Nina Rupp - Artist

Karl Heerdt Workshop

2012-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

The GVPAP group had a 1 day workshop with Karl Heerdt from Buffalo. Karl did a demo (his painting is on the easel and it is not quite finished) and said that when he paints en plein air he gets upset how sometimes the colors and values look just right outside but inside they are too dark and dull. That happens to me also. I think my eyes just get tired.
The snow scene is my painting in oil on paper that was sealed with gesso. It is from an old photo of the Lake Placid Area. It was a fun day and so good to be with friends.

Skyscape

2012-01-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

Webinar - painting skies
A photo was on Johannes' wet canvas site to use as reference for a painting which was then submitted. I worked in acrylic as I wanted to get it done, dry, photographed and uploaded. Johannes said that he liked the soft transitions and the colors repeated in the water.
This is week 1 of a 3 week webinar. Johannes is an excellent teacher and his demos are so helpful. I liked his idea of painting the allover sky color and then negative painting the clouds, or vise-a-versa.

GVPAP Barnes & Noble Show

2011-12-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

Four paintings out of five were accepted onto the show by Juror Thomas Insalaco, retired head of the FLCC Art Department. Mr Insalaco paints very large classical paintings so I wasn't sure what expect since all out paintings are Plein Air. He will give a critque on 1/10/2012. It will be interesting to hear and I have admired his work.

December Haze

2011-12-19T12:20:00.001-08:00

The group was painting at a favorite location near the Erie Canal where there are views of the fields. It was warm for December and that created haze. The haze was difficult to capture and I reworked the painting after I got home. The orange piece of farm equipment on the left side isn't as saturated in the painting as it was in the photo. I have taken the photo several times and played with it but I have to settle for the orange or less than true colors in the rest of the painting.

Fish Beach Afternoon

2011-12-15T12:41:00.000-08:00

The weather hasn't been very cooperative for plein air painting. This was done from photos of the afternoon at Fish Beach, Monhegan. The buildings are old and must be worked on to keep them usable. It is an interesting blend of old and new wood, painted and unpainted surfaces.

The Red House

2011-12-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

This is the Red House on Monhegan which I painted from a photo. It is one of the first houses that people see from the dock. It used to be in the Barstow family and had been sold. It is now used as a rental. I like the early morning sun warming the end of the addition. Manana Island is in the background and I used 'artistic license' to edit out the house next to it.

Sunset on 11/30 at 4:30 PM

2011-12-01T12:11:00.000-08:00

After all the rain, sleet, snow and occasional sun, we had this beautiful sunset which called out to be painted. I was looking out the south window to get the sky quickly blocked in and just remembered the rest.

November 30th

2011-11-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

The last day of November! One minute it is sunny and the next rain, then sun again. And if that wasn't enough changes in the weather some wet snow was thrown in also. I had planned to go to a park this afternoon but decided against it and painted the edge of the retention pond from the front window.

Grey Day

2011-11-29T05:52:00.001-08:00

This November there was not the usual grey, rain and cold. There was just a trace of snow and we average 5 inches or so for the month. But that sunny warm almost late September weather had to come to an end. Yesterday was typical November.

Feild of Yellow

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-08:00

I passed this field a couple of weeks ago and it stayed in my mind. So, when that happens I went back to take a picture. The color had faded just a little but I remembered how bright the yellow flowers were against the browns of the trees. This was painted from the photo and of course, memory.

What a Beautiful Day!!

2011-11-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

It was great weather and I was very happy that a paintout was scheduled for Mendon Ponds. I was also happy that there was so much color yet. This is looking across Deep Pond towards Hundred Acre Pond from the small hill on the west side. Beautiful day to paint!

Plein Air or Not

2011-10-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

It was raining so this was painted looking out the window towards the Island Inn. Across the harbor from the Inn is the island named Manana which offers Monhegan protection from the open sea.

Monhegan Harbor

2011-10-28T13:05:00.000-07:00

This was painted very quickly in late afternoon. The lobster traps are stacked on the pier ready to be loaded on the boats for the start of the lobster season. The traps are bright colored wire and the floats are also bright colors. From where I was they looked like piles of bright colored blocks. The little island to the left is called Smutty Nose. Why? I don't know but it shows a sense of humor.

Northside Cottages

2011-10-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

The afternoon light was strong and the air clear which allowed me to paint these buildings in strong color.

Monhegan Light

2011-10-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

The sun rise was behind the light house. I was up there just after the sunrise and painted the side of the light and the other buildings back lit. All the roofs have different angles and seem to have been built over time but still connect to the keepers' house. I like the strong contrast.

