Things That Take Me Away From My Studio

"Pond Iris"            oil on copper panel                    6 x 8"

I have a new copper panel ready for painting Plein Air....I want to get out and paint the pond lilies in our field pond,a bigger and deeper pond than the small oil I finished a few days ago.[ "Pond Iris" ] The yellow and white pond lilies in the big pond are in full bloom, reaching for the sun from the depth of the deep dark pond. Nellie and I have been there several times on our walks to check out their growth, but I have yet to get time to go there and actually paint. Maybe over the next few days,if it doesn't rain.

My artwork for Equidae Gallery,Saratoga Springs,NY, has FINALLY left the studio after a snafu on my carrier's part. The show there opens this Thursday, July 22, 2011. I guess my shipping problem is one of the down-sides of living in the woods!

The weather lately has been  very hot by Maine standards My studio is cool in the summer, so Nell and I have been staying in the studio a lot .....so if I do go out to paint, I will leave Nell in the house,sleeping. I think.

Take me!!???

Plein Air Or A Wonderful Afternoon

My Thumb-box that was a gift!

Today is one of those summer days that we, here in Maine, dream about when snow piles up to our windows and frost bites our noses.The day dawned cool and sun filled. A constant breeze blew through the trees and the smell of my roses filled the air. I HAD to paint outside. I do have work that needs to be done in the studio, but this was too good a day to miss. I headed out after lunch. I didn't go far. I sat on my garden bench, by my pool where water trickles over stones and through flowers... and I painted.I painted my "pond" and the water-plants....my Japanese Iris and the rocks. At one point two deer walked through the woods beside me...I yelled at them, as I am sure they were looking over my garden like a smorgasbord meal.

Various bugs also stopped in to check out my progress and approve......

My critic



I used my Guerilla Thumbox and painted in oil on a copper substrate. My thumbox was a gift from good friend and fellow artist Renee Lammers. Renee paints plein air everyday [just about]...and on a day like today, it is easy to explain why. But Renee also paints in the winter when the snow is up to the windows and the frost bites noses!!!! Her work is wonderful!! I have some hanging on our walls. Renee also has got me painting on copper panels.....I love it with oils!!

Here is the painting I did Alla Prima.......in about 2 1/2 hours. I will get a better shot of it later, but I just wanted to share a great day!! As Renee says..."Get out and paint". ;-)



"Japanese Iris"  oil on copper     6 x 8"       copyright 2011 Kathi Peters



Another Gray.....Horse and Day

"Gray Eating Hay"          Casein / ink on board              11 x 14"

After several day where we actually saw sun,we are back into gray spring weather that rains,brings fog and makes the trees blossom ,coloring our views with whiles and pinks. Maybe it is the spring colors that inspired me to depict this gray in a sort of spring like atmosphere....but I did and here it is. "Gray Eating Hay" is offered on my website.

Tilled garden

In spite of rain, the gardening still needs doing and we have tilled the garden  [while the sun shone] and then in the drizzle. I have planted my salad mix and my Cilantro and Basil. The Curly Garlic is growing tall and green. I use the green stocks in cooking and so enjoy them as the grow and show their curly tops. A fun addition to our garden! AND they expand each year! I am going to paint them, probably in oil on copper, when the tops are curling.

 

 

Some Tulips and Dandelions

My tulips are dotting the gardens.....and even the lawn is colorful with yellow dandelions....!!
How I love spring!

Plum trees in blossom

 The Plum trees dance like young ladies in Tu-Tus across our orchard. I need to paint them....I will paint them too.
Lots to do..... and no lack of subject matter without even leaving the farm. If the weather will clear I am going to plein air....right in my back yard at Cob Cottage.







 

Around the Farm

All our equine kids on the farm are well fed and busy these days, keeping the fields mowed. They complain that it is a full time job....and that I should not bother them this summer, as they are far to busy! Our bay Cob mares are the busiest, for sure!

This afternoon I took a walk out to the pond to snap some photos of our pond-lilies that are in bloom.The sun was too bright to get the true color of the lilies, but I so want to paint them and I am thinking this HAS to be done in oil and on copper! It won't be plein air, but close to!!

And then, as I walked back from the pond and the fields, I  saw the hydrangea in full blossom, a delicate blue and begging to be photographed...and should be painted! I know these are not horses, but I just have this need to try everything on copper and in oil!

 But I have been painting too....between the walks....

 "Pokey Pembroke"           5x7"              oil on copper

Today I finished this small oil on copper of our Corgi...this will be added to my website and is available.In the meantime I need to get some caseins done for the September show at Gallery B ,in Lexington, KY. So it is back to the studio for me!

Equine Painting On Copper

Starting the oil with the sketch.

Over the years, I have enjoyed learning to work in new mediums, trying new approaches and learning new skills. I suppose that is why I am enjoying the plein air experience .... but need to keep my eye on my goals....and where I want to go with my artwork.So though I will be trying my hand a plein air on occasion, I will still be painting with my caseins, and watercolors....maybe even a paper-cutting or two. But when I met fellow artist, and now friend, Renee Lammers....and saw her lovely plein air painting on copper, I had to try it...painting with oils on copper. Renee was nice enough to give me a copper panel to try..and try I did. Above is my sketch, with a bit of the painting started before I remembered to photo it for the blog!! The copper panel was easily drawn on with ink magic marker. Great!

So in between working on a commission I am finishing, I went back into the oil painting and started working the magic with oils. The oil on copper certainly gives a different feel than working on canvas or board.There is no drag at all with the paint, which seemed to just slip onto the copper, leaving a bit of copper peeking through, highlighting the scene I was working on. I am liking it. So different from working with casein, which has a drag, a granular pigment throughout the casein emulsion. But I still love my casein!!

"Trot On Cob"    oil on copper       6 x 8"

I am done. One oil on copper under my belt. I don't really know if I am 'hooked' on it...I would paint on copper again...might try a bigger work where I can be more creative. But the truth is that I do like the feel of the oil on copper...and hopefully someone else will like my work on copper too!! 

I am always game to learn something new!

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???