Day 14 - Springdell Road

 Today's post is the other half of the diptych I painted deep in Chester County horse country. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I sometimes will put 2 panels up on my easel and paint them more or less simultaneously.  Those 2 paintings form a natural diptych as the palette, lighting and atmosphere are all the same.  I'll call this one Springdell Road, the name of the road just out of view in the foreground.

For fun, I did some photoshopping to see how the 2 paintings look together and framed and all sorts of ways.  Scroll down if you want to see too :)

Springdell Road, oil on panel, 8"x8", email me with interest

Day 12 - Along the Brandywine Creek; Shaw's Bridge Park

 It's day 12 of this extra fun painting challenge and unfortunately I did not have the chance to paint yesterday (I have been ahead by a day or 2 so far, but with commissions and a visit to the surgery center yesterday, I've got some catching up to do..)  

Anyway, this painting is one I painted Plein Air a few weeks back along the Brandywine Creek in Chester County.  I found this very cool little park called Shaw's Bridge Park with beautiful trails, great views and amazing rock out croppings. I wish I knew what kind of rocks they are as they are quite unique.. kind of like Mica, but a studier structure - less flaky.  Just beautiful though. The trails through the park are just as stunning as the views of the creek so, needless to say, it was a day spent in near paradise.

I was attracted to this scene because of the abstract design.  The way the sky was reflecting in the water, patterns of reflections from the trees and that bird-like outcropping on the right.. all together posed a real challenge to me.  Plein air painting is a time for me is much more intense than studio painting and sometimes it feels like I am actually creating new synapses.  But, like yoga, after a day of painting outside from life, I always feel at peace and with a heightened sense of joy and some new nuggets of knowledge picked up from the experience. Here is my experiment from the day along with some pics of the beautiful areal. Enjoy!

Oh, and do scroll to the bottom to see a woman about to be beamed up on the trail... proof of aliens?

Along the Brandywine; Shaw's Bridge Park, 9"x12", oil on panel

contact me with interest here

Crab Crazy!

I painted this painting for the Plein Air West Reading event that I took part in last week. Happily, it sold to a wonderful and kind woman named Liz, who lives in Providence, RI.  I wanted to share the beautiful story she related to me about why she purchased it.

Crab Crazy, oil, 12x12, sold

Liz grew up in Exeter, Pa, and graduated from Exeter HS in 1979.  She now lives in Rhode Island, but still frequently comes down to PA to visit her mom and dad.  She told me that they are getting older, and it occurred to her that there is going to be a time when they sadly are not going to be around anymore.  Consequently, there won't really be a reason for her to come back to this area to visit....  She wanted a way to capture the memories of this area... memories of her childhood and growing up, and memories that she is creating now when she comes to visit.  She told me that photographs are ok.  But, they really don't capture the spirit of an area the way she would like.  However, she feels that paintings do... About a year ago, she actively began seeking out artwork that depicted scenes of Berks county, Exeter township and the surrounding areas.  In her words, she told me that she began "collecting memories".  My painting is a memory for her that she and her father have recently been creating.  Every time she comes down to visit, she will call her dad, and he asks her what she wants him to order from Crab Crazy so that a meal will be waiting for her when she arrives.  When she saw my painting, she knew it was a memory she wanted to keep forever.  I am so honored and happy that my artwork will take a place in her home to help her keep her memories alive.  It gives me joy to know that fine art plays such an important role in people's lives and to know that I play a little part in this. Thank you Liz! <3 :)  

Day 9 - Pagoda Hills Vineyard

I am so lucky to live in the beautifully diverse countryside of South Eastern PA.  Close by my house is a vineyard that welcomed me and my painting buddy, Russ out to plein air paint the other day.  It was a hot day.. what you might call indian Summer, with crickets singing away and butterflies visiting the late season flowers all around.  I was taken by the lane that led down to the barns and the big old tree that we found out was unfortunately having termite problems and may not make it much longer.  Anyways, I am not an expert plein air painter... it is something that really challenges me and seriously wears me out by the end of it.  But I'm always ready for another excursion.  Painting out of doors is just the best experience.  Technically a landscape, the little person walking with the dog (look close... he's there...) makes it semi-figurative so I get a pass today!

Pagoda HIlls Vineyard, oil, 11"x14",
to purchase, please click here