Bringing the Everyday to Life

One More Half Day of Painting  Before the Plein Air Convention...   Monday morning I explored more of the Monterey area.  A friend of mine drove me along the coast and we stopped a couple times to paint some seaside scenes.  I have not painted the ocean very much, so this was a new experience for me.  I found it challenging and fun!  I love how the color of the water changes depending on time of day and weather.  I knew that, but it was neat to actually see it.  I think if I were really going to study the ocean, I would [...]

Hello Everyone!   The 4th Annual Plein Air Convention in Monterey was amazing!   So much happened in one week, it will take me many more weeks to digest it all.  Realizing this, I will write a couple posts of my experience in Monterey so as not to bore you with a really long post.  I got to Monterey Saturday evening and had really the only relaxing time with not much to do.  However, the next day all the fun began...   "Monterey Fishery" Watercolor 10" x 14"   After registering for the convention, I walked around Fishermen's Wharf, which had to be my favorite place to paint!  It [...]

I want to share an experience I had the beginning of June during a Plein Air Competition through the Green Drake Gallery in Millheim, PA.  I got to paint for 2 days during which time I completed 4 paintings to enter.  The last day I painted this painting, "Shopping Mayfest".  I had started painting later than planned and it was a hot day, so I had quick drying conditions.  The competition was during Mayfest and so the streets of Millheim were crowded with people and bands were playing up and down the main street.  After walking around for some time, I [...]

During the second week of October, a friend of mine (Kristi Grussendorf) and myself spent three days in Moab, UT for the Plein Air Moab '11 painting competition.  We had a fabulous time!  We thought that the event was very well put together and organized.  We were surprised to find out that this had only been the second year.  The first year they had about 80 artists enter and this year there was over 120 artist.  They pulled of the event well I thought.  They had three categories:  Oil, Wet Media, and Dry Media.  Kristi and I painted 3 paintings during the 3 days [...]