Arboretum Outing

When I returned home with my plein air piece I realized my flowers were all an intense orange with no modeling.  So, today, I scraped it off and repainted it with the help of a photo I had taken. This painting still has some problems, but at least I think the bush looks like a bush. But I still need to get Darya to teach me how to paint flowers.

Tom

Show at UW Hospital: Siraj Hull

From Siraj Hull:  I have “Elegant Writer Pen Watercolor Art Show,” on  till June 26, 2019.  The entire show is done with elegant writer pen and watercolor.  Below is a sample of one of my paintings on display.

Exhibit location: University Hospital, J5/1 Corridor, Madison, Wisconsin

Display on from May 30 till June 26, 2019.

https://www.uwhealth.org/news/spring-art-exhibits-at-uw-health/52726

https://madison.com/calendar/galleries/pen-and-watercolor-paintings-by-siraj-hull/event_7421e420-83f1-11e9-8c36-308d99b28df7.html

Arboretum, May 31

Gorgeous morning for painting! This area of the Arboretum caught the eye of several of us. -- Wendy

 

Arboretum, May 30

Sorry, everyone, cannot make it tomorrow morning, so went to the Arboretum today. Here's the result. Oil, 12"x16"

Nine Springs Hot Spot

Here's where all the action was.

Nine Springs Outing

A really nice evening with  a lot of people showing up.  I painted on the hill which was not a popular spot and then I had to leave a bit early so I missed a lot of people, but it was nice to see a good turnout.  And, wow!, that green really did look as bright as I painted it.

Tom

Nine Springs Park

The weather Thursday evening was perfect for being outside painting at Nine Springs Park. The light was changing fast as the sun began to get low, but I enjoyed the challenge of trying to capture the scene quickly! -- Wendy

4.5" X 6.5" pastel on sanded paper

Salmo Pond

It was a great spring morning to paint and here's how I finished my effort up at home. I may still add a fisherman (or woman) by the side of the creek since we saw one of each when we were out there.

Tom

Festge Park outing

It was really nice to see some fellow painters yesterday at Festge Park! The weather was wonderful and it finally felt like spring. Today I went back to the park to finish this piece.

Oil on panel, 12"x16"

Nine Springs

Monday was so nice it was hard not to at least try to paint something. I have a new dog and love going to the dog park out there. I hope she settles into a painting buddy. I was on the boardwalk at Nine Springs for a couple hours and also had wind issues. :) The painting itself has few redeeming qualities. I don't want the first of the year to be the best you know.

Start of Spring Painting

We've had a few decent days of weather and on one of them I went to Vilas Park and found this spot just downstream of the dam (where the muskie are currently jumping).  The painting is of a portion of the dam. And I can tell it's really spring ... had an unexpected gust of wind blow over my easel.

Hoping to get the first group outing set up soon but today it's snowing and so I'm holding off just a bit more.

Tom Gilbert

Finally finished these 2 Plein-air pastels.

It has been awhile since I posted so here goes. 

I finally finished these 2 plein-air pastels. It didn't take too much to tweak them. And it wasn't a winter scene!

top one: Summer's Oak, pastel, 9 x 11.75

bottom one: Spring comes to the Marsh, pastel, 11.625 x 8.625 

Out the Window

It's been rough getting outside to paint this winter and so I found a couple views from my house to paint. Here's a painting of Heritage Park from my front window and another painting of my neighbors house from my back window. Both studio works but I was able to check the actual views from my windows.

Hey, it's March and time to at least hope for some decent weather to paint in.  Obviously the cold still has a strong grip on us but painting weather should be here soon.

Tom

Winter wo Snow

Here's my most recent winter painting but without snow.  Unfortunately I missed getting out for the few nice days we did have with some snow on the ground.

Tom

January 7, 2019

I painted this in the studio today based on photos and memory from my walk last week at the arboretum.  As Jan Norsetter suggested I desaturated the color so the photos were black and white to help with shapes and values and I tried to remember the clolors.  I find it hard to make skies blue enough with oil paint so I think I will try again with pastels.   I tried to paint as if I was outdoors and finished in 90 min.

8 x 10 oil on paper

Happy New Year and Winter Painting Challenge

I hope all our painters had happy holidays and are getting some painting done now that they are over.  Yesterday I painted this in the arboretum.  Ok, I sat in the car but it is still a plein air painting!  To get the painting year off to a good start,  I would like to challenge DCPAP to post some of their winter landscapes whether they were painted outdoors or in the studio.  Happy New Year to all!!

UW Arboretum  -  Watercolor

Indian Lake, redux

I started this one on October 23rd and returned on November 2nd. With a few adjustments in the studio I'm calling it done. I really like painting at Indian Lake. It's such a lovely, peaceful place.

Indian Lake

Pat already provided some photos from our outing yesterday but here's one more.  Indian Lake is like a old friend and as the sun went down she seemed quite content and peaceful.  Maybe there's another painting here yet.

Tom

Indian Lake October 23rd

Beautiful afternoon and evening at Indian Lake.  I think I counted 6 of us painting there.  Tom brought firewood and beverages and he and Jan and Rick and I really enjoyed the fire which was much appreciated on a very cool evening.  It may be our last outing for 2018 but we are hoping for a warm day in November for one more. 

