Aspen Stream

Aspen Stream 6x6 oil on panel

Aspens are my all-time favorite trees! While we were in Utah, most of my pictures were of aspen trees!

This painting is a little more of my abstract-style. There WILL be more in this style! I'm pulling away from realism! Here goes!!

Sketch by the pool

Vacationing in Park City, Utah was such an eye-opener for me. I was able to sketch by the pool, take long hikes with my hubby and really study the mountain scenes and wild flowers of this beautiful place! Granted, I stayed chilled most of the time, but sitting by the pool at the Dakota Lodge inspired me to do a little sketch and watercolor of this brand new hotel.

I mentioned it being an eye-opener...I've come to realize that my art is not about me. Yes, it's something I do FOR me (therapy), but God gives us gifts and I want to give back to Him. I also realized how realistic my paintings are evolving. I really want to get away from that and concentrate more on color ,atmosphere and drawing. I'm trying to say , is from now on, the paintings I create will pull away from realism, concentrate more on drawing and the atmosphere of the subject. Now, let's see if I can do it!

Prelim & Finished Painting of Mount Moran/ Tetons

(above) Preliminary Painting
9x12 oil on panel $250

The girl's went to see WALL-E. Didn't sound too excited about it. I took care of baby and finished a painting. I feel better now. Like I said before, mountains aren't my thing, but it's a memory of our fabulous vacation this summer. I struggled with the whites because they weren't white at all. They were blue/greyish whites. I guess because of the big cloud hovering above. I try to paint what's there, elaborating a little as I go. I think it needs a moose at the water's edge. What do you think?

Plans for today:

The kids are headed to the movies, so I plan to paint today. I started a sketch of Mount Moran in Grand Tetons. We just returned from Yellowstone (an AMAZING place), so I have a plethora of painting material! It may not be the water/marsh scenes I planned, but it doesn't matter to me. Paint is paint and I'm itching to paint! Mountains are very new to me, living on the Gulf Coast, but I'll make a stab at it and see how it works! Prelim sketch due today.