Warner Park Lake Shore

We painted yesterday in Warner Park along the lake front.  The weather wasn't as bad as expected because of a nice lake breeze and plenty of shady painting spots.  But we did get rain clouds coming in about 11 am and had to rush our nearly completed paintings into cover.  We then had a nice lunch at Kung's house with some rather spectacular views of huge culmulas clouds over Lake Mendota.

Here's my painting that started out with the sunlit tree as my focal area.  Then some guy started fishing, just long enough for me to include him in the painting and the focal point changed.  Or maybe now it has two focal areas?  That's twice the value ... right?

Tom

I'd like to have suggestions on great plein air umbrellas.  I have one with a goose neck + clamp that holds on to my Julian when I want/need it.  Looking to step up a notch to a better one.
I would post a painting but I see I'm not accustomed to the blogger system yet & the routes to get it from my computer files to this post.  :))  See ya Tues I hope.  John Mix

Pheasant Branch August 22nd

9"x 9" pastel on Colorfix paper

I went to Pheasant Branch this evening for a walk but it was so nice out I decided get out the pastels instead.  The trees are actually still green but the setting sun was warming them up.  It won't be long before they really are this color.  Cranes were flying over.  Just a beautiful evening.

Mariner's Cove

Although still hot and humid we had a nice evening painting at Mariner's Cove.  I'm hoping this is the turning point in the weather and we'll soon see an end to the heat and humidity.  Here's Joan and Reisa painting from a shady spot.  You can see how the cluster of boats makes for a bit of a challenging subject.

Tom

Plein Air Painting Events

I just returned from participating in Mineral Point's "Paint the Point" plein air painting event.  Really enjoyed this year. As always, plenty of great painting scenes / subjects.  And we should congratulate Diane Washa and Jan Norsetter who both produced outstanding paintings that received an award.

I also met a painter there named John Preston, from Iowa, who's a great painter and a good guy.  He ended up winning first prize.  I'm attaching an image of one of his smaller paintings (8x10) that wasn't entered for the judging, but I think it's a real gem of a painting.  That's the Mineral Point water tower in the distance of his painting.

John also told me about another plein air event called "Bluff Strokes" that will occur this coming October 9-15 at Dubuque, Iowa.  It sounds like an interesting event (in the prime fall color season) and if anyone wants to check it out just go to bluffstrokes.org.

Finally, I'm attaching a photo of my painting buddy that I acquired as I was painting by the side of the road in the countryside.  This border collie came up and watched me paint, then laid under my easel to rest.  Every time I walked from my easel to my car he would follow me step for step.  When I left, he tried to get into my car.  And as I drove away I saw him in my mirror running full speed along the side of the road after me.  I guess I have at least one loyal fan.

Tom

"Thunder over Pheasant Branch Creek"

Here's the result of my sticking out the storm at Pheasant Branch. I moved under the shelter after the winds and rains came, but I still  had to dry up the puddles of water in my pochade box before I left. It was intense!

My attempt to capture the changing light at Pheasant Branch.

Eaten alive by mosquitoes and chased away by the storm, here's last night's effort at the Pheasant Branch.

Oil, 11"x14"

Pheasant Branch August 4th

Tracy and a very nice view of the prairie and hill

Joan painting despite pesky insects

Elizabeth and Darya packing up

Siraj on the edge of the prairie

Doug sketching

Gouache in my new sketchbook painted the evening after

Tom and Queen Anne's Lace

We had a great turnout for our most recent paint date but not such great weather. I think I counted 9 painters and one was new to the group (Welcome Noel!). A thunderstorm cut the painting time short but there were some dramatic stormy skies to paint and the prairies are in bloom. I went back this evening to try out a new sketchbook with gouache.  It was recommended on James Gurney's blog and I loved painting on this paper.  It's a Strathmore 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch hardbound journal with 400 series 140lb watercolor paper. It lays nice and flat so it's easy to do a 2 page spread.  Dick Blick offers a substantial discount.  I have the Strathmore wirebound Artist Journal with 140 lb watercolor paper and did not care much for that paper but this is totally different and very nice for gouache or watercolor. Just after I finished the painting there was the spectacular sunset that we had wished for yesterday.

The approaching storm

Plein Air Exhibit by Doug Haynes

August 3 - October 30, 2016 
UW Health at The American Center
4602 Eastpark Blvd
Madison, WI 
Take the American parkway exit from Hwy. 151. Then follow the H signs to the Hospital. 
At the main entrance go up the stairs or take the elevator to the second floor. the exhibit will be right there in the cafeteria.

