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First Purple Blossoms Appear

The first bright purple blossoms peek their heads out for me, as crocus planted last year along the driveway come up. All that work from the previous year rewards us with spring flowers, that I love. They are such welcome splashes of color after a period of cool grays. Pete and I took some pictures to allow me to come back in to the studio and paint them, instead of getting frosty outside. After all, the temperatures are not balmy yet.

I look up the name crocus and find that they are a part of the iris family. Really? Who would have thought that? Thank goodness for the ease of using Wikipedia, soon I will forget how to turn the pages of a dictionary.

Focus

Here is a deep artistic concept, check out these two photographs. They are a perfect example showing how a different "depth-of-field" or "focus" totally changes an image. It almost seems as though these two pictures were taken at different places, but they were not. Only the focal point changed. Clearly, where we choose to focus our attention is really important. Think about that all throughout your life. Where do you focus your attention?

Plein Air Landscape

This is a view of the Riverfront Clock Tower from a bridge railing in Riverfront park. Looking from above the Washington Street viaduct with a constant flow of cars entering downtown underneath seemed almost surreal. This specific view is a cozy little oasis (off-the-beaten-path) with it's own cool bench. Virtually, a perfect place to set up water, brushes and paint to your hearts content with minimal interference from foot traffic. Initially, I was worried there would be no interesting views to paint at Riverfront park but I was proven so very wrong. I only had to open my eyes, to see great nature views, or people enjoying the nature views.

above the clock tower I am a member of the Spokane Watercolor Society, and we have a group of plein air painters meeting once a month on the last Friday of the month at high noon to paint together. If you'd like to join us feel free to contact us and let us know at our Facebook page Plein Air and Urban Sketching - Members of SWS. It is a monthly artist event that I look forward to every month. Fellow artists sharing ideas and methods and challenging each other to continue to improve. It is simply a lot of fun! I took some time to sketch the clock tower carefully before heading down to the riverside level. Subsequently, trying another view, nearer where the rest of the group was painting at next.

clock tower sketch Working from memories and pictures taken at the scene, I finished this painting back at the studio on 4/5/2019.

Last night was the Spokane Watercolor Society (SWS) art show opening downtown from 5-8pm. It was at the historic community lobby for the Inland Northwest Land Conservancy on Main Street. This is an in process shot of the piece I have in the show entitled "Crazy as a Loon" C1819.

loon watercolor in process I don't typically do well with the crowds and sometimes feel like I am just surviving through attending an art show opening but, last night was different.

MaryLou, Lottie, Locklin, Jeff and Gloria. We are 20 watercolor artist's that have paintings hanging for the month in the lobby of the Community Building. Everyone in SWS sent out postcard invitations to our people to support the show opening on First Friday. I made it a point to only send my invitations to people I would like to see this time. Normally, I try to guess who may want to buy art, if I know people who would. But instead, this time my focus was on family and friends that I miss.

Cousins, Suzanne and Martha. I  honestly didn't expect anyone to show up because I know how hard it is to make time to go downtown and attend these events. But I was entirely surprised by who took the time, to be there last night. I am so very lucky to have family and friends in my life like I do. Some of the people I contacted called to let me know they couldn't make it, and then there were those who did come. This was a show opening that went by quickly, and was a lot of fun. 

clock tower Spent the afternoon (Friday) plein air painting at Riverfront Park in Spokane WA.Painting outside in a beautiful park with friends. We were a group from the Spokane Watercolor Society who met near the clock tower at high noon. Sounds like the meet up at the OK corral doesn't it?  It is amazing how many people use this park, it was full of people. They were a constant stream of people running, walking dogs, sitting and admiring the scenery.

