Nocturnal Plein Air

Nocturnal Chimes 9x12 pastel available $25.00

I was disappointed yesterday that I wasn't able to meet up with the plein air group, but that didn't stop me from heading out into the yard to paint in the dark.  I bought a head lamp just for this type of occasion. I set up right before the sun went down - this was the scene I chose.

I just bought this wind chime from Tractor Supply (great mark downs)  which also doubles as a solar light.  I was excited to try painting on sand paper and I just so happened to have a pack of black - perfect for painting at night. 

I did a quick sketch with a light green Nu Pastel and then sat back and waited for the sun to set. I realized once the sky was dark that most of what I sketched in could no longer be seen - one of the hardest things about this particular painting was to cover up the green that on one hand I didn't need because some of the objects couldn't been seen anymore and on the other hand, this green was way too light to use on a dark painting.  So lesson learned for the next time, but it really is amazing how this painting glows to see it in person. 

Tonight I plan to finish a painting of a spring house and on my agenda for tomorrow is a water scene.  I've made a list of things I'd like to become proficient at painting, and I've started to just go down the list in order as sort of a challenge for the day. Here's what my list looks like:

1.  landscape

2.  animal

3.  figure

4.  still life

5.  structure/building

6.  plein air

7.  waterscape

8.  interior

I'm sure I've left something out and will add more ideas as they come to me.  If you have any ideas of things to add to the list, I'd love to hear them. 

Spying on my Neighbor

At First Light 9x12 pastel available $50.00

I really hope my neighbor doesn't mind ending up in a painting.  I've always wanted to do a painting of him as he works his fields and on this day, the sun was shining so amazingly beautiful against the dark tractor.  So I put it to paper.  I tried to stay loose and not be bogged down with detail.  The morning mist was rising just off in the distance. 

Today is plein air day - I had to work late so I wasn't able to join the rest of the group so I'm setting up in the yard to do a nocturnal plein air.  I read a post from an artist on Instagram on how she uses regular sand paper - I just so happen to have a pack of BLACK sand paper - so guess what I'm doing this evening?  Check in tomorrow to see the results.  I'm really excited to try this out - - I went out and set up and did a quick sketch - now I'm just waiting for the sun to fully set to begin.  It's almost time..... tick.....tick.....tick

Old World Flavor

Old World Flavor 9x12 pastel available $60.00

I love love love all things old world style.  The textures and colors are amazing to me, and when I came across this reference photo on Wet Canvas, I just had to give it a go.  I decided to use Canson Mi-Teintes pastel paper because I wanted the color of the paper to show through.  I started out with the full intention of NOT blending anything but to use only the pastels - this idea worked fine for me until I got to the apples.  I am a habitual blender and I just couldn't get the apples to look smooth enough without blending - so I ended up failing my personal challenge for this painting. And in the end, I am very happy with how the painting turned out.  I will give it another try in the near future to NOT blend, but I'm not promising anything - I know how I am.

Today I dropped off the 2 paintings I completed for entry into the Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay show being held at Candleberry Gallery in St. Michaels, Md.  The show officially starts this coming Saturday - I'm crossing fingers that they sell. I've become used to selling paintings unframed thus far so when it's called to have something framed, I always go into a shock.  The price of framing is crazy!  I thought I'd save a bit by framing myself............wrong.  The mat was $31.00 alone not to mention the frame on top of that.  If any of you seasoned artists have cost cutting ideas to framing I'd love to hear them.  I wish I had taken a picture of them framed to share on the blog, but alas I didn't.  I will take some pictures at the opening reception - they really turned out great.  Frames and mats are expensive, but they really can make a painting pop. 

Heading back to the easel now to work on my next challenge - I've not painted any type of buildings that I can remember, so that's what I'm beginning this evening. Until tomorrow...... Have a great night!Old World Flavor 9x12 pastel available $60.00

Studio Sale!

Sandy's Passion  9x12  Pastel

I love creating art and have been painting daily for this past year ~ that's a lot of paintings! I'm running out of storage space and have decided to have a studio sale.  All paintings listed on my Etsy store have been reduced in price - some of them are now more than 1/2 off.  Here's the link - I invite you to take a look.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/WendyJohnstonFineArt?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

I finished the painting shown above as a gift for one of my special customers from my day job that just lost someone dear to her.  The lady that passed away was named Sandy, and Sandy had a very special gift for creating gardens.  I had the priviledge to visit her gardens a short time ago and was awe struck to say the least.  Sandy was also one of my very special customers - someone that always inspired you to be a better version of yourself.  I will miss her dearly.  This painting is of one of her many bird houses found in one of her gardens. 

"Weeds" can be Beautiful

Here is my 3rd entry for the PAPCB gallery show and I think it's my favorite so far.  This one kind of took on a life of it's own and practically painted itself. I love the dreamy feel that comes across.  This was painted from a patch of "weeds" / wild flowers that's growing up and around my mailbox.  Queen anne's lace are so beautiful and deserved to take center stage.  Here and there I've been trying to teach myself about wild plants and flowers and their medicinal uses - I found some very interesting information about Queen Anne's Lace on the edible wildfood website and thought I'd share it with you.

