Daisy Meadow

Today I revisited an old favorite: The Mt Talbert Daisy Meadow. My first little painting of this meadow sold two weeks ago. It was always one of my favorites, so I decided to make another version of the same scene.

 

Daisy Meadow, 5 x 7 pastel on grey Canson Touch

Go Peacefully

Today I wanted to do something entirely with the new pastels in my studio. So, using several references, I created this little scene of a place I would love to wander in. If I actually were walking through this meadow I would be thinking, "hush!" to all the worldly concerns. That almost became the title.

Go Peacefully, 5 x 7 pastel on blue Canson

Prim

On Facebook a couple weeks ago I held a drawing for a free 5 x 7 pastel painting of a favorite pet. Andrea was the selected winner and she sent me a couple photos of her sweet cat, Prim, to use as reference. For this portrait I used a sheet of velour paper, which is specifically made for pastel use. It was my first time using it, so there was a bit of a learning curve, but it was still fun to do.

I am pleased to introduce you to "Prim"!

 

 

Prim, 5 x 7 pastel on velour

Memaloose Meadow

I can find inspiration just about anywhere! On our way home from The Dalles last weekend we stopped at the Memaloose Rest Area along the Columbia River Gorge. While waiting for Ken to read tourist signs out front, I wandered off to the side and down a little hillside. Looking up I saw the sky, trees, and a field of wildflowers! The wind was blowing quite strongly, and the tall grasses were waving in the breeze with poppies, cornflowers, and pearly everlastings. Yesterday I roughed in a basic idea with my regular pastels, and today I used my new pastels to complete the painting. No, I didn't break them yet. I barely touched them to the paper, just dragging them along to leaves touches of color all across the image. I love them!

 

 

Memaloose Meadow, 5 x 8 pastel on Wallis

A Treasure Box in the Mail

The mailman brought me a box of treasure! Or so it seems to me. I have been dreaming over this pastel collection for a long time and finally allowed myself to order it. A superb pastel painter named Richard McDaniel put together this selection of colors from the Great American Pastel line, and the colors are chosen specifically with the plein air landscape painter in mind. Don't they look yummy!

 

 

Yes, I have taken a couple of them out of the box and made a few marks, (lovely, exquisite marks!) but I'm still in the "just looking at them" phase. Once I get to the point of creating art with them, I have to break them. Seriously! I have to take each one and break them into smaller pieces. That way I can use all sides of the pastel to easily cover more area, and the little broken edges are nice and sharp for details. Crazy, huh? So, I'm going to admire them for just a little while longer. Then we'll get to work.

Plein Air on the Deschutes

We had a wonderful weekend camping trip to the Deschutes River State Recreation Area. I really thought I'd spend more time painting, but we spent more time just marvelling at the scenery and enjoying the exploration of the place! Can you believe it....I rode my bicycle for 16 miles on Saturday! Part of me really wanted to go further along the rail bed up the Deschutes, but my legs and "saddle" were pretty sure we had gone far enough as it is.

 

After resting up from that adventure, Ken and I hiked a mile or so to a lovely viewpoint over the river. The wind was trying to blow away my art supplies, (I had to chase down my paper once), but I managed to get this one sketch done of a small isle in the Deschutes with white water racing on either side of it. Ken busied himself with colored pencils and did a drawing of the far hillside. (He isn't ready to share his art yet.) 

 

 

Isle in the Deschutes, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis

For this next picture we hiked down the road, across a bridge, and found a lovely place to sit on the opposite side of the river. A Meadowlark teased us with it's beautiful songs, but we simply couldn't spot it in the trees. We were amused by the Killdeer running ahead of us, though. It was such a lovely day. Once again I focused on the waters. The sun was bright overhead, causing the water to be so bright I almost couldn't look at it. This is an area of white water rolling around grassy stones in the riverbed. Ken chose a nearby rock to draw. I love that he is finding his own way to create art along with me!

 

Sunlight on the White Waters, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis

The Second Look Rose

I was walking along this morning, chatting away as usual, when this rose appeared in view on the wall of a neighborhood house. We walked on by for another ten feet or so, then my feet did a u-turn and I went back for a second look. And that's how this purty yellow rose painting got it's title.

