NOAPS Virtual Paint Out

 National Oil and Acrylic Painters Society

NOAPS

sent out an invitation to join in their Virtual Paint Out, from photos.

I thought it sounded like fun, so I signed up.

We had to work from their photos, most of which I didn't really like but one appealed to me.

Oh and we had to send in process shots, so I'll share those along with my painting.

Thanks for following along:)

Step one

Step two

No Parking 

12x12

oil

Here is the photo reference, I cropped for a square:)

Bruce Bingham Where's You Hat?

After I posted by last process of painting blog, I have time to reflect on the painting and look at it with fresh eyes.

A couple of things bothered me so I changed them.

Problem solved:)

Bruce Bingham

Oil 9x 12

Where's Your Hat?

Before above

After.

I feel betta now.
 

 

 

 

Where's Your Hat?

Since covid has kept us penned up, I was feeling nostalgic about places I've enjoyed going to paint. I started looking through photos and ran across one I took at the Silver Spur Ranch in Bandera,Tx. where I went to paint with Nancy Tankersley.

This was alot of fun to paint and I decided to take photos along the way. I love to see before and after  makeovers of houses, rooms, people and paintings. I hope you enjoy this progression of

Where's Your Hat?

Step one

Step two

Step three

Step four

Where's Your Hat?

9 x 12 oil

What are friends for?

My painting pal, Robin Cheers, is doing a video for Liledahl Videos.

She asked me along for moral support and I gladly accepted!

Friends make our lives so much more interesting and give us more experiences than 

we would ever have on our own.

I met her at the studio earlier this week and found it so interesting I thought I'd blog about it.

The studio is tricked out with the same cameras they use on network TV and movie sets.

Also it's sound proofed and they have 4 cameras running at once.

One on the palette, one on the artwork, and two on Robin.

First, she did a really cool water based sketching technique with graphite

and water pens to help her determine her composition.

You can take it anywhere with you too!

Meet Scott and Trevor the guys who make everything perfect.

Then she started on a white canvas:

and shared her way of simplifying and blocking in.

Also her special way of mixing and applying color.

I was super inspired and know it's going to be a great video.

So if you want to keep your brushwork loose and unique

look for this video when it's released in June.

Well done Robin!

Canada's Triple Crown

The sun came out again for us on the last day and we had that 

unusual combo of fall color and snow.

Triple Crown

9x12

oil

I took out my last 9x12 panel after the first painting,

divided it in half and did some quick value studies of

the same scene using different colors.

I know this sounds odd because so many painters go out

and work on color studies that match the scene, but all I

think about is value and pushing colors to match 

my own vision, mood, or sense of harmony.

In fact I make an effort to not be influenced by local color,

like a green tree for example.

I'm more of an impressionist than a tonalist because it's

what I enjoy the most.

There is no right or wrong here.

These each took about 20 minutes and it's a great way to 

clean up your palette after a painting trip!

Thanks for following along.

Canada, Seeing Double!

The thing about painting trips is that it stretches you as an artists.

It forces you out of your comfort zone and to look at things with fresh eyes.

It also made me choose a subject that I wouldn't normally paint.

Canadian Vista View

12 x 12

oil

I usually go for structure over pure landscapes and definitely

not vistas.  It's a personal preference but partially because 

I feel like these views are so majestic I'm not sure I can convey that feeling.

But this is where my friends landed so I gave it a whirl.

I can really see why people get into painting mountains.

Funny thing, below is my friend, Mary Burkhardt's painting next to mine.

Even though the interpretations are very different it almost looks like the 

same painting extended!

Seeing Double

Thanks for following along!

Banff Vermilion Lake

We drove to Banff one chilly morning and painted with a group at

Vermilion Lake.

A beautiful place with foggy moody weather,

and a variety of ducks and geese.

Incoming

12 x 12

oil

Afterwards we were feeling tired and hungry so went to the Fairmont Hotel in Banff

and had a wonderful late lunch in the Rundle Room with a beautiful panoramic view of Mount Rundle.

Did I mention we were feeling a little lazy and cold so decided to splurge and leave our car at the valet.

We didn't think twice about it till we came out after an hour to pay and the attendant asked us for 40$.

More than lunch!!!LOL 

Yeah, I know.

Thanks for following along:)

The Canadian Plein Air Adventure Continues:

We were always on the lookout for critters and good places to paint

without too much snow and ice.

Bears! OH MY!

Mama and three baby grizzlies. We chose to head in opposite directions.

Photo courtesy of Brian Smith.

Canada has lots of trails to hike and we could just pull into a parking lot and find great views just off the road.

Snuggled Against The Cold

12 x 12

 oil

This was a fun one to paint with the group of trees snuggled together still wrapped in their blanket of fall color to keep warm as long as possible.

And afterward we stumbled upon this striking view.

Room To View

9 x 12

oil

Other critter sightings:

Rocky Mountain Sheep

Goats

and a very fluffy coyote!

I did see and elk but couldn't get a photo and I was really disappointed not to see a moose!

Some people saw lots of them.

Darn, guess I'll have to go back;)

Thanks for following along!

Cozy Fire

There was only one day in Canada that kept us house bound.

We painted my friends husband reading his book by a cozy fire.

Cozy Fire

9x12 oil

In the afternoon Gene Costanza treated us to a demo that he

did from a couple of different plein air studies.

I might add that he made it look effortless.

I love how the mountains fade into the sky!

demo by Gene Costanza

Thanks for following along!

Sunshine on the Mountains

This was truly a spectacular day!

My painting pal Mary Burkhardt and I drove down to a beautiful bridge.

