"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Some Plein Air Oil Paintings





I have recently been doing some plein air oil painting with my Thursday Muses - our Thursday painting group. These are small paintings - all three are 8"x10" and are done on canvas panels. The first one was painted at the Sidney, Ohio, Tawawa Park, a beautiful community park of many acres. This particular subject is the Ross Covered Bridge, which is built over Tawawa Creek. We painted this a couple of weeks ago on a brisk fall afternoon as the leaves were just beginning to turn. The second painting is the Jackson Center Pond on a warm afternoon. As we painted we were entertained by the songs of many birds and a very vocal bull frog in the pond. Due to a generous spray of bug repellent we were not bothered too badly by the insects. The third painting is a scene from the backyard of my friend Patty. Patty also has the most beautiful flowers which I have painted many times in watercolor. As you can see, this one was painted earlier in the summer before the wheat was combined...there is little more beautiful than a field of golden wheat contrasted again the intense greens of summer. I love doing the oil painting, but still prefer the wonderful spontaneous effects of watercolor.

4 comments:

Watercolors by Susan Roper said...

I have met with my watercolor group on Thursday afternoons for most Thursdays for ten years! Thursday must be the designated day for art groups!

These are lovely and look to be more studio-created than plein air! Most plein air paintings I have seen are more in the category of sketches.

My favorite is that peaceful-looking pond, that is especially nice.

Barb Sailor said...

It took me so long to do the covered bridge that my light changed and the blue sky was covered with clouds and a cold front came through:(
I guess it was 4 1/2 hours of straight painting - once I get started I am obsessed. I think that they look like studio paintings because of my obsession to be tight. You are right - they are not supposed to be perfect. tee hee.

Christiane Kingsley said...

Barbara, these are all lovely. However, that little upper right corner of the Covered Bridge took my breath away with that simply gorgeous combination of blue and purple!

Barb Sailor said...

Christiane...Thanks for the comments - I also like the combination of the purple and blue - beautiful colors together. I have noticed that you use purples and mauves also ...love them.
Barb