SPRINGTIME ALONG THE LAKE

     Springtime Along the Lake | Pastel | 8x6

There's none so fair, as can compare with nature's display in the spring!  And to have it reflected in gentle rippling water is sublime!  Another scene from our many travels into the High Sierra's, a place we refer to as Our Church.  

Painting Notes:  I was drawn to paint this because of the interplay of the blue green/pink color scheme.  It is an additional advantage to now possess a good group of these colors in my Terry Ludwig collection. 

STRUTTIN'

         Struttin' | Pastel | 6x6

Another painting of a rooster from Fair Oaks Village, Ca.  Years ago, the story goes, an heir decided he didn't want the chickens that came with the inheritance of his folks property so he released them in the village of Fair Oaks.  Others decided to release theirs too after the villagers declared their presence, albeit it noisy, created a rural ambience they appreciated. Today, they all hang out in rooster herds and hen communes and are beloved members of the neighborhood...except at around 4:45 am!!!

Painting Notes: Note to self: do NOT use one of my most loved soft browns to cover the whole background! Use a hard pastel instead. That said, I don't have a hard one that will produce this rich, dark, reddish brown.

SERENITY OF THE STREAM

     Serenity of the Stream | Pastel | 8x6

There is something so serene about standing in the middle of a forest gazing into a stream.  It creates a 'Be Here Now' moment.  Embarking on the first 3 days of this 31 Day Challenge, I'm seeing a reoccurring draw to painting forest scenes.  We just spent 4 days on the coast at Salt Point where we get the best of both worlds - exceptional waves and coastal scenes coupled with mountainous forests thick with redwoods and mushrooms.  It was like being on two separate vacations.  I kept walking into the darkest parts of the forest, way off the trails, ostensibly looking for mushrooms but also for the quiet, the peace that being there gives me.

Painting Notes:  Once again, I chose Black Art Spectrum paper for this small 8"x6".  Its so luscious to have really dark darks to paint with!  I was frustrated once again though by the lack of just that 'right' shade of blues.  I have lots of turquoises and many purple blues but a really dramatic range of cobalt blues that pop are just not part of my storehouse. If anyone can recommend brand/color, I'd love to get some.  What I have in cobalts seem grayed down.

ALONG THE BRANCH LINE

    Along the Branch Line | Pastel | 8x6

Close by we have a great walking trail that is the old Clarksburg Branch line - a defunct rail that is now a path. Looking down the path is always a treat.  Even more delightful are the memories it brings back to us both of our beloved dog Candy.  It's hard to say that any spot is a dog's particular favorite as they are always so 'in the now', but watching her delight every day as she raced toward every new smell, every bunny rabbit, every squirrel will always bring a big smile to my mind and face!

Painting Notes:  I love using Black Art Spectrum paper for two main reasons - it allows me to negative paint the lights and all my midtone pastels become lighter, expanding my palette effortlessly.

I recently purchased Diane Townsend's Terrages set of darks which allowed me to tone the black surface. My inspiration for doing this painting came from a video I just had watched of Barbara Newton's White Pastel on Black  https://youtu.be/L-dv9ZY5P5A.

SALT POINT'S LONE CYPRESS

         Lone Cypress, Salt Point |  Pastel | 8x6

Sitting on this rocky promontory point looking at the sheer majesty of this cypress clinging to the rocks being slowly eroded by the constant assault of waves is my favorite coastal perch! Years ago, I spent weeks painting a large version of this that now graces the walls of my guest bathroom. One if my goals for 2017 is to revisit my old favorite paintings and do them over again.  This cypress may not have the rep of the 17 Mile Drive Lone Cypress but it is equally beloved by all who hold Salt Point dear.

Painting Notes:  I took my 'Quick Ptg' set on this trip, knowing I would only do a small painting or two and did not need the whole plein air bag.  I recently bought a small tripod chair that was easily attached to it with bungees.  The whole set up is so light and compact that I can sling it over my shoulder or even strap it to my waist and off I go! Once at the location, I find I can sit easily for hours without legs cramping or feeling uncomfortable. And it's a great way to use all my small fragments of pastels that are too small to use for bigger paintings.

THE GRAND OAK

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       The Grand Oak | Pastel | 12x12

I fell in immediate love with this giant oak!  It presides over a gorgeous forty acres in the nearby town of Loomis, Ca.  Beloved by the former owners who have recently sold it, the property will become a new equestrian center. My challenge was to figure out how to depict the green sameness of the huge canopy of the tree.  I looked up Maxfield Parrish paintings of trees and studied them, loving his dark blue skies and colorful foliage.  As the tree progressed, I became increasingly excited, loving how it came out! Getting high off painting is an acceptable indulgence! I was so excited, I could hardly sleep. 

Painting Notes:  I used one of my dwindling supply of Wallis Warm Belgian Mist paper which I cannot get anymore.  It performed beautifully, allowing me to apply multiple layers of darks, and sky, applying fixative in between layers. I'm loving using Spectrafix as it allows me to layer areas as I paint. The only downside I can find to it is when using it for plein air (on site paintings), it takes a good 12-15 minutes to dry which can eat up valuable time if the light is rapidly changing in the early mornings or late afternoon.  

CLIFF NOTES

       Cliff Notes  | Pastel | 8x6

There was just enough light left in the day. As I came up the hill, I saw the giant eucalyptus was backlit and the three cliff receding into obscurity.  I parked and set up quickly.  As is usual for this time of the last light of the day, the scene changed in me at least five times in the short hour I painted.  I put it away and later, in the studio, made a few adjustments to keep the foreground and background consistent for the same time of day.  We call it 'chasing the light' in plein air terms and it is one of the reasons why on-site painting has such a fresh look to it.

Painting Notes:  I pulled out my Sennelier Irridescents for the pampas grass, convinced they would give the plumes the glow I wanted. After applying two light colors of them, I found I got the glow from putting a 'regular' light for their finishing touches.  The whole idea behind the scene was to capture the glow of evening.