Mt Vernon Gardens at Washington Park 9x12 oil
I had no idea that the garden was called Mt. Vernon. It was in full bloom and it was obvious that the gardeners take real good care of the plants. The colors were stunning. The butterflies were gorging on all the nectar and the bees were having a blast. I don't usually pick this kind of location but it will  be adding it to my favorite places to paint in the summer.

Name that Wildflower 8x10 oil
Just threw this in to see how it looks as a postage stamp he he he

Reynolds Park 9x12 oil plein air 

This spot was a wonderful find. The paint out was originally planned for Newton Park off of Foxton Road off of 285. But nothing on the web said it was a youth park and that you needed to make reservations. So down the road a bit was Reynolds park. I was pretty sure everyone would be mad at me but Jon and Nancy were able to find me and we had a nice time painting together.

Reynolds Park 2

This is the second painting in the same location but looking off to the right. It was painted pretty quickly so there will be some minor touch ups to it. Like fixing the mickey mouse ears. he he he

W

 

Pastels are sooo much fun. Wish I could do much more. Here at White Ranch Park just above Golden CO we are painting the sunny hill sides. There is an old barn, kind of a building, in the valley that I took a ton of pictures of. I will be painting it a bunch of time. It is good reference for lots of future work.

 

Bear Creek Haze 9x12 oil pleinair

After speaking with Dan Schultz at the Art and Wildflower festival, in Breckenridge, I have changed my palette. He suggested that to move out of a plateau, that I have been stuck in, that I stop using my crutches, which are Sap Green and Burnt Umber. This has definitely shifted my thinking and will make painting a little more challenging. The greens that I use now are now a lot different.

Also had some time left over to do a quick sketch of fellow artist Shari. What fun. Scrubbing paint in about a half an hour and incorporating figures. I have painted figures in Pastel and WC and at the ASLD but have felt intimidated in the plein air arena. This could become a regular thing. Fun, Fun Fun.

 

Breckenridge Poppies 9x12 oil plein air at 2011 Art and Wildflower Celebration

Got rained on for 3 of the 8 paintings created at the Breckenridge CDLT fundraiser. This is one of the paintings that got wet, along with me trying to hurry through it. It is not finished but was a lot of fun. "Painting in the rain, just painting in the rain, what a glorious feeling, " well, you know the song.

 

Dry Gulch 9x12 oil

This was painted up Breckenridge during the Continental Divide Land Trust Art and Wildflower Celebration. Eight paintings total were created during the 4 day plein air event. What a great place to paint. There is a lot more to Breckenridge when you get to know some of the people and history. 

Cloud Chasing 11x14 oil

At one point there was a group of people behind me asking questions and I had only about 30 minutes to complete this quick study. So while I was answering questions and mixing paint the clouds were moving out. I loaded up my brush and slapped on some shadows for the clouds and loaded up the brush again for the tops of the clouds and they were gone. "Where did my clouds go??!!" The people seemed to like that.

McCabe Meadows 12x9 oil plein air

What a beautiful morning. I know, I say that a lot. I think I need to adjust my studio lighting. The colors in the field are OK, but the reproduction shots in the studio are coming out warm and almost hot. But that is not the way they photograph. Hmm maybe I need to adjust the light in my studio. White balance the camera? White balance the studio lighting? A combination of daylight fluorescent, incandescent and halogen lights are what I use now. Maybe they are out of balance. Any one know how to check for kelvins with out an expensive meter? I will be striving for a 5200 kelvins that is balanced toward shadowed day light. How to get north light in the basement. Neat trick huh? :-) This painting is not that hot.