Golden Vines

We are so enjoying this Christmas season – celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ at a beautiful Christmas Eve service, getting together with family and friends for special events, and still anticipating our “official” Christmas Day on January 6! This year promises to be one of our larger family gatherings our house – Paul thinks there may be 24 – 11 grandchildren, their wonderful moms and dads, nephew and his girlfriend, and my sweet mom! We are so thankful for every one of them.

Our current weather forecast is for a winter storm with predictions of anywhere from 3 to 12 inches of snow accumulation, but my heart must be in a much sunnier place. My inspiration this week is a photo I’ve carried with me for several years. This painting, Golden Vines, is 11” x 15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper and captures rolling hills of vines resting in the late afternoon sun on a warm autumn day.

First Light Paddle

It’s that time of year . . . and I can’t believe we are measuring days left to Christmas! Each year, we have to renew our commitment to not shop wildly, but to remember the true reason for this celebration – the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Reading the Christmas story, putting up the tree, decorating the house, baking cookies, and singing the Christmas songs all serve to remind us of God’s great love and the many blessings we’ve been given. And this week, we’ll attend our grandchildren’s Christmas programs, get together with family to celebrate my Mom’s 86^th Birthday, and then gather with dear friends for the beautiful Christmas Eve service at our Taylor’s Falls church.

And in the midst of a fairly warm December (with hardly any snow), this seemed a good time of year to remember summer days on the river. This week’s painting, First Light Paddle, is 9” x 10” on 300 lb. paper, and captures the feeling of an early morning paddle with fog rising off the water.

Gunderson Farm

This past fall at the Baker Orchard Art Fair, I met a lovely couple who lived on a nearby farm. A few weeks later, Paul and I met with them to tour the farm – their wonderfully cared for farmhouse, historic barn and lively dog, Mollie – and to talk about the commissioning of this painting. The journey to creating this painting was such fun! This week’s painting, “Gunderson Farm,” is a 10” x 15” watercolor painting on 300 lb. paper.

Pop of Color!

With the recent series of gray days we’ve had here in Wisconsin, it seemed like a good time to paint a pop of color! We spotted this wonderful “chocolate box” thatched cottage with its bright red doors and window trim on a hill overlooking the sea on the rugged and remote Fanad Peninsula. On this particular day, this moment of blue sky was quickly followed by typical Irish fall weather- a rain shower and a smattering of sleet!

This week’s painting, Thatch ‘n Stone, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures this lovely cottage with its beautiful stone wall. See more paintings on the Gallery page of my website at www.wildriverarts.com

The Wild Atlantic

It’s no secret, most of our favorite places in Ireland are located in a skillfully trademarked area – the Wild Atlantic Way. This is an incredible branding effort that encompasses over 1,500 miles of the western coast of the country and successfully maps out and promotes all the villages, towns, and ancient sites of this beautifully scenic region.

It seems almost coincidental then that artZ Gallery in Amery, WI, is celebrating the month of January 2019 with a “Wild and Wonderful” exhibit! In the spirit of this theme, I decided to paint one of our recent discoveries. On a rainy day in late October, we decided to drive north to the Gaelic-speaking districts in Donegal County. On the remote and rugged Fanad Peninsula is located the Fanad Lighthouse.  The light was first lit using whale oil on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1817; a new larger and higher tower was commissioned and the light, using paraffin, went into operation in Sept 1886. The light is 39 meters above sea level; the tower is 22 meters high from foundation to the top of the tower not including the lantern and there are 79 steps in the tower. It is one of 70 lighthouses around the coast of Ireland and continues to provide a vital role in maritime safety today.

This week’s painting, Fanad Light, is 8” x 13” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, and reflects the lighthouse situated on the wild and rocky coastline in the face of an approaching storm.

The Legend of the Donkey

One day on a beautiful country lane in Ireland, we spotted a small group of donkeys on the edge of a field. When I got out of the car to take a picture, this one walked right up to us and stood quietly next to the stone wall. With its clearly defined cross marking on his back, we immediately remembered the legend of the cross. However, I didn’t realize that all purebred donkeys are born with a cross on their back, but not all of them are so visible. According to the legend, it is the gift our Lord gave to the humble donkey that carried Him into Jerusalem. According to the legend, the little donkey so loved his Master that he followed Him to Calvary. Grief-striken at the sight, he turned away but remained at his station at the foot of the cross. The shadow of the Cross fell upon him and from that day all purebred donkeys wear the Master’s Cross on their back.

