Dame's Rocket

I finally got out to paint today. Actually I just walked down the pathway from my home & studio and found this wonderful patch of Hesperis matronalis, commonly mistaken for phlox. It is not a phlox. It has 4 petals. Phlox has 5. It is all over the rural northeastern US right now and it is commonly called Dame's Rocket.

I amused my husband by loading my easel, pastels, sketching chair & a few dog biscuits in the wheelbarrow and disappearing into the green jungle at the bottom of the garden.

This 12 x 9 pastel was done on Belgian Mist Wallis paper with very soft pastels - Senneliers, mostly. The dog biscuits were used for holding Rosalita's interest while I asked her to "down-stay." She's a good little blue heeler, but she does love to chase other mammals; not conducive to concentrating on a painting.

I collected & scattered seed for these flowers decades ago. Now they are sprinkled cheerily around the borders of my woods. Every June I proudly enjoy the lovely shades of orchid-pink-white that I have encouraged. Imagine my surprise when my google search turned up a caution not to let this invasive species run rampant. !!! That's just what I want. The authority said no known ill effects, but nevertheless it is an invasive species. There are thugs and there are really bad criminals in the plant world, too. Garlic mustard & poison ivy being Charles Manson; Dame's Rocket being your teenager arrested for shoplifting. There will be no paintings of garlic mustard here...now that's an invasive species! And one I am waging war on here daily...and losing.

The Art of Rejection

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This painting is named for Pierre Bonnard & his wife Marta. The French Impressionist, Bonnard, inspired it. His paintings are rich and lively with color, patterns & pets. They often have a gauzy or whimsical bent. One of his favorite themes was a set table and the family life surrounding it. So I thought it a fine subject for one of my entries into FOCUS, a regional show. The juror thought otherwise, apparently. The Red Shirt is included in the show until June 5 at The Butternut Gallery in Montrose.
Pierre and Marta -18 x 24 image size- for sale this summer at the studio.

Forget-me-not on Berry Street

There is legislation being introduced in Pennsylvania by Rep. James Casario that will, if passed, limit the length of time and conditions under which Pennsylvania dogs can be tethered out. You can find out why I think this is a good thing here. And it's not just dogs who are endangered by this neglectful practice.

Not all dogs are as lucky as this one who gets to lie in a field of flowers with shade & water and then go inside with her family.

This 18 x 18 pastel painting will be shown later in the summer at The Butternut Gallery in Montrose, PA

'RIVERS' at Summerhouse

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This Sunday, April 11th, the reception for my exhibit of river paintings is from 2-3pm (not as previously stated - 2:30). It's Free. I'd love to see you and share my paintings of rivers around the US.

This pastel painting is Up River from Great Bend and features the Susquehanna River.

The Summerhouse is located at 32A (rear) South Main Street, Montrose, PA 570-278-2000.

August Evening

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This is an 11 x 14 studio painting depicting a typical summer evening scene near my home in Susquehanna County, PA. It is heart-breakingly pastoral. I can only hope we will continue to see this kind of beauty, peace and productivity on a daily basis here in the future. Neighborhoods change, but mine is undergoing a radical and brutal transformation. The best I can do is continue to record the beauty of this landscape as I have done for 35 years. Thanks for looking. Leave a comment.

Summerhouse

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I was asked to do a mini-workshop on a lovely Sunday afternoon at my favorite Montrose, PA restaurant, Summerhouse. The brunch people lingered to watch and I set up this still-life in a corner and blocked it in. I brought it back to the studio to finish and I think it a nice way to start spring; with a painting I like. I love the colors. I relied on a few eggs for spring symbolism - fertility. I used one of my own framed paintings for background element and a bit of reflection and depth.

I think some guidelines for setting up a still life should be:
1. Pick some objects you have an affinity for.
2. Make them visually contrasting; size, texture, etc.
3. Unite them with a theme; color, purpose, mood; a cloth or surface can tie elements together.
4. Keep in mind the basics of composition...leading the eye around inside the painting and not off the edge.

I am still working on this painting, but it won't change much. I see no big problems...some small areas may be improved a bit over the next week before it gets framed.

It will be for sale by June 4 & 5 when the Montrose Garden Club sponsors an open garden tour & my studio shows some floral and garden paintings by Betty Bryden and me.

Garrison Road Plein Air

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Yesterday was my first plein air day of the year. As I navigated the rutted, frost heaved gravel (MUD) roads of my rural county I finally found the picture I wanted to paint; this long view of rolling hills, farm and wood land, but...Oh, no, I had no long paper in the car. Luckily I did have two 9 x 12 sheets of UArt #500 so I taped them together (adjacent) and ran my painting across both sheets. I think I will frame it just like that. Why not? 9 x 24.

Good new! My optometrist today pronounced my eyes in excellent health...that is a refreshing diagnosis.