Still Wet

A great afternoon painting the changing leaves before they all go away.  This is 20x20.

Late Summer Painting at the Oval

This is a little painting: 6x6.  I want to drag a BIG (30x30??) canvas out there and try this again.

New Artist's Statement

  "For me, the act of painting celebrates life. When I slow down enough to really experience what surrounds me, I become aware of myself as part of the 'whole'. My ultimate goal is to have the viewer experience this also."  

I have done art all my life. My grandmother was a watercolorist and fairly good. She got a degree from the Art Institute of Chicago sometime around 1914. The fact that she painted made the pursuit of art a real alternative for me.

I majored in fine art in college because that is what I was best at. I also took many classes in English and Philosophy.

I am primarily a plein air painter because I love being outside and painting connects me to the outdoors. I want to capture the feel of the wind, the sound of beach grass rustling and the smell of the sun that has been absorbed by the sand.

I can't paint from photos, even if I was the person to take them, because they take away the immediate experience that I am trying to capture when I paint. 

I consider myself lucky to have the passion that I have about painting. The act itself is rewarding. If someone feels that passion while looking at my work, then I have succeeded.

Painting at the Oval, Saugatuck, Michigan

http://www.tourwrist.com/tours/20313

Check out this link.  My best painter friend, Angela Saxon, and I were plein air painting when this gentleman photographed us.  There is an app for your phone!

And the River Reminds Us

This is my newest plein air piece, done from my dock as the sun slid behind me to the West. These trees are dark during the day and light right up after 6pm. I was happy to be recording their splendor.

Last Week's Plein Air

                                                       The river continues to inspire me.

Plein Air in Sutton's Bay

These are from my time painting outside in the Leelanau Peninsula.   I am in the process of painting bigger paintings from these small ones.  The top one is 4x12 and the bottom 5x5.

Painting in Leland

My good friend, Angela Saxon, and I spent from 10am till 8 pm painting in the Leelanua Peninsula.  The weather went from a windy, wintry cold of a 50 degrees to sunny and 65.  We were on this beach late in the afternoon and the sun brought a welcome promise of summer as well as a sunburn.  I loved painting with her and am still working on the pieces though oil painting presents major challenges to my pastel-comfortable brain! This was my first official oil plein air experience outside my own deck.

This week's plein air paintings

These are small - 5x5 - and still feel like my first baby steps oil painting outside.  I can go out my door and paint from my deck so I haven't yet trekked across the dunes, paints on my back, looking for a view.  This will happen! I go North next week and will have to get portable to paint those landscapes.

Plein Air

                                                       And the birds were singing like mad!!

Red Grapes

Oil painting outside

It was great to be outside again! 

Great Grapes

And now the grapes... They were saucy, made me look and look and look some more.  These are small: 5x5 and 4x12.

Painting Fruit

I got some strawberries to sit still for me!

This is my first plein air oil painting from 2011!!  I'm so excited that I was able to upload the picture.  It is no longer warm out but my goal is to paint outside every viable day. This is a little baby: 5x5.

Anne Starts a Blog

April 13, 2011

I am technologically challenged.  I love to paint.  I love to write.  I want to share ideas and images.  Can I start a blog?  I am lazy at research so it will not be anything special, but here goes.