Grand Moeder

Grand Moeder 12 x 16" oil/canvas panel

For purchase information click here.

As some of you may know, I've become a Grandmother this year, and this painting was inspired by the feelings I have being placed in that role. Whats so surprising for me, is I never thought I'd be into it. You know, those goofy grandparents pulling photos out of wallets, pockets and purses, gushing over their grandkids? I always looked at the photos and nodded politely, thinking - 'eh, its a kid. But I'm here to tell you they really are...dare I say it?...delightful! So heres one for all you Goofy Grandparents out there.

I get it now!

By the way, Moeder is the Dutch work for mother.

This is another painting heading for the Western Master's Art Show (formerly the C.M. Russell Art Auction.) The show times and dates are listed in the side bar of this blog. Subscribers, click the link at the bottom of your email notification to access the blog and see the time and dates. Hopefully you can all make it down this year...we really do have SO much fun!!

Harvest Wagon - detail #2

Another detail from my painting Harvest Wagon - 36 x 46". I will post the completion here in a few days. This is definitely my favorite part of this piece. I wanted to show the fatigue draft horses must have felt during the 19th century when they carried the work load of a growing nation.

Harvest Wagon - detail

Harvest Wagon - detail 36 x 46" oil/linen

Here is a detail of my newest harvest painting - one I've been slowly working away on. Its getting close to the finish now, so I thought I'd give everyone a little teaser of things to come. This painting will be in the upcoming exhibition at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art entitled; 100 Mile Radius - A Sense of Place. The show opens on August 22nd, so is a ways off yet, but I'll be working up until then and posting my progress as I go.

"Ten Below"

Ten Below 8 x 6" oil/canvas

Okay this is rare - posting two paintings in one day - but I'm on a roll.

Best Buds

Best Buds 12 x 9" oil/linen panel

sold

Heres a tribute to all the little girls (and big ones) that grew up on the back of a horse.

Experiment on Barn Wood

This is an experimental piece and one of several I've been working on these past few days.

Its painted on a distressed piece of linen, mounted to salvaged wood from an old barn on our ranch - one that is slowly being reclaimed by the elements. I used clear gesso to prime it, then a patina to warm the edges. The painting itself is from a limited palette of about 4 colors - plus white. When I started these, I must admit it felt a little like painting on a saw blade. But after I finished this one today, I'm beginning to like the results.

"First Day of School"

Some days it takes me awhile to figure out what I'm doing...

:O) who me?

In the past, I've usually done small paintings using a single figure. This one started out that way, but I wanted the combined figures of a tiny boy riding a big draft horse - all on a small 8 x 10" canvas. That part was clear. What I didn't consider when I started the painting, was that I needed a place for this horse to go. Because of the size constraints of this canvas and the horses walking movement, it made things too boxed in. After about 8 hours, and three separate tries, I finally worked in a destination. The up side to this particular "exercise" (if you can call it that) is that it gave me some great ideas for a larger painting. Of course, I'll need to add that to my growing list of futures.

To show my dilemma, I've posted my first attempt above. As you can see, there is just no room (visually) for the horse to move. So I set this sketch aside on a small table easel, where I can use it as reference for my next try.

This time, I actually thought I could pull it off. I loved how the boy was turning out, so I didn't want to quit. I spent about two hours fussing around before I realized this would never work. Any type of frame I would eventually put on this piece, would stop the active quality of what I'd first intended. So by now, I'm losing my fascination for this subject altogether and think wine might be a better alternative...

...alas, I plunge ahead!

First Day of School 8 x 10" oil/linen panel

Again on my table easel, I replace the first sketch with this (slightly better) second one and use it as reference for the final painting above. It reads much better now and fits well in a frame. The horse is not as big as I would've liked, but you can easily see it's a draft breed.

The moral of today's struggles:

Creativity cannot be measured in time, since the artist can only succeed through constant practice.

Happy Painting!

"Farm Boy II"

10 x 8" oil/canvas panel

Another farm kid.

These give me the chance to experiment with different individuals for larger paintings. I'm always trying to find "that look"...one that'll reach across time, if that makes any sense. This boy ended up looking like Opie from the Andy Griffin Show. Not intentionally.

"Repose"

"Repose" 12x16" oil/canvas panel

For purchase information click here

Finally, I have something to show for myself! This is another smaller Farm painting I did with a little help from a painting I created many years ago (seen below.) This is for an upcoming art show at Latigo & Lace Gallery in Augusta, Montana entitled "Palettes and Pages" which starts next week and runs through the summer.

Honestly speaking, its sort of been a rough spring for me and one that can only be defined as "A Series of Unfortunate Events." Sometimes, The Powers That Be, (God, or whoever's out there watching...) says, "To help balance things out, today its your turn." This goes both ways, of course, where sometimes things flow easily and good luck comes in bucket loads. Usually these more positive occurrences are taken for granted and become missed opportunities to humble ourselves and give thanks. So...just for today, I'll tip my cup, count my blessings and give thanks to Those in Charge of it All. Tomorrow will take care of itself.

Featured Artist at Lodestone Gallery

"Gathering the Harvest" 30x26" oil/linen

Last week Lodestone Gallery contacted me to be their Featured Guest Artist for April.

