Liz # 33 Tucked away in Charlotte Rhodes Garden ,oil 5x5 canvas

I loved the rosy sun

light on the picnic table., the clump of daisys, and the birches, so plunked nyself down in the shade to quickly captured the values. I did take a picture so may use this as a reference for a larger painting.

Liz #32 , Gardens, 10x10 Oil on board

The vibrant swoosh of catmint in the butterfly garden was what initially attracted me which then blended back into the gardens.

Liz # 31 lobster dock, 10x10

The best place out of the wind was in between piers, with the stacked lobster traps all around.So much architechture to contend with. Oil on 1/8 plywood over clear gesso.

Summer Harvest #23 Dora Sislian Themelis

#23 Summer Harvest 11x14 Watercolor on Arches

I'm still in the game, all! After picking up my farm share last week I arranged the items and took some photos for my blog. I know I've been whining about painting badly from photos so I decided my direction might be pushing the photo envelope. A challenge to myself to try to see and paint the way I do from life. A throw down so to speak. Have at it fellow challengers.

#20 Kristin, three feathers

6x9" watercolor and pen

(c) 2011

I have been curious about Lorrie's process of painting from the imagination. It is something that I don't think I've done much since I was little: start painting on a blank piece of paper with little concept of outcome and see where it takes you. Although I love to delve into the specific details of life, it was fun to throw them out the window and to play with the paint a little more.

Lorrie #25 - Lovely Live-Forever

Lovely Live-Forever, watercolor 8 x 8 inches

This gorgeous succulent plant is a native in California along the coast. It's a bit like ice-plant but only grows in little clumps, whereas ice-plant is a non-native that spreads in vast mats, and has taken over the viewscape in many areas since its introduction years ago as a sand-dune stablizer. Now when we see a little specimen of Live-Forever on some wind-swept coastal cliff, it's a precious sighting. (Ice-plant is very lovely, too... but invasive!)

Lorrie #24 - Contact

Contact, watercolor 12 x 14 inches

I realized that I have not been posting anything abstract like this one... but why not?  This is what I do sometimes when paints and paper are tempting me to play but I have no patience for depicting a recognizable subject. There were some concepts and techniques at work (I mean, play!), but no need to describe all that. Suffice to say the name "Contact" refers to the spot in the middle where, when this whole thing was wet, a green shape oozed paint into a blue shape along the narrow lines I had made to connect them.

Lorrie #23 - Fire Fish

Fire Fish, watercolor 7 x 7 inches

I've been traveling for a few weeks, but am back to painting and eager to delve into some fun things, such as COLORS! This is modified from a photo in a travel brochure -- an example of nature's ready-made artistry. I'd like to say this was plein aire, but ...

Kelly - Painting 57

Painting 57

(Watercolor heightened with colored pencil)

I saw this Prairie Warbler in Florida back in March. He was a songster king, tossing his head in the air and singing nonstop!

(Watercolor underpainting completely covered with a heavy coat of oil pastel)

This is a rework of painting 54. The original watercolor just didn't have enough life in it, so I gave in and smeared color all over it!

#30 Liz Cutler, 9x12 oil on canvas panel - Hadley Point Beach

I am at day 4 of one of Acadia Workshops week with Michael Chesley Johnson. Georgous spots all over the quieter side of Mount Desert Island. I think I am a plein air addict. The rock painting demo was a big help, as is the cocoon painting holders I got.
This one is at the beach near our house, I plunked myself down on a log and dove right in, thinking of values and color temperature. Funny how being outside just standing still for 7 hours is so tiring.

#4 - Cheri Homaee Rose

Spring is one of the seasons I enjoy the most. Flowers begin to grow and the smell of fresh flowers in the house. This image reminds me of the fresh flowers I keep on my bed stand.

# 18 & 19, unusual flowers

"Bear cones", Boschniakia rossica

gouache and pen, 6 x 9"

(c) 2011

Cypripedium passerinum

watercolor and pen, 8 x 12"

(c) 2011

I am still working on a way to get pen into my botanical drawings, and to document all the interesting plants blooming around me before it's too late. I found both of these on a walk last weekend. I think painting them by hand instead of in photoshop was a little nicer even though it took more time.

Painting #14 Father's Day 2011 - Claire

Yesterday, two of my sons and I celebrated Father's Day by taking my husband to lunch at Aldo's at the Santa Cruz Harbor. It was a beautiful day as we sat on the deck at the edge of the water, and we enjoyed this view while we ate our delicious lunch. We had fun watching the sailboats that were going out along with a few paddle-surfboards to enjoy the wonderful summer day in California.

<<< P.S. I wrote a little more about Aldo's on my blog. >>>

#59 Mosquito Lake- Sheryl Hawkins

Mosquito Lake is in Northern California on the way to Lake Tahoe- and is one of our favorite day trip destinations.  It is always smooth and glassy with awesome reflections so I have taken many photos of it and finally painted it.  I spent more time on it than usual, but enjoyed painting it.