Corina's

2011-10-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

The day started rather foggy. This painting was done a that fog was lifting. Corina's is a store and coffee shop with gardens in front. The fog obscured the neighboring buildings somewhat which resulted in a simpler composition.

Monhegan in Watercolor

2011-10-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

Wild, old apple trees are all over Monhegan. These two were in front of the cottage where we were staying. With the watercolors I didn't have the problem of getting the values too dark.

Fish Buildings on Monhegan

2011-10-28T12:41:00.001-07:00

By the harbor are old fish buildings with roofs going every which way. The siding is weathered dark and at this time of the year the sun hardly shines on them. I will do this again from this sketch (8 x 10) to see if I can do a better job.

Lobster Cove, Monhegan, ME

2011-10-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

A Trip to Monhegan, ME with a group of artists was so much fun. I was there about 10 years ago and was hoping to get back. The light was blinding and I had trouble getting correct values. I decided to leave the paintings just as I had painted them and I can use these as sketches for new paintings. I so enjoy being at the ocean and I really do prefer New England.

Afternoon Light

2011-10-28T12:19:00.000-07:00

It has been some time since I posed any work. And, no, I didn't stop painting. I have been busy and here are some of the paintings.
This painting was done in late afternoon in August at Black Creek Park. The sun caught the tops of the trees and the field of dry grasses. I do enjoy painting there.

Central Adirondack Art Show

2011-08-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Members of the Old Forge Arts Center can exhibit one painting in the show which ran from July 1 to August 7. I submitted one which was painted in plein air in August 2010 at Ampersand Bay. The title is 'Standing Firm'
It was nice to be able to exhibit in a different location but it was even nicer to be notified that it sold. Sales of artwork are that extra encouragement to keep painting, and extra money for more supplies.

A Perfect Day

2011-08-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

A perfect day in North Ponds Park. This location is a typical suburban park with a pond, walking trails and lots of mowed grass. With the draught the grass has turned brown which provides a nice contrast for the trees. Add to that sun, cool temperatures and a nice breeze. This painting almost painted itself.

Lake Breezes

2011-07-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a picture perfect day at the lake. Nice breeze, puffy clouds and sunshine. This was painted from the deck at a friends house and shows the nearby jetty.
I love being at the lake on days like this!

Greens Everywhere

2011-07-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

The evening light was beautiful but I still had to cope with all the greens. The field contained dry grass and there was the brown area just below it. I varied the greens surrounding this center of interest and the background trees were shadowed. The sun was hitting only the tops of these trees. I want to go there again and get there a little earlier so that there is more sun. That should accent the trees in the background a little more. Maybe that will be interesting and maybe not.

Artist's Garden

2011-07-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

This painting was started on the painting trip to Seneca Lake. An artists lives down the road from the place we stay and invited us to paint in her garden. The Iris were at their peak. The little violet flowers provided contrast. I did about 75% on site and finished it today by touching up the flowers just a little. Mostly I just increased the texture of the Iris.

A Pittsford Field

2011-07-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Behind the commercial area along the canal in Pittsford is this old farm. It is a working farm and on this July evening light was raking across the fields. The foreground was in shade and the shadows long and changing fast. I had to recapture some of the highlights later at home. Light just moves so quickly. I want to get back there later in the season.

Basin Marina

2011-07-06T17:17:00.000-07:00

A trip to Basin Marina on the Genesee River gave me two rusted dredging barges to paint. I don't often do industrial subjects and thought this would be a challenge. I did like the angles that the barges were tied up and the light coming over the far bank. It is a complementary color scheme with greens and rust.

Fog and Mist at Seneca Lake

2011-06-30T12:21:00.000-07:00

The painting that I did on site that morning just wasn't showing the fog and mist the way I wanted. This week I was able to work on it to show the fog rising over the Eastern shore of Seneca Lake. I left the painting dry and then glazed in the fog. When I tried to paint it directly I just got it way too heavy. Some atmospheric effects I find difficult to do alla prima.

Summer Solstice at Braddocks Bay

2011-06-23T13:57:00.001-07:00

A friend and I set out for Braddocks to paint the sunset. I was working in oils. The painting was a complete disaster! The values were so wrong! I think staring at the sun over the water made it impossible for me to judge values correctly. I wiped that painting completely off. This is a watercolor based on that disaster. The values are correct! Or at least much better.

Seneca Lake Sunrise

2011-06-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

A beautiful sunrise greed me at Rainbow Cove. Just after 6:30 AM, I painted this scene. Days like this are just wonderful! The paint flows!