This week’s painting, Humble Donkey, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, seeks to capture this iconic Irish scene in a remote corner of County Donegal.  

Driving the R253

In exploring the roads of northwest Ireland, one of our favorite drives became the R253 road which ran between the towns of Glenties and Ballybofey in Donegal County. An “R” indicates a secondary road – it is usually lined on both sides by thick stone walls, doesn’t have the yellow-broken lines on the edges of the road nor the white line separating the lanes. Although it was only about 24 kilometers long, for us the R253 contained some of the most incredible scenery. Around every turn, we seemed to see something new – an ancient ruin, a fast-rushing peat-brown river, a beautiful lough (lake), a grazing herd of animals, or a picturesque stone cottage situated high on one of hillsides. 

This week’s painting, Heading Home, 9” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects one of those spontaneous scenes. We came around a tight “bend” in this road to face this amazing view – a farmer/shepherd along with his two faithful dogs leisurely driving a small flock of sheep up to the family farmstead on a rainy afternoon. We were happy to just wait quietly and enjoy this one-in-a-lifetime view until the “parade” made it safely to the barn. 

See more art in the Gallery on my website at www.wildriverarts.com

Donegal Town!

When we first drove into the town of Donegal – it’s also the most northern county of Ireland – Paul immediately recognized it! It’s an iconic town – laid out in a grid called The Diamond – and centered around the still-standing, ancient castle of one of the legends of Ireland, Hugh “Red” O’Donnell and his queen Nuala and his 15^th century kingdom. This week’s painting is from the core of the town, the Donegal Bridge, 7” x 10”, and at 500 years old, it is still a vital, integral part of the town landscape.

On to the sea!

The Wild Atlantic Way is a scenic route that takes you to some of the most spectacular scenes along the western coast of Ireland. This week’s painting is from an area that we tried to see several times. The problem is that the only access to the majestic Slieve League Cliffs is via narrow, winding roads that hug the mountainsides and offer sweeping views not only of the Atlantic Ocean but also of terrifying heights off the edge of the road – usually marked with random rows of small boulders! This week’s painting, Carrick Coast, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects an incredible view across fall-colored hills with a field of sheep (of course!) and on down to the sea.

And the sheep are . . . everywhere!

It was such fun to be back on the Irish roads – it is such an overwhelming and dynamic experience! And I’m not even in the driver’s seat! Paul is such a great adventurer, and I’m grateful that he continues to take on the challenge of navigating the narrow roads on the wrong side of the road, on the right side of the car, and expertly operating a manual shift with his left hand! I’m happy to ride in the passenger seat, obeying the signs to “mind the sheep and goats,” reading the map and signposts, sorting us through roundabouts, and on to the country lanes to the next historic site, ancient ruin, or beautiful beach! In this week’s painting, The Glenties Gang, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, I was striving to capture the attitude of the Donegal sheep. These sheep are fiercely independent and run seemingly wild in fields along the road, up the hillsides, on golf courses, beaches, and cemeteries, or saunter down the main streets of villages. What a treat to see!

Ireland – here we come!

We recently returned from two wonderful weeks in Ireland! We rented homes in the northwest – one on a beautiful working farm near Ballyshannon in Donegal County; and the second one, a lovely home on Achill Island in Mayo County. Even though they were in the same section of the country, the landscape at both places was incredibly unique and spectacular. And we so enjoyed the pace of exploring the countryside during the day, developing some of Paul’s amazing photographs late in the afternoon, and then heading back to our house for supper and an evening of painting. Call it inspiration, but I was able to carry four finished paintings back in our suitcase! The first in the series is titled Gleann Colm Cille Church, is 8” x 12” and reflects a centuries-old church set in the foothills of the Slieve League region of the Wild Atlantic Way. This area is designated as Gaelic-speaking region - it’s a challenge to read all the road signs in this beautiful language, but the scenery is breathtaking.

