Kildeer on the Beach: oil painting

Kildeer are beautiful little birds, and I love watching them on the shores of Lake Huron. In this painting, I wanted to re-create a sunny day with the kildeer in typical postures. I used my usual earth-toned palette, but added cerulean and a touch of cadmium yellow to it.

Yellow Legs in the Evening: Acrylic Painting

I saw this wonderful little bird in the marsh a few weeks ago. They stop here on their way north to Canada, and I always enjoy watching them feed in the evenings. This painting was done with acrylic, using my usual palette. I wanted to show the fiery glow on the still brown marsh plantsContinue reading “Yellow Legs in the Evening: Acrylic Painting”

Peaceful Afternoon by the Baldwin River

I love the fact that spring is really in full swing here after a long and cold winter; it’s sunny and the moss is growing on the front lawn; irises and tulips are putting up leaves. So, I decided to do an outdoor painting, based on a photo I took of my side lawn andContinue reading “Peaceful Afternoon by the Baldwin River”

Moose: Another Christmas Painting

In my last post, I mentioned that my other good friend wanted a painting of a moose. Why? Because her house is literally FILLED with moose things: moose towels, cups, figurines, coasters, etc., she is just nuts about them. So, when I gave her a gift certificate for a painting, she said, “A moose! That’sContinue reading “Moose: Another Christmas Painting”

Lake Michigan: Symphony in Blue

I love painting water, and in this one, I wanted to play with the range of blues in the evening (I went semi-abstract). I used cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, alizarin crimson, burnt sienna, cad. red light and titanium white; along with sap green and cad yellow light for the palette.

Learning to Use a Palette Knife: Mountain Waterfall

I am finally learning to use a palette knife for the first time. I like it, but realize it will take time to master using one. I particularly like the effects on rocks. So, I chose a rocky scene (one a friend shot in Colorado) for this landscape. Water is my favorite thing to paint,Continue reading “Learning to Use a Palette Knife: Mountain Waterfall”

Ferns

One thing I’ve discovered about living in Michigan that is VERY different from Texas is the ferns. They are everywhere, especially when you live in a state forest like I do. They grow like weeds here, but are pretty. I think that the ferns and moss (my lawn in the front is actually partially moss)Continue reading “Ferns”

Experimenting with Spatter painting: Lake Michigan Shoreline

Okay, since I’m mainly self-taught (well, I did minor in art in college, but they didn’t teach much painting technique, mostly drawing and design) I like to check out art books from the library, learn about techniques and…experiment. Sometimes they work out, sometimes they are disasters. I went to Lake Michigan a couple of weeksContinue reading “Experimenting with Spatter painting: Lake Michigan Shoreline”