Pieces I have Never Blogged About

"Tree in the Field"    Oil Pastel, 6x8"

$95 plus shipping

Purchase Here 

I have a lot of pieces that for various reasons I never blogged about.  Now that I am on a blogging roll, I thought I would show you some of them while I am continuing to work on the ones in progress.  At least, I think I didn't show these.  Memory may fail here!

This one was painted some time last year.  I had painted it years ago in soft pastel, then again in colored pencil, and this time in oil pastel.  I used the soft pastel as the reference for the other two pieces, and the soft pastel was painted from my own photograph.  

If anyone can think of a better title for this piece, please let me know.  I have always thought of it as "Tree in the Field."  There might be something a little more creative that would work!

Our marketing guru, Leslie Saeta, says all pieces of the same size need to be the same price, because it is too tough to explain to the public why different pieces of the same size may have different prices.

So I'm going to explain to you.  I am going to find it easy to explain.  The "art world" may think I am unjustified charging more for this one, but I feel quite justified.  Because: I am attached to this piece.  I've had it for awhile, and it's going to take a little more to get me to feel good parting with it. 

As the artist, I think I need to feel good :)   Feel free to disagree with me and tell me why you think I'm wrong :)

Love you guys....Meredith

30 Paintings in 30 Days--Can a Busy Person Do this Challenge?

Acrylic with a Palette Knife, 8x10"

This post is for all artists out there, especially the particularly busy artists wondering if they can possibly participate in the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge hosted by Leslie Saeta.  I have participated in all but one of the Challenges, and I have a full-time job.

 I am recycling an old post, below, that was originally entitled, "How to do the 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge When You Also Have a Full-Time Job."  I am also recycling the above painting, because it is one of my favorites, and I never would have been painted it had it not been for the 30 in 30.  OK, here it is, the recycled post (and I'm doing this because some of my artist friends have expressed anticipating stress, and, oh do I know that feeling!).

From September 2014:

 "Someone asked me in a comment how I am managing to do this challenge with a full-time job.  Here's my tips, some practical, some about attitude:

1) Above all, focus on having fun.  I never would have joined the first 30 in 30 (I've done all 4) if Leslie had not said, "the only rule is to have fun."  I can live with a rule like that.

2)  From the very start, let go of any expectation that you will complete 30 paintings.  Don't expect that of yourself, don't intend for it, and don't try for it.  In other words, do not set yourself up to feel bad about yourself in any way.  And do not set yourself up to spend a month creating paintings you're going to feel crappy about.  Let go, paint as much as you can, post when you can.

3)  In the end, be proud that you painted more paintings than you would have had you not taken on this challenge.  And remember the other benefits:  you will learn, you will see lots of great art, you may develop new artist friends, and you may discover new favorite artists (I already have!).

4)  My new method is to hit the studio and do a few starts.  Loose ones, with no intention of taking them to completion.  Then over the next few days, I can choose one to work on.  Or work some on more than one.  Again, no pressure to complete anything!  Don't ruin your love for painting or your particular painting over anything external to yourself...it truly is not necessary to post to your blog or Leslie's blog everyday, especially if the pressure is making you unhappy.  Be happy and enjoy yourselves, artist friends!

5)  Frankly, I am losing sleep over this challenge, but that is when I am becoming engrossed in a painting and energized to stay up to complete it.  I am NOT losing any sleep over completing a painting in order to make a quota.  

If I think of any other tips, I will let you know in future posts.

Thanks for Watching!  Take good care of yourselves, everyone.  I think that's the main thing I am trying to say...."

Back to the present:  Thank  you to my artist-blogger friends who responded to my question yesterday asking who is planning to participate.

Again, I ask, "Who else?!"

Blue Ridge Fine Arts Guild Exhibit, "Renaissance of the Family Farm"

"Hearts Wide Open," Acrylic, 12 x 12"

$425 framed (plus shipping)
Contact Me Here for Purchase

This painting is in a group show with the Blue Ridge Fine Arts Guild.  The show is at the Design Gallery in Burnsville, NC until August 31.  If you can get to the show, there are some amazing paintings there.  The opening was last night, and it was quite well attended.

The show is called the Renaissance of the Family Farm.  Twenty one artists are participating, and we were each challenged to visit local farms and paint something that spoke to the essence of the farm.