Getting ready for Ireland

A few weeks ago, I received permission from Mary Scully Whitaker to paint her husband, Larry’s, family farm in Ireland. Larry’s family has lived on this farm for four generations and his mom, now celebrating her 101^st birthday, still lives there. This week’s painting was a joy to paint! It’s titled McDevitt Farm, Fintown, Ireland, and is 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper.

Nacarat reflection

With the woods arrayed in the full spectrum of fall colors, it is such a treat to be outdoors and enjoy the cooler temps. This past weekend, I traveled with long-time girlfriends to the Bayfield Apple Fest. It’s always a wonderful experience to drive north and the Bayfield/Washburn area is especially beautiful – spectacular views of Lake Superior, overflowing baskets of blooming flowers on every light pole, yummy apple treats, friendly folks and eclectic art.  In spite of the rain, it was the perfect combination to make it an outstanding trip!

This week’s painting, Nova Scotia Waters, is 6” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, and this offshore scene seems to reflect the colors of this special season. I love the bright-orange boat moored in the harbor – in an old-language dictionary, one of the terms for this intense shade of color is “nacarat.” That seems like an excellent identifier for it!

September heat - March Snow!

We just passed the halfway mark in September – it’s usually cooling down by this time of year, but the gardens are still sweltering in the heat and we had a grandson’s birthday party last Saturday and the 8 little boys celebrated with water shooters and running through sprinklers while we adults visited and gathered around big fans! And Sunday, we watched another grandson play baseball through a long, hot afternoon. Fortunately, there was a breeze, and I think the boys on the field did better than the spectators in the stands! We are grateful, though, for just having to endure unexpected heat – the east coast is cleaning up from Hurricane Florence.

I must have cooler temps on my mind. This week’s painting, March Snow, is 7” x 10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, and features a snowy scene in early spring. Can you spot the forgotten tractor?

Baker Orchard Art Festival

In a couple of weeks, I’ll be one of the artists at the Baker Orchard Art Festival! What a treat! I’m excited and will have a booth in the historic barn for this two-day event – September 22-23, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. both days.  The event includes apple tasting, artist displays, and live music all weekend. 

Paul is busy finishing up all my framing, and we’ll work with our artist friend, Doug Berg, this weekend to put the display panels together and get the lights installed. This is a whole new endeavor for us, but we’re so looking forward to this new adventure. Our daughter, Krista, and her two children came out last weekend, and we took a trip over to the orchard just south of Centuria, WI, to pick up apples for making pies and to check out the barn. What a wonderful place! It was the perfect fall day, and we had a glorious time hiking through the beautiful orchard to pick our own apples.

This week’s painting, Orchard Barn, 8” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, is a from a photo taken last week of the Baker Orchard barn. I’m hoping it will be a sunshine-y weekend – the barn is lovely with both doors open! Hope to see you next week!

Back to the Lake!

I’m so enjoying this cooler weather! And it seemed like the perfect time to celebrate one of my favorite places, especially this time of year. After the record numbers of visitors during the summer months, the fall season at Lake Superior ushers in a quieter season. 

This week’s painting, Touch of Fall, 7” x 12” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures that lake with the first hints of color on the maple and birch trees.

State Fair time!

In this neck of the woods, a sure sign that summer is nearly over is the opening of the Minnesota State Fair. For many of us, this 10-day fair always marks the line between summer and fall. And believe it or not several dear children we know (our grandkids) are already back to school! The summer seems to have whooshed by. But I’m looking forward to my favorite time of the year – the days of cooler temps, low humidity and the beautiful changing of colors on the trees.

The big maple tree that we lost in a storm earlier this month will soon be replaced by a newer variety of maple – we picked up two Autumn Blaze maples at the local greenhouse but will wait for cooler temps before planting them in the front yard. 

This week’s painting reminds me of the coming of fall. Morning Mist, 7” x 9” painting on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures a remote hideaway and the morning fog rising off the valley and lake.

Connemara Pony

The Connemara Pony is a native pony breed of Ireland's west coast – a land of endless rocks, moors and bogs. Over the centuries in this rugged environment, the Connemara pony has developed its prized qualities of sure-footedness, hardiness, agility and extraordinary jumping ability. An historic breed - ranging in colors from white through soft brown - the Connemara's exceptional characteristics also include calm temperament, staying power, and intelligence.