 

 

The Second Look Rose, 5 x 7 on Wallis sanded paper

The Other Trail

The Clackamas County Painters decided to have a Paint-Out on the OC Promenade today. My morning got busy in ways I didn't expect, but I did have a little time right after lunch to drive over and mingle with the group for a while. After admiring works-in-progress and talking "art" for a little bit, I wandered off just a little and found a spot to do a quick plein air sketch. The Promenade is very well known and quite prominent along here, but I also noticed this other path way heading in a different direction, so that became my subject for the next hour.

The Other Trail, 5 x 7 pastel on blue Canson

Azalea Reflections

I had a wonderful afternoon at the Rhododendron Gardens with my artist pals, Shirleen and Sharon. That place is so amazing...can you imagine wandering through there and trying to find ONE spot to sit and work on a plein air painting?? Just ONE? After much puzzlement, we finally settled on a place next to the pond, in the shade, which was not quite as busy with pedestrians. We still had lots of friendly admirers. One woman even asked to photograph us working! You know, after doing this for a few weeks, I have come to the point where having a "stranger" watching over my shoulder as I work does not make me feel nervous. Especially when they say things to their companions like, "This gal really knows what she is doing!" Ha ha! What a confidence booster!  The three of us soaked up the peacefulness of working in such a beautiful place, and here is the study I came up with.

 

 

 

Azalea Reflections, 5 x 7.5 on blue Canson paper

Balancing Act

The sunlight on the back porch in the late afternoon drew my attention and suddenly I knew I wanted to create a still life set-up to paint. I quickly found some posterboard for backing, then a teacup, apple and strawberry from the kitchen. In the garden I plucked a little Geum blossom, then stacked them all together for a photo portrait. The next day I painted the portrait in pastel. I rather like how this one turned out, even though it's a bit more realistic than I usually work. A fun change!

Balancing Act, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Wave Watching

Today I went back to the beach for a painting. Not really! I do have lots of reference photos from my last beach retreat, and when I skimmed through them, this was the one that said, "pick me!"

Wave Watching, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Madrones in Camassia

Today's painting comes from a photo I took last week at Camassia. I was with a group of bird watchers, walking along, listening to bird calls, but you know I always have my pocket camera ready to capture any lovely views that catch my eye. This was one of those views. These four Madrone trees were standing together in sharp contrast to the spring greens and blue camas blossoms.

 

Madrones in Camassia, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Iris Along the Trail

Yesterday was one of those perfect, warm spring days in May that we get so seldom around here. Well, actually, we've had more of them this spring than I can remember in a long time! Anyway, with a temperature of 80 degrees accompanied by a pleasant soft breeze, we decided that a woodsy walk was just what we needed after our Church meetings. We headed out to walk along the trails in the Mount Talbert Nature Park which is only 15 minutes away. Among the various dainty spring flowers on display we also came along stretches where the Oregon Iris was blooming happily! Naturally, I was taking photos....and naturally it would become the painting of the day. :)

 

Iris Along the Trail, 5 x 7 pastel on Wallis sanded paper

New on Etsy!

It was time, so I opened an Etsy Shop! I have been getting inquiries, plus I have blank note cards featuring the Oregon City paintings which I have been doing. It took me most of the day to do the research and figure out how to do it, but as of this afternoon I am in business. Woo Hoo!

What's it called? Dorothy Jenson Art, of course!

I have listed most of the detailed Oregon City paintings which are worth quite a bit to me and I have priced them such. I will, however, be adding other paintings that will not be quite so expensive. If you have a favorite from the past, let me know and I will add it to the shop. Shortly after going public I made my first sale...."Lilac Lane" from my Paint Out yesterday. Hooray! And this is from a fan in West Linn whom I have never met!

Anyway, take a peek and tell me what you think.

Paint Out at Philip Foster Farm

Today I met with the Clackamas County Painters Group for a plein air event at the Philip Foster Farm in Eagle Creek. The sun did it's best to warm us up, but that air was still very cool. I never did take off my jacket! Seven of us worked away on our own little paintings...some oil, some watercolor, and of course I am the token pastel painter.

The farm was chosen because the lilacs are all blooming! The one that is in front of the old Foster house is known as the oldest lilac in Oregon, which is why I'm calling it the Lilac Pioneer. We had a great day. Here's what I came away with:

 

Lilac Pioneer, 4 x 6 pastel on blue sanded paper

 

Lilac Afternoon, 4 x 6 pastel on blue sanded paper

 

Lilac Lane, 6 x 8 pastel on blue Canson (SOLD!)