I owe a huge thanks to Kate and Kevin Lane of Homemade in Marshall for opening their farm and family to me!

Here's the painting framed:

Thanks for Watching!

"The Child Glowed" Oil Pastel - 30 Paintings in January 2015

Oil Pastel, 8x6"

I hope my family will recognize this moment, because it is a moment I will never forget!

I created this piece on what many artists would consider one of the best surfaces for oil pastels and soft pastels--sanded art paper.  However, for my methods, sanded paper is one of my least preferred surfaces for oil pastel painting, at least at this time in my development with the medium.  I realize this image deserves another go on another surface.

Even though the results were less than what I was aiming for, I still feel accurate in saying that at least on my screen, the photo doesn't begin to do justice to the painting!  The contrast is off and there are color subtleties that aren't even showing.

Anyway, this is my offering for Day 14 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days, January 2015.  All is calm, all is bright...

Happy painting, everyone!

Magenta Forest Oil Pastel - 30 Paintings in January 2015

Oil Pastel, 6x6"

$50 plus shipping

Purchase Here

Well, I'm back in the saddle again after my computer crashed a few days ago.  Thank you all for returning to visit after the interlude.  I purchased a new (used) laptop.  You could say it's on borrowed time right now...I have 30 days to decide whether to keep it.  That should at least get me through the rest of this 30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge.

I did continue to paint while I was off-line.  Not sure how to catch you up on those.  Maybe I'll do a post with them or maybe skip them so these can be in synch with my DPW and Leslie's blog. 

This oil pastel painting is another one that started totally and completely different than what you see here.  What you see here is kind of what the background of the original painting looked like.  I decided I liked the background effect best, so I lost the foreground.  These OPs are amazing for making alterations, that's for certain.  

This is one of those occasions where the photo simply will not do justice to the painting...I guess that's one thing that hasn't changed from the last computer!

Anyhow, new computer, no bookmarks, hope I can find you all again...thank goodness for Feedly...

Happy Painting, everyone!

30 in January 2015 Pink Forest Oil Pastel

Oil Pastel, 5x7"

SOLD (Thank  you!)

I have just completed reading Wolf Kahn's book Pastels and immediately turned around and started reading it again.  I love his work, and I really appreciated getting insight into his views on the artistic process.  I want to highly recommend this book to my artist friends, no matter what your medium.

Here are a few quotes I found deeply meaningful:

"The practice of art should have an effect not only on the public, but even more importantly on the artist himself, by enlarging his sphere of freedom." (p. 16, paragraph 2)

"The moment you know how to do certain things, you should by rights stop doing them.  You would be ceasing to search and starting to perform."  (p. 18, paragraph 1)

Points to ponder...

And, as we are in the midst of the 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge, how about this reminder from Wolf Kahn (also from Pastel, p. 25 paragraph 2):

"The artist must beware of trading places, even momentarily, with his public.  He follows mental pathways in which audience-conscious esthetic judgments such as 'interest' have no place.  The intimacy of his personal relationship to the work at hand has to remain inviolate."

Watchers, I think that is another way of saying "Paint Like Nobody's Watching."   In his profound way, Wolf Kahn is telling us what to focus on while painting (the creation of the image) and what not to focus on while painting ("will it be good enough for my blog?  good enough for Leslie's blog?  good enough for DPW?").

Paint Like Nobody's Watching, friends....and as always, I do thank you for Watching!

Mountain View Oil Pastel - 30 in January 2015, Day 2

Oil Pastel, 5x7"

$50 plus shipping

Purchase Here

 

My Intention for the Challenge

Welcome again to the 30 Paintings in January 2105 Challenge.  My computer seems to be behaving better than it did last night, so I can give you a more of a welcome/intro than I did yesterday.  

Leslie Saeta, convener of the challenge, encourages us to have a theme for our 30 Days.  By theme, I think she means subject matter.  I have altered the call for a theme, just a bit.  Instead of a theme, I have an intention--Artistic Freedom!  

Why Artistic Freedom?

Artistic Freedom, because there are too many boxes in the other areas of my life!  Artistic Freedom, because as Robert Genn said on his AHA Radio Show interview, "I believe the only question an artist should ask is, 'What do I want to do today?'"  

  

The Challenge is to Play!

