The Ponds at Holy Wisdom Monastery and Salmo Pond

With the warmer weather I was able to get out and paint a bit yesterday at the monastery and draw today at Salmo Pond.  Today I went to Crossroads Coffee House in Cross Plains and saw Jan Norsetter's group rosemaling show and I bought one of her door crowns.  It is just beautiful as is all her work.  Several pieces including a cello had already sold and the opening is tomorrow from 5 to 7pm.  Beautiful work by Jan and two other rosemalers.  I think she is so amazing that she gets so much plein air work done AND all the rosemaling, too.  Makes me feel so lazy!  Tom came out yesterday and painted, too and it was fun to be out there painting again.  There were Buffleheads on the pond and a pair of cranes came at sunset as I have seen them do several times this month.  Maybe they will nest there?

Fisherman at Salmo Pond

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Two small gouache studies at HWM pond

2018 Plein Air Events

I was recently notified that the City of Oshkosh will be having their first Plein Air painting event this year.  I decided it was about time I updated the entire list of 2018 events.  Scroll down on this page and check the right-hand column for the list.  A link to Oshkosh's information and other events can be found there.  If anyone knows of an event I've missed please let me know.

Tom Gilbert

Bucky On Parade

Hey all. I have pretty much finished up all the paintings from last year I want to save. Warm weather can't come soon enough. In January I submitted a few ideas to paint Bucky for the Bucky On Parade event uptown this summer. I was notified in February I got a sponsor and two weeks ago I got to pick up my Bucky statue . They tell me mine will be at Law Park for a few months. I pretty sure this preview is no spoiler. 85 were chosen I think and can't wait for the preview party to see them all together.This is all so cool. 2 years ago I was the only artist I knew.

 

The title is Strike Up The Band and it is going to be a one badger Shake The Lake celebration.

Mountains at Last!

I just returned from a trip to Arizona to visit my daughter.  After spending my entire plein air life in Wisconsin I finally got to paint some mountains.  This was started plein air in the Tonto National Forest, just east of Phoenix, but then I did work on it some more at home.  I also have lots of Grand Canyon photos but the views from there are so immense and overwhelming I'm not sure I'm up for  doing paintings from them.

I have a robin visiting my back yard the last couple days so Spring and painting outings must be coming.  Soon!

Tom

Lake Wingra at Vilas Park

                                                 Two small gouache studies painted in a warm car.  

February 14 & 16, 2018

Lee Valley Road; 11x14"; oil on board; Jan Norsetter

From a lovely February afternoon when the temps were just above freezing. I went back two days later to finish it even though it was windy and cold by then. Never a dull moment outdoors:-)

Sugar River at Paoli March 2nd

Warm enough to sit outside and draw this today.  Felt like Spring!!