Happy Fall, Y'all

Yellow Medley, 12x12, oil

The Fan, Richmond, VA

A little bit of all my favorite things.

1. House portrait

2. Tree portrait

2. Long Shadows

3. Light through the trees

4. Yellow galore

(Indian Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cad Yellow Medium, Lemon Yellow. I used 'em all.)

4. Fall foliage

Happy fall! 

Follow me on instagram (@amyhrdonahue) to see almost daily autumn paintings.

Oxygen

 

 

To paint a landscape is to engage in something greater than myself. It is a marvelous recognition of how small and powerless I am – when faced with the shifting light, the weather, the movement of the earth, the changing of the seasons. There is something so refreshing to feeling small on a big planet, in a great universe, held together by an even greater God. 

It is oxygen to the soul.

Painting in Ashland, VA

These paintings will be part of a 4-man/woman show at Gallery Flux opening May 7th, 5:30-8.

The show is up May 7-June 27, 2015.

More info here: Close to Home

Would love to see you at the opening!

Ashland Station in the Snow

9x12, oil

Feed and Seed

6x8, oil

 

DeJarnette Park Study

6x8, oil

 

Frozen Over at DeJarnette Park

16x20, oil

Who Can Resist a Blue Sky

30x40, oil

Backdrop of Blue

8x8, oil

 

Ashland Presbyterian Church

6x8, oil

 

Byrd Mill

6x8, oil

Crossing

6x6, oil

(Needs a Title)

10x11, oil

Two things

If you are only reading my blog it looks like I've stopped painting. Well, it's not true. I'm still going strong, which is one of the reasons there's been such little activity over here.

Two things for you.
(Painting dump is on it's way.)

1. Next month is the start of my (our) 4-man/woman show at Gallery Flux in Ashland, VA.

I'm really looking forward to what Kathleen, Dan and Fonda have been cooking up. (I've seen a few in person)

The opening night is May 7th. We will be talking a little about our artwork around 6:30. Would love to see you there.


2. Enjoy a demo entitled "How to paint an 8x8 in under two minutes". If you follow me in facebook you've probably already seen this.



Make sure you wait for the little lady to walk by. It's my favorite part.

Golden Hour, 12x16, oil

"Golden Hour"

 12x16, oil

This painting was based on photos I took on the banks of the James River, Richmond, VA, after our first big snow in February. The evening light through the trees and the twilight shadows on the fresh snow... it was just remarkable. Nothing I can paint could do justice to the beauty of that moment. Oh, but I try. And it's all I can do to try, and point your eyes back to the creation and Creator who makes such beauty all around us.

How to Paint a Painting in 46 Seconds

How Do You Paint a Painting in 46 Seconds?

I have no idea.

But, please, enjoy the video...

"Snow Fall at Woolridge Lake"

9x12, oil

Inquire: amyhrdonahue@gmail.com

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4 Tips for Painting in Cold Weather

 I've been doing a bit of cold weather plein air painting recently. There's something about the winter light that I love more than other times of the year -- when the weather is more reasonable.  

Not to say that I had a choice between reasonable and cold, just as the poor daffodils started to emerge the East got hit with some record lows and snow. While I enjoy studio painting, there is that "certain slant of light" moves me, it excites me... poor Emily never saw it that way. I may be the only one who wouldn't mind another snow or two, even though it's March.

I've learned a few cold weather painting survival strategies. Thought they might be worth sharing.

Top tips for painting in the cold weather:

1. Snow pants. Back in my snowboarding days I received some fantastic snow pants. Now they're christened with paint.

2. Hot Hands hand warmers (stuffed into the palm of my gloves). The best.

3. Stand on a car mat instead of the snow.
It's the difference between leaving the spot after 2-3 hours of painting with toes almost-too-painful-to-walk and toes feeling okay. I could buy better boots. That would be too easy.

4. Get the paint good and warm before setting out to paint.
During the rest of the year I throw my easel loaded with paint in the trunk of my car when driving to location. In these temps the easel/paint are placed next to the passenger side floor vents and heat blasted while driving to location. When the paint gets too cold it becomes "stiff". It won't freeze, but it becomes difficult to move around/mix/paint with.

There you are. Dare to join?

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Sunset

Some things (most things) are too beautiful, too momentary to record with paint... or camera.
And I am satisfied to witness the event.

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