 So, I will be playing with mediums besides my usual acrylics.  I expect you will see oil pastels, pastels, gouache, and some combinations of the above.  Fun at all costs, friends!  Here at Paint Like Nobody's Watching, we are going to mix media that maybe aren't even supposed to be mixed!

I am quite interested in Oil Pastels right now, so if I start feeling I am getting the hang of it, I will share what I learn in case other artists out there might want to try them.

For now let me just say, they are a totally, completely different animal than soft pastels!

Thanks for being here, and Happy Challenging to the other artists out there...glad we're in this together.

Determination

Acrylic, 6x6"

BID HERE IN THE DPW AUCTION

Starting Bid is $65, unframed

I'm showing these to you a little out of order.  The one above was actually painted just before I did a more simplified version that you may have already seen in this post, where I introduced my present project.

As always, I thank you for Watching!

Approaching Storm

Acrylic 6x6"

Available for $95 plus shipping

Contact the Woolworth Walk Gallery

Asheville, NC

(828) 254-9234

Another candidate from my new project of getting to intimately know some landforms.   As I explained in this post, I am working towards learning to paint from imagination, or from my mind's eye. 

One of the commenters on the last post thought I had actually painted the last landform from my imagination.  I want to correct that impression, because I think I wasn't clear.

I am not yet creating the landforms from my imagination!  I am creating them from my own photos and significantly cropping to find what is to me the most interesting part of the photos.  

My plan is to paint from a photo monochromatically, then paint the same landforms using imaginative color, and eventually create my own semi-abstracted landforms from my imagination.  Make sense?

I am trying out the auction format at Daily Paintworks to put some of these works up for sale.  The auction will run for one week, starting with a lowered "teaser price."  If the painting doesn't sell during the auction week, the price will go up to my regular retail price. 

I am playing with redesigning parts of my blog (fonts, font sizes, colors), so please bear with me till I settle on what I like.  Better yet, feel free to provide feedback on any of the changes.  

Edit:  Well, turns out I have put a lot of time into this redesign---let me know what you think!  I like it, and I hope it's easier on the eye.  I know it calls for a wider header now.  Another project....

Thanks for being here, Watchers!

30 in Sept 2014 - Ode to Fall, which Needs no Ode from Me!

Acrylic by palette knife, 6x8"

Being an artist can be quite humbling.  I have detected a pattern in my creative life.  It seems as soon as I paint something I really like (such as the one in the last post), I expect I'm going to be able to repeat the process and come up with something I like equally well.  But what happens instead is I find it almost impossible to make the next few paintings work, even if I'm using similar methods.  

The past week has been me slugging it out with a couple of paintings that did not seem to want to be birthed!  The above is one of them.  I wasn't even sure if I would show it here, but after letting it go for a few days, took another look and decided you may see it.  The other one, I thought was a lost cause, but peeked at it today and may give it one more go (sigh....).

The intensity of painting this week, along with the extra blog hopping last week (translate, laptop time) has resulted in a somewhat blown out neck for me right now.  I have missed seeing my friends' work this week, and hope to catch up--maybe after I visit a chiropractor!  But I still love you guys...

And thank you all for Watching!

30 in September 2014 - Fun with Acrylic Palette Knife Painting

Acrylic with Palette Knife, 8x10"

I am experimenting with new mediums to make acrylic palette knife painting feel more like oil palette knife painting.  I think I am onto something.  The medium I used today made the process much more natural than it felt with mediums I had been using.  Possible breakthrough here!

You may ask, why not just use oil paints with the palette knife, then.  The answer is I would be happy to use oil paints, except I am terribly afraid of  

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION!

That's my truth.  To all you oil painters out there, I don't expect your stuff to combust.  I just would worry too much about my own stuff. 

Hope everyone continues to have a happy, productive weekend, and thanks for Watching...

30 in September 2015 - Returning

 

Acrylic 8x10"

I could have painted a whole 'nother painting in the amount of time I have spent fiddling with this image in Picasa and Photoshop Elements, trying to get it to look more like the image I painted.  I don't know why the yellow stands out so much.  

You will be happy to know I am taking a half-day workshop with a renowned local photographer this month on how to use Photoshop elements.  Hopefully, I will have a clearer idea of how to make my images look more like my paintings.   Meanwhile, why that yellow is so strong and contrasty, I'll never know.

This one is painted on canvas board, unusual for me, because I don't usually work on canvas.   30 in 30 is a time for experimentation.

