Plein Air With A Friend

 We had a plan. Renee Lammers and I met at a local farm to paint together. When I arrived Renee was there before me and already into her paint. It was such a beautiful day out...very bright and very windy. But we were able to find a spot out of the wind, protected by the house and barn behind us. We choice different angles to approach our paintings from... of the farm's chicken house. The local hen-ladies pecked and scratched around us...and gave their approval of our work! A resident kitten was fascinated with my pens as I sketched my paper..and kept leaping into my lap singing a spring song and waiting my full attention! My finished work has muddy kitten paw prints added into the mixed media!!

I started out working on a pen and ink sketch, and then thought I would like to add some color....it was a good thought, but not very well thought out, as I had drawn on drawing paper and so my finished painting is a bit buckled...but I had fun! ...got out into the fresh air and sun....and got wind burnt!! Renee is determined she will make a plein air painter out of me yet!

"The Hen's House"  watercolor and pen and muddy paw prints   8 x11"

Renee's oil came out a lot better than mine! No cat paws included.

Renee's oil, above.... with the sun kind of bouncing off it in this shot. 

Check her blog to get a better shot of the finished product!!

Okay, Renee....where are we going tomorrow???

Spring Brights Around The Cottage

Muscari and stones      4/26/2010

 Bright splashes of color are appearing all around the cottage gardens.When the sun shines they sparkle. When it  is gray and over cast out [as it often is in spring] the colors still sing and invite a walk around the garden paths...even in the rain.So I am enticed out of the studio more often and that means less studio time.But I am still slugging away at commission work and some originals.I am not a fast painter.I have to 'think' a lot. Maybe that means that I am really not cut out to be a plein air painter.....but my artist-friend Renee Lammers is bound and determined to get me out and painting plein air.We shall see! I do have commitments for works for fall shows...and those paintings must come first. In between I will venture forth with Renee on occasion. But truth be known, I could also just sit on my own farm and paint forever.....especially now that spring has sprung!

My studio is so cozy now...especially with it's bright spring colored file

cabinet...I love working in it!

But the orchard is in bloom.The water trickles from our garden pond through the pond plants.......and evening shadows stretch across the lawn and fields, blue and cool.

Life is good on Cob Cottage Farm this spring!

There are paintings to be done...

inside and out!!

New Painting Done In The Spring

"A Winter's Day"       casein on board      12 x 12"

I know it spring here on the farm, but I have just finished this painting of a cob on a cold snowy winter's day. This is our chubby little princess 'Maggie'  [pictured above] and her ever present pile of hay. The girl lacks for nothing...except maybe a bit of work! This painting will be able through my website.

Today the mail brought me notification that two of my paintings have been accepted into the New Jersey Equine Artists' Associations "Art Of The Horse 2010" exhibit which will be hanging at the Somerset Art Association in Bedminster, NJ. The show opens My 20th and runs until June 20th. I hope that you can get a  chance to see the works there...some of the best equine art work around!!This show is only a short distance from the USET headquarters in Gladstone.A perfect location for an art-show featuring the horse!! One of the paintings is also a winter scene...and a Welsh Pony too.....

"First Snow -Revisited"        mixed media       8 x 10"

This fellow was our granddaughter's first pony.His name "Frolic". Old Frolly won the hearts of many young girls...and elder women too! One of those once in a life time treasures of a horse!

Some other news  [Things are happening at Cob Cottage Studio!!] is that  my watercolor titled "Hello"  has been chosen to grace the May cover of Equine Marketer magazine ! This is the second time this publicatio has asked for use of my work for cover art. I am very honored to do so again!

So now back to the studio. I am working on a hunter jumper painting..almost done, this is a 40 x 30" canvas work......and I am still working on a figurative commission.....that also is almost done.

But first the dogs need walking...

Nell is getting ready to get up from her nap! 

"Rough Life For Nell"        @kathipeters 2010

A New Belgian Painting And More

As I sit at my drawing board now I can not only look up and see my back gardens..but I can also look up and see my purple orchid sitting on the window sill. And not only am I happy in the new studio space, but I am joined by my orchid that is so happy it is blossoming and throwing out new buds. The casein on the drawing board is done...two big Belgians....I loved the lighting and shadows in this piece and the tails swishing. It was one of those painting that 'painted it's self". I love it when that happens. I will be putting up on my website.

