30 in 30, #23 — Naptime

Naptime, 6"x6", oil on panel, SOLD

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O bed! O bed! delicious bed!
That heaven upon earth to the weary head.
~Thomas Hood, Miss Kilmansegg - Her Dream

Plein Air class was cancelled today, because of — yes, rain. Here in California, in January, imagine. Our heat wave is over and it was a lovely day to stay in and paint. But no lovely sunshine to paint, so I had to get creative.

I've been saving some reference photos for ages, and one of them gave me this idea. I love the shapes the pillows make — this could be a series!

30 in 30, #20 – Beached at Balboa

Beached at Balboa, study, 8"x10", oil on canvas panel, $100

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This study was done last week at Balboa Island, California, under a bright blue sky and full sun. The sun was so warm that I ended up with a heat rash where my black jeans were in the direct sun. I thought this little boat would be a good quick study. It had a cover pulled over it, so it wasn't going to move anytime soon and the values were clear and definite. After I did a quick value study in black and white paint, and sketched the scene on my canvas with thinned paint, I started to put in my darks. And along came a guy in another small boat, who pulled his boat up right alongside "my" boat. He hopped out and took off down the street. As Kim said, "Welcome to plein air!" Even though my view was blocked, I decided to carry on, and the guy came back about 20 minutes later and took off. 

We are home from our long weekend trip. It was a really fun time, and I discovered some new painting destinations for the future. I'm looking forward to getting back to painting daily. (I had painted a couple of paintings ahead last week so I could post them while I was gone.)

30 in 30, #13 – End of the Season

End of the Season, 6"x6",  oil on panel

“The sunflower is mine, in a way.”

― Vincent van Gogh

This sunflower was at Earthbound Organic Farm in Carmel Valley, California last November. It was pretty bedraggled, but caught my attention. Sunflowers are fun to paint; their colors and sheer size demand our attention. Hasn't every oil painter painted a sunflower at least once?

I painted this on a black-gessoed panel. I enjoy using a black panel now and then — it really makes me pay attention. The shadows were fun to paint on this; I'm especially pleased with the petals in shadow at the bottom.

I want to give a shout-out to Karen at K. Rike Gallery. She and her husband make these wonderful panel holders that were designed by Carol and David Marine. I had a problem with mine, and she made it good immediately. Fabulous customer service, and a wonderful product as well.
 

oil sketch

put the lights in first when painting on black;
you can see the leaf that I wiped out later

30 in 30, #12 – Prince Eugène

Prince Eugène, 6"x6", oil on panel

Let me introduce you to my all-time favorite rose. This is Eugène de Beauharnais, an old China/Bourbon rose, bred in France in 1838, and named for Prince Eugène de Beauharnais, son of Josephine and stepson of Emperor Napoleon. It is fairly small, grows in a large pot, and has deep red-magenta blooms with the most incredible fragrance. The blooms don't last when cut, darn, but it blooms most of the year and there is almost always a bloom for me to admire and smell when I walk by. I don't know why it is not more widely grown, especially here in a mild climate where it fits so well into our smaller yards and patios.

I've never attempted to paint Eugène, but since this is my challenge month, I thought I'd try. This particular bloom had three centers, with hundreds (maybe) of petals. Way too much to put on a small painting, but I think I got the gist of it. 

Here's my reference photo, and a couple of progress shots. I really enjoy seeing other artists' process, so have been trying to include a few shots of mine.

Eugène de Beauharnais, China/Bourbon, 1838

sketch and blocking in darks

main shapes; trying to get the values clear while not losing the hues. 
Or getting the hues while not losing the values?

30 in 30, #11 – Lit by the Sun

Lit by the Sun, 5"x5", oil on panel

Mere change is not growth. Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, and where there is no continuity there is no growth. — C.S. Lewis

Isn't this a great quote? Somewhat applicable to those of us who are suddenly painting every day...

I've enjoyed watching my bunch of freesias slowly open. They are incredibly graceful. I had put the vase on the living room mantel to replace the Christmas garlands, but brought it into the kitchen this morning to see what it would look like with the sun shining through the window. I shot some photos, and one of them had the sunlit blooms highlighted against a dark background. That inspired me to try this very different version of freesias. Their transparency is challenging to paint, but still so lovely.

I so appreciate the wonderful comments; you are so encouraging!
 

30 in 30, #10 – Promise of Spring

Promise of Spring, 12"x6", oil on gessoed 3/4" cradled hardboard.

"If I see freesias anywhere, I will be very disappointed." -- Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada

Just the opposite for me. I adore freesias. The hardy bulbs are sending up their leaves now, in all the odd places in our yard where I've stuck them over the years. I look forward to the blooms and once in a while I can get a whiff of fragrance while walking through the yard. Glimpse of heaven!

These freesias are from Trader Joe's, and are sadly not as fragrant as the home-grown kind. But they are so graceful and elegant (and inexpensive and available), and remind me that spring will come. (And that reminds me to put the brush/laptop down and go finish pruning the roses.) I may come back and do a bit more work on this one.

graphite sketch on panel