Seeing double challenge

Daily Paintworks Challenge

I chose this scene for the latest Daily Paintworks Challenge.  The task today was to chose a painting and when finished do a zoom in image of a part of that painting, on a smaller canvas.  The first painting was painted on an 8 x 10 canvas board.  It was from a photo I took at the end of summer, 2011.  There is a lovely little boat launch and beach known as Shades Beach, in Harborcreek, Pennsylvania.  My family had a few reunions at this spot, and I love to go there and look for interesting photography opportunities.  This particular day was one of my personal weather favorites, bright, warm, sun and lots of wind.  I love what the sun does to the water color as it peeks in and out of the fast moving clouds.  The wave action was amazing that day, glad I painted an impressionistic version of this challenge, called the Seeing Double Challenge.  I'm calling the upper painting, Shady Winds and the lower one Lake Erie Waves.

New England Abstract

Last Fall I went to Minuteman National Park, I find the place enchanting. History and ghosts, hidey holes and lots of walking. This spot I photographed was a little meadow of color, and did a small abstract. The photo was purple, yellow, white and greens. Loved the color palet.

I don't live in the Boston area, I did awhile ago and this is one of the places I miss.

Watercolor Inspiration for change

Is there a better time of day to take a photograph? Early morning or sunset, the sun works it's atmospheric magic on your photography. A neighbor of mine gave me a couple of iris plants last year. I have quite a few of the Majestic Irises that my sister gave me, but, Pam said these are different, smaller. I had forgotten about them until yesterday. I am drawn to the beauty and delicate nature of flowers. I immediately want to grab my watercolors...Clouds have this impact on me too.... I have always wanted to try painting outdoors, but my neighbor has two terriers, that do no allow a peaceful backyard experience. So I rely on my canon camera. Sigh.

I am working very hard on organizing my homework to accommodate my overwhelming feeling I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it. I am feeling a pull or force that something needs changed or I am getting eccentric. That might be cool...

If you could wake up in a different place tomorrow, where would your fantasy take you?

Spring Colors

I love the flowering trees in Spring. The town I live in lined the street with the most gorgeous, flowering trees. I know some of them are Dogwoods, and some are an intense, scarlet pink. I would love to have the time to know more about these beautiful trees. I grew up with a magnolia tree, and it was amazing when it was in full bloom. Someday, I hope to have a magnolia in my yard.

This painting is available to purchase in my etsy shop.

The Color Yellow

When I think of the color yellow a lot of images come to mind. Flowers, butterflies, crayons and paint cards from the paint dept. at the hardware store. I keep going back to sunsets, living on the shores of Lake Erie, past life on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and a visit to Key West, all about the sunsets. We should all take a page from Key West, every evening, pause, celebrate and reflect on the sunset. My favorite example of the color yellow.

Shadows

As a child I remember, on those summer nights it was difficult to sleep, making shadows on the wall. This weeks challenge was to paint something with a shadow. I received these tulips over the Easter Holiday and photographed them on a rare sunny day in the North East. A difficult exercise, since my first attempt was wiped away. I love how shadows bring back such strong childhood imaginations. Do children of the electronic age still get a kick out of their shadow?