Just After Sunrise - Seneca Lake

2011-06-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

It was a dreary, foggy day Seneca Lake when I started this painting. It was so dark and lifeless. The next day just after sunrise the scene was much brighter with more contrast. That's what I wanted to show, not darkness! I wanted to change and complete the painting then but didn't have time. It still had a long way to go when finished it in my studio.

Garden Painting

2011-06-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Greece Performing Arts sponsors a garden tour and SRAG members are invited to be 'Artists in the Garden.' I haven't participated for several years but decided to do so. I was in a beautiful garden with a huge pond and the water lilies were blooming. It is distracting to have a couple hundred people come through the garden over the course of the day, so I tend to keep the painting fairly simple. In this paining I attempted to paint the bubbles made by the fountain in the pond.

View from Keuka Springs Winery

2011-06-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

It was time for GVPAP's annual painting trip and the first stop was Keuka Springs Winery just south of PennYan, NY. We painted from the Winery which is on the East side of Keuka Lake.
The weather was cool and sunny making it a perfect painting day.

Rochester Public Market

2011-06-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

This week we painted at the Public Market on Tuesday, the day it is least busy. Other days there is no parking and too many people to set up and paint. But today there were just a few vendors and the weather was clear and pleasant. I still had a hard time focusing on the painting but did this sketch. Of course, I didn't get the people sized correctly so I did it again at home. (the sketch is top left)
There are some food stands near the one side of the Market grounds. Two of them were open and welcoming customers. This is also a studio painting.
I must go sometime when they are having a flea market and paint.

Iris

2011-06-02T14:41:00.000-07:00

We have been having high winds for a couple of days now and my iris are taking a beating. I sat in the yard to paint them and with the sun and wind the paint almost dried on my brush. I left the background white for the present but I might decide to add a painted one.

Lilac Time

2011-05-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Lilac time in Rochester means that good weather is here, or at least most of the time the weather is pleasant. I was with friends at Tinker Homestead and painted the lilacs near the rear of the house.
The day was partly cloudy but I made the sky a more intense blue that it was most of the morning. I thought it gave better color harmony.

Magnolias

2011-05-11T05:48:00.000-07:00

It was another beautiful day in Highland park. The Magnolia trees are at their peak and the colors range from pink to magenta to golden yellow. We are getting good weather and some quality painting time now.

Spring Trees

2011-05-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

After weeks of rain and cold the sun was out today so GVPAP went to Highland Park. Magnolias,
Flowering Pears, Crabapples were all in bloom. The first painting is of the trees by Lamberton Conservatory. The next one is of a Star Magnolia. It was just great to be out to paint. All the other times I've been out recently I painted while sitting in the car as rain and wind are not a watercolor (or oil, for that matter) artist's friend. These are very loose and rather sketchy. And that's the way I felt today.

For High Falls

2011-05-06T10:25:00.000-07:00

I usually don't like to paint for show themes but all of the shows at High Falls have a theme. I find a painting that I've already completed to fit most of the shows, but the next show is "Text/Textures" so I went looking at signs down town and through existing photos. I found some of when I was in France in 2001 and worked from them. At this point I have finished two paintings, of a flower shop and of the market in Vernon.

Homework form the Webinar

2011-04-12T13:06:00.001-07:00

Johannes Vloothuis did a watercolor demo and as homework we were to use his photo and example to do a painting using the principles that he has talked about for over two months. I really don't like painting from photos that much and to paint from one from somewhere I've never been was difficult. I started out and stoped several times before I just made up my mind to work at the painting. I knew it would be using his teaching and applying it to my style of painting. Style is something that just evolves over time and it is individual. Here are the results and I did learn from this webinar. Since Johannes lives in Hamilton, Ontario It wouldn't be difficult to go to a workshop there.

Willow Study

2011-04-06T05:33:00.001-07:00

Johannas Vloothuis did a demo of trees in both watercolor and oil on the webinar on Wetcanvas.com. I practiced his way of doing them. And I like this way more, especially for the willows. Willows are light and billowy but mine always look a bit heavy. I will continue to work on these tree studies. And if I remember back to November this was one of my goals for this winter.

Trees

2011-03-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

I have been watching a Wetcanvas Webinar on landscape painting. It is informative and the instructor, Johannes Vloothuis explains and explains again how to make a painting work. I did practice painting trees in oil as that gives me problems. I need to work more on that especially evergreens now.

March Snow

2011-03-25T11:18:00.000-07:00

It snowed over 5 inches on March 23rd just when we should be thinking Spring. That might true in other areas but I live in upstate New York where late snows are almost expected. The 25th was sunny and almost 30 so I walked near the retention pond at the end of my street. Looking North there was still snow but the sun was melting small areas of grass. The pond isn't frozen any more, trees are starting to bud and the sky was beautiful. Today, 3-25, we are having some more snow.