 

But thanks for  being here to Watch, and for those of you who are in this painting challenge with me--Happy Painting!

Coming Right Up - 30 in September 2014!

Acrylic with Palette Knife, 8x10" unframed

PURCHASE HERE for $200 plus shipping

Here we go again!  30 Paintings in 30 Days, courtesy Leslie Saeta, convener of the challenge and host of Artists Helping Artists blog talk radio show (AHA).   If you are an artist reading this, you, too, can join the challenge.  Even if it's already started.  Even if you know you will never actually paint 30 paintings in 30 days.

Like me...I like to say I'm "along for the ride."  My schedule simply does not allow me to complete a painting every day.   I am at peace with my limitations, and Leslie is kind enough to say there are no rules, except to have fun.  If you are just discovering this challenge and we're already half-way through September, you can still join!

So, I promise to have fun, I promise to learn, I understand I will be seeing lots of great art throughout the month, and maybe I'll even make a few more friends.  

Leslie has recommended we all have a theme for our 30 Paintings.   After a lot of soul searching, I realize I will possibly pull my hair out if I limit what I paint.   Oh, I will envy those artists who have a theme and will come out of this thing with a cohesive body of work and an amazing collage at the end, to boot.  But I know myself.  I could declare a theme today and I wouldn't stick to it, anyway!

I heard the late, great Robert Genn say on his interview with AHA radio, "I think the only question artists should ask themselves each day is, 'What do I want to do today?'"  I think Mr. Genn would approve of my not having a theme.  But the most important thing is, I approve. 

So, my only plan is to start with the palette knife and see where I go.  What fun!.

Oh, and one change from the other challenges--this time I plan to put my work up for sale, at least some of it.

The above painting was completed during the January 2014 30 Paintings in 30 Days challenge.  At least, I thought it was completed.  The other day, I had another go at it.   I made some small changes, and I think they are improvements.

Thanks for joining me on this adventure.

Burnsville Paint-Out

Watercolor with Colored Pencil, 8x10ish"

A few weeks ago, I participated in a paint-out held by the Toe River Arts Council (TRAC) in Burnsville, NC.  This is  NOT the painting I did for the paint-out!  Actually, I painted two similar starts, and the underpainting for this one was the first start.  The second start, I completed for the Paint Out, and it has been hanging in TRAC gallery for the month, until recently when the show ended.   Another artist was kind enough to pick it up for me when the show ended, since I live further away, so I still don't have the painting back.

It has been very odd for me to not have easy access to that painting for the past month, and I realize now that a big part of my painting process is looking, looking, looking at my painting after it is sort of finished.  In fact, I can be in the middle of doing something completely different (laundry for instance) and suddenly take a notion and be compelled to drop everything and go look at a recent painting.  More than once.

After a couple of weeks of not getting to look at my paint-out painting, I realized that I had the original start at home and could play around with it.  I took liberties with the grasses in front of the trees, obviously embellishing the colors, with the intention to play and see how the colored pencils worked with the paints.  Playing and learning, great fun! 

Thank you for looking and for being with me through these experiments...

Lady Bug Dress

Acrylic with Palette Knife 10x8"

My latest in my new series of toddler legs.  Legs courtesy of my OTHER niece!  I am now out of nieces, so if anyone has any photos of little toddlers they would like to share as painting references, feel free to send them my way!

If you have read my blog for awhile, you will know that I am on a quest to improve the photo images of my paintings (now there's a positive way to put it!).  Thanks to Rick (photoshop guru who is helping me tremendously with my prints) at Henco Reprographics, I now know that the color and values are even affected by the ANGLE TO THE MONITOR the image is viewed from.  Artist friends, did you know this???  Try viewing one of your paintings on your monitor from various angles, and you will see for yourselves...

P.S.  Guess whose dog needs surgery on her other knee?

Five Things I Know So Far about Acrylic Palette Knife Painting

Acrylic with Palette Knife, 8x10"

 "You can't hurry art..."  Like this one--this one took two days of my spare time to complete.  I've actually painted from this photo before, with brushes, oil paints, and the help of a teacher.  Yesterday, I was staring at the GOBS of leftover paint I had on the palette from doing the quilt painting.  I recognized that the palette was perfect for this reference photo!  Of course, I couldn't find the earlier version of the painting until today, so I didn't have the benefit of what I had learned the first time until round two, today.

