Nocturne on Lake Huron: oil painting

I love painting various types of light, and different types of day. This painting is inspired by how beautiful Lake Huron and its inlets are in the evening, when the water is a symphony of blues and silvers. The painting is of a great egret silhouetted on the lake. I used my typical palette (ultramarineContinue reading “Nocturne on Lake Huron: oil painting”

Sandhill Cranes: Oil Painting

A few weeks ago, I saw some sandhill cranes feeding in the evening light at Misery Bay. I took a bunch of photos, and decided to take a more impressionistic approach to these beautiful birds. I used a limited palette for this oil painting: tit. white; ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, Burnt Umber, burnt sienna, yellowContinue reading “Sandhill Cranes: Oil Painting”

Mute Swans on the River

I love the beauty of swans, and when I saw these two on a nearby river, I couldn’t resist painting them. I hope you enjoy their elegant grace as much as I do! As usual, my palette was limited: titanium white, burnt umber, cadmium yellow, ultramarine blue and cerulean blue. The swans can be seenContinue reading “Mute Swans on the River”

Art Lesson: How to Paint a Nuthatch

Nuthatches are one of my favorite birds. I enjoy watching them creep sideways or even upside down along the sides of a tree; or resting on a stump. In this painting lesson, I will share how I paint a nuthatch from the start. Step One: Take a photo. This can take hours, and involves “birdContinue reading “Art Lesson: How to Paint a Nuthatch”

Winter Sunrise, Lake Huron: oil painting

One of the things that I love about Lake Huron is that the light is always changing, and the way the lake looks changes with it. One early morning, I was amazed at the beauty of the sunrise, and this oil painting is the result. I wanted to show the light sparkling off the snowContinue reading “Winter Sunrise, Lake Huron: oil painting”

Chickadees on a Winter Day

During the winter months in north Michigan, some of the most frequent birds visiting feeders will be chickadees. They stay on through the snow and sub-zero temperatures, and to me they are a symbol of hardiness and resilience. I used a limited palette for this painting: ultramarine blue, titanium white, burnt umber, burnt sienna andContinue reading “Chickadees on a Winter Day”

Wood Thrush

Wood thrushes are beautiful birds that like to nest in high trees (therefore, near woodlands). This painting is based on one I saw a few weeks ago at a local aviary. I painted this in oils, using a limited palette (ultramarine blue, burnt sienna, burnt umber, cad yellow, titanium white, sap green0

Busy Few Weeks: Galleries and Birds

The past few weeks, I have been busy in the field, taking notes and photos, and also visiting galleries in North Michigan. I just signed a contract to be represented by Blue Heron Gallery in Elk Rapids; and was also juried in by the Gaylord Area Council for the Arts (GACA) gallery in Gaylord, Michigan.Continue reading “Busy Few Weeks: Galleries and Birds”

Hope

I decided to paint a friend of mine in a meadow (I love meadows, and am currently on a kick painting them), portraying the emotion Hope, which is what I am calling this painting. It represents the need to take time to look up, and see that there is hope during this time. This wasContinue reading “Hope”

Boat on the Beach

I love the water, and boats, so I decided to do this painting of a boat at sunset. I went back to oils for this one; it is still wet, so the glare prevents the colors from being fully true (too much yellow in the highlights, etc.) As usual, I went with a fairly limitedContinue reading “Boat on the Beach”