12X16 Oil on Canvas

#17 Kristin, geode in 20 minutes

watercolor and pen

I was pressed for time the other day, but I still wanted to set apart a little time to draw, so I tried the 20 minute challenge many people have been doing. It was fun to pick an object (this geode we found a couple years ago that sits on the porch railing and I often think of drawing) and do a quick "gesture" painting, to focus on its essence more than the details. It was also fun to put it down and say time's up!

#22 A Distraction- Dora Sislian Themelis

#22 A Distraction (c)2011 DST Watercolor 7x12 Arches paper

A little watercolor distraction to take my focus away from the dancing figures with this twenty minutes of colorful bliss. Just a doodle of the late blooming, salmon azaleas out in my backyard garden on a beautiful day with no objective but putting paint on the paper. That's it!

#29 Liz Acryllic on 10x 10 panel- View from the Dock

I sat on the dock, again with my wood panel and decided on a split complimentary palette very close to the color of the wood support. I loosely painted and left quite a bit of wood showing through. I may have stayed out and gone for more detail but was driven in by the blackflies.This was quite a challenge to focus on value and the few colors on my palette and not splash color with abandon.

# 28 Liz Acrylic on 10 x 10 Panel Blueberry Barrens

This is the same place as my #23. This is a huge blueberry barren along Route 1 that changes every day. I did this plein air, wishing I had oils as the sun was drying my paint way too fast.

# 27 Liz Cutler Jade plants on railing Acrylic sketch

This was from a photo with strong contrast. I did a thumbnail value sketch, transferred it to a 10x10 plywood panel gessoed with clear medium so the wood color could show through. I enjoyed the slicker surface and amy bring it beyond the sketch phase.

#4 - Cheri Homaee - Dance II

This is one of the images I did for my portfolio. This is charcoal on paper 19 x 24. Love working in charcoal, it just sooooo messy. I enjoy dancing and especially ballet. I do photos for some of the local ballet companies.

Painting #13 Anticipation - Claire

This started as a simple pencil sketch at the SFO Airport at the end of last month. We went to pick-up my son Sean who was returning from his year of studying abroad in Copenhagen. I've had this small Moleskine in my car for a long time -- just in case I have time to sketch. But, this was the first time I put it to use. Before I got out of the car in the parking lot I picked it up to take inside. Turned out that it was a good idea because his flight was an hour late and then there were delays in baggage and Customs. So... I kept myself busy sketching something from my purse. I decided to paint the two images tonight.

In the future, when I look back at this page, I'll instantly remember my excitement waiting for my son to come home. It isn't what I sketched that is significant, it is just that this sketch marks this milestone for me.

Here is the original sketch:

#26 Liz's Lupines on the leachfield , 8.5 x 7 Pastel on Wallis paper

With new pastel box and easel I worked outside at last. I veered from my thumbnail sketch and lost the composition with the lupine in front. I was thinking of temperature and color of shadows so there is a bit much going on in the painting. It just felt great to be outside painting.

Liz # 24 and #25 The Nob

#25 Reworked the acrylics...

# 25 pastel on Wallis paper, 7x8.5

#24 Originl version- acrylic on board, I worked from a photo, wishing I was back on Cape Cod as this was one of my favorite places. I painted in acrylics first then the pastel version. I focused on values and kept a fairly limited palette. So good to be painting again after reclaiming my empty nest and figuring how to set up a studio. Not quite set up and feeling surprised at how much time can be consumed preparing to paint,- and then it's sundown. Yikes.

#3 - Stacked Cheri Homaee

This is from a challenge painting. I haven't been painting lately, I have been working on my portfolio and working in charcoal. Got one more charcoal piece to finish. This on really was a bit of a challenge especially the upper cup, in not making it look round. Also the spoon. I think spoons are alway a bit of a problem

Kelly - Painting 55 & 56

(Acrylic, 16x20)

Even though I'm just back from Hilton Head, SC, I saw this Great Blue Heron in March in Florida. I made lots of sketches of him, and have already painted him once (painting #35, an oil pastel). He would stay on the beach for hours near our condo, fishing and watching the water. He was so tame, I could sit feet away from him. I used a palette knife with very thick paint for this painting.

(Watercolor, 12x16)

...another view of the same bird in watercolor this time. I used salt to get the mottled background, then splashed the whole painting with blue...

#57, #58 Baseball Watercolors -Sheryl Hawkins

I painted these baseball themed watercolors last week as a baby gift, and the baseball idea was a request.  Not exactly my usual painting subjects, but fun anyway. I painted the baby's name on the baseball in the style of an autographed souvenir.

