OC Library Whimsy

Have you  been to the OC Library recently? I stopped by and then stopped in my tracks when confronted with this large creature in the lawn! What is it? Made of metal, looks like a horse, but has a long fish-like tail. The artist calls it Hippocampus, and the sculpture is part of a temporary display at the library. When you visit you'll see other works of art on display, too. Might want to bring a camera.

I couldn't resist making my own pastel version of the artwork. My rendition of the Carnegie building is almost as whimsical as the Hippocampus I think!

 

OC Library Whimsy, 8 x 10 pastel on Wallis paper

New Greens in the Meadow

Walked down into the meadow this morning with my art supplies to see what looked interesting. Here's what I came up with. Just before I finished there was an awful lot of "bushy noises" near me. I suspected deer, so I talked to them as I made my final marks and began to pack up my gear. Never did see anything. :)

New Greens in the Meadow, 8 x 10 pastel on red cardstock

Camassia Sunrise

This morning I drove over to the Camassia Nature Area in West Linn to take part in a Morning Bird Song Walk hosted by the Audubon Society of Portland. The walk began at 7:00 with about a dozen people and our guide, Jackie. This is the first official birding event I've ever attended, so I came to see what it was all about. The other participants came with their notebooks, field binoculars, and guidebooks and were much more involved that I was. But I loved it! We strolled along and every few feet or so Jackie stopped the group to have us listen and identify the songs in the treetops. The group talked about various sightings, bird activities and habits, as well as identifying native plants and wildflowers along the way.

Well, wildflowers is one of the reasons I came! To see the blooming Camas, Rosy Plictritis, Blue-eyed Mary, and Fawn Lillies. Plus others, whose names I can't remember! As we came around one bend in the trail I may or may not have caused the person behind me to stumble as I stopped quickly to take the photo that became the reference for the following little pastel painting.

The early morning light streaming through the trees onto waves of Camas was breathtaking. My painting does not do it justice, but it was fun trying.

Camassia Sunrise, 4 x 6 pastel on grey sanded pastel card

Canemah Bluffs

Yesterday I joined the Clackamas County Painters for their first spring "Paint-Out" at the Canemah Bluffs just outside of Oregon City. This is a group of local artists who like to paint outside, but want company when they are doing it. I found a reference to them online and asked if I could join them, and now I have a new group of artist friends!

Canemah Bluffs was bathed in sunshine yesterday and the blue Camas were blooming in waves across the meadows, along with other wildflowers. I produced two pastel "studies" yesterday on site, but wasn't too happy with the composition, so today's painting is one I did today, based on my studies and photos I took during the day. I took lots of lovely photos, so this may be one of several Canemah Bluff paintings. :)

Canemah Bluffs, 8 x 10 pastel on cream colored UArt paper

Shore Patrol

I've seen this gal and her dogs a couple different times during the week, always marching along the tide line. I bet this is a regular routine for them! When we crossed paths yesterday I took a quick photo so that I could produce this little pastel study.

 

Shore Patrol, 5 x 8 pastel painting

My week at the beach is coming to a close. I'll be leaving tomorrow, but what a nice week it has been! I have plenty of photo reference material for future paintings....but then I see great painting potential every where I go. Who knows what I'll be in the mood to paint next. :)

Sand and Surf

The hours are flying by! Hanging out by myself, taking long walks on the beach, reading, and painting is a dream vacation. Might have to do it again sometime. :)

 

First painting today are these little pretties I found on the beach. I will admit to placing the green stone (or maybe it's glass?) next to the shell before taking the photo reference.

 

 

Shore Art 1, 6 x 6 pastel

 

 

This next painting is exactly as I found it in the sand. Nature did a very good job of arranging the shapes and colors in a pleasing composition, and all I had to do was take the picture and create the painting. After a bit of experimentation I came up with a way to do the "sand". I used a small paint brush to "sweep" bits of color off the pastel stick and let it fall onto the paper. Then I rolled it with a smooth glass so that the particles would "stick" to the painting. So cool!