We painted one side in the morning and the other side in the afternoon!
A bright and sunny day!

Canadian Morning

12 x 12

oil

Canadian Afternoon

12 x 12

oil

Thanks for following along!

Canadian Rockies

Out of all my travels I’ve never been to Canada!  So I was very excited to sign up for Fall Color Week put on by Plein Air Magazine.  We all met at Kananaskis Lodge to paint the fall color and ended up with a bonus- snow!

The snow fall came early this year and the combo of color and snow was spectacular.

This is my first ever plein air snow painting!!!

Snow Fall
9x12
oil

It’s hard to describe how majestic and imposing the Canadian Rockies are!

I’ll break this up into a few postings.

Did I mention the wildlife?

Artist's Tip:  For my fair weather friends, if you dress right it's
quite comfortable. I took my Antarctica clothes, but just wore my regular
hiking boots with foot warmers.
It's all about the layers: a Merino wool shirt followed by a inner and outer fleece,
an inner jacket followed by a down jacket.
Two hats, one baseball with a visor and another wool cap on top to keep my ears warm.
I wore three layers on the bottom, long underwear, fleece pants, and a third optional waterproof, windproof pair.  This outer pants have a zipper all the way down  the leg so they are very easy to add if the wind picks up or shed if the sun is out.
Of course there were hand warmers in my gloves and boots.  I wear painting gloves all time but topped them off with finger-less mittens.  I knew finger-less mittens had some sort of purpose and this was it!

Thanks for following along!

Last Day Left

SIZZLING HOT SUMMER SALE

I'm calling it a Hip-ster Celebration and you'll know why by clicking here: 

You'll get all my latest news!

I've put together a summer collection at 30 % off until July 31 only.

Featured paintings:

Quiet Conversation

oil 12x12

Was $1100  Now $770

Buried Treasusre

oil 12x12

sold

Until July 31st

Free shipping USA only.

To purchase click here:

Thanks for following along!

Two Days Left!

SIZZLING HOT SUMMER SALE

I'm calling it a Hip-ster Celebration and you'll know why by clicking here: 

You'll get all my latest news!

I've put together a summer collection at 30 % off until July 31 only.

Featured paintings:

Oleander Lane
oil 9x12
Was $950  Now$ 665

Hill Country Hotel
oil 9x12
Was $950 Now $665

Until July 31st

Free shipping USA only.

To purchase click here:

Thanks for following along!

Sizzling Hot Summer Sale

SIZZLING HOT SUMMER SALE

I'm calling it a Hip-ster Celebration and you'll know why by clicking here: 

You'll get all my latest news!

I've put together a summer collection at 30 % off until July 31 only.

Featured paintings:

Empowered

12 x 12 oil

Was $1100  Now $770

Mending The Nets

12 x 16 oil

Was $1250  Now $875

Until July 31st

Free shipping USA only.

To purchase click here:

Sizzling Summer Sale

That's right it's sizzling hot!

And I'm having a sale.

I'm calling it a Hip-ster Celebration and you'll know why by clicking here: 

You'll get all my latest news!

I've put together a summer collection at 30 % off until July 31 only.

Featured painting:

Bucket List 12 x 12 oil

Was $1100  Now $770

Until July 31st

Free shipping USA only.

To purchase click here:

Cuban Transformers

Cuban Transformers

9x12 oil

plein air

available

Cuba has alot of stuff lying around which is one

of the things I found most appealing.

Of course there was lots of crumbling textures too.

One man's junk.....

Check out my solo show on Cuba below!\

Cuba, Faded Beauty

Solo Show at South Street Art Gallery, Easton. MD

May 1, 2018- May 27th, 2018

PREVIEW THE SHOW HERE

Thanks for following along!

Cuban Mariachi

Cuban Mariachi

9x12

Plein Air Cuba

available

This band was very popular in Old Havana and played

a different restaurants on the square.

I even bought their CD.

Brings back lots of fun memories of our group dancing.

On this day I caught them at a resto with the Capitol building

in the distance.

Check out my solo show on Cuba below!\

Cuba, Faded Beauty

Solo Show at South Street Art Gallery, Easton. MD

May 1, 2018- May 27th, 2018

PREVIEW THE SHOW HERE

Thanks for following along!

Cuba, Plein Air

Painting in Old Havana, Cuba

A couple of years ago I had the pleasure of visiting 

Cuba on an historic painting trip with 100 other painters.

My favorite place to paint by far was Old Havana.

 I haven't even scratched the surface of everything I saw there

that I want to paint.

Check out my solo show on Cuba below!\

Cuba, Faded Beauty

Solo Show at South Street Art Gallery, Easton. MD

May 1, 2018- May 27th, 2018

PREVIEW THE SHOW HERE

This is one of my plein air paintings done on location.

 Cuban Quartet

9x12

available

When you get this I'll be participating in Paint The Town,

held in Marble Falls, TX.

If you're in the area come join the fun.

Check out my painting location by sending me an email!

Schedule of events here:

https://www.hlcarts.com/event/218-paint-the-town/

Thanks for following along.

We're gonna have a good time:)))

PACE18 with Bruce Bingham

Jeanne with faculty hat, Mary and Moi

This is from the day we went to

El Rancho de las Golondrinsa.

Windy is an understatement.

It was a full on dust storm with hats flying and

easels tumbling along like the tumbling tumble weeds.

No kidding.  There were gusts up to 60 mph.

Plus plenty of time to be silly.

Jeanne, Hai Ou and Moi

Winners

All paint and no play makes for a dull day;)

Hate to say goodbye to Sante Fe.  Good times.