Saturday studio

     In order to open the doors of the gallery where our show is presently hanging, several of our plein air painters have been doing a bit of studio work.   I started this a couple of weeks ago and gave it a finish yesterday, setting up with the same light conditions.  The ceiling are probably 15 feet high and the huge windows give incredible light for painting still-life.

Kentucky Dam Village

      This painting is from a picture I took while my husband and I were in Kentucky with my sister and her hubby.  The guys played some golf, while we went antiquing and shopping for quilt fabrics !  It was a fun trip staying in the village in a condo and cooking meals together.  Fun stuff...

Silver compote

     Does anyone still use these compotes?  I found 2 of them at a garage sale that had tons of pieces of old silver, that nobody wants to polish anymore.   We went to a Christmas House Tour today, in a little town in Illinois, where they had LOTS of old things like that, that people still treasure !
     I guess it's all a matter of 'perspective' and 'priorities',  Ha Ha !
     It makes a nice addition to a still life, though, with it's reflective qualities.....

Breakfast room still life

     I finally found the best place in my house to paint.... and it's not in the studio.  I love the natural light that I get in the back of the house... (I have LOTS of windows, but they aren't facing the right direction in the studio).    The breakfast room does NOT get used that much, either, so I think I'll set up there, when I can.   I kind of discovered this while my granddaughter was sleeping in the studio, and I had to look for another place... ha !
     The silver water pitcher was an idea I got from a still life a fellow plein-air painter set up a couple of weeks ago.  I loved the reflections she got in her painting.... Thanks, Dawn !

Little 'lady organics' from Whole Foods

     I thought these were so adorable, I had to buy them.  They are all two-toned, and very, very, small.  I've never seen them before, but they are called 'organic lady'.  I haven't tried to eat one, I just had to paint them, though..... (That's how some of us think.... ha !)

Trader Joes Sunflowers

     I set this up in the breakfast room, so I could paint while my granddaughter is napping in the studio.   That's the only time I paint sitting down.  This one was fun...
 

Paintable pears

     Shapely, colorful pears practically paint themselves.... It takes me awhile to pick them out at the store.  I guess people around think I'm a bit nuts, I look through all of them... put a few aside.... reexamine them for shape, color, stems, etc.   then pick the 3 I want to buy.... I feel like I need to tell people they are for a painting, cause they are looking at me in a strange way... HA !
    

persimmons

     With snow on the ground, it's a little hard to plein air paint for me.  I set this up because I love the look of persimmons.  They are fun to paint, now I guess I'll have to figure out how to eat them.

"Dorothy"

     I started this at the gallery on Saturday, where my plein air painter friends and I did a bit of studio painting.  The gallery is not usually open on Sat., during the day, so we decided to paint and open the doors, so visitors could come and look around.  We had quite a few wander in, including some friends, and chatted and showed them the exhibit.  Here's the painting that I finished up when I got home.

Lafayette Park houses

     I almost finished this painting, DID NOT like it.... because it was 'too tight', so this morning I just started completely over.  This one I'm happy with.  The only reason I'm putting myself through this is because it's a commission.   With every single painting I LEARN something.   It's amazing how at my age (just had a birthday, #68) we can all learn SO many things, if we are open to it !  Life is so cool, that way... Each new day we can start again, and reinvent ourselves.

Plein air at Lafayette Park yesterday

     I was enamoured by this wonderful tree.  The house started out in the dark, and later in the day it began to lighten... Darn, I was already done painting.  I did like the way it turned out, even though my hands were freezing by the end... ha !

Plein air today in Old Orchard in Webster

It was a relative windy day, but enjoyable too.  I was planning on doing a painting of the outdoor market next door to this building, but couldn't get the right angle for it.   I really like this building, which ia one of the older ones in Webster Groves.  It's been a furniture store and a record store, and an outdoor clothing store, too, in the time I've been alive.   It's now a pretty cool upscale interesting restaurant, with outdoor seating and very different dishes on the menu. 
     As I was finishing, this nice older woman walked toward me, glanced back to look at my viewpoint, and then said, with somewhat surprise.  "I thought that view wasn't very interesting until I saw your painting  You made the painting look better than the real thing."  I thought that was very sweet, and told her thanks.  She said ,"Where are you going to display this?" so I told her about the plein air show I'm participating in next month.  She said, "I'll have one of my children bring me."  It's so fun to talk to people who are interested in art !