Paul captured this scene in the heart of the Connemara region - at sunset on Inishnee, an island off the coast of Roundstone, County Galway, Ireland. This week’s painting, Connemara Pony, 10” x 15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features one of these wonderful horses calmly posing in a hilly field right along the road. 

August Sky

My experience at the plein air event in Port Wing, earlier this month, was truly inspiring. Not only was it a great time of meeting a new group of talented artists, it really stretched my abilities – taught me the importance of packing well, using the proper tools to measure value and hue, putting the paint quickly on the paper, and knowing when to stop – preferably before the painting before you became a mess of gray!! This week’s painting, August Sky, is 8” x 10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, was painted shortly after returning from the event and is one of the scenes taken by Paul of a storm coming across a field of newly baled hay. The contrast of the darkening skies with the yellow of the mustard and the deep greens of the woods made this a joy to paint.

Sorrel Horses

I’ve been wanting to try painting horses and especially liked the image of these two horses coming across a field. The image is from a photograph taken by Paul on one of our trips to Europe, and these two lovely horses seemed perfect for my first attempt. I’m attempting to paint in a more impressionistic (looser!) style, and this was a wonderful learning experience in creating light and shadows – not only in painting the background, but also in working to capture the delicacy of the horse’s frame balanced with their tremendously powerful muscle structure. This week’s painting, Sorrel Buddies, is 10” x 15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, and reminds me of a sunny afternoon and the beautiful scenery in southern Belgium.

Yorkshire

One of my all-time favorite authors is James Herriot, DVM. In fact, I’ve got a collection of his hardcover books in my library and take the online versions with me on my Kindle! Through his books, he shared glimpses of his life as a country vet traipsing around the rolling hills and moors of Yorkshire County, England – from lambing times in freezing blizzards to walking his beloved dogs on warm, emerald-colored days. A masterful storyteller, he wove wonderful stories both of life with his family and of his many encounters with the people and their farm animals and pets.  It’s heartwarming reading!

This week’s painting, Heatherland, 10” x 15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reminds me of those wind-swept landscapes with sheep on the highlands and the heather in bloom.

2018 Port Wing Plein Air

We just returned late last night from the 9th Annual Port Wing Plein Air event. What an amazing four-day adventure! We drove up on Wednesday afternoon, took a 5-mile side trip to explore the incredible Oulu Glass Works at the Finnish village of Oulu, WI, and then checked into our itty-bitty cabin in the village campground. At 8 a.m. on Thursday morning, we met our artist friends, Doug Berg and Joyce Staley, and their friend, Kathy, at the orientation session – and we were off!! In addition to the 40 participating artists, this is truly a community-wide event. Several free-standing bright yellow easels with painting sets were located at key sites in the area and people of all ages were encouraged to just pick up a brush and paint! It started as a gray sky morning with a soft breeze, and I so enjoyed painting Fay Road Farm, 8” x 10” with the wonderful hay bales in the field. 

The sun came out in the afternoon, and I finished painting the White Birch Barn, 8”x 10” by about 6 p.m. on Thursday.  Paul is such a great partner in these endeavors – he runs back for forgotten items, patiently sits in his chair and reads, and monitors traffic while I’m painting – often perched on the side of a gravel road! That evening, we attended the Artists and Friends reception at the home of John Berton, event organizer.

It was a beautiful Friday morning, and I headed to the harbor to paint the Fish House-Marina, 8.5”x11” with the sounds of Lake Superior waves splashing behind us. It was a magical day and the time seemed to whoosh by. By the time I packed up my supplies at 5 p.m., the skies had turned gray and it was starting to drizzle. 

On Saturday, it was a rush to get the paintings framed and ready for judging in the early afternoon, followed by the Open House Art Show at the historic Town Hall. We missed the Sunday Art event because we got a call from neighbors that one of the beautiful big Red Maples in the front yard had fallen down in a storm on Saturday night. We headed home early to check on the damage, and amazingly, it had fallen in an open spot of the yard and not even damaged the nearby bluebird house. A hearty shout out of thanks to all who worked hard to make the Port Wing Plein Air a success! We are already planning to attend next year’s event.

O' Victoria!