Plein Air Off the Beaten Path

I was able to discover a great view of the tower a little off the beaten path, and overhead. It was truly sublime. Initially, trying to render that clock tower in an impressionistic manner proved impossible. Paintbrush sketches produced awkward, leaning towers. There are so many angles and doo-dads on that riverside brick tower with a clock. As a result, another tactic was required. Architectural subjects need accuracy, don't they? Finally, resorting to using the old artist pencil measure trick with outstretched arm, got the job done.  It was worth it to take the time to do that sketch. The layout is in pencil now, and ready to work on in the studio. I took a ton of photos, to be able to finish it up.

clock tower sketch

Second Painting Location

pavilion willow photo

pavilion with willow I joined the gang from SWS at the ground level down by the river next. Next to Gay W., I found a great view of the pavilion cables over the ice rink, that had a willow tree getting orange branches in spring. What a vision. Hope it comes out, cause it was quite a cool view. Luckily, I was able to get some washes down before I had to pack up and leave.

Artist Thoughts...

You know Spring has sprung in Elk when getting to and from becomes an adventure in mud. Some pictures of the driveway bog.

driveway stream

driveway mud

Garden Spring Mud 2019

Mud

Followed by mud, and more mud is the weather prediction for today. I walked down to the garden and can now see patches of ground peeking through the snow. This is the blackberry row and the apple trees on the lower end. How long do you think it will be before we can plant? Hello Spring! Melt down has begun, with the introduction of warmer temperatures.  I know it is practically ridiculous of me to complain when so many are losing everything, farm and ranch to intense flooding across the midwest but.... my little self still wants to moan and say, It's a pain; GOOSHY knee deep mud! As the snow starts to melt into a much thinner level each day, little rivers trickle down the hill. Trickle, trickle into natural bog areas. Out of necessity, each town trip becomes a journey put off to the last minute and combined with others to decrease the amount of times up and down the hill. Each rut made becomes it's own little stream.

Things Are Serious

A muley doe pauses at the treeline in Glacier Lake National Park in Montana. This was one of my first encounters with wildlife. Moments like this are like gifts from God and nature. A gift of pristine wildlife standing still for a portrait at very close range.

Initially, the portrait starts with a pencil sketch drawn from my photograph.

Apply Washes to Doe

Next I begin to wash-in large areas, reaching more for correct values than finished colors. I actually squint my eyes to see where the darks and lights are. The areas kind of blur together and show up better that way. I have been fortunate to have taken classes from talented artists, and one that I have been inspired by is Stan Miller who teaches watercolor and that it is the values that are more important than the colors and he is so right!

Adding sky background and foliage along with some of the dark values to the doe face and eyes starts to show the personality that I envision.

Muley Doe Details

Things slow a bit as I work on the details of the deer. Focus is on the doe features and her background and I am being careful to leave white limbs from the tree behind.

Progress is gradual as I add shadows to show where the tree trunk and limbs are, along with a ground tone wash to bring in a base for her to stand on. It is not good to have her floating above the ground.

Finally, I am getting more done as I add more details. First, some lights followed by some darks. Using an Azo Yellow, I am careful applying the final wash. The whole painting is brightened up with the final wash and the greenery and her fur now have a much better glow.

On First Friday, the SWS member show opens, want an invitation? The Show Opening Reception promises to be a lot of fun. Only then, we will have original small paintings and cards for sale at the Inland NW Land Conservancy Lobby .

Would You Like to Come?

Dahlia Patch C142019, 30"w x 10"h watercolor on 300lb WC paper. Just finished painting the flowers in Dahlia Patch C142019 watercolor. I am loving it and planning to paint more like her. I saved seeds from my 6-8' blossoms last year and plant to well populate the garden with them again. So bright and beautiful to see when you work in the garden every day. Weeding and watering seem less tiresome when your eyes feast on beautiful combinations of color and fascinating insects and birds cruising around. There is only a few more weeks of skiing left, and I'm looking forward to spring and summer now. Check out how many kinds of Dahlia's there are, 42 species and it is native to Mexico. Did you know it was declared the national flower of Mexico in 1963? Good old Wikipedia dahlia knowledge, interesting but hard to remember the scientific names sometimes.

What do you think of dahlia patch?