Mid March

2011-03-16T06:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was beautiful; 50 degrees and sunny. I met artist friends at Round Pond in Mendon Ponds Park and I wasn't disappointed. The pond is still frozen but slowly melting and there is still some snow on the North facing bank. I am trying to choose a scene based on values and work from there. The colors in nature are now browns and the off whites of the snow. Since there was sun I had shadows and reflected light to work with to determine my values. I did a value sketch of a couple of possible views, decided on one and laid in the values first. After working up the value masses I painted in the details.

Hyacinths

2011-03-11T13:27:00.000-08:00

Each winter as it wears on I like to force Hyacinths into bloom. The colored pencil study was done over the course of 10 days as the flowers developed. I started at the upper left and didn't do any planning but just added more images as the bulbs changed.

Night Time Ritual

2011-03-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

The model is going through a common night time ritual, brushing her hair. She is reviewing her day and is lost in thought. This pencil drawing was done at the open studio yesterday. I also did a quick head study in watercolor pencils.

Value Mass Study

2011-03-09T05:50:00.000-08:00

This painting is a practice in value mass study. The idea is to have 3 or 4 values do a study and stick with it in a painting. It is from a photo that I took in Black Creek Park last week. I have shown the photo from which I did a value study in pencil, the painting showing the values and the painting in color. I am reading the book Mastering Composition by Ian Roberts. Of course, all the best teachers say to do the study and paint from that. I just get excited by the color and jump in and that's when the paintings fail.

Winter Blooms

2011-02-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

My geranium has some blooms and since it is too cold to get out again, I painted it. I didn't do much of a background or detailed surface that the plant sits on but emphasised the plant its self. It is in watercolor as that is what I like to use indoors. But I do miss painting outdoors in oil. Spring will come!

Mendon Afternoon

2011-02-17T10:58:00.001-08:00

We were finally able to get out to paint!! The temperature was in the 40s and it was bright overcast. I think I had forgotten how to work in oils as it has been a couple of months since I last was doing it. The snow was melting and there was water running under a small foot bridge. I hope this is the beginning of the 2011 painting season.

Lisa

2011-02-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

At the Suburban Rochester Art Group Meeting last Tuesday we had our favorite model, Lisa. She held poses for 15 minutes each. I do enjoy drawing the figure. In 15 minutes I can only get the drawing partly drawn so I accent what I can in that amout of time.

Monhegan Island Walk

2011-02-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

This is another watercolor from the Maine trip. We went to Monhegan for just 1 day. Everywhere I looked there were subjects begging to be painted. The rose bushes, sunshine and a walk down the road are now in this painting from photos and memories.

Lighthouse

2011-02-17T10:38:00.000-08:00

My husband and I visited Maine a few years ago and as I was looking through my sketch book, I noticed that I made notes on the Pemaquid Light but hadn't painted it. I did this from photos but I remember being there and climbing over the rocks. It is like taking a Maine vacation on a dreary winter day.

Light Overcast and Snow

2011-01-28T11:06:00.000-08:00

I have been doing a lot of these small works inside but looking out and basing them on the weather. It has been snowy and cold; too cold to plein air paint. So until we have a break, these will have to do. I am sketching more and that's good practice.
Winter will end!!

The Girl in the White Blouse

2011-01-28T10:59:00.000-08:00

I went to the open studio yesterday and sketched the model in a beautiful blouse and flowing skirt. I have been doing pencil sketches as I feel that I am weak in drawing. I know I could do more with the lost and found edges. I can see the values fairly well so that doesn't bother me as much as the edges.

Workshop with Margaret Martin

2011-01-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

Margaret Martin of Buffalo was the juror and judge for the 6th GVPAP show. She works in watercolors and is featured in several publications as well as having written a book. She enjoys strong color. The workshop was 6 hours with a demo in the morning and we painted from photos in the afternoon and closing with a critique. I did 2 paintings where Margaret felt I could have repeated the colors I used in more areas. I did some of this when I got home and these are the results. The photos are of marshes on Virginia barrier islands.

Figure Drawing

2011-01-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

Figure drawings are fun to do and they are also difficult. If the aim is to be realistic and I have the figure proportions distorted or wrong it stands out. Every one knows what people look like. There are open figure sessions in Rochester and since it is too cold to be outside I went to one. The sessions are held once a week with the model in the same pose for 2 weekly sessions. This is great for those who are painting the figure but I just want to sketch. I was able to do 2 drawings in one afternoon. I set up so that the models feet were closest to me and therefore the torso was foreshortened . The other drawing was of his face and upper body in not quite 3/4 view. In looking at it now, I should have worked more on the background of that one. I will wait a couple of weeks and go to another session as these are fun and challenging at the same time.

