plein air

 "Fall Reflections" 9" x 12"

"Sunflowers" 8" x 8"

Another Sunday on Sauvie Island, painting plein air with the peaceful painters.  The first was outside the wildlife area where I'd been before, but the gate was closed.  Hunting season already?  I still found a lovely view to paint, and later went to Kruger's Farm to paint a field of sunflowers.  Lots of inspiration there from piles of pumpkins to the tempting smells of roasted corn and hot dogs.  With this glorious sunny September weather, must paint outdoors as much as possible!  The 8" x 8" painting on board is the first of 10 that will be in the Big 500 this holiday season.

Green Scooter

"Green Scooter", 12" x 12" oil on canvas

The other day as I was driving home I had to stop to take a photo of this motor scooter parked in front of a shop.  Not my usual subject, but I immediately fell in love with this scene and had to paint it, which I did on top of a previous painting, letting some of the colors show through in layers.  I like the colors, shadows, shiny highlights, and reflections in the shop windows.  It makes me want to go for a ride!

Lavender Paintover

"Vibrant Garden" 14" x 14"

After awhile, my plein air painting of  "Lovely Lavender" at Red Ridge Farms from the Lavender Festival was not satisfying to me.  So I took out some lavender and added the brighter colors that were visible in the other views, and the lavender gradually disappeared!  Now it's vibrant.

Lavender Festival

 "Lovely Lavender" 14" x 14" gallery wrapped canvas 

 "The Old Wheelbarrow" 9" x 12"

Two plein air paintings in one day on my first day of the Lavender Festival!  The first was a broad view looking out beyond the lavender fields in full sun to a distant meadow framed by evergreen trees.  Then I switched to the shade of a tree where there was an old wooden wheelbarrow with picked lavender in front of flowers and a vine covered trellis.  There was also a lavender painted bicycle, chickens, dogs, kids and lots of people happily picking lavender and sipping lavender tea.

 ""Lavender and Rose Garden" 12" x 16" SOLD!

 "Lavender Fantasy" 14" x 14"

On my second paint out I visited Red Ridge Farms, which is like a European vacation with lavender fields, flower and herb gardens, a grove of olive trees, adjoining vineyards, elegant decor and a soothing fountain.

The location for my first plein air painting was on a narrow path near misting sprinklers, in full sun.  Maybe I was too uncomfortable to concentrate on the beauty of the scene, but that painting did not come out well. The next location was in the shade looking out past the lavender fields to the rose garden uphill.  There were poppies and all sorts of colorful and fragrant flowers and shrubs.  Later, I covered over the plein air painting that I did not like and created "Lavender Fantasy" from my imagination, adding a figure.

"Fragrant Garden" 14" x 14"

The last place I visited, Barn Owl Nursery, was also the most enjoyable.  Instead of sweeping vistas of fields, there was a charming quiet garden of lavender and herbs bordered by birch trees.  There is just something wonderfully soothing about the fragrance of lavender!  Next I must select 3 of these 5 to enter into the Oregon Lavender Paint Out, show and festival this weekend in Newberg, Oregon.  Come for art, music, fun!  www..wvlavenderfestival.org.

 Crimson Clover, oil 14" x 18" on canvas 

I went out to the Washington County near Hillsboro to paint the crimson clover fields about a month ago on a sunny Spring day.  White and yellow wildflowers mixed in with the red flowers and green leaves.  Since clover is a cover crop, it does not last long, so I'm glad I was able to paint plein air to capture all this color!

Plein air

Hartman Pond, oil 9" x 12"

Painting plein air at Benson Lake Recreation Area in the Columbia Gorge, I set up my easel next to Hartman Pond.  The day was partly sunny, not hot, with a cool breeze that riffled the water and blew off my hat. Logs across the pond make good fish habitat, and there were several people fishing off the pier.  The pond is between the railroad tracks and nearby highway, yet it was peaceful.  

Creekside Trees, oil 9" x 12"

After a quick lunch, I turned around and painted the trees between the pond and the creek that comes from Wahkeena Falls, a gentle trickle on its way to the river.  Cottonwood pieces of white fluff were tossed by the breeze.

Plein air!

 Spring Widflowers, oil  9"x12"

Plein airing at Cooper Mountain Nature Park on a part sunny and part cloudy day, searching for wildflowers. There were plenty of small delicate flowers in magenta, purple, blue, yellow, white, but in sprinkles, not vast colorful fields.  So I concentrated on the tiny daisies sprinkled among the green grass and used my artistic license to multiply them!  It was a good hike, and a lovely day.