I posted a map on my site (http://emeraldstudio.com).

There are 22 works ranging in size from 40 x 30 to 10 x 8

Siraj Hull: Watercolors and Collages

One of our DCPAPA watercolorists will have a show at the UW Health Sciences Learning Center on the 2nd floor lobby in August.  The Center is adjacent to UW Hospital.

Title:  Paintings and Collages by Siraj Hull

Where: UW Health Sciences Learning Center, 2nd Floor Lobby

750 Highland Avenue

Madison, WI 53705

When: 08/02/2016 – 08/30/2016

“I am a retired school psychologist who has enjoyed art throughout my life. I worked in Jacksonville, Illinois for Four Rivers Special Education school districts for 15 years and taught at Spoon River Community college in Macomb, Illinois for 9 years before taking a position in Taipei American school in Taiwan for a year. My husband Bob and I have traveled and lived in many interesting parts of the world. We spent ten winters in the South Pacific, living in Fiji, Marshal Islands, Cook Islands and Tonga. While in Tonga, I studied Tapa cloth art from a noted artist of Tonga. We've traveled to over 97 countries. In every place we've traveled, I make it a point to visit art galleries and pick up some new ideas.

I am a member of both Dane County Plein Air and Macomb Plein Air in Macomb, Illinois.” – Siraj Hull

- See more at: http://isthmus.com/events/siraj-hull/#sthash.DivwIkME.dpuf

Cherokee Park, Pastel, 8.5" x 11.5"

Here is my completed painting from our outing last week. 

Cherokee Park, Pastel, 8.5" x 11.5" 

Cherokee Marsh sketch finished in the studio

Cherokee Marsh. Morning. Oil on linen board, 12"x16"

Annual Plein Air Painting & Pot Luck July 19th

 Left to right - Joan Siebers, Louise Kubista, Jan Feyzi, Siraj Hull, Gretchen Tweitmeier.

Darya's painting

More paintings from the morning session and some of Jan's collection above

More

Left to right on bottom: Oil paintings by Jane Varda, Jan Norsetter (2) and pastel by Trisha Duren

Marla explaining it all to us 

Jan Norsetter on Marla's wonderful porch

Jan, Tom and John deep in discussion about color

Trisha Duren taking a well earned break after a morning of painting

Jane Varda

Marla Brenner's lovely paintings

Jan Feyzi with new lightweight easel

Many thanks again to Marla Brenner for hosting our annual summer potluck.  The food, company and setting was excellent!!  Marla graciously gave us a tour of her extensive and wonderful art collection and a peek in her studio.  Just a glance around at all the paintings and color charts show what an excellent and hard working artist Marla is.  Even her color charts are works of art in themselves.  Marla said she wants to know how her colors mix before she goes outdoors to paint so she can get precisely the color she wants.  She also talked about the importance of mixing only single pigment paints to help keep the colors clean.  Jan Norsetter discussed how to mix a variety of greens which is essential for summer landscape painting and both her paintings were great examples of doing just that.  Thanks to everyone for showing up and sharing your paintings and ideas and great food!!

Cherokee Park Outing

Another nice day painting at Cherokee Park followed by the pot-luck at Marla Brenner's.  We had a great turn-out (must be the food) with many fine paintings resulting.  Here's a framed view of the water I found in the park, near the playground equipment.

Tom

Allen Centennial Gardens

Ginkgo tree in pastel.
Wendy

Under the trellis at Allen Gardens

More Allen Gardens

My watercolor from last evening

Siraj's Watercolor

Siraj was unable to attend last night's session but painted this watercolor earlier in the week.  As Tom said it ended up being a nice evening after all and there were so many subjects to choose from it was a bit overwhelming.  The sky was beautiful so I decided to leave out the campus buildings that are behind the gardens in my view.  Many flowers were in bloom and I'd like to go back with pastels and try for some of those gorgeous flower colors.  It is a great place to paint in the evening.

Allen Centennial Gardens

After going back and forth on the weather forecast, we ended up with a nice enough evening for painting and a good group of painters showed up.  I'm posting a photo of what I thought about painting and also my painting in which I settled on a small portion of the garden pond to paint.  I call this pushing the paint around until the light is gone.  It needs more definition which I'll probably add in another layer once the initial painting dries.  -  Tom

Chilly morning, fun painting, and wonderful company at lunch in Belleville! I went back and took some photos when the sun came out after lunch and did a bit more work on the piece I started once I got home. It's good to get some plein air practice.