Fireworks No. 2

Oil

16 x 20

Fireworks No. 1

Oil 

36 x 24

Fireworks are an important symbol for our family as we frequently gather on July 4th to rekindle family connections and celebrate the freedoms of living in this wonderful country. I've been pondering a series of fireworks paintings and decided to get started now that summer is over and plein air season is winding down.  I painted two fireworks paintings last winter so I guess those are now prequels to the series.

Prequel No. 1 - The Big Show

Prequel No. 2 - Night Brigade

Japanese Gardens - Carmel, Indiana

Oil

12 x 12

Sold

Painted at the Japanese Gardens south of Carmel City Hall yesterday.  Kept having to scoot back my easel as the sun was chasing me!

Indian Lake Wetlands - Plein Air

Oil 

12 x 12

SOLD

Second painting on Saturday at a quiet and most importantly, cool, spot at Indian Lake in northern Indiana.

Kahn You See the Wolf near the Trees? - Plein Air

Oil

12 x 12

Quick color study at Indian Lake in northern Indiana.  Bob took off in the kayak and said the fishing was good - good day for painting too.

Gros Ventre River Ranch, Moose (Jackson Hole), Wyoming - Plein Air

Aspens

Oil

6 x 6

Gros Ventre River

Oil 6 x 6

I wish I had a close up of this painting location - I stacked firewood on the log bench to support my paint box and painted the upstream view.  

Gros Ventre River Ranch, Moose (Jackson Hole), Wyoming - Plein Air

Tetons

Oil

6 x 6

Painting at the Gros Ventre River Ranch whenever we weren't riding horses.  

Beautiful view of the Tetons from the ranch.

Horse Barn

Oil

6 x 6

I found a creative spot on the fence to hold my paint box.

Holliday Park Ruins - Plein Air

Oil

9 x 12

Painted Tuesday with friends at Holliday Park in Indianapolis, Indiana.  If you've been there, you'll recognize these 'Roman Ruins' built in the 1960's by Indianapolis artist Elmer Taflinger.  The Friends of Holliday Park are currently raising funds to renovate the ruins so they may be enjoyed by park visitors.

Hay Harvest - Plein Air

Oil

9 x 12

SOLD

Painted on Monday with Pam Newell, Kathy Blankenheim and Sylvia Gray in Zionsville.  I'm the tiny dot in the field - looks like I'm standing on Pam's head:)  The tractor showed up to start removing the hay bales just before we finished!

Bazbaux Pizza - Plein Air

Oil

9 x 12

SOLD

I hadn't painted a cityscape in a long time but sure had fun painting this one in the Carmel Arts & Design District earlier this week.

Flyin' High

Oil

9 x 12

SOLD

I love the presence of so many flags flying along the piers at the lake!

Trader's Point Creamery - Zionsville Indiana - Plein Air

Oil

9 x 12

SOLD

Plein air painting The Creamery at Trader's Point - Zionsville, Indiana.  I didn't see any cows on this day but the building by the pond was charming.  Gorgeous summer day. . . 80 degrees and no humidity!

Swing Time - Plein Air

Oil

9 x 12

SOLD

This is my painting from the Zionsville, Indiana Paint Out. Artists could paint historic downtown locations, gardens on the Gardens of Zionsville Tour, or Porsche cars in town for the CruZionsville event.  I chose the gardens of Gary and Marcia Angstadt and focused on the charming playhouse and rope swing area in their lovely backyard.

As a teen, I had a summer job not too far from Zionsville and frequented the Dairy Queen for hot fudge sundaes, my favorite treat at the time.  However, as an adult, I've not spent much time there at all.  Well, that is about to change!  The Village of Zionsville is absolutely charming - filled with shops, art galleries, restaurants and historic buildings all surrounded by beautiful homes and gardens on walkable tree lined streets.  If you haven't visited Zionsville in awhile, or if you've never been there, treat yourself to a sundae at the DQ and a stroll around the village.