Jan getting a great start

Rick, Jan and Tom

Pastel in sketchbook

Pastel on Strathmore Bristol paper 15 x 19

Salmo Pond October 4th

Finally got some sun yesterday so I went out to Salmo Pond in the afternoon.  Very nice out there except for some noisy earth moving equipment.  I am guessing they were repairing flood damage.  Hwy. 14 as far as Salmo Pond is fine but a little further beyond that is still closed.

Pastel on Diane Townsend paper

Pastel on handmade paper

Marshall Park Lakeview

A beautiful sunny morning and another painting of the boats moored off the shore.  This was challenging because the boats keep shifting direction with the changing wind.

Tom

Marshall Park - 9/12/18

"Orange Kayak"  9x12 watercolor on handmade paper

McCarthy Park

 

 

I've been so busy with things I haven't been going out on my own at all. I missed the Belleville outing so it's been awhile. It was a beautiful night as long as the bug spray lasts.

 

McCarthy Park Outing

Had another nice evening for painting except for a new batch of mosquitos that was really distracting.  My painting from yesterday needs some work (scraping out mosquito carcasses) but here's another recent painting that I call "Lake Monona Above Flood Stage".  And if I can get to it, I may try painting at Tenney Park just to see if any decent new scenes have been created by the expanded lake.

Tom

Mary Hubley Workshop

I was recently contacted by a painter from Florida named Mary Hubley who will be conducting a plein air workshop in this area in September.  Mary has some family in the area and occasionally visits and enjoys painting here.  She has some remaining openings in her workshop and so I'm posting her workshop notice in case any DCPAP members, or others are interested in attending.
 -  Tom Gilbert

Plein Air Workshop September 8 & 9

I'm pleased to announce a plein air workshop opportunity with artist Mary Hubley on September 8 and 9. Mary is a nationally-recognized oil painter and teacher. The workshop is focused on getting outside and painting light, shadow, value, and color in the natural landscape.

"We laugh a lot, learn, and have fun painting outside in the fresh air," says Mary. The workshop includes demos, one-on-one instruction, and gentle class critique. The workshop is for all levels and all mediums. New artists will learn the basics, while advanced students will have the chance to develop their skills. Artists loosen up, connect with their personal style, and get motivated. Participants will go home with finished plein air paintings and solid recommendations as to where to go next with their individual painting practice.

For more info, please see Mary's website at https://wwww.maryhubley.com/workshops-classes. Questions? Contact Mary directly at mary@maryhubley.com.

When: September 8-9, 2018, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Price: $100 per day. $200 for 2 days.

Where: Outside, in rural locations around Madison, Wisconsin. Exact locations to be determined.

Registration: Register and pay through paypal at maryhubley.com/workshops-classes or call Hubley Gallery at 904-429-9769.

Supplies: Students are responsible for bringing their own supplies and materials. See recommended supplies at www/maryhubley.com/plein-air-supplies.

Belleville Outing

Had a nice morning at Belleville Park last week.  After some major revisions this is the painting I ended up with. A bit of an experiment.

Tom Gilbert

Paint the Point 2018

Last week I participated in Mineral Point's plein air event, along with local artists Diane Washa, Jan Norsetter, and Jim Faecke.  It was an enjoyable few days of painting. Diane and Jan both won awards, and Jim should of (in my opinion). A lot of quality painters and work. The top prize went to a young painter from Illinois named Marc Anderson. He has displayed at the Madison Art Fair on the Square the last couple years.

The first morning there was a dense fog. I painted a scene that I called "Fog Lifting Over the Pasture". I didn't quite capture the effect of fog to the extent I would have liked, but, otherwise,  I'm very pleased with this painting. And same as last year, we had one evening with incredible beautiful clouds and sky that came out after a passing rain storm. I've attached a couple digital images to give you an idea of what it looked like. I was able to paint some of these clouds. Overall this is a great painting area that's worth a trip any time of the year.

Tom

Pontoon Boat Plein Air on Lake Waubesa

Last summer I discovered that I can plein air paint from my pontoon boat if it is not too windy and wavy. Here is one from Lake Waubesa.

Madison Lake Paintings

We had a nice evening at Pheasant Branch last Tuesday but my painting effort was disappointing. But then I was reading the State Journal this morning with their current articles that are featuring the Madison lakes.  So I'm thinking it would be apropos to post some of our paintings with Madison lake views. Here's one I painted a couple weeks ago at Warner Park beach that I'm actually happy with (see ... I don't complain about all my paintings).  Who else has a nice lake theme painting? Let's see them.

Tom

Pheasant Branch Evening - July 31st

Mixed Media - 10 x 14

Watercolor - 6 x 6

Very pleasant evening out at the prairie.  

Merrimac Ferry July 17th

Nice day for painting the ferry.  I was at the little park on the south side. 

Merrimac Ferry - mixed media

Cherokee Park

Lots of good paintings, helpful advice, and good food and company at Marla's made for an enjoyable painting day.  Thanks again Marla for hosting.  Here's my painting after I took some of the advice I received and tried to fix it up.  I had trouble getting the large tree on the right to look like it fit into the scene and this was best I could do.

Cherokee Park and Lake Redstone

I really appreciate the constructive advice the group offers. I threw some paint as this and now there are a couple spots I like. I am also posting the painting I came home with from Lake Redstone. Should I attempt to take it further or call it a good 4 hour painting?

Cherokee Marsh

Prairie in bloom, oil on linen panel, 14"x18"

Cherokee Park

I did a few touch ups on the two paintings from this morning when I got home.
Thanks to everyone for helpful comments.
Also, thanks to Tom for organizing and to Marla for hosting lunch!
Wendy