The opening is tomorrow evening - Friday, April 2nd from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. If you missed the Russell, I hope you can make it down for this wonderful event. Lodestone Gallery is located at 318 Central Avenue in Great Falls, MT.

This is another painting from my harvest series. I shot these photos in the alley behind the gallery so they are not the best quality. I'll try to get some better shots later on. Below is a detail of the woman's face.

"Prairie Girl"

10 x 8" oil-canvas panel

For purchase information click here

Another painting heading to the C.M. Russell Auction - Room #166.

"Far from Home"

9 x 12" oil/canvas panel

For purchase information click here

Heres another version of that Farm Maiden. Again, with my daughter as the model.

I love painting her, I think because there's no pressure to achieve likeness. Each one is so different! But they are - all of them - individual parts of her personality.

Below is the little oil sketch I did earlier of this same pose.

Harvest Painting...

So, now I'm blocking in shapes on those figures. I'll keep drawing and correcting as I go.

Now that I've got most of my figures in where I want them, I'll shift my attention to the costuming. I've decided to roll the aprons on most of these women, to give them a sort of "pocket." In most of my research on historical clothing, many immigrant women wore their aprons this way, not only to hold items needed during the work day, but also to free up the bulky material around their legs.

More coming soon!

Harvest continued...

Okay back to it...

After I rough in the composition, I photograph it and save it to project back onto the canvas surface later.

For this painting I now want to put in a gradient, tonal underpainting. I don't usually do this for smaller paintings, instead I move around the canvas, painting in cool and warm tones as I go. But with this larger one, I think I'll be able to focus more on working out space and value relationships between the figures, if I take care of some of that with the background now.

At this point, its quite decorative all on its own.

Then, heres the image of my composition projected back onto the canvas and loosely drawn in with charcoal.

Stay tuned...

New Harvest continued...

This is the start of my new Harvest painting.

To get something going and to get an idea of what I want, I start by doing several rough sketches on newsprint with charcoal. These aren't very technical. I'm just putting down ideas here, working with different compositions and planning for the focal point. This is what I originally came up with...

As you can see, the focal point is on the two women at the right. At this point I'm hoping to create enough "weight" on the left with the farmstead and trees, along with the wheat crop to balance the composition. Later, I decide this doesn't work very well. So I change it to a more horizontal view, while maintaining the pastoral feel of foothills below the Rocky Mountain Front. Also, want to include the missing weight on the left with an additional figure.

I'll need something to look at while painting, so this is where my daughter comes in. These a just a few of the many photos taken of her during this particular modeling session. If I need to work out any problems later, I may have her recreate a pose later on.

The folded blanket is acting as sheaves of wheat.

Next, using Photoshop I arrange each figure in correct relation to each other. PS is invaluable for perspectives this way. I move right to the canvas and rough in this new composition. I've tried to keep a little of the bend in the wheat field, but will decide later if its really going to work. I've also drawn in the mountains, which will ultimately give the painting more depth.

To be continued...

New Harvest Painting

I wanted to get something posted this week, just to give you all an idea of what I'm working on. This new painting is along the same lines as the historical harvest painting I did last summer for the Blackfoot River Brewing Company. This time the girls take front stage. Here is a sneak preview of the main figure, my daughter doing the modeling again. I dressed her up in a historical costume I made a few years ago for this very reason (although, by using my imagination along with research I gathered about 19th clothing, I changed it quite a bit.)

Also, I used Farm Maiden II, to get the right expression. I wanted her to have a distant, pensive sort of look, like any young woman doing manual labor along side her family. You may also notice some familiar figures next to her, borrowed from the previous painting.

I'll post more about the process in the coming days, then finally the finish.

"H" for Horse? Yes, but how about a Haflinger!

8 x 10" oil - canvas panel
For purchase information click here

Of course I would do a horse for the "H" in my alphabet series, but the idea is to stretch myself creatively. Right? So heres a little Haflinger draft pony as a way to do that.
You know, this is actually the horse I wanted as a kid. I mean what little girl wouldn't love that pretty pony mane? I got a big, ugly 30 year old quarter horse instead. I loved her! Maybe someday.

"Farm Maiden II"

9 x 12" oil-canvas panel - sold

I'm hoping to use this face on a larger painting I'm working on. She has that sad, reflective sort of look that draws you in. My daughter was the model, but I didn't use the photo reference literally. Its close, but not actually a true likeness.

"F" - Farm Maiden #1"

8 x 6" oil/canvas panel

For purchase information - sold

Heres a little farm maid that I may put in a new painting I'm planning. I guess it will also be my "F" in the alphabet series too. I hadn't planned it that way, but hey why not? I did it from my imagination like the others I did back in November. I also changed my palette to Raw Umber instead of Burnt Umber. I wanted to push back the feel to a late 19th century look. Sort of smoky and grayed out, while still holding on to that warm tone. It was tricky but I think I was successful.

"Pump House"

10 x 8" oil/canvas panel

For purchase information click here

My husband left for a job in Washington yesterday, which means I've got to shift gears and take on ranch duty. He'll only be gone for a week so I'm going to put these larger paintings aside and just work on some smaller sketches and maybe do a few things for the auctions too.

Its snowing like crazy here right now, so this painting was done from a photo taken last summer near Gardiner, Montana. Thats me wishing for a sunny day in the mountains.