GVPAP at Barnes & Noble, Pittsford

2010-12-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

This paining of Niagara Falls was accepted into the show by Juror Margaret Martin of Buffalo. The show is on view during store hours from now until January 28, 2011. Tho opening is on Saturday, January 8, 2011 from 4 to 6 PM.
I hope at the critique Ms. Martin indicates why she made her selections. Was this painting stronger than my other entries or were the colors harmonizing, or was the design strong? I always wonder why some paintings are selected and others that seem to me as strong are left out. That is their job and choice as all the paintings submitted by this group are well done and technically strong.
I am always pleased when a noted artist selects one of my paintings.

Genesee Valley Park III

2010-12-19T07:36:00.000-08:00

This view, also in Genesee Valley Park, was from a photo taken the same day as the other sketches. This time I am focused on the creek bank as the creek is off to the left just beyond the trees. Again it is the sunlight and color of the trees that captured my interest. 6 x 9 inches.

Genesee Valley Park, I & II

2010-12-19T07:26:00.000-08:00

These little paintings were done in Genesee Valley Park of the Fredrick Law Olmsted designed the park and bridge. There are several and this one is near E. River Rd. It was early November when I was there, did quick sketches and took photos. I'll maybe do a larger painting later and sometimes these little sketches (6 x 9 in.) just act like a journal. It was a warm, sunny afternoon and the basic theme is the sunlight.

Window View

2010-12-19T07:20:00.000-08:00

I have not been out painting in over a month. Snow, cold and a cold that won't go away has kept me inside. I do paint on many days from photos or views from the windows. This is looking towards the retention pond just as it was freezing over. I can never get the subtle colors which are in the snow to show in the scan or photo but there are yellows, pinks and blues as snow is not white.

Wadsworth Barns

2010-11-23T06:00:00.000-08:00

The GVPAP group painted at the Wadsworth Estate in Geneseo. This was a land grant dating from the 1790s and once covered many thousands acres. The estate has been updated many times in over 200 years and not farmed as much as it was. The town of Geneseo surrounds the property but some of the old buildings remain. I liked the old barns with all the wild growth around them.
It is so nice to be invited onto properties like this one and preserve its image for the future.

Stoney Brook, Part II

2010-11-23T05:52:00.000-08:00

I started this painting in the afternoon at Stony Brook, down stream from the morning painting.
On site I went too light with the colors of the stream and it was impossible to darken the reflections. In oils an artist can always lighten the values but not darken them. I waited for the paint to dry and I finally got around to adding the darker reflections. There was quite a bit of haze in the afternoon as the moisture seemed trapped in the gorge.

High Falls

2010-11-15T13:02:00.000-08:00

Another beautiful day and an opportunity to paint. This time we were at High Falls. Buildings, except barns, give me problems as it is not good to have them leaning or sagging. When I get the lines painted straight, the next problem is to photograph them straight. I usually wait for a bright overcast day to photograph as the outside light doesn't change the colors in the paintings. Yesterday was a perfect day to photograph and I did my best to keep the lines straight. The building on the right is all dark glass so it picks up reflections. The mist from the Falls was glowing in the early morning light.

Indian Summer

2010-11-15T12:56:00.000-08:00

We were painting in Fairport along the canal on a beautiful warm day. There was still a little color and the canal had not yet been drained for the winter. I decided on watercolors as I hadn't worked in them lately and the scene just called for them. I am definitely painting in a looser style now. It just seems to fit plein air painting.

Stoney Brook Park

2010-10-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Ice pellets! That is not what I want to see when driving to a paintout site. GVPAP was painting in Stony Brook Park near Dansville. The weather did clear but it was colder than I had hoped. We hiked up to the falls, which are more a series of rapids, with our gear. The light was changeable
and with all the trees it was difficult for me to simplify the painting. In the afternoon I did another at a location down stream but didn't finish it. I just got too cold and tired from standing. After I work on it a little more, I'll post a photo. Meanwhile, here is the AM painting.

Beautiful Afternoon

2010-10-12T15:17:00.001-07:00

We had a fogy morning but by noon it was beautiful and time to paint. The colors are spotty this year with some trees having lost their leaves and others just starting to change. This pond is quite small and just one of many water sites in the park. I am still trying to simplify my painting strokes while still showing the shapes of the object. The painting is 8 x 10 inches.

