Painting people!

Painting people has always seemed like a huge barrier for me –  getting the proportions right and the light and shadows correct can be very difficult. However, when I took the watercolor painting class last spring with instructor Paul Oman, he talked about the joy of including people in our paintings and challenged us to paint quickly and without fear! At our family vacation last summer in Door County, WI, our daughter took this picture of their three boys standing on the shore of Lake Michigan watching a beautiful sunset.  She titled the photograph, “Brothers”and it has become such a special picture, especially for this Granna. I thought that was a perfect title for this painting as well.

This week’s painting, Brothers, is 7” x 8” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper.

 

 

 

Painting Snow!

I’m having a fun time experimenting with painting snow! That may sound strange, but the middle of January seems to be the perfect time to learn new techniques for adding color and depth to sky, surfaces and shadows in a winter landscape. And of course, the picture needs to include a picturesque barn, woods and big pine trees. 

This week’s painting, Close of Day, 7” x 10” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper, captures the wondrous light at the end of a wintery day.

 

Northwoods Series - #4

One of my favorite icons on the North Shore is the Split Rock Lighthouse. The public outcry for a lighthouse to be built in this rugged rock resulted from a November gale on Lake Superior that wrecked nearly 30 ships in 1905. Completed in 1910, today Split Rock is considered one of the most picturesque lighthouses in the United States. The story of its construction and its tremendous legacy of ships and lives saved is worth the price of admission to view the film onsite at the visitor center.

In seeking a view that would reflect the North Shore in winter, this one seemed to ignite my love of rocks and shadows. Split Rock has been painted and photographed so often, but this is my interpretation of this famous light. Winter Light, is 5”x7” on 300 lb. Watercolor paper.

 

 

 

 

Northwood Series #3

I’m continuing the study of the four seasons in the Northwoods and today’s focus was on autumn. It's one of my favorite seasons - the humidity drops and after a busy summer in our cabin community, the lake next to our home is wonderfully quiet. My third painting, Woodland Color, 5”x 7” Watercolor on 300 lb. paper, captures a clear, northern stream cascading through a birch and pine woodland filled with autumn color.

 

Northwoods Series #2

I’m continuing work on my Northwoods Series of paintings focused on the four seasons in scenes along the North Shore. In celebration of the warmer days of summer, the second painting reflects a familiar sighting for folks living or visiting the city of Grand Marais. The painting, Harbor Schooner, 5”x 7” Watercolor on 300 lb. paper, captures this famous boat as it leaves the harbor and sails out on to Lake Superior. 

Northwoods Series

January seems a good time to focus on capturing some of the beautiful scenes of the North Shore in Minnesota. After weeks of below zero temperatures, we are enjoying a couple of days with daytime temps in the teens – and it seems like a heat wave! In fact, it was so lovely today, I found myself just leaving the back door open for little bits of time. Our pets, Maddie and Zach, thought it was wonderful – they could come and go outside at will!  

I’m working on a series of four scenes with the intention of loosely reflecting the four seasons. The first painting, Northwoods Isle, is a 5”x 7” Watercolor on 300 lb. paper, and reminds me of a spring sunset on one of the many lakes flung along the Gunflint Trail.

 

 

Mountain Retreat

Happy New Year! We are living out the song lyrics, “the weather outside is frightful, but the fire so delightful” – with minus 20-degree temps over the past several nights! Last night, though, we bundled up and ventured out to greet the new year. It was about -20 degrees, but there was a beautiful full moon and a night sky filled with bright stars. We have deep snow here and the woods was so quiet, but we could hear the distant ruckus of the Trumpeter swans and Canadian geese on the creek that runs behind our house. The Fox Creek stays open all winter and we are thrilled that about 30 Trumpeters choose to make that their winter home and stay all year round.

This week’s painting, Mountain Retreat, 11”x12” Watercolor on 300 lb. paper, calls the viewer to relax and enjoy the warmth of spring sunshine at a mountain cabin.