With my mulch spread, and with the lovely spring weather we have been having, we got the veggie garden tilled and ready to start some seeds in....lettuce and spinach..the curly garlic are already up and green! I so enjoy having the gardens to work in...a quick break from painting and easily accessible now. Gardening is good exercise...stretching and bending!  The pups are loving the gardening time too. An excuse for playtime outside! 

And basking in the spring sunshine...the two black geldings.........muddy black Tennessee Walkers....we are ALL enjoying the coming of spring on the farm. Winters last a long time in Maine.

Thinking About Painting On Copper

  

Yesterday was a day of learning for me..and a day of a bit of enlightenment. A fellow artist and a very interesting lady, Renee Lammers came to our farm to paint our fields, barn and horses.....and tucked into her plein air bag of tricks were not only her oils, brushes, sun umbrella, and wet painting carrier box, but also panels of copper. Yes, copper metal...Renee paints with oil on copper plates and does wonderful plein air works that need looking at! Like a impressionist Mary Poppins, she dropped her bag on our back deck,set up her pochade and panel and went to work. She says she loves having someone watch her paint...so that is just what I did. We talked, she painted and I learned. The afternoon flew by quickly, even though she was interrupted several times by a certain JRT who wanted her [or any one's] attention.

I have been wanting to try plein air painting, as I usually work exclusively in my studio space....and it was great to see Renee in action, see her set up and talk with her about why she chooses to stick with plein air work. Renee travels all over Maine and beyond to paint.

She is a great teacher, easy to talk to and she explains her why and wherefores so well. Even I could understand, and must admit I am taken with the idea of stepping out of my 'comfort zone' more and go plein air ...even if only for a change. You know to wake up the old brain cells!!

So if you want to see what Renee painted... go to her blog and see her work...and her take on our day! I know Renee and I will be painting together in the future....and I want to learn more about her 'bag of tricks!!


Tell her I sent you!! ;-)

My Studio Space NOW

With three windows looking out onto my back garden, my new studio now affords me new views to distract me. I even placed my drawing board in front of one window to take advantage of the natural light and in the summer the fresh air! The door opens onto the back patio and a space where I can paint or draw out of the sun during warmer weather.A hop skip and jump outside the studio,birds sing,the brook bubbles and life on the farm goes on!

The back wall will contain my work tables,

room for my easel and also a wall space where I can actually hang a canvas that is too big for the easel!! Now I can really rock and roll [and not hit my head!] The black cupboard that houses my papers and supplies is now easy to get to ....without having to move furniture around to open the cupboard doors! I have paintings piled in the right corner of the room now, but that corner will soon be home to the flat-file [still needs painting ] and above that my small drawers that house all my paints [oil,casein,acrylic,tempera].

My charcoal and watercolors are housed in my taboret....and my pastels will soon be all spread out in a type-set drawer that I have....easy to grab and see the colors.The type-set drawer used to hang on the wall with nick nac's displayed in it....something to dust! Not anymore!

The wall that I am not showing here now, has the spiral staircase against it in one corner and will also be fitted with shelves where I can store finished unframed work and canvas to be used. Let me tell you....this has all been a dream for a long time.......... So see?!!! Dreams do come true!!! ;-)

Another Gray From The Series

"Shade Of Gray" #4"   casein on paper     9 x 12"

Morning found me shipping works out to a new show in Kentucky...and then down to the studio I went. The weather was sunny, warm and inviting, but I kept focused and finished the above casein from the series of gray horses I am doing now....and also I worked on getting closer to finishing a commission portrait of some young men. I was able to open the back door in the studio,  to feel the warm and fresh air streaming in..and the two pups stayed with me as I worked. This new studio space is turning out to be an awesome place for me to work in! I can just step out the door and am in my back gardens, looking down to the barn, the horses and the fields beyond! Granted I am still working with piles of art supplies and boxes that have not been sorted or put away....but the space still works! YAY!

Outside the trees are quickly budding and my forsythia is in blossom....the 'daffies' are dancing in yellow and pink and purple crocus have popped up here and there throughout my gardens. The glory of spring...the promise of green.....it is a wonder I get anything done in the studio and not be out fiddling in the gardens!