Along the Erie Canal

2010-10-08T16:12:00.000-07:00

After several days of rain, the sun was shining and it was time to paint again outdoors. The location is Canal Ponds Park. The trees are starting to change and I do enjoy the Fall weather. If you look closely you will see a bug and some dirt on the canvas. But if I let it dry completely, I can brush it off and then if I need to touch it up with a little paint I can. There usually is more of a mess trying to remove foreign matter from a wet painting.

Niagara

2010-09-26T13:50:00.000-07:00

GVPAP/NFPAP painted on a a positively beautiful day at Niagara Falls, NY. The breeze was away from us so we didn't even get wet from the spray, which is unusual. We were on Goat Island from which the morning light is on the Horseshoe Falls and after lunch the light is best on the American Falls. The view is similar to many paintings from those who painted there in the 19th and 20th centuries. Look at the paintings of Frederick Church. But now there is development on the Canadian side as well as the American. The view of the American Falls includes the observation tower and the Rainbow Bridge. Painting all the motion in the water and spray is so difficult. And there are so many colors in that water and spray. It is one of those locations that humbles an artist.

A Day of Painting is Great!

2010-09-14T15:21:00.000-07:00

This was a great day to paint. Cool temperatures, blue sky with sun and clouds, nice breeze. The leaves are just starting to turn. A group met at Black Creek Park and set up near this meadow. We've painted here before and it is a special place. The tree line was sharp as we are currently in a high pressure which makes the colors more saturated also. I am determined to do a series from this area over the next year. It will be fun to observe the gradual change of seasons.

Our Last Afternoon in the Adirondacks

2010-09-04T13:09:00.000-07:00

Back at Lake Clear, I painted this oil from the Lake's edge. It was getting late in the afternoon and the clouds were taking on pale colors. It was such a peaceful time.

Day Three, Painting at Paul Smiths

2010-09-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Day three, we set out for Paul Smiths, NY. There is a Visitors' Center and also trails the we could paint along. Heron Marsh was near the Center and we could look out over it. A hike to the bottom with painting gear would be doable but the hike up promised to be difficult. I decided a view from the top of the trail was the best solution.

Ampersand Bay

2010-09-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

The day was spent along the shore of Ampersand Bay on Lower Saranac Lake. The first painting is from the NYS Boat Launch. I used oils today and enjoyed getting the mountains correct. This is the High Peaks Area with the elevation being between 3000 to just over 5000 feet. The other painting is of this rock outcropping along the road. An old pine and some Aspen seem to be just determined to hold their own.

Adirondacks, Late Summer

2010-09-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

GVPAP had an Adirondack Adventure this past week. We stayed in a lodge on Lake Clear and went out on painting trips. The first paintings are from Cranberry Lake, painted in the early afternoon. I started the next two mornings with painting the view along the lake while waiting for breakfast. The sun was just coming up over the mountains and the Lake surface was calm.

Col. Patrick O'Rourke Bridge

2010-08-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

Time for the annual GVPAP meeting at the Genesee Yacht Club. There seemed to be more boats than usual at the docks. Yachts tied up, especially when there is one in every slip, is such a jumble of masts and rigging that I am usually looking for something less complicated. The O'Rourke Bridge is quite beautiful so I decided to paint it. There weren't clear reflections due to the river's flow and with it being a breezy day the color was mostly a brown green. I just had to add some more color than that to balance the upper part of the painting.

Vitale Park, Lakeville

2010-08-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

I was excited to go to Vitale Park as it is a beautiful location on Conesus Lake. When I got there, got set up and ready to paint I found that I had forgotten to pack watercolors. I know I should check just before leaving to be sure I have every thing. It was so nice there with a slight breeze cooler temperatures and beautiful clouds. I did have a fine Sharpie pen, so I decided to make the best of everything and draw. It took me a couple of hours to do this 9 x 12 in. drawing. When I got home I added the watercolor. It was a good day!

Evening at Ontario Beach

2010-08-14T06:01:00.000-07:00

GVPAP artists met at Ontario Beach park for an evening of painting. The park is always busy especially when it is hot. A cooling breeze off the lake makes all the difference so it was a good place on a hot, muggy evening. I decided to work in watercolors and the 1st painting is looking to the west. I tried to get that muggy feeling in the painting by muting the trees and homes beyond the beach. The 2nd painting is just about sundown. The pier light was on and the sailboats heading to port on the river. The haze made the colors quite soft. Fun evening.

