Fall Colors

 Perfect Fall Day 5" x 7"

 Solitary Tree with Orange Leaves 5" x 7"

Solitary Bare Tree ("Endurance") 9" x 12"

Continuing daily painting past October pumpkins.  There are still some trees with leaves although most have fallen on their last journey to the earth.  I look for rich colors, no matter the weather.  Daily painting is a commitment and expense, so sometimes I paint on tiny 4" x 4" boards, or watercolor or colored pencil on paper.  Is this good practice or am I a glutton for punishment?  All are posted on Facebook on #paintingoctober and #paintingnovember, the failed experiments as well as the good.  These are three I like.

Daily Painting

 Floral with Gladiolas 8" x 8"

 Still Life with Red Pears 10" x 10"

Pumpkins Alla Prima 10" x 10"

I've been painting daily all through October and posting on Facebook on Painting October (Daily Challenge), finding time every day even if it's a quick study.  The challenge is sponsored by Muse Art and Design, my favorite neighborhood supply store, maybe I'll win something if I complete the challenge!  Sometimes I procrastinate on painting a still life and the flowers wilt and the fruit gets eaten, but because of this commitment, I'm motivated!  Painting inside on a gray, rainy day from a real scene in my home or a photo on the computer, is a change from painting outside. When the weather allows, I get out to paint plein air, hoping to capture the Fall colors before they fade and blow away.

 Crimson Clover

 Zinnias, Sauvie Island Farm

Spring, Cooper Mountain

Three more 8" x 8" little paintings I'm doing for the Big 500, and also for the paintingoctober daily painting challenge.  All from photo references in my studio on gray, drizzly October days.  Love to paint in bright colors on a gray day, with classical music on the radio (All Classical FM, my favorite)!

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.