A few weeks ago we got to spend two days on the Island of Victoria, off the shore from Vancouver, British Columbia, and I was totally captured by the beautiful Butchart Gardens. It was a perfect day for being in the gardens – a bit of cloud cover so you didn’t have that bright, washed-out look on the flowers and landscape, and the photos that Paul took turned out great! With 56 acres and 10 gardens to explore, I think I could have spent a full four days wandering around the grounds and getting inspirations for painting. One of the most beautiful views was from the main house down to the inlet to the sea. In Jenni Butchart’s day, it would have been a clear, panoramic view of the water and mountain in the distance. Today, you have to peek between the mature trees, but the view is still incredibly rewarding.

This week’s painting, The Cove, 10” x 15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features the spectacular scene viewed from the Wedding Garden near the Main House down to the sheltered harbor. To see more of my art, visit www.wildriverarts.com

 

 

Getting ready for plein air!

Next week is the 2018 Port Wing Plein Air event, and I’m so looking forward to it. In the past, I’ve had some difficulty painting plein air – it’s hard for me to narrow my focus to the subject instead of being overwhelmed by the gorgeous panoramic picture in front of me. So Paul decided we should drive to Port Wing and find some possible locations for painting. It was a wonderful day – we both love roadtrips and the scenery on the south shore of Lake Superior never disappoints. The area is a magnet for artists, so a plus side is that we got to meet and visit incredibly creative people. For this event, the competition radius is 6 miles from the center of town, so we had a glorious time exploring the roads and back lanes surrounding the Port Wing community.

Around the corner of one gravel road, we found this small flock of sheep feeding in a grassy meadow. This week’s painting is titled, Sheep on the Hill, and is 8”x10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects this wonderfully pastoral scene.

Great Egret!

In the summertime, one of my favorite sights on ponds and lakes in this area is the Great Egret. Snowy white, it’s easy to spot – even from a distance – and it signals to me that the waterway is healthy and the fishing is good! This was painted with permission from the photographer, Lonnie Lovness. She takes amazing pictures, and I believe this one was shot while kayaking on the Upper St. Croix River. Designated as a National Scenic River, the St. Croix provides incredible scenery and a rich habitat for a wide variety of wildlife and birds.

 

This week’s painting, Snowy Egret, 8”x13” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, captures an egret in all its splendor focused on catching its next meal. For more information on purchasing or commissioning a painting as well as upcoming events and exhibits, check out my website at www.wildriverarts.com

 

 

Summer Morn, PEI

When my daughters were young, we had such a great time watching the Prairie Public TV series, Anne of Green Gables. The story captured all of our imaginations – an unloved orphan finding her true home with Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert of Green Gables farm on Prince Edward Island. It was a wonderful series set in the beautiful scenery of this crescent-shaped island off the eastern coast of Canada.  

This week’s painting, Summer Morn, PEI, 10”x15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, ignites memories of the picturesque farms, abundant wildflowers, and lush fields stretching down to the sea.

It’s all about barns

Recently we got back from a weekend roadtrip to Upper Michigan. With the heat index running high here in Wisconsin, it was a treat to be on the shores of Lake Superior and feel the cool breezes. We love traveling north, and the Keweenaw Peninsula is one of our favorite destinations. As you leave Ontonagon and the deep woods of the spectacular Porcupine Mountains, the land gives way to forgotten mining communities, thriving towns, and sandy beaches along the shore of Lake Superior. The traffic is usually not an issue, primarily because we follow the “blue line” roads. By taking these lesser traveled roads we have made so many wonderful discoveries – hidden lakes, rolling farms and meadowlands, grand log-cabin lodges, and lovely cafes and inns.

This week’s painting, the “Back Forty,” 7”x10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, reflects one of the beautiful sights often found on these blue-line trips.  

 

Wedding Wishes

This week, we flew to the Seattle-Tacoma area to gather with friends and family for the wedding of Paul’s great-nephew, Derek, and his bride, Heidi. In addition to the wedding celebration, we went out a few days ahead to spend time with our life-long friends, Pat and Steve, from Bismarck, ND. They had driven to Seattle and then planned to take the long and scenic trip home via the Canadian Rockies. We took the hydrofoil, Victoria Clipper, across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to Victoria, British Columbia. The weather was perfect and from the ferry, we traveled by bus to The Butchart Gardens. I had dreamed of visiting these gardens for almost 20 years but was totally unprepared for the beauty and sheer magnitude of Jenni Butchart’s gardens. Constructed over 11 years as a reclaiming of their limestone gravel pit, the grounds encompass a total of 10 magnificent gardens, including the three we were able to see in our 4-hour time limit: the Rose, Japanese and Sunken Gardens. The incredible variety of flora was overwhelming and smell of roses and blooming flowers was everywhere. We stayed overnight at the Fairmont Empress hotel, opened in 1907 under the guidance of Queen Victoria, and of course, participated in their famous High Tea event.