After the Rain

2010-08-05T12:52:00.001-07:00

It was raining this morning and there was to be a paintout at a farm in Pittsford. The radar said it would clear, so we decided to wait and see. When it looked like the weather would co-operate, we set up at the location. The hills were sunlit and the clouds passing. I started when there was still considerable haze and as that burned off I almost needed some one to tell me 'Don't chase the light!' I think this time I stayed true to the original lighting.
I have had this painting for almost 1 year. It has been to shows. But just yesterday I noticed that the one fence post was directly under the tree. I can't believe I missed that. Today, 6-2-2011, I painted the post out. Now I feel better about the painting.

Durand Eastman Park

2010-08-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday Evening, GVPAP met at Durand beach for a sunset paintout. The beach is very narrow there and was crowded, so we crossed the road to paint a pond. We have been there before and this time of the year the scene quickly changes. We set up and I started painting as the sun was just highlighting a few of the trees. In 45 minutes it was behind the trees. I thought my painting was too dark. I still have trouble blocking in the lights and darks, sticking with that and not chasing light. After it dried for a couple of days I worked on getting the highlights back. It now looks like it should but I did too much on it to be considered Plein Air. The last few days I have been practicing blocking in using sketches and photos. Now I just have to remember to do it outdoors.

Arboretum

2010-07-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

Kent Park Arboretum in Webster was the site for Tuesday's paintout. It was HOT and HUMID so I had to find a view I liked and shade for a couple of hours. I liked the variety of trees in this area. Now I notice an area of brush strokes that I am not sure I like. I would fuss and repaint almost forever but I am going to let this stand as a plein air painting, for now anyway.

Lily Garden

2010-07-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

On last Saturday I painted at the lily garden of Master Gardeners. They have hundreds of lilies in every color imaginable. This is the first time i painted just flowers in plein air. I usually paint them in watercolors but I want to get better with oils. This is 11 x 14 inches, which makes the lilies life size.

Old Garden

2010-07-16T12:42:00.001-07:00

This garden is near Scottsville. I enjoyed working with the greens and having the opportunity to add spots of color. As I said working with the block-in technique that Kenn Backhaus uses is a learning curve. I painted all duds last week. But this one I like, or rather, I like the handling of the greens and darks. But I am not sure of the flowers in the lower left. There is always something! And that's what keeps me painting.

Kenn Backhaus Workshop

2010-07-16T12:40:00.001-07:00

GVPAP held a workshop with Kenn Backhaus here in the Rochester area. Since I've painted in watercolors for 40 + years I still struggle with oils especially in plein air. Kenn's approach to blocking in the painting really 'clicked' with me. The 1st day I had problems with his limited palette and the weather. There was alternating sun and rain and I kept loosing my darks and keeping them within the value range indicated by the weather. We did a small value study and then did a painting. By day 2 I did better. The weather helped and so did the location on Lake Ontario. the emphasis was on clouds. On day 3 I can say that I understand this approach. That is different than really using it consistently but that will come with practice. The last painting was done that day. I kept the values as they were but the farmer was mowing the field so that changed. I tried to keep it as it was before the mowing. I hope we can have Kenn come again as it would help reinforcing this way of painting.

Crimson King Maple

2010-07-16T11:55:00.000-07:00

On 6/21 GVPAP went to a location in Brockport to celebrate the Summer Solstice . I was intrigued by this very large Crimson King Maple. It isn't GREEN! And it was fun to paint.

Canandaigua Lake

2010-07-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful morning, June 11, GVPAP was invited to paint a view of Canandaigua Lake from a cottage high above the western shore. The morning was hazy and it was difficult to hold that lighting as I painted and the sky cleared. All those greens!

Laurie's Dogwood

2010-07-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

GVPAP was invited to paint in the beautiful garden belonging to Laurie, a Master Gardner. I chose for my subject a late variety of Dogwood.
It was in partial shade with dappled sunlight; just a beautiful peaceful setting.
The painting was done on 6/17.

Almost Home

2010-07-13T17:34:00.001-07:00

We are on the last leg of the trip and will be in Rochester before lunch time on 5/28. It was a great trip made even better because I could sketch all along the way. The last sketch is still just ink and is along Lake Erie where there are vineyards. I hope to travel by train again as it gives me this opportunity to travel and paint.

On the Train Home

2010-07-13T17:19:00.000-07:00

It was time to get on the train from LasVegas , NM to Chicago. LasVegas is near the Colorado border and it was sunset as we neared LaJunta. The next morning we were in Kansas and then Missouri. The mountains were left behind and the rolling farm land was the subject of my sketches.