Queen Anne’s lace earned its common name from a legend that tells of Queen Anne of England (1665-1714) pricking her finger and a drop of blood landed on white lace she was sewing. Belonging to the carrot family, Queen Anne’s lace is a biennial that is also known as wild carrot. Early Europeans cultivated Queen Anne’s lace, and the Romans ate it as a vegetable. American colonists boiled the taproots, sometimes in wine as a treat. Interestingly, Queen Anne’s lace is high in sugar (second only to the beet among root vegetables) and sometimes it was used among the Irish, Hindus and Jews to sweeten puddings and other foods.

- click to play video -

Distinguishing Features: The Queen Anne's lace flower resembles lace, and oftentimes the flower has a solitary purple dot in the centre. In addition the root smells like carrots!

Flowers: Queen Anne’s lace flowers have a flat-topped white umbel, sometimes with a solitary purple flower in the center. These flowers bloom from late spring until mid-fall. Each flower cluster is made up of numerous tiny white flowers. The flower cluster start out curled up and opens to allow pollination. The cluster then rolls itself shut again, like a reverse umbrella when it goes to seed at the end of the season.

Fields of Nutrition has medicinal benefits and vitamin/mineral content of Queen Annes Lace.

Leaves: Feathery leaves resemble those of the domestic carrot. The bases of leafstalks are broad and flat. Queen Anne’s lace leaves also closely resemble the leaves of the poison hemlock, fool’s parsley and water hemlocks, all poisonous cousins of Queen Anne’s lace.

Height: Wild carrot can grow tall, most average about 1 metre tall.

Habitat: Queen Anne’s lace is found in fields, meadows, waste areas, roadsides and disturbed habitats. They are very hardy and thrive in a dry environment.

Edible parts: Using first year Queen Anne’s lace plants are recommended. Roots are long, pale, woody, and are finger-thin and are used in soups, stews and in making tea. First year leaves can be chopped and tossed into a salad. Flower clusters can be ‘french-fried’ or fresh flowers can be tossed into a salad. The aromatic seed is used as a flavoring in stews and soups.

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Only 10 more days until the gallery show at Candleberry Gallery in St. Michaels.  Opening reception is July 1st 1-3.  I'm so very excited and thrilled for the opportunity and pray that one of my entries finds a home. :)

Another Plein Air

Natures Resolve 12x18 pastel  SOLD

I absolutely love my peony bush!  The flowers get so huge and smell so so good ~ I wanted to capture this one on paper before all the petals were gone.  This is my second entry into the Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay gallery show at Candleberry Gallery in St. Michaels Md.  The show will run the month of July ~ so if you're in the area I recommend you take time out from sight seeing and stop in to see the amazing talent found in this group.  All the paintings in the show will be framed and for sale. 

Practice Practice Practice\No Name Monday

I've been super busy practicing the art of plein air painting.  I have a gallery show coming up the month of July at Candleberry Gallery located in St. Michaels Md. along with the other members of the Plein Air Painters of the Chesapeake Bay.  Truth be told, I'm still new at plein air painting and really need to work on techniques to help me out.  Standing out in the expanse of nature is a bit overwhelming when trying to single out a scene to paint. What to leave in and what to leave out - so I've devised a "help" for myself.  Using my cell phone I photograph what I think will make a nice painting, then I draw the composition from that photo.  This helps me narrow in on just what to concentrate on with out all the other distractions that come with outdoor painting. After I think I'm finished, I put it on the easel where I can evaluate and make changes.  For this painting, I added the orange and blue accents to give it a little POP after it was up on the easel.  I will post the other completed paintings in the next couple of days. 

I have not named this painting yet -I was sitting at my picnic table and really had planned on painting the flowers upright, but it  was so windy and they kept blowing over so I just left them down. Need help from all my creative minded friends out there to help me come up with a name ~ even I am stumped with this one, and want an extra special title since it will be showing in the gallery. 

No Name Monday

Backroad Paradise 9x6 pastel available $15.00

Last weekend I went camping with the family to Elysburg, Pa.  I had planned on completing a painting every day, but the weather was not cooperating. It was rainy and a bit on the chilly side but I did manage to complete 1 painting.  Of course the fun really started when we got home from camping and I found the hot water tank had unloaded EVERY WHERE! This week has been a mess of pulling up floors (which were only one year old) and trying to dry everything out.  I have "stuff" just pulled out and in the way - a complete mess so too much kaos to get the painting supplies out.  I'm going to try to clear a space today and try to work in between everything else.  On the bright side of things, the Art Academy of Easton where I attend classes held an outdoor studio sale this past Sat. and I sold two paintings!  That was exciting and I was very thankful for being able to take part in the event.  There were so very many talented artists ! Here's a couple of pictures of that event.

The bottom picture is my table with my son Zach - he was an awesome salesperson! and helper.  I had designed an entirely different table with a large board and silk flowers to decorate, but it was so windy that everything kept blowing over so we had to lay the paintings flat.  We learned a lot from this experience and will use that knowledge for the next sale.  I really enjoyed meeting and talking with the shoppers and appreciated all the wonderful comments on my work.