Plein air Kirkwood farmer's market

Great day at the Kirkwood farmer's market.  They are open almost year 'round, with a Christmas store and a Halloween store, too.  They have a huge selection of pumpkins of every size and description.  They, of course, offer a wonderful selection of fruits and vegetables, and recently added an organic meat refrigerated section, plus home-baked pies and goodies, too !  Located on Argonne by the train station in Kirkwood, Mo. 

Plein air in Lafayette Square

     The Lafayette Square districts is one of the greatest older neighborhoods of our fair city.  It surrounds the wonderful Lafayette Park, and contains a quaint shopping area and great restaurants, as well as fabulous old houses which are so unique !   It's possible to find a great scene to paint by turning in almost any direction.

Plein air Forest Park, St. Louis, Mo.

     We had so much fun enjoying our painting session on Sunday.  We staked out our locations by this lagoon, with a bridge in the distance, and the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel way in the background.   It was a delightful day, weather-wise, and the company was superb !

Backyard rainy plein air

     I started I out this morning in a bit of a 'misty' atmosphere to paint downtown with my weekly painting buddies.  After stopping for gas and a quick trip to Walgreens for a notebook to gather contact info. on the group of painters, and it really began to rain in earnest.  I decided to set up under the umbrella on my deck and find a suitable subject, so I painted the corner of my bedroom bay window and the trees that give us a bit of privacy there.  When life gives you lemons.... you know the rest.     ha !

Lemp Avenue plein air

     After 2 days of non-stop partying for my high school reunion, I managed to drag myself out of bed on Sunday morning to go painting with my plein air buddies.   I was situated in front of this lovely home across from Lemp Mansion (next to their dumpster) and directly above highway 55 overpass.  I never realized how many loud motorcycle gangs traveled up and down the highway all day long... Boy, are they loud.  
     I'm happy with the way this painting turned out, even though I had to leave right after lunch for an appointment, and I had to get the information down pretty fast.   Mark in the shadows and establish your lightest lights, and your darkest darks ! voila !

Here's the Webster Groves High School entrance.... hasn't changed in over 50 years !

St. Louis City Garden

     I wanted to try this, knowing it would be hard, but I'm happy with the final painting.  Architectural subjects are so challenging.  They must be perfectly drawn, yet have soft edges.... a difficult task.
 

By the Grand Basin, St. Louis Art Museum.... love the railings around the water

     The sun seemed to be "after me" all day long.  I love to try to get a shady space to paint, but that was nearly impossible. At least I started out in the shade... I had to leave my easel where I started, then the sun started beating down on me, so I darted back and forth.... I would paint, move back, go forward, paint again...  I was doing the dance with the painting... ha ha
     I liked the results.  At first I thought the subject was too simple and uninteresting, then quickly decided it was difficult.... Oh, whoa is me... HA !!

Tuscany

Not plein air, instead a commission from a friend.  27 x 10... for over the kitchen doorway. 

Fun city backyard garden

Not a plein air, but instead from a photo I took in a friend's garden a few weeks ago.   I lovely woman that I paint with wanted to show me her garden after we painted on a Sunday a few weeks ago at Tower Grove Park.  She is amazing with design and color, and has the most beautiful big century home with a garden boasting almost every conceivable variety of flower.  Her garage on the alley has this cool color scheme.  I had to get a picture of it.  If I had to guess, I'd say it's a split-complementary, with yellow, plus the two colors on either side of it's complement, red-violet, and blue-violet... (periwinkle)
     NOW I'm sounding like my "art teacher" mode.... ha ha
     This one is a 10 x 10, on canvas board.

