25 & 26 (30 in 30 Challenge) - Two studies from the interesection of Cary and Sheppard Street, RVA

Study of the Byrd, Afternoon light

5x7, oil

 "Don't Walk"
6x8, oil

24 (30 in 30 Challenge) "Strawberry Moon" grows up

This one I completed the week we returned from the beach. It was an enlargement of "Strawberry Moon" painted on location of the full moon on June 14th.

Strawberry Moon

16x20, oil

23 (30 in 30 Challenge) - Train tracks

All I have for you is a poor-quality camera phone photo. I wasn't able to finish this one. Trains kept coming by and blocking my view. Can't complain though. It was such a fun spot to paint and the wind generated by the train cars was very welcome.

22 (30 in 30 Challenge) "Azaleas in Bloom" 18x24

You may remember this post from the end of May. Well, several more hours (most of which were spent on those windows) and it's complete. I dropped it off at it's new home and the couple was thrilled. (And it made the artist feel great.)

I began the painting before the start of the 30 in 30, but it was completed during the challenge, so I'm counting it! Hope that's ok with you.

Azaleas in Bloom

18x24, oil

If you're interested in the last few step-by-step photos of the creation of this house portrait, here ya go:

(See Part #1 here)

 

How does the saying go? "Happy collector, happy artist"? Eh, not quite. Nor does it rhyme, but that's ok. It's true.

21 (30 in 30 Challenge) - How about the cutest house ever

 

Cutest House Ever

6x8, oil

This one was another commission.

Love these little house portraits.

16 -18 (30 in 30 Challenge) - "Rolling Past", "Up the Beach" and "Down the Beach"

Ok. Back up. Here are a few more from the beach trip.

 Rolling Past

4x4, oil

Up the Beach

4x4, oil

Down the Beach

6x6, oil

19 and 20 (30 in 30 Challenge) - Two Snippets... that are out of order

These paintings were commissioned by friends and will end up as a gifts to their respective special someones. I've got no plans to ruin any surprises around here (but still gotta get credit for the 30 in 30), so you internet folks get to see a cropping of the painting.

The one on the left is from the final painting, the one on the right is a cropping of the small study I did leading up to the larger/final painting.

Full size will be posted at a later date.

Day 14 and 15 (30 in 30) "A Proclamation" and "Strawberry Moon"

I woke up to watch the sunrise the day we were to drive back to Richmond. The clouds to the east were fairly dense, but the sky to the west was clearer and there was that big full moon -- June's Strawberry Moon.

Strawberry Moon

6x8, oil

This one was another sunrise, I didn't make it out to the beach until the sun had already risen. I named this one "A Proclamation" because Psalm 19:1 says:

The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

This sky took me around 1 hour to put down on canvas. And it was hard work. This same sky, changing every instant, God spoke into being. And every second it was a new formation and new declaration of His majesty. And a different one from every beach in the world, every day of the year. Can a craftsman make something more intricate or grander than himself? No. How glorious must this Maker be...

 

A Proclamation

6x8, oil

Day 13 (30 in 30 Challenge) - Bikes!

 

Here's the crew part-way through one of our many bike rides in Nags Head last week.

 You should have seen Tom's pick up truck overflowing with 5 bikes, 2 wind surf boards, 4 kite boards, several kites for kiteboarding. He was a real chum to bring the bikes so we didn't have to rent them. Anyway... after a 13 or so mile ride I set up my easel on the back deck and made this little "guy":

 

 5x7, oil

This was my view. The shadows changed a bit, but you can see the overlapping shapes of those tires that I was trying to get "right". Fun little piece.

Day 12 (30 in 30) Perry's Kite, 9x12

 Spent last week in the Outer Banks with my husband and family. I managed 12 small paintings between the bike rides, family meals and time on the beach or pool. The views were gorgeous, weather was fantastic, skies so pretty and blue!

 

This was my view of sound from near Miller's Waterfront Restaurant in Nags Head.

My brother and his friends spent a couple hours kiteboarding while I painted. The wind was gusting 20 mph or so. Great for kiting, not ideal for painting. Felt pretty sea sick by the completion. I moved my easel set up around the corner of a building to make the final touches -- still gusty, but a little milder.

  

 9x12, oil

 I think i'll call it "Perry's Kite". His was the orange and white one closest to the center of the painting.

After finishing up I snapped a few photos of my bro, Tom, enjoying the wind.

Days Seven through Eleven (30 in 30)

 My brother told me to use the biggest brush. 

 

Prob would call this one Gusting 20 mph.

 

Day Five and Six (30 in 30)

 

Might call this one "Under the Bridge"

6x8, oil

 

Possibly "Shady Spot" or "Low Hanging Limbs"

7x9, oil 

 

Day Three and Four (30 in 30)

8x8, oil

Another quickie in the yard. 7:15-8 or so AM. 

Another reason I have mosquito bites to add to my chiggers and poison ivy.

Please forgive the photo quality. 

9x12, oil

Started on location and finished up in the studio.

Tuckahoe Plantation.

Day Two (30 in 30 Challenge) - One from the yard

Our Magnolia

8x10, oil

This might sound strange. I've never really had a dream house. Never really had a dream car. But I have dream trees. Yes. trees. Trees I hoped to have in my yard one day. Here they are:

1. Japanese Maple

2. Weeping Willow

3. Magnolia

Guess what trees happen to be planted in our new yard. 

Yes, not one but three Japanese Maples.

Yes, a Magnolia. A baby, but a magnolia nonetheless.

My sweet husband did some research on Weeping Willows and found that their roots can be damaging to pipes, foundations, concrete ditches, etc. He came up with a beautiful Weeping Cherry as an alternative and planted one next to our pond. 

All my dream trees. What more could a girl want? :)

Day One (30 in 30 Challenge) - What not to do.

 

On Monday I packed up my gear for a little painting at Sunday Park. Counting this as day one of the 30 in 30 Challenge. I don't know how I'll do blogging each day of the challenge. Today I want to pass along a few "What Not To Do's". If you're a plein air painter already I am sure you know these. Even if don't paint plein air these are probably common sense to you. I tend to forget all I've learned when I'm racing against the clock/moving sun. It's really pathetic sometimes.

So these are more of a "note to self" reminder.

What not to do when painting outdoors:

1. Do not set up your easel so your painting is in the shade and your palette is in the sun. (See photo above.)

2. Do not pick a spot where you can't back up from your painting (without falling in the lake).

3. Do not "chase the light", i.e. change the painting with each degree that the sun shifts.

4. Do not choose a small canvas when painting a "wide angle" scene.

5. Do not try to paint a whole lot of big rocks in a hurry.

6x8, oil

Thankfully it kind of looks like something. Kind of is emphasized.

30 in 30 - The Challenge

 Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days

 

Image credit: Carter Stuart

Do I dare?

15 paintings in 15 days, yes, I know I can do one a day for 15 days. 30 in 30? I could try.

My good friend Carter Stuart is doing a 30 in 30 challenge in June. I know I'm a little late to jump on the wagon, but I'm going to try.

Carter's rules are: 

To draw, doodle, or paint with pencil, pen, charcoal, watercolor, oil etc. every day in the month of June! 30 days!

I might double up on a few days because I know I'm going to have several days of travel and other commitments. Anyway. Here it goes!