Watching the Sun

 "Watching the Sun"

14 x 18 inches, oil on canvas

Available here

I had a beautiful Fourth of July, painting a model en plein air at Eugene's big summer arts festival. Longtime readers may remember me doing this before - it's become a yearly tradition that I really look forward to! Here is my post from 2013 - and here is last year's.

My painting with the model, basking in the sun:

My friend Heather joined me this year - it's always fun to have company - and someone to help you wrestle around with your umbrella in the wind!

Here's my work-in-progress. I had to get that face in first! You can see me starting to test out my color mixes by smearing them on with a palette knife, over her left shoulder:

I Wish I had Three Arms

 

"A Shady Spot"

14 x 11 inches, oil on canvas

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Not the same blue umbrella, and not the same model, but yes, back-to-back blue umbrella paintings on the blog. It's a July thing.

I was wishing for a third arm to hold an umbrella over me this morning. We're having a hot hot summer in Oregon, and the Monday Painting Ladies were all slathering on the sunscreen / hiding in the shade in Patti's sunny garden. We literally brought out a fan on an extension cord to keep our model from melting. She's made of chocolate, you know.

Have I mentioned how much I love summer? My dance card is full until September, folks. I spent the past week partying with family (which was great), but now there are lots of fun things in store art-wise. So, plan to join me - either literally or online. The highlights include the Oregon Coast Paintout, my August 10th workshop "Painting the Figure en Plein Air" (4 spaces left!), and the Create Eugene Paintout August 21st. I just signed up! So should you.

Art and the Vineyard, my Awesome 4th of July

"The Blue Umbrella"

8 x 8 inches, oil on canvas

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 I had a great Fourth of July! The day began with hugs from my sister-and-brother-in-law who'd snuck into my house after midnight on the 3rd (who's awake to greet guests at such an ungodly hour? Not me.) Next I headed out to my favorite festival of the year, Art and the Vineyard, with my friend and fellow Maude Kerns instructor Farley Craig and a gorgeous model to spend the afternoon painting in the sun. We talked to so many awesome people, and squeezed in a little painting too!

Don't you love my Oregon Art Supply apron? It's new.

To really cap off the day with a bang, we had our closest friends over for a BBQ, and with both of my wonderful sisters-in-law and their husbands visiting this weekend, it was a house full of fun. And I managed to look the other way when the menfolk started blowing things up.