Saying goodbye to dear friends, we drove to Tacoma to be with the Kinsley-Hirsh families and help prepare for the big event. After a week of sunshine, we had our first drizzle of rain as we walked across the lawn at Hillside Farms for the outdoor ceremony! The rain didn’t last long, though, and it turned out to be a glorious evening in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains near Olympia, WA. For the special event, I painted a picture as a gift for the couple. The painting, Hillside Barn, 7”x10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features an evening – quite like the one when we were there – with the wedding pagoda and barn lights beaming on a special occasion.

 

 

Agate Bay Light

Even with record high temps this week in our area, I must have cooler weather on the brain. We can't compete with folks who live in Arizona, but this past weekend the temperatures here reached about 100 degrees. Coupled with high humidity, the result was several torrential rainstorms and devastating flooding on many of the northern rivers.

This week’s painting is one of our favorite places on the North Shore – the lighthouse overlooking Agate Bay in Two Harbors. Now a fully operational bed and breakfast, the lighthouse still serves as a working beacon and stands as a sentinel on one of the most dangerous sections of the Lake Superior shoreline. In the foreground of the painting is the remnant of the track that served to transport iron ore from the train cars to the large cargo ships docked in the harbor. Agate Bay Light is a 7” x 10” painting on 300 lb. watercolor paper and features the iconic lighthouse in winter.

Balsam Arts exhibit - July 2018

I've been accepted as one of the guest artists at the Balsam Arts Gallery: Family, Friends & Neighbors exhibit, running July 1-31, 2018. Two of my paintings will be on display: "Secluded Bay" and "Gunflint." Both feature favorite scenes of northern landscapes. Balsam Arts is a fabulous new gallery on Main Street in Balsam Lake, WI. Plan to attend the Opening Reception and visit with the artists on Saturday, July 7, from 6-9 p.m.

Summer vacation and llamas!

Today marked the last day of school for two of our grandsons. Each year, their school celebrates the end of the year with a Shakespeare Festival, and it is quite the event. At 3^rd and 1^st grade, the boys continually astound us with their ability to memorize and deliver complicated stories and sonnets with confidence and the appropriate inflexion! The performances are followed by a medieval fair in the “meadow” across the street. Even though it’s a piece of city-owned land adjacent to a freeway wall, for this fair, it is transformed into a magical place of music, face painting, juggling, maypole dancing, archery contests, dunking tanks and food trucks. And so begins . . . summer vacation! Yay!

And once again, I’m captured by llamas – this time it’s a special herd belonging to friends in the area. The painting, Reflecting on Llamas, 8”x10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features a wonderful group (including a new baby cria) enjoying the warmth of spring sunshine.

Rest Stop

For as long as I can remember, being by water has been good for my soul. And one of my favorite places is to be near Lake Superior. There is something magical about it – Paul says I breathe better the minute I catch sight of the lake. It is an inspiring sight, but perhaps it is more.  In our efforts to control everything about our daily world, Lake Superior totally defies the rules. The sheer magnitude and statistics of the lake effectively take it outside of the realm of human control. With 2, 980 miles of shoreline, a maximum depth of 1,333 feet and an average water temperature of 40° F, the lake commands respect from even the most experienced navigators. The wind and waves can vary dramatically from one bay to another, making it nearly impossible to accurately predict weather patterns.

In our journeys along the beautiful North Shore, we are amazed at this continually changing seascape. On our recent trip to Port Wing, we bore witness to the power and destruction of the wind and waves. During a fierce three-day storm earlier this spring, the lake literally pushed hundreds of mature trees – roots and branches – into the Port Wing harbor, completely destroying docks and capsizing several large boats. Easily dismantling a recently community-built boardwalk, the force of the waves also obliterated a two-block section of paved road and carved a steep cliff from what had been a fairly protected beach area. The strength of water is astonishing.

