Plein Air Perfect Day!

 

 

It was sunny and 62 degrees today.  Probably about 15 degrees higher than the average March 15th temp here in the Northwoods.  So, we gotta forget the housework and GET OUT THERE on these days!!!  Although colors are a bit drab for early spring, there is plenty of accents of color in the tag alders, evergreens and sedges.  We visited a small creek that used to house a beaver dam, which was very pretty.  Now, below my view in the painting was a small dock and bench—probably used for fishing.

I used something I don’t usually bring out with me…my caran d’ache crayons and a watercolor sketchbook.  This along with a pencil and a couple of water brushes, and I was good to go!  I usually use these crayons for my art journals as they are fun play materials.  I didn’t realize how neat they were and easy to get something down on paper.  They also work very well on top of gessoed paper.  I would like to try it on different substrates to see how it will work.  Kraft paper, watercolor board will be on my “things to try” list. 

 

Hope everyone else can get out there and grab some sun shine!  Guess I’d better get the kitchen cleaned up now!    

Last Chance at Snow…

 

 

For Northeast Wisconsin, 40 degree days in early March is usually a dream.  We usually have snow through mid-April, but this year, our February has been very mild.  The chipmunks are already on the move, the raccoons are busy raiding bird feeders, and bears are not far behind.  We still have about 9 inches of snow on the ground, but some places have none.  I wanted to take advantage of  our first 50 degree day since last fall, and the beautiful sun shine.   I grabbed my watercolors, moleskine and went out and did a little watercolor of a horse trail on the ranch property.  Sure was nice getting out….being in the sun and not being very cold!   I used my Niji waterbrush, my Koi 24 color travel set on the large watercolor moleskine—which is almost completed!  Get ready for Spring!  It’s almost here! 

Organizing My Stuff….

Last weekend I got my art studio cleaned up, getting things ready for plein air season. I am also done with my accounting projects for year end, and it was due time to do some art. In fact, I HAD to do some art!

The photo above shows the various (and not all!) of my water color palettes I have collected through the years. They represent some palettes that instructors have suggested, smaller palettes to work outside, larger palettes for larger pieces, different palettes for different colors…etc, etc., etc.

My point in this is….USE YOUR ART SUPPLIES…do NOT save them until you are better, have more time, save the colors until you come across the perfect picture to use them in….what ever. In my past, I had to think about whether I could afford the latest Artist’s Magazine--I wonder if that has anything to do with it....hmmm. Anyway....

Use your supplies, for you will only get better if you DO art…not buy art supplies! I had to throw all these wonderful pens away too…for I didn’t use them. I hoarded them, treated them as precious jewels, waiting for that perfect art project in which to use them. Now, they are garbage.

American Ruins

Finally got a chance to get out and do some plein air last weekend! I am an accountant in my daily life, so the past couple of months have been pretty hectic for me. Last weekend I designated it, “Art Weekend” and took off work for a 4 day weekend! This little sketch was done in Porterfield, Wisconsin—it was part of a pig farm—with the pig shelter to the left, the silo with food to the right..farther to the right, which I left out, was an old three story, brick smoker. I loved the gray colors and the dark red of the brush. Snow is beginning to melt here—so there was plenty of brush of different colors to paint. This was done in my watercolor moleskine, which is almost filled! I used my Koi Travel Kit along with a Niji waterbrush. The kit was really nice, love the colors it has!

Blogging note: I apologize for no blogs for awhile. I have gotten a new computer with Windows 7, so it took me awhile to move everything and learn the new system, which is really nice! I will try and be more consistent in my blogs! I promise!

Miles of Summer/Cool Link!

I have to apologize for my absence on this blog! We have been busy combing the countryside (at least in Wisconsin) to catch up on all the places we missed while Bob couldn't leave the house for the past three years. We painted, and explored, visited family, bookstores, neat little shops, museums, a state fair, and state parks! We put on 15,000 miles on our new van since last March..and we are in for the winter--more or less. The snow plowing services are weak here in the Northwoods, so it's best just to stay inside and work on studio paintings!