New Mexico

2010-07-13T11:11:00.001-07:00

We were staying with friends and they took us around the area from Albuquerque to LasVegas, NM. Yes, there is a LasVegas in NM and it is a nice late 19th early 2oth century town. I took lots of photos and made color notes especially in the Santa Fe and Taos areas. We went to museums and Galleries and I think it would be fun to just go there to paint. Maybe in a year or so, who knows?

From LA to Albuquerque, NM

2010-07-13T10:53:00.000-07:00

The stop in LA was brief. We went to The Getty and Griffith Observatory. At the Griffith an exhibit of 'The Big Bang' made of many pieces of jewelry displayed on black velvet. This caught my eye.
We were back on the train by evening and headed to Albuquerque. The sketches are of near Flagstaff, AZ and Gallup, NM.

Sunsets in California are Golden

2010-07-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

This image is also from the train as we went inland approaching LA.

Pacific Coast by Train

2010-07-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

The train from San Jose to LA is an all day daylight ride. The views of the ocean were beautiful but I only did 3 watercolors on the entire trip. We were in coach and it was a little more difficult to paint.

The Road to San Jose

2010-07-13T09:54:00.001-07:00

The whole time we were in Yosemite, we were busy walking and seeing as much of the park as we could. I made color notes and just a couple of compositional lines but didn't sketch. We drove back to San Jose and these are sketches as my husband drove there to get a train for LA.

Between Monterey and Yosemite

2010-06-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

I was working in a hard backed, wire bound Canson watercolor book 8 x 10 inches. I photographed the entire page this time as the notes I enter are shown also. The first is of the Monterey coast sand dunes and wild flowers. The sketch on the lower half of the page is as we headed in land which has what I labeled as a gum tree. This is the first time I was in California and many of the trees were difficult for me to identify. I have since tried to research them and it is still confusing. Part of this is due to the speed at which I was sketching and probably didn't record them accurately enough.
The next part of the book I divided into quarters so I could work more quickly as my husband was driving. We were headed inland towards Yosemite National Park.

Carmel, Sausalito, and SanFrancisco, California

2010-06-22T09:03:00.001-07:00

The first 2 sketches are of trees on the Monterey coast. It was beautiful there and it would be fun to do complete paintings. The next sketch is of a house on a cliff overlooking Carmel Bay. Imagine living there! A ferry ride to Sausalito was in the late afternoon. And the last sketch is a scene in SanFrancisco's Fisherman's Wharf area. I just drew and painted as fast as I could to get in all the action in that area.

California

2010-06-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

I'll continue posting 5 sketches at a time from the train trip. Some are about 2 x 8 inches and others are 4 x 5 inches. I sketch them quite quickly with a pen or pencil and then start adding the water color. All of these are in California with the 1st. being sunrise in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The others are central California. The scenes were changing so rapidly that I painted 2 different paintings on the same page.

Traveling by Train

2010-06-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

In May my husband and I traveled from Rochester to San Francisco, Monterey area, Yosemite National Park, Los Angeles, and Northern New Mexico. While on the train I sketched the passing scenery. The following are sketches form the trip in watercolor and pen & ink. They are just as they were done in my sketch book. I would see something that was interesting and try to retain that image long enough to do a sketch - usually in about 10 minutes. some times an object which was a little farther would be incorporated into a sketch in progress. This resulted in my impressions on the passing countryside. We left Rochester at 11 PM so the first ketch is in western Indiana. The next one is in Illinois, and then just outside Denver where there was snow, snow near Laramie, WY, and Green River CO.

Erie Canal Oxbow

2010-05-10T10:39:00.000-07:00

In a hidden place a long the canal is an Oxbow. There was to be a paintout there but it was canceled because of rain. I happened to be in area so I went down a path to this location. I hope there is an official paintout there as access is along private property. The painting was done from a photo.

Chestnuts in Blossom

2010-05-10T10:21:00.000-07:00

Highland Park is known for its Lilacs but there are many other flowers, trees and bushes in bloom. On a path leading in from Reservoir Avenue there are these huge Chestnut trees. Some have white blooms and others have pink or almost a peach color flower. Peonies are in the flower bed on the left. This time of the year is a treat to all the senses and the Park is a favorite place

Along the Fence

2010-05-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

I always see interesting sights while driving and sometimes it is impossible to stop and make a quick sketch or take a picture. This is what happened while driving past this old home with all the Wisteria on the front fence. I couldn't quite remember every detail but the beautiful Wisteria stayed with me and I had to try to paint it.

Wisteria

2010-05-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

I used to live near this house and passed it regularly for many years. A few years ago I noticed that the Wisteria was severely cut back and I thought it would probably never flower again. Slowly there was new growth and this year the bush is almost to the second story and just beautiful!