This kitchen belongs to one of my blog readers.  Extra points to you if you figure out it's yours!  Don't worry, though, if you don't figure it out.  I just got my artistic license, and I used a lot of it with this painting...

I missed a few days of the 30 in 30.  I wasn't feeling well, and needed downtime with my family.  But don't feel bad for me--I'm not mad at myself or anything.  In fact, yesterday I bought myself some presents as rewards for what I have accomplished so far.  I am now the proud owner of a new ArtByte from DPW and two out-of-print art books from Amazon.  I respond well to rewards!  I'm so encouraged, I'm going to continue to paint--maybe I'll deserve even more...

This is the most ambitious palette knife painting I have completed.  Here is what I have learned so far about Acrylic Palette Knife painting:

1) Use medium!  I am still experimenting to determine my favorite medium--what I do know for sure is that medium adds body to the paint, which makes the paint behave better for palette knife painting.  As a bonus, the medium really stretches the paint!

2)  The paint stays wet a long time.  I have to learn to use wet-on-wet techniques, for at least part of what I am doing.  I am used to wet-on-dry!

3)  And when the paint does dry, those palette knife ridges can sometimes get in the way of what I need to do next!  I don't mind any of the ridges once the painting is complete--the ridges are just a function of having used a knife.  But the ridges can be tough to work with when I still want to do some overpainting.

4)  Sometimes I want to use a brush in the middle of the palette knife painting.  So I do.  And that's ok.  Except when it's not.  And then I can fix it.  

5)  I have a lot to learn about Acrylic Palette Knife Painting, but am so excited to practice and learn.

Thanks for visiting and Watching!

Practicing Scales

                                             Acrylic with Palette Knife, 6x6"

I wanted to merely practice my palette knife technique without having to focus on all the elements that go into making a painting, so I decided to paint this quilt pattern, as a musician would practice scales.  I thought it would be simple and I would probably knock out a couple of these tonight.  Ha!!  The maniacal laughter you're hearing is me, contemplating how much work it was to even get the drawing onto the paper, let alone to make sure the colors were in the right place, not to even mention using the knife to get the paint into all the little spaces.   This is probably a good time to note I have a truly renewed admiration for quilters!

I started at the upper right, and you may be able to see that I was quite focused in the first few upper right squares to get the paint on smoothly.  After several squares, I wanted to hang it up.  But I stuck it out, soon realizing that the nature of palette knife is that things are not going to be perfect and that's why we use the knife.  So, slap on some more paint and get on to the next shape!

Remind me next time I create an exercise to practice the looseness of palette knife technique, I should be painting rainbows or something else where I can make sweeping motions with the knife!

 I want to remind all the artist bloggers out there that the important thing about this month's challenge is NOT to end up with 30 paintings.  The important things are to learn more about your working methods, your materials, your preferences, and your sources of inspiration.  We don't want anyone finishing this challenge being burned out on painting.  Please be kind to yourselves and give yourselves a break when doing so would be wise.

Second Foggy Morning Painting from Yesterday

                        Acrylic Plein Air (out the window view) w/palette knife, 6x6"

This is the second one from yesterday.  I did go out plein air painting this morning, but will have to wait till tomorrow to show you that one, since I don't want to put it on my scanner today (still may be slightly tacky).

I want to share some words of wisdom from Leslie Saeta, our leader in this challenge.  I think her words are wise and wonderful:

"...I think it is important to reflect on what we have learned from this challenge so far. Painting for 30 days is not about creating 30 masterpieces to sell. It's literally impossible to paint your best when you undertake a challenge like this. Rather, it's about the process we have to go through to paint a painting every day....

When faced with a Challenge we are more focused and excited about reaching our goal. What you will learn this month will help you all year. You will have an easier time painting those masterpieces."

It's a relief to know I am not expected to create "masterpieces" every day.  I think some of this work is among my best and most is....practice, brush mileage, showing up and doing the work.  Not to mention, trying new things (palette knife!).  In regards to this painting above, I can see things I could change.  However, the fog is gone, the moment is past--on to the next!



Many thanks for all the love you are sending to my sister's dog Claire.  I think it's working!  Although she is still in the hospital fighting for her life, her bloodwork levels are starting to show some hope for her survival!

What Do I Really Want to Paint?