Shore Art 2, 6 x 6 pastel

I came upon this beach access and instinctively knew it would make a good painting. So many artists have painted their own version of a "trail to the beach" and this is my first entry into that category. I didn't spend too much time on this painting, but it turned out rather pleasing anyway. :)

Beach Access, 8 x 10 pastel

Beach Walk

Gotta love the dramatic skies at the coast! I have been walking the beach snapping pictures of everything. About one out of 30 "clicks" might become the reference for a painting. I'm sure glad I live in the digital age!

 

Beach Walk, 8 x 10 pastel on brown cardstock

Pools to Proposal Rock

While I was working on my first Proposal Rock study on the beach, Ken went off exploring on his own in the area. He snapped the photo that is the reference for my first painting today. Kathy wanted to know about the Proposal Rock name. Strangely, Wikipedia didn't have any explanation, but I found another article about the Neskowin area and the rock formation. You can find it here: http://www.beachconnection.net/news/nesko0606_29013.htm

 

Thanks to the generosity of my daughter and the lovingness of my sweet husband, I am staying here at the coast for the rest of the week by myself. I am loving it!



 

 

 

Pools to Proposal Rock, 8 x 10 pastel on brown cardstock

Proposal Rock

The sun was predominate today making the beach a pleasant place to hang out. (Though still rather cool.) Ken and I walked all over, including up the "Tsunami escape" path way (just to see where it goes!). On one of our outings I brought along my pastels and got to work while Ken wandered about exploring.

 

This formation is called "Proposal Rock". Slab creek and Hawk Creek come together on the beach and flow out into the ocean next to the rock. I sat where I could see the sky peeking through a large crack in the stonework. I thought I might do some touchup on this when we got back into the house, but then decided to leave it alone. It's a decent enough "study". :)

Sky Light through Proposal Rock, 8 x 10 pastel on brown cardstock

 

The tide went out far enough that Ken was able to make his way all around Proposal Rock while I was painting. He was quite pleased with that accomplishment.

Plein Air at the Beach

I'm staying at the coast for a few days and wanted to try some plein air pastel painting on the beach! I packed my bags, grabbed a beach chair and went out to sit in the sand. I was working very small...only 4 x 6 inch papers. Here are some things I learned while sitting there:

 

1. Don't lean in your chair. (sand is very, very soft)

2. I don't have a "sand" colored pastel. Oh well....I improvised.

3. The scenery is immense! I used my camera viewfinder to try to select a composition.

4. I didn't notice to how cold it felt after getting into the "zone".

5. Large shaggy, wet, sandy dogs running up to see what you are doing could possibly be devasting. Today's dog, however, obeyed commands from his owners very nicely. I also got nice comments from the owners. :)

6. Clouds change quickly.

7. The learning curve is huge.

8. I'll have to go back and do it again.

9. If I call them "studies", I feel better about the results. :)

 



 

 

 

10 AM Looking North, 4 x 6 pastel on sanded paper

10:30 AM Looking South, 4 x 6 pastel on sanded paper

Bluff Blooms

This blooming "tulip" tree stopped me in my tracks a couple weeks ago. I walked around it, looking for the best view, and decided to include the river and bridge in the background to give it a sense of place in the community. The blossoms on these trees only last a few days and it's nice to capture the moment. :)

Bluff Blooms, 8 x 10 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Oregon City Main Street Blossoms

Remember when it was so warm and sunny here not so many days ago? My little point-and-shoot camera and I went out wandering the streets of old Oregon City looking for inspiration one afternoon and today's painting is from one of my photos that day. While crossing the street in downtown OC I paused just for a moment to get this view. Don't worry, I wasn't that close to on coming traffic...this is a "zoomed" image! :)

OC Main Street Blossoms, 8 x 10 pastel on maroon Canson Touch paper