Judge Stone House - Plein Air

Oil

9 x 12

SOLD

My second painting last Friday was of the Judge Stone House, one of the buildings on the Nickel Plate Arts campus in Noblesville, Indiana.  I painted from 2:30pm - 5pm across the street from the house and let me tell you it was a challenge getting a photo without cars in it - 8th Street in Noblesville is a busy place!

I was quite honored to receive a Patron Award for my painting!  

White River in Plein Air

      

Oil

16 x 20

SOLD

My first plein air paint out was last Friday with The Gathering, an event sponsored by the Hamilton County Artists Association.  The photo immediately above is my set up - I painted from 8:00 am to 11:00 am along White River near 116th street and then moved up to Noblesville after lunch to complete a second painting.  

This experience really gave me great respect for the plein air painters as it's a challenge to complete a painting on location in a limited amount of time!

Call Me Susan

Oil 

9 x 12

SOLD

Perennial flowers at the Hazel Landing park last summer.  They looked like Brown-eyed Susans to me.

Reflection

Oil

6 x 8

SOLD

A nice little abstract painting with the leftover paints.  I kinda like it!  Perhaps I'll do this more often.

A "Pea Soup" Day

Oil

6 x 8

SOLD

Monday was accompanied by gentle rain and an occasional peak of sun. 

Happy Memorial Day

Oil

6 x 6

Quickly captured the neighbor's boat heading into the dock on Sunday.  A little overcast but still a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.  I greatly appreciate all those who serve, and who have served, our country.

Peter Rabbit in Forest Park

Oil

9 x 12

No you won't see Peter Rabbit in this painting but I assure you of his, or rather their, presence!  I so wish I had a photo of me trying to plein air paint at Forest Park in Noblesville, IN on this day.  Karen Miles, Kristin Whitney and I went there for a peaceful day of plein air painting - listening to the birds, feeling the breeze, and finding inspiration.  We found our spots and began painting.  Fifteen minutes later, several women arrived at a nearby picnic shelter.  Within 30 minutes there were 30 children, ages 3 - 5, and their parents.  The children, all well behaved by the way, swarmed around me on all sides playing tag, kicking balls, and generally having a great time.  Meanwhile, I struggled to focus on my painting and finally gave up.  The painting above is the product of hours painting plein air and one hour of refinement in the studio with a well deserved glass of wine.

The group at the picnic shelter was from the local Peter Rabbit Preschool for their year-end family picnic.  One of the teachers came up to us as we were packing up and shared that the children had been learning about art and artists at the school.  Apparently, it was an art history lesson because one of the children pointed at us and exclaimed, "Look!  Those ladies are artists and they aren't dead!"

Golden Guys, Hats Off, and Little Sunshine

 

Individual 6 x 6 Oil Paintings

Little Sunshine is Sold.  Hats Off and Golden Guys are available.

Ambrosia, Sorbet and Daisy May

          

Individual 6 x 6 Oil Paintings

Ambrosia and Daisy May have new homes.

SOLD

Sorbet is waiting for you!

Painting some small paintings and experimenting with techniques and colors.

Queen and her Court

Oil

12 x 12

SOLD

I'm really enjoying this interpretation of Queen Anne's lace.

Prairie Trace Barn Redux

Oil

16 x 20

There aren't a lot of barns left in Carmel, Indiana.  A small barn still standing is off of River Road near Prairie Trace Elementary; however, a subdivision is going up across the street so I'm sure it's days are numbered.  

Queen Anne's Lace

Oil

9 x 12

NFS

Now I'm caught up with postings!  Painted this floral from photos I took last summer of Queen Anne's Lace along the road next to the field.

Fall Inferno

Oil

16 x 20

Guilty as charged - I've been painting and not posting.  Here's another painting completed within the last month.  Had trouble with the name though.  Naming isn't my favorite part of painting!  Then I looked down at my 'to do' list and saw I'd written down the name of a particularly enjoyable song while painting - 'Disco Inferno' by The Trammps, 1978, and thus the name.