I will have plenty of paintings to show you when I get my photos taken and downloaded. I plan on doing that this weekend. In the meantime, please check out this WONDERFUL link--direct to the master of plein air--Vincent Van Gogh! The museum of his name has put out there a wonderful section to letters of his, transcribed into English and annotated! Also included are his wonderful sketches he wrote into his letters. The English version shows up next to his original letter--it is amazing to view his handwriting and little sketches! If you have piles of money to spend, ($600+) you can order the complete set direct from the museum. I will be viewing them on the website, unfortunately....but this would be an AWESOME gift for the Van Gogh Lover in your family! Here is the link--ENJOY!

http://vangoghletters.org/vg/letters.html

Also, if you have an IPOD, there is an App for viewing Vincent's letters-here is the title: Yours, Vincent, The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh, I'm downloading it as I write this. Very cool!

Why I Paint.....

Baling time -- Watercolor in Moleskine w/c journal

An artist friend of mine is having a plein air paint out this weekend in Central Wisconsin. She wrote me today to ask me if she could use something I wrote a few years ago to our painting group. I was trying to encourage others who haven't painted outside their studios to try something different. She kept my letter all this time. I had forgotten I wrote it! But, it about sums it up on how I feel about painting plein air, so I thought I would share it. If anyone is in the Central Wisconsin Area and would like to join us, please follow this link:

http://barnardstudio.wordpress.com

Plein Thoughts--
Plein air painting can be challenging. Not only do you have to have
your studio with you, you have to be aware of weather
conditions..and try and plan for them...with clothes, places to
paint, etc. Sometimes all you can paint is through your front room
window! The light changes...people move in front of your
subjects...rain/snow/sleet/hail happens.

Some of you don't have much experience in plein air painting. That
is ok. Experience will help you in what to bring along. I am no
expert...in my medium or in painting. But, I am a lover of plein
air painting. I feel there is nothing like it. You are IN the
landscape...you FEEL the wind and sun on your face...you HEAR the
birds...rain...children learning to fish....you SMELL the flowers
and the foliage. You SEE the rich colors of the landscape...in a
way that can't be duplicated in a photo. The nuances of light on a
pond or stream, the cloud formations. They are ALL 100% real! Talk
about a REALITY SHOW!! We ARE IN IT!!

No matter if you feel that you did well or poorly at your
painting...you learned something..experienced something...that will
help you in all your art. To push yourself is to grow...and to grow
as an artist...will help you in your studio work...no matter if you
paint flowers or people...it's ALL good! Some people throw out
their "failures" some people save them and record their efforts to
see how they have progressed in 10 paintings...100 paintings. I
like to keep mine...and not fuss with them much after I get them
home...no matter if they are mud...or wonderful....they are an
effort...my best at the time...of what was in front of me...of what
I experienced.

Vincent was driven to paint...lighting candles on top of his
hat...painting in severe weather--local and professional
ridicule...he was driven to paint what inspired him. Monet painted
plein air as his sight was failing and painted in severe
conditions. He actually BUILT his garden to paint it! Renoir had
his assistants belt his brushes around his wrists so he could paint
as his hands were crippled with arthritis.

We paint light..we paint life.

Sorry for going on and on...painting plein air is a subject I am
very passionate about!

Nancy Patterson

Northwoods Plein Air Painters

Hope all my readers get out there an experience this wonderful feeling! Thank you for reading and visiting my blog.

A Decade of Ups, Downs, but most of all Love

Henes Park, MI watercolor in moleskine



Paine Art Center gardens





I met the love of my life 10 years ago...it was so very lucky that I let myself love him, after being in a terrible marriage many years before. He was my "one more chance". We came together with similar passions--his photography, mine painting. But we both loved the outdoors and nature. He came from background of Boy Scouts and camping, hunting and fishing. I came from the background of loving the beauty of nature and trying to reflect it in my art and life.

For our anniversary last weekend, we spent the weekend doing the things we loved. He took me to the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh, WI for a photography exhibit as well as to see the beautiful gardens. Our first year, he gave me a dozen roses....this year, he gave me acres of flowers! Here are a few pictures of the beautiful grounds.

I wanted to paint...had my watercolors with me, but we didn't have much time, for they closed at 4pm...but I took HUNDREDS of pictures..and want to go back to paint en plein aire!

The next day we went to a local park, doing what we started out doing...going out to find beautiful places, and he explored with his camera, and I with my paints. He took me to Henes Park in Menominee, MI--the UP close to our county and right on Lake MI. We saw pelicans and many birds either nesting or fledging their young. I painted three little sketches that day.

It was a great weekend! Happy Anniversary Baby!