This week’s painting, Rest Stop, 8”x10” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, calls the viewer to pause and take in the view. Whether relaxing from a long hike in the surrounding forests with a faithful friend or a leisurely stroll along the rocky shore, Lake Superior is an incredible place to be.

 

 

Gunflint

In the Grand Marais area of northern Minnesota, one of our favorite things to do is drive the Gunflint Trail. It’s a narrow, winding road with miles of deep forest on both sides and small access points to Superior National Hiking Trail, moose sighting areas and glimpses of the many lakes, wetlands and rivers that run through the landscape. It is also one of the gateways to the Boundary Water Canoe Area (BWCAW) and the myriad of protected lakes and lands in that region.

I’m getting ready for the Family Friends and Neighbors exhibit to be held in July at the wonderful Balsam Arts Gallery in Balsam Lake, WI. It will be a display of a variety of art by local artists. This week’s painting is titled Gunflint, 7”x15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, and features one of the many picturesque lakes along this scenic road.

 

 

How can it be Memorial weekend already?!

We have had an unusually cool May. With nighttime temps in the 40 to 50-degree range, plants are growing in the gardens, but they’re surely not thriving. And some of the roses refuse to even make an appearance! Yet, here we are at the end of May - the dock is in and the boat should be in the water by the weekend. And we're preparing to gather as a family this weekend and celebrate memories - of dear loved ones and brave hearts who died serving our country. We have much to be thankful for.

This past weekend, Paul and I had a wonderful daytrip to the Big Lake. Dressed for summer but armed with sweatshirts and hats, we drove north, along with Maddie, to Port Wing, WI, for the day. And sure enough – with a cold wind blowing off the lake, we quickly pulled on warmer clothes! I’ve registered for the 4-day Port Wing Plein Air event to be held in August 2018, and we wanted to make sure that there was lodging available. It’s a wonderful village right on the shore of Lake Superior and filled with kind-hearted, creative folks. We reserved the last cabin in town and so glad that they'll let us bring Maddie, too!

This week’s painting, Secluded Bay, 7”x 9” painting on 300 lb. watercolor paper, features a retreat in the woods with a wonderful view of a northern lake.

 

 

Celebrating the Order of May

My two favorite seasons are surely spring and fall. After months of looking at garden magazines– and watching my favorite show this year “Love Your Garden” which showcased building incredible gardens for deserving persons in the UK – it’s now spring! I love the energy of the light, being able to open windows, and getting the yard ready for planting. Both Paul and I have shared experiences of living on farms – he in South Dakota and me in North Dakota. He remarked this weekend that the ritual of preparing the soil and planting the crops always seems to restore a sense of order for him – that God has granted us another year, He is faithful, and we have the promise of new life.

And it is indeed a time of rejoicing. Yesterday, we gathered as a family to celebrate the dedication of our newest granddaughter, Magnolia Carimona Carlson, affectionately known to all of us as Mia. Along with her parents, Jenn and Luke and three dear brothers, Mia handled the ceremony beautifully and we are so thankful for her and all our wonderful children and grandchildren. Jenn ordered a cake for the event, and it was heavily inscribed with: Congratulations, Mia, Happy Birthday to Papa Paul, Congratulations to Tim and Krista (14^th Anniversary), and Happy Mother’s Day! Adding joy to the event were the two great-grandmothers, Nana Jan and Grandma GG. We feel tremendously blessed!

This week’s painting is a commissioned work. Overlook on the St. Croix, 7” x 10” painting on 300 lb. watercolor paper, recalls special times spent at her grandparent’s home on the beautiful St. Croix River.

Suddenly Spring

After an exceptionally long winter – it is SPRING! It came on us in a hurry with the ground warm enough to plant in almost on the same day as the ice went out from our area lakes! And we celebrated with the Earth Arts Spring Art Tour this past weekend. It was a first endeavor in opening my “studio” as such to the public and it was an energizing and fun weekend! Beginning on Thursday morning, Paul and I worked with artists Doug Berg and Joyce Staley of Lakeside Studio to set up our displays in the Lamar Community Center, in the countryside near St. Croix Falls, WI, and the show ran from Friday through Sunday. It was a joy to work with such amazingly talented and seasoned artists, and given the amount of work, we quickly realized that we wouldn’t have been able to do this show without their expertise and help! The Lamar space is beautiful with the original wood floors, soaring windows, and the surrounding farmland still being tilled and planted this very weekend. Thank you, thank you to all! We so appreciate all the dear family, friends and visitors who took the time to come out and visit with us, enjoy the space and generously support our efforts!  