Grand Basin plein air

  We met at the Grand Basin this morning, in front of the Art Museum to paint plein air today.  It was beautiful everywhere, making it hard to decide what to paint.  I picked this bridge, because somehow these bridges tell a story, I guess.   Seems like I learn something every time I go out with this wonderful group of artists.  Today I learned a bit about different brushes !  I even stopped and got a few new ones on the way home.  I've never used 'flats' before, only 'brights', so I'm excited about getting to know these new ones !

  

Plein air- beautiful day !

Last weekend was a beautiful sunny day.  Our group met at the Muny and found our spots.... I picked my bridge again, with several other painters.   We stopped briefly for lunch, then got back to work.  I finished around 3:00, when Gwendolyn and I were the last to leave.  Such fun.  Here's my painting, it's 8 x 10 on gessoboard.

Muny Opera St. Louis, plein aire

     Restful lunch by the bridge over the pond.  Plein air is so much fun, and so challenging.  Finished this one in the studio.  16 x 20 oil on canvas.

Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, Missouri

     Tower Grove Park is a wonderful park inside the St. Louis city limits.  Joggers,  cyclists, families, dog walkers, and plein air painters occupied a small, beautiful, area of the park today.  We positioned ourselves by the Piper Palm House... famous for it's fabulous Sunday brunch.....I tried to stay in the shade, and found this great pond with lily pads, and a few flowering water lilies in view.    This time I worked with an 8 x 10 gessobord, and was able to complete my painting.  I was very happy with the flow and movement I tried to convey.  It seems I learn something every time I paint outdoors... Either something TO DO, or something  NOT TO DO..... ha
      We had a great big group of at least 12 artists painting.... such fun, and such support everyone gives to each other... love it.

Webster Groves High School

      I just put the finishing touches on this painting of my good ole alma mater, Webster Groves High School.  Our much celebrated reunion (the biggie) is this year, and I'm on the committee to get classmates signed up to come.   I don't think they have changed the entrance to the building in 50 years !  Brings back memories.... most of them are great. 
     If there is enough interest, I will have some prints of this made.  We'll see.....

Plein air on the Mississippi River

     I joined the St. Louis plein air group for another jaunt to the park, south of the city, on the river.  Beautiful sunny, yet a bit hot day.  I guess I'll look into a shade umbrella as my next purchase....

Plein air Sunday July 27, 2014. Lagoon at Steinberg skating rink

          My second meet up with the MOPAPA group on Sunday July 27, 2014.  We met again in front of the skating rink by the lagoon.   I stationed myself under a big tree and worked on this little bridge over the  water.   It was challenging to get the correct dynamics of the bridge, and yet keep the brushwork loose.   I think these kind of challenges are beneficial to help me learn the process.

Plein air Forest Park, in St. Louis, July 18, 2014.  Clear skies, beautiful day...16 x 20 oil on canvas.

Sunday morning Forest Park

I started working with a great group of plein air painters in the St. Louis area.  They choose a different spot to meet, generally going to a place for 2 weeks in a row.  The first time I joined them they met at Forest Park, by Steinberg skating rink.  I picked out a tree that I thought was interesting and got to work on my 24 x 24 canvas...  All of the others were working much smaller, but since I've done that for so long, I decided it was time to paint bigger. 
     One DOES need to bring bug spray, I found that out, and a lunch, too, is a good idea.   I'll have to scale down all the numerous things I thought I needed.   This for me is definately a learning curve.....


     Here is my first plein air finished painting.   Wow... there are SO  MANY  greens !! challenging...

Return to the humble pear

I painted in the breakfast room while my granddaughter took a nap the other day.  Peaceful.....

Look what arrived in the mail today.   It's the book I designed, through Blurb, with 70 of my favorite small paintings.   I love it...

     The reason I decided to do it was because my computer was not working, and we thought we might lose everything on it, including all my pictures... I thought I'd better get them into a book before that happened.  --We DID manage to get the computer working again, too !  yay !