air at the pond, where ducks and geese splashed through reflections of pinks and greens.  I'll be back when the irises are blooming along with more rhodies in every color, and in a few weeks the baby ducks and geese will be introduced to the world.  Spring Pond at Crystal Springs is 9" x 12"

Spring, really!

Friday, March 21st was the first official day of Spring, although we have had Spring-like weather lately in Portland.  I painted plein air at the Arboretum in Forest Park among blooming magnolias.  The sky was overcast but I made it home before it rained.  Later I looked at my photos from last year and realized that I had painted in almost exactly the same spot, maybe the same trees!  Some places just draw you in with their beauty.

Spring

Tabor Pink and White 9" x 12" on panel

It is still officially winter, but everything in nature around Portland thinks it's Spring.  Flowers are

blooming everywhere, some of the cherry trees blossoms have already been blown away by wind and rain, but luckily I've had time to paint plein air at Mt. Tabor Park while the trees were in bloom.  I liked the two trees together, one pink, one white, like two ballerinas.  It felt great to paint outside!

studio 30

Last week at Studio 30, I was the model!  The inspiration was the paintings of Mary Cassatt, so I wore my hair up and dressed in a long sleeved blouse, long skirt and shawl.  Diane Marks-Bestor did a great job as usual with the setting and pose, and kindly sent me a photo afterwards so I could do my own portrait.  It was an interesting experience to watch other artists for a change, and to see myself expressed in their different versions.  It was also a challenge to paint myself as if it were the 19th century.  It's sort of me, sort of Mary Cassatt as I imagine she would have painted me.

Studio 30

Studio 30, Friday February 13, was an extra long model session day with one pose for about 6 hours, except for short breaks and a potluck lunch.  Fabulous!  Thanks to Kat Sowa for her generous use of the studio at Cathedral Park Place, to all who made this happen and to the other artists who are so inspiring!  I did 3 paintings mostly alla prima.

Ru, our Asian blend young model, wore a Chinese embroidered dress.  In this first painting, 12" x 16", I included twisted twigs, and at first, a large paper lantern.  But later I found the placement and shape of the lantern distracting, and painted it out when I got back to my studio, leaving the paper texture.

The second painting was a portrait of Ru with a simple background, 9" x 12".

Third painting with a green background, 11" x 14", another large lantern was edited out back in the studio. The green adds a meditative quality, to me, as if she is waiting for something.  Spring?

Two Twin Rocks

The 30 paintings in 30 days challenge is over and I did manage to paint every day, but not to post a daily painting.  Computer glitches kept me away, also I wanted to spend some time working on larger formats, work that takes more than a few hours on one day.  One of the scenes I love and wanted to explore on a larger format is Rockaway Beach with the twin rocks offshore that my husband and I call "elephant rock". Sometimes it's an elephant, or a sea monster, or a castle and tunnel.  Previously I painted it on a 6" x 12" canvas, this one is 16" x 20", with more space for the waves and sky, a grayer palette.  I'll continue to paint small and large, and sketch from photos and real life.  You may see me in a cafe with my sketchbook!

Rockaway Twin Rocks, 16" x 20" 

Rockaway Twin Rocks 6" x 12"