9X12 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper

#16 Kristin, improvising the backyard

5 x 8, watercolor

(c) 2011, klink

I get tired of drawing the same view out my window all the time, so today I nestled up in a strange spot next to the house (with an incense stick in my hand to keep the bugs away). I got to see a different view of the mountains from there and that inspired me to sort of re-invent the landscape for my own purposes. I plaid with space and moved all the trees, and it was very fun. I've also been feeling inspired by Lorrie's soft yellows and purples. It was a sunny day so nice to think about color more than I normally do.

#15 Kristin, Stalking Orchids

sketchbook page, pen and photoshop

(c) 2011, klink

This was an experiment. I have a dream one day a illustrating a field guide to the Wrangells ( the mountain range where I live), and I am trying to figure out a technique for drawing wildflowers that is fast, accurate, gives enough information, and looks good in print. One of my goals with this challenge is to use photoshop for some of my work (as a deliberate medium, not an editing tool). So on this one I used it to color in my sketches. Next time I will take the time to scan in the sketch page instead of just taking a digital photo.

The title of this post describes how much fun I have been having looking in the forest for cool flowers.

Lorrie #22 - Pastel Morning

Pastel Morning, watercolor 12 x 12 inches

An imaginary viewscape...

Lorrie #21 - Field Geometry

Field Geometry, watercolor 6 x 9 inches

This was just a little fun with lines and shapes and colors.

Painting #12 First view of Admiralty Head Lighthouse (WA) - Claire

 This page was painted from a photo that my son sent me today of the Admiralty Head Lighthouse in Washington state .... as he passed by on his bike. He knows how I've developed an interest in lighthouses over the years. I looked up this lighthouse on the web to find out more about it. To my surprise.... I found out that my son's view of the lighthouse only captures the top floors. There is more that you can't see. Hopefully I'll soon get a closer look at this lighthouse so I can see the whole thing when I visit my son!

FYI... this was painted on handmade paper in a journal that I got last year (I'm in love with the handmade journal with a leather cover), but I am not very familiar with this paper. This handmade watercolor paper seems to act more like a sponge than the paper in the Moleskines that I'm used to. 

P.S. Here is the photo reference: 

Dance Party-#21 Dora Sislian Themelis

#21-Dance Party (c)2011 Dora Sislian Themelis
8x12 Watercolor

Hello all, I'm still here. I was working on this watercolor painting and now it's finished. And thankfully so because if I kept working on it I would have wrecked the whole thing. To clarify, I've been doing this painting for a client as a possible book illustration job. Happy colors, dancing figures, ok, but now I have to use a photograph and take longer than my latest twenty minutes. I was told my work was melancholy. I would have loved to have your input as I went along, but I had to finish it to add it to the challenge. So here it is: have at it.

#55 Fortune Cookies, #56 Flute - Sheryl Hawkins

Practicing reflections and shine again- this time with my mom's flute from high school.  Lots of details, but I tried not to get too caught up with painting them all.  The left-over fortune cookies just looked like a still life waiting to be painted.

9X12 watercolors on 140 lb cold press

#14 Kristin, Beaver Pond at Twilight

5 x 6", watercolor

(c) 2011, klink

While doing landscapes, it often helps me to paint on a small scale, so then I have to simplify and not become too engrossed in detail. This is just a simple little landscape, trying to capture that time of night which lasts so long in the Alaskan summer...

#53, 54 Baby Shoes- Sheryl Hawkins

I came across the box containing my boys' baby shoes the other day, and they were perfect painting subjects for fun painting.  Painting these was complete relaxation and full of nice memories- these boys are both in the Air Force now!  As always, I like practice with reflections, and with shadows- there is so much to learn.

Both of these are watercolors on 9X12 Arches with a rough texture.

#13 Kristin, bog flowers sketch

I went away for two weeks and so much change in my little world here! Now there are flowers and everything is green. Here is another sketch book page of findings. I included a little diagram of a map of my walk. For me it is important for my artwork to tell stories about natural history, and diagramatic drawing is a cool way to do this.

Pen&Ink Self Portraits-Dora Sislian Themelis

#19-Self Portrait While Waiting #2

#18-Self Portrait While Waiting #1

#20-Self Portrait While Waiting #3

With Laure's approval, I'm posting these pen&ink drawings that I have done in the last couple of weeks as I continue in the challenge. I am still painting in watercolor, however, I've been asked to paint something as an illustration for a possible book project on Greek culture. People dancing is the subject and I can't post it here as part of the challenge until it's finished.

These small pen&ink drawings were done in the waiting room of the allergist's office. I get shots every two weeks and need to wait twenty minutes for a reaction, if any. Great opportunity to draw, but every time I draw the patients they get up and go. So I am the model, well, my foot is, along with my own fingers and sketchpad.

Lorrie #20 - Granite Rest

Granite Rest, watercolor, 8x10 inches

This peaceful, hot outcrop of granite boulders is in Pinnacles National Monument. I loved the speckled brown and pink and green of the massive rock hillside, and the occasional hardy clump of grasses.