Sauvie Island

"To the Corn Fields", 12" x 12" oil

After my recent trip to paint out at the Sauvie Island Farm, I decided to revisit the scene from one of my photos from a few years ago, with a similar cloudy sky, using the same colors that were on my palette.

I liked the way some areas were in shadow contrasting with areas in sunshine, and the way the road beckons around the curve.

Sauvie Island Farm

"Sauvie Island Farm Barn", oil 11" x 14"

"Peach Trees", oil 11" x 14"

Plein Air is full of changes, teaching one to "go with the flow".  On a recent visit to Sauvie Island Farm. the day was cloudy, then breezy, then sunny and hot.  I started out facing some flowering sage with dill and other greenery in front of the barn and distant hills.  After awhile, the sun came out with such glare on the painting and palette that I could barely see.  I left that one unfinished and started another in the shade of the peach orchard.  I don't bring an umbrella because they tend to get blown over by the wind, and it's just another item along with essentials, like painting supplies, camera and lunch.  The sage flowers were finished later in my studio.

Pumpkin Time

A beautiful Fall day at Sauvie Island Farm where I painted among the flower fields looking towards distant pumpkins waiting to be picked.  Sunflowers are fading but zinnias and dahlias are bright.  There are hay bale pyramids and mounds of pumpkins and squashes of every type.  More pumpkin pics to come!

Sauvie Island

At Sauvie Island Farm on the last weekend of summer, I painted plein air among the sunflowers, feeling very Van Gogh-like.  The clouds kept shifting so the sun was not too intense.  There are cornfields beyond the sunflowers.  I brought home flowers and corn to continue my summer feast.  "Sunflowers and Cornfield" is 9" x 12".

Plein Air

The first plein air painting of the Spring!  It was a warm, clear day on Sauvie Island with crisp white snowy mountains against the blue sky.  I painted Mt. St. Helen looking through the row of pink blooming peach trees on a 14" x 18" canvas.