                                                                                                       acrylic 5x7"

I painted and am writing this on Mother's Day, but this will be posted on Monday.  I already had a post today.  I need one for tomorrow.   Not the greatest painting, but I am wanting to show you some of my learning process.

Daily PaintWorks, a website I love, posts a challenge each Saturday.  This week's challenge is "Yellow."  Hence, the yellow lamp painting.  I am no way going to post this on Daily PaintWorks, but I thought it would be good to get into the spirit ot the challenge.  This lamp has a certain eerie glow (especially in the base) when light shines on it that I tried to capture and don't think quite made it.  Oh well.  Being that it's my lamp, I can always try again.  In fact, this is the second time I've tried to paint it.

I started my Painting Shadows and Light class with Lorelle Bacon on Wednesday.  I was the only student there...which will work out nicely in terms of getting my learning needs met, but I forfeit getting to meet some new local artist friends. 

Lorelle wants me to do my paintings faster, like keep it to an hour and time myself.  She also wants me to  try mixing with my palette knife instead of my brush.  My brush tends to get gunked up with lots of paint.  So, today I worked on both challenges.  I ended up cheating and giving myself an extra 20 minutes, and I also ended up resuming my mixing with my brush when I saw the clock ticking.  Mixing with the knife I found very awkward.  I find the brush more efficient.  With the palette knife, I have to keep changing my implement--knife to brush to knife to brush.  I ended up using the knife for mixing in my right hand and  kept my painting brush in my left hand (I'm left-handed).  I finally reverted to my brush-clogging ways after awhile.

Next time I paint, I'm going to do what Lorelle said and stop after an hour, whether I am finished or not.  She assures me that I will get faster.  I think the lesson will only work if I follow it!  I'll practice with my palette knife, too.

If you haven't already checked out Lorelle's site, I urge you to click on her name in the right column of this blog.  She is great at so many mediums and just had a piece accepted into an international scratchboard competition!  Amazing woman.

When I set out to paint, I certainly didn't intend to paint lamps.  As one of my sisters said in a comment earlier in the blog, I didn't even think I liked looking at still life paintings.  When I discovered the Daily PaintWorks website, that all changed.  Not all the artists on that site do still life, but many do.   And many are fantastic (these artists create works of great beauty out of the simplest household objects).  I love looking at that site.  I aspire to be on that site.  And since membership is open, I can choose to be anytime I think I am ready.  So far, I am not.  I feel I should join at such time as I am consistently satisfied with my paintings. 

I do love painting the still lifes and all I am learning from them.  However, what I really yearn for is to paint people.  Not portraits or even necessarily capturing a likeness.  I want to paint "slices of life" with people engaged in daily living--paintings that would cause the viewer to feel that familiar "yes, this is how life is" feeling. 

When I put people in my paintings, I feel totally different.  I feel as if the painting has come alive.  I think I even breathe differently.  I know that landscapes are also full of life and I have painted many landscapes, but there is something that is just different for me about painting people.

Now, generally, people do not hold still for long when you want to paint them.  You have to either pay them to hold still, cajole them to hold still, or work from photographs.   Painting from photographs is very difficult if you don't really know what you are doing, because the photograph creates certain distortions and simply cannot show color to the artist the way the eyes can.  Lorelle said she is going to show me how to work from photos and adjust for the problems they create.  If I can learn to work with photos, I will be one step closer to being able to paint what I really want to paint!

(Hey, long post...thanks if you are still reading.  I guess having people in my post yesterday got me going.)

Morning Light

                                                                                                      acrylic, 6x6"

Painted about a month or so ago, this geranium had just had a drastic haircut.  It has about three times as many leaves now.  I should try to paint it again--I would have more compositional choices.  Painted in the morning with the sun coming through the window.  I was happy enough with this one, except I don't like how the right side of the pot is almost just touching the right side of the painting.  That is not what my intention was, but I don't have a handle on these ellipses yet.   They seem to push me around.  Live and learn....

Bonus show and tell.  My mother asked to see a landscape.  This one was done in the fall of 2010, when I had the admirable goal of running around on my lunch hour painting plein air.  So, this one was painted probably in about a half hour by the time I found a site, set up, painted, packed up, and got back to work.  I also clearly remember I only had an unprimed panel in the car, so I had to use it.  The panel was drawing a lot of the moisture from the paint.    Oh yeah, the painting:

                                                  acrylic, 6x8ish