Almost every day, I get to see scenes like this as I walk outside the studio. My camera is a real happy camper. Luckily, I captured this picture during the first snow of the season. There was a small accumulation of snow and the day was warm. Sometimes, it feels like I live in paradise with the nature right around me. There are tracks from our neighbors who had just ridden their ATV's through it. There are a lot of Bambi tracks and Gobble Gobble turkey tracks too! Max and I are not the only ones enjoying this area. We all love the outside up here in Elk, WA.  Our neighborhood is the one that started the, "You might be a redneck if......" craze. Checkout Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian here. My goal right now is to conquer a fear of painting snow and get good at painting winter scenes. I figure the more I paint, the easier it will get. Hmmmm. We'll see.

Here is the first study I painted of this view, as a horizontal presentation. After finishing the study, I am able to see areas to improve. Standing back a way gives me a good view to ponder how I want to proceed with the larger painting.  I'm not so sure I will go with horizontal, I think I like the vertical better.

Almost every day, I get to see scenes like this as I walk outside the studio. My camera is a real happy camper. Luckily, I captured this picture during the first snow of the season. There was a small accumulation of snow and the day was warm. Sometimes, it feels like I live in paradise with the nature right around me. There are tracks from our neighbors who had just ridden their ATV's through it. There are a lot of Bambi tracks and Gobble Gobble turkey tracks too! Max and I are not the only ones enjoying this area. We all love the outside up here in Elk, WA.  Our neighborhood is the one that started the, "You might be a redneck if......" craze. Checkout Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian here. My goal right now is to conquer a fear of painting snow and get good at painting winter scenes. I figure the more I paint, the easier it will get. Hmmmm. We'll see.

Here is the first study I painted of this view, as a horizontal presentation. After finishing the study, I am able to see areas to improve. Standing back a way gives me a good view to ponder how I want to proceed with the larger painting.  I'm not so sure I will go with horizontal, I think I like the vertical better.

Almost every day, I get to see scenes like this as I walk outside the studio. My camera is a real happy camper. Luckily, I captured this picture during the first snow of the season. There was a small accumulation of snow and the day was warm. Sometimes, it feels like I live in paradise with the nature right around me. There are tracks from our neighbors who had just ridden their ATV's through it. There are a lot of Bambi tracks and Gobble Gobble turkey tracks too! Max and I are not the only ones enjoying this area. We all love the outside up here in Elk, WA.  Our neighborhood is the one that started the, "You might be a redneck if......" craze. Checkout Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian here. My goal right now is to conquer a fear of painting snow and get good at painting winter scenes. I figure the more I paint, the easier it will get. Hmmmm. We'll see.

Here is the first study I painted of this view, as a horizontal presentation. After finishing the study, I am able to see areas to improve. Standing back a way gives me a good view to ponder how I want to proceed with the larger painting.  I'm not so sure I will go with horizontal, I think I like the vertical better.

Almost every day, I get to see scenes like this as I walk outside the studio. My camera is a real happy camper. Luckily, I captured this picture during the first snow of the season. There was a small accumulation of snow and the day was warm. Sometimes, it feels like I live in paradise with the nature right around me. There are tracks from our neighbors who had just ridden their ATV's through it. There are a lot of Bambi tracks and Gobble Gobble turkey tracks too! Max and I are not the only ones enjoying this area. We all love the outside up here in Elk, WA.  Our neighborhood is the one that started the, "You might be a redneck if......" craze. Checkout Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian here. My goal right now is to conquer a fear of painting snow and get good at painting winter scenes. I figure the more I paint, the easier it will get. Hmmmm. We'll see.

Here is the first study I painted of this view, as a horizontal presentation. After finishing the study, I am able to see areas to improve. Standing back a way gives me a good view to ponder how I want to proceed with the larger painting.  I'm not so sure I will go with horizontal, I think I like the vertical better.

It is still snowing up here in Elk WA, and I finished this piece last night.

It is still snowing up here in Elk WA, and I finished this piece last night.

Snow and fun winter landscapes, is quite a normal sequence of terms for this skiier. We are a household of ski and snowboard bums that love that white stuff. We have fun! Winter is fun!