Wildflowers by the corn shed

This was my morning painting at the Glen Arbor paint-out. I saw this shed among the buildings at one of the historic farms in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore a few weeks before. So I went straight there after check-in. I started about 8:30 in the morning hoping for bright sunshine and long shadows. I got some sun in between high clouds for the first hour so I established the shadows a values right away. It then became mostly overcast so I had to do some from memory but I was able to finish it pretty true to where I started.

Wildflowers by the corn shed, oil, 12" x 12"

Glen Arbor Paint-out Award

I'm honored to have received the 1st Place award for one of my paintings on Saturday at the Glen Arbor Art Association's Plein Air Paint-out. 66 artists got their canvases, boards, and papers stamped at 8 in the morning and were back at 4 pm with two, framed and ready to hang paintings. My afternoon painting was of the Pine Cone, a long-time favorite spot in Glen Arbor for hot dogs and ice cream. Lots of big pines around, of course, and two of them grow right through the building.

Flat light and iffy weather all day. I had to grab my umbrella for a few minutes of raindrops. But the sun came out as I was finishing, just in time to show me the shadow on the roof.

I was also happy to see the red dot appear soon after start of the reception. A woman visiting from Arizona with childhood memories of summer visits to the Pine Cone bought it.

The Pine Cone, oil, 16" x 10" SOLD

Paint-out

Today I'm heading back up to Michigan for the Glen Arbor Art Associations plein air paint-out and show on Saturday. I had a great time at it last year, made some new artist friends, and sold one of the two paintings I did. This year about 60 artists will paint for the day around Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Glen Lakes and the surrounding area. Then an evening reception and sale complete with Leelanau Peninsula Wine and hor d'oeuvres.

This one is from the same area, painted at the Homestead Resort where we stayed a couple of weeks ago.

Toward Sleeping Bear Point, oil, 10" x 8"

From the dock

Morning plein air standing on a friend's dock on Portage Lake. On the other side of the lake is the historic Portage Point Inn catching the early sunshine. I tried to keep it quick and simple to capture the moment. I will definitely think about a larger, studio version of this one.

Morning Mooring, oil, 12" x 12"

Along the shore

A studio piece done with reference from a plein air and photo trip a couple of months ago. I've said it before, I love the shapes of these big Michigan white pines. They go so well with the shore and the dunes. It's much like my affection for palms by the ocean. Both hold challenges and can make for interesting compositions.

Pines along the shore, oil, 16" x 9" SOLD

Hay bales and small-town news

I'm behind on my postings. A lot of painting in the past month, just not enough time to photo and post. This one is from last week, Michigan countryside. I love getting up early to try and catch the morning mist and long shadows--especially when blue skies make for blue shadows.
Hay bales along Miller Road, oil, 11" x 14"

I also made the newspaper up north for the painting I did on River Street of the Vogue Theatre. It has sat dark for the past few years, but now a campaign to save the old movie-house is underway. I hope to have the print of the painting I did a couple of years ago be a part of the fund-raising.

'51 Chevy

I was in Manistee last week where River Street Gallery asked me to do a demonstration. I wasn't sure on my way up what I'd paint. A couple of years ago I was there and painted the classic, old Vogue theatre. Since this time I was there on the 4th, there had been a parade earlier and this '51 Chevrolet Deluxe was parked right across the street. I couldn't resist adding a little more interesting background then where it was parked, so after I got the car roughed-in, I moved a few doors down to add the theatre.

'51 Chevrolet, oil, 11" x 14"