May 1 st , 2013

Mt's behind ranch.

This was my 4th P. A. for 2013.  I seem to be getting off at a very slow start!  This was done at 11:30 am until maybe 1 PM or there about.  Yes, it was painted when the sun was full  on hitting the whole hill and mountainside!  I never paint at this time of day as I rather like shadows in my paintings.  Two ladies, one from San Jose, and another who moved here about 10 years ago, came by and wanted to paint on the ranch.  Of course I said "Yes"!  So they actually came out 2 days in a row, at the same times.  They used watercolor, and large sheets of paper.  The second day, they had my attention and I joined them. They liked the Mt, and I found a place that was both shady and had some sun for them to paint in- - - - and I joined them.   It was fun, a very nice way to spend a day!     They also told me about an Artists Open Studio event coming up in the Carson Valley on the weekend of May 18 and 19th.   Linda Sandhagen, one of the ladies,  will be in this event.   I am sure I will go!

I  did get out again , and do hope to more often.  Plein-air painting is really fun, and with pastels I really enjoy it.   I do plan to do more in Oils this year tho.   My friend from Dayton, Nev. drove out for the day to paint.  She chose to use Oils, and brought with her a great gift from her very artsy and inventive sister.  This time she  has invented something the Oil painters will love as Oil paint is very expensive.  Its called a Pallet Garage, and is made from arclyic and uses clove oil to keep the paints moist between paintings.   To find out more about this neat tool, go to www.palettegarage.com and check it out.

I used my pastels and found a bank that still had some snow.  It was a cloudy day, very grey light which is something I need to practice anyhow, as well as close up subjects.  Its done on Senniliar pastel card, with a turpinod under painting, and is 9 x 12.

This was painted  on the Lane that leads to the Old  ranch on Foothill road.   I love the hugeness and the closeness of these Mountains.  The light this time of year is so wonderful and I hope to catch it.   Hope you are all painting as well.  This took two afternoons, as I felt a bit rusty and was just staring at everything!   I used Uart with an underpainting wash..

Finally--a few fall paint efforts to post

I have been a bit troubled  by my lack of computer knowledge, and so haven't posted in awhile.  Jane Welles, an artist from Nevada City, returned to the ranch this fall to paint.  She really loves plein-air painting, and is very good at it, so I feel very excited that she likes to come where I can watch and paint with her.   We went along the East Carson one morning, after school had started and there were less tourists in the area.  We actually found a great place  in a camp ground, with tables and  creature comforts.  The light was amazing, along with all that color.  So much for me to look at--so here is my small start---8 x 10---on Walis white with a watercolor underpainting, which helped me at least get the feel of the light.     I thought I may make changes on this--but its a good start, and reminder of a great morning--so I will leave it as is.

 Later that evening, Jane and I painted  in front of the old ranch house, in the shade, and just looked at what was close---the sun had begun to go down the huge mt. behind us, with the last of the light raking thru and hitting the locust tree at the driveway---it was amazing seeing this tree almost turn orange!   I didn't do a great job painting this, but I assure you , I learned something about light this day!!!   I didn't get pictures of any of Janes, but she painted a group of cottonwood trucks that were also hit by the light.  We had a great time!!!! Dark about when we went in.

A few days before this, I was painting with my friend from Dayton, Nev, Carol Karch--and we also had a great time.  I painted this one on the new Canson Touch--in a dk. brown shade.    It really was on interesting surface, and color to try--I will again.   Carole did a lovely painting wlso this day, which you can see on WC---we also tried an evening

painting using oils back at the house that day-----another fun experiance, light was leaving fast  but using a notan underpainting I was able to get this far in oils---9 x 12  I can go back into this one to Finnish if I choose but haven't yet.  So this is all I have done lately, and today we have snow and colder temps.    We did have a beautiful fall again this year----so wonderful its hard to believe it can be so beautiful.    Well, now for winter!!!

Sept.! So much cooler, but dry - - -

I have not been out painting in almost a month!!!  Its been warm this summer, and I have been indoors, really trying to learn to make a quilt correctly!  So many methods to try.  But now as the summer is cooling a bit and the night s are wonderfully cool, I have seen a different light beginning to show things  a bit more clear.  As we get into the fall, the sen goes into the southern part of the sky and I love the light.   This is one of out summer pastures, along the river.  I was going to paint the river, but instead liked the mt/ scene as the light on the mt. was something I wanted to try to paint with some belief.    Also, foreground practise is always needed in my world.  So, hopefully this will get me out there again, getting ready for the fall color and even some snow this year, on site!!!!

This is on Senniliar Pastel card, using Turpinod for an underpainting.  Brownish board, mounted on foamcor---9 x 12

August has been rainy , but cooler!

This has been a rainy and hot month this year, although not much actual rain has made it to the ground in our area.  There have been some gully-washers to the east of us, and long the East Carson River, which in right behind these hills in my pastel.    I stood under some huge Cotton Wood trees in out back yard in Dutch Valley and painted these clouds one afternoon that looked like nothing but rain was going to happen.   Actually, there wasn't much rain on this day, but a few days later we got quite a little storm.  Sorry to say, still not enough.  Its been so dry and hot  this summer, with poor Washington State, as well as Colorado taking the hugest tolls.    I can't wait until fall, cooler temperatures  and some fall color.   And I  am sure praying for a huge winter this next year.

pastel on pastelmat, sienna tone.

8 x 8

actually a square, fun to experiment with 

around the barn,   plein-air

I became re-acquainted with artist Jane Welles at the Markleeville Plein-air paint week we had this year.  It was nice to see her again as she lives way up in Nevada City-Grass valley  Calif.  She has been plein-air painting for a long time and I met her the first time right in front of the ranch here on Foothill Road with a painting group PaPoA's which were having a show at Lake Tahoe about 6 years ago.   She brought two of her painting friends back this past week-end, stayed at the ranch, and they all painted around our area Saturday and Sunday.  The friends were very good painters as well~~~ Linda Roemish  and Susan Moreno.  All three painted this weekend in oils, but also use other mediums as well.   It was great talking with them about art, and painting experiences.  The weather was hot, but rained each afternoon, Sunday really pouring as they made there getaway back home.  

Susan Moreno, using oils

              The above small , square pastel on pastelmat is my second one for Sunday.  Composing a square is always interesting, and using the sienna pastelmat for plein-air was also interesting. Here are some shots of the other ladies working at their easels.

Linda Roemish, painting with oils

This was mid-morning, but the light on the fields and trees to the east of us was beautiful.  Blue chicory flowers were growing up thru the green of the hay fields, and the atmospheric perspective was amazing.  Each of us tried to catch the light the best we could.   I didn't take individual pictures of paintings, as I wasn't such of infringement---but there was some really nice paintings. Linda has work hanging in the Markleeville Gallery that is very very nice indeed, as does Jane Welles .

Jane Wells

Looking over Janes' shoulder

Susan Moreno