Marla Brenner's Recent Paintings

This piece was painted in my backyard after what turned out to be the last snow of the season. The Cherokee Marsh turns into a wonderland of cool & warm colors during winter. The shapes & textures lure me into a painting in spite of all the layers I have to don first. 

And my first Spring Painting...

“Spring on Hillpoint Road”

Oil on Linen 

9”x12”

I’m primary caretaker for my brother as he goes through daily cancer treatments. Last Sunday we decided to take advantage of a beautiful day to drive to Gary’s home so he could spend time with his kitty. I dropped Gary off for his visit and intended to drive on to reconnoiter a painting site. I walked back out to the driveway and this serene site wouldn’t let go of my eyes. Sometimes the best paintings are right in front of you!

XOM 

Marla J. Brenner

marlabrenner.com

Sketching at Holy Wisdom Monastery

This has been my favorite place for sketching and bird watching lately and hopefully to paint once it warms up. Be warned to check you self and hair carefully when you get home as the wood ticks are really bad out there! The buildings are closed for now but the public is welcome to walk on the nature trails. 

Ink and gouache in Stillman & Birn 8x10 soft cover Alpha series sketchbook

Watercolor and acrylic marker in Strathmore 9x12 multi media hardbound sketchbook

Pheasant Branch Conservancy - March 10, 2020

Ink & Watercolor in Stillman & Birn Beta Sketchbook.

Painted from my car in the parking lot overlooking the conservancy.  Bird or bat ? box on the tree. 

Holy Wisdom Monastery

It was pretty windy yesterday but I did some sketching at the monastery overlooking part of the prairie.  The pond was still frozen over but there were a few Red Wing blackbirds sitting in the trees around it and calling.  A sure sign spring is coming.

Ink & watercolor in Stillman & Birn Beta sketchbook

2020 Plein Air Events

FYI  -  I just updated the blog information and links for the regional plein air events in 2020.  Not certain I have them all listed.  Feel free to let me know of any I've missed.

Tom

Another Snow Painting

This one's not plein air but it is a snow scene so I thought I'd post it.  Maybe got too fussy with some small brushes on this one, but if Pissarro can do it, so can I (referring to the small brushes, not the fussy part).

Tom

UW Arboretum - Sunday 2-23-20

50 degrees!  Did a couple sketches on a walk today with a Pentel Pocketbrush and painted them later with gouache.  The ink is waterproof when dry. I look forward to seeing you all when it finally warms up enough for Tom to start scheduling painting dates again once spring really arrives.

Ink and gouache in 9x12 sketchbook

Winter Painting

It's about time I posted a snow landscape.  As Pat said, it was a great day for painting yesterday. This is a view of Wingra Creek from the Bridge.

Tom

3/11 Update - I decided my plein air piece needed some work so I'm adding the second version of this as I painted over it at home.

UW Arboretum and Vilas Park Zoo - February 10th

Yesterday was a perfect day for painting snow.  It felt warm in the sun with no wind.  Tom and I painted near the Mills St. entrance to the Arboretum and I went over to the zoo later and sketched the polar bear.  Too bad more of our winter days are not like yesterday.

Pastel in Strathmore 11x14 mixed media journal

Watercolor in Starthmore 9x12 mixed media journal

Reworked Painting

It's not officially winter yet but it feels like it. And in the winter I often take some of my summer plein air pieces and paint over them.  Here's a painting from the Belleville Park lake that I posted previously in July and the reworked painting I just finished. In looking at my plein air effort I decided I wanted to get rid of the water reflection, make the clouds into a better arrangement, and to get some depth into the painting. The latter is what made most of the difference in the re-worked painting that I think came out well.

I'm going to try to keep posting during the winter and hope others will too.

Tom

Black Earth Creek

This painting was done near Salmo Pond on 10-17-19.  This is one of 30 watercolors that will be sold as a CSA.  Join the CSA distribution party on November 10th at 3:00 at my home 1008 Emerald St., Madison.  More information can be found at www.emeraldstudio.com

A Farm Near Salmo Pond

It you go to the berm on the highway side of Salmo pond and peer between the trees, there is this farm. Watercolor 9 x 12. Dave W

Salmo Pond

We had the sun come out at Salmo Pond last week and the trees turned mostly yellow instead of green.  My painting exaggerates this a bit, but, of course, that's part of the fun.  I'm hoping the wind and rain doesn't make the leaves drop before we can get out to paint some fall scenes this week.

Tom