Timber Creek Vista - Rocky Mountain National Park

This shot was taken in July of 2014 as we were coming down out of Rocky Mountain National Park on the west side into the Grand Lake area.  I think Pam snapped this shot of a moose in Timber Creek.  There is always a crowd of cars and people whenever any type of animal is spotted, and this was no exception.  But I always loved this shot with Baker Mountain, Mount Stratus and Mount Nimbus in the background (I looked that up after we were down).

So I have always thought I wanted to paint it, and finally did.  I did it like the other plein air pieces on a 6"x8" canvas board, but it is purely a studio sketch.  I took liberties and removed some items and made the moose a bull instead of a cow and moved it a bit, but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. I mounted it before I scanned it, so it's a picture of this one.   Enjoy!



The Spillway @ Bonnie Park

I painted this one back in late September when we were back for a visit.  This one was done entirely on site, so my first "real" plein air piece.  There were lots of visitors who stopped while I was painting.  That part is always a bit intimidating. 



Plein Air Oil Painting - Studies

Haven't posted here since 2010.  I have decided to use this as site as a vehicle to post my paintings, moving forward.  Now that I am retired (second time is a charm), and have moved to Reynoldsburg near the kids, I have picked up the brush again.  I am rather enjoying it. 


I took a plein air class in the fall through the Cultural Arts Center - Columbus.  The instructor was Mary Jane Ward.  She was classically trained at an atelier in New York and shares her knowledge through CAC teaching both Plein Air and Portrait sessions.


This post contains images of the eight class studies we completed.  Each one took the 2 1/2 to 3 hours in class, on location, plus a few final touches at home from cell phone pics taken on site.  While that is not strictly allowed in true "plein air" painting, this is a learning exercise and most of the sites were a half hour or more away, and not worth returning to so I could complete the paintings.


Anyway, I'm going to try and keep this up a bit more regularly and post at least twice a month.  But for now, please enjoy  -  and feel free to comment or critique.  It is a learning process and I have a ways to go.

 Week 1:   Cultural Arts Center - in the courtyard

Week 2:   The Prairie @ Whetstone Park

Week 3:   Antrim Lake Park

Week 4:   Scioto River @ Griggs Dam

Week 5:   Sculpture Garden @ Franklin Park Conservatory

Week 6:   Scioto Audubon Park

Week 7:   The Pond @ Franklin Park Conservatory

Week 8:   The Ravine @ Whetstone Park