Today, I’m on to the next adventure! I’m delivering paintings for display at the Amery Medical Center in Amery, WI, where my artwork will be featured along with artists Bonnie Hagen and Chris Brylski. And this afternoon, Paul and I will be setting up my member space in the artZ Gallery in Amery, too. If you’re in the neighborhood, stop in at either of these places to see fine art!

Boat House

In spite of the current view from our windows – deep snow in all directions – we are getting ready to celebrate Spring! The first weekend of May, May 4-6, marks the annual Spring Art Tour, and it will be my first time of participating in this wonderful event. Hosted by the Earth Arts of the Upper St. Croix, this group is comprised of 60 artists displaying their art in 33 locations along the tour route. For this event, I’ll be joining two well-recognized artists, Doug Berg (oils) and Joyce Staley (oils and jewelry) at the Lamar Community Center near St. Croix Falls, WI. The historic, two-room schoolhouse has been recently renovated and provides beautiful light-filled spaces.

This will be an adventure as I’m preparing to display in a kind of art fair atmosphere. We’ve purchased some stand-alone display panels and Doug is helping Paul with the details of hanging paintings on the wooden racks along the walls of the center. In addition to my framed originals, I’ve also created a supply of cards, giclée prints and prints for display and sale. All in all, it has been a fun process of getting ready for this new endeavor.

This week’s painting, “Boat House” 7”x9” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, offers a secluded retreat on a quiet lakeshore.

Making Memories

We are in the thick of a stubborn winter! Over the past two weeks, we’ve accumulated another couple of FEET of snow and because the temps remain cold, nothing seems to be melting. It’s currently higher than our decks (I'm shoveling snow UP!) and the forecast is for another 10” of snow this weekend. While morale may be temporarily low at the Kinsley household, we are people of Hope! Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate, we continue to see wonderful glimpses of spring. A Purple Finch scout arrived at the feeder the other morning and when I went to record his appearance in my much-loved bird book, I found that it was the exact same day as last year for the first sighting of a Purple Finch – March 30. Isn’t that incredible? Despite the fluctuations in the weather, they are totally in tune with the rhythms of the light. And we’ve had such fun welcoming the Sandhill Cranes and Red-wing Blackbirds back and hearing their loud cacophony of calls across the lake and wetlands.

I’ve got fishing on my mind, and this week’s painting, Making Memories, 6.5”x15” on 300 lb. watercolor paper, recalls the joy of “fishing buddies” spending special times together at the lake.

 

 

 

Casting Deep

The warmer weather and increasing light are inspiring for me this week! It’s been a long winter, but these are clear signs that spring is on the way. Today, for example, is the Maple Syrup day at the Lee Warner Center near Marine on St. Croix with maple sugaring demonstrations.  We’re a bit farther north than that community, but soon the taps will be running in the big Maple trees in our area.

This week’s painting, Casting Deep, 7” x 12” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, reminds me of spring and calls the viewer to experience the thrill of standing hip-deep in a cold, fast-running river casting for elusive fish!

 

Road to Carimona

Every year, a weekend in July is devoted to traveling to family reunions. It just happens that both of my parent’s families get together on the same weekend – one in Preston, Minnesota, and the other in Marshalltown, Iowa. On the designated Saturday, we gather in the city park in Preston, with my mom’s family – the descendants of the Pickett brothers – five brothers and their families who homesteaded in a beautiful valley in this region in the 1860’s and named the settlement, Carimona. Although the town no longer exists, we still carry the stories within us and take time to visit the family cemetery. On Sunday, we are in Iowa with my dad’s relatives and the Norman family reunion to celebrate the life of my Great Grandma Bertha Williams. It’s a lovely time of reconnecting with dear family and getting to meet new arrivals – spouses and babies!

This week’s painting reflects a familiar sight – Road to Carimona, 8” x 10” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, captures the sense of traveling the country roads through the beautiful landscape of southern Minnesota.

To view the gallery, visit my website: www.wildriverarts.com