City of Rocks Climbing area

 City of Rocks again. I'm still working on this one, but I like how it is coming out so far. Oil on stretched canvas, 10" X 20". I'll put the first block in below and the original photo too.  I enjoy painting on these panoramas, but I might switch to something abstract for my next painting. I am having difficulty with my arthritic hands, can't do too much detail now. (This comes with my blessings of living to be an old lady, not everyone gets to do that).

This was my first try at blocking in. I used an undercolor of violet for this painting. That was the first time I tried underpainting with violet.

And my original photo. It was a bit overcast that day so the photo is kind of dark. While we didn't have much time to spend at this park, I did enjoy seeing all the rocks, the cows on the road and even a deer leaping in front of us across the dirt and gravel road. We were going slow and had time to stop and enjoy his athleticism. He was too fast for me to take a photo.

City of Rocks painting

 

City of Rocks, 8 X 10 on canvas board. Since I didn't get to paint plein air, I chose one of my photos to practice on. These rocks were across from "Camp Rock" in the City of Rocks reserve, Almo, Idaho. I don't like painting in the open in the wind. Although I do like plein air painting since it is so challenging and I enjoy the company of the other artists.

I need a better title for this. I was thinking of "Uprising" since the rocks seems to come up from the ground.

Just for Fun

Just for fun I took an acrylic painting class on Learning from the Masters. This one was on Van Gogh. I had fun and did not attempt to make an exact re-creation of Van Gogh's irises. Learned a few new techniques and enjoyed the group class. There is another one in a few months on Georgia O'Keeffe. I might try that one too. This was at the same gallery where I have 2 artworks on exhibit. Avianne Gallery of Fine Art in Boise, Idaho.

City of Rocks, Idaho

 

We took a long drive for a short visit to the City of Rocks reserve. This is on the border between Idaho and Utah. About 225 miles from Boise. My original plan was to paint there with other artists from Plein Air Artists of Idaho.  Unfortunately the wind was blowing so hard I wasn't even tempted to take out my easel and canvas.  My husband and I enjoyed taking photos as we drove through the park on the dirt and gravel roads.  The cows were out in many places (open range land) and we had to wait for them to continue.  This is in an agricultural area. We also had a deer leap and cross in front of us. Even though we only had a short visit, it was worthwhile.

Gallery show

 I'm in my first gallery show in Idaho and happy to report that one art piece sold already. Even though the calligraphy is in Hebrew, the buyer liked it and bought it (for his wife). They cannot read the words, but liked my concept of writing the words as the ladder.

It is easier to read in the unframed view. 

Prints and printed items are still available at my website. Jacob's Ladder  This is the translation: And Jacob awoke from his sleep and said "Surely God is in the place, and I did not know it! Shaken, he said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

Around the corner

 Around the corner from the conservation area near my son's house in Exeter, NH was this nice view of a barn.  11" X 14" oil on canvas. I may work on it some more. I found that my hands are no longer steady enough with a brush to do a good job on straight lines (architecture for example). We were visiting NH and MA for Passover this year and I enjoyed the ocean as well as the early spring scenery.

Atlantic Ocean in Rye, NH. Windy day.

Piscassic River, Wildlife Management Area, Epping, Exeter, Newfields, NH.

I'm not sure the painting is done so I'm not posting it yet to my website. I will think about it for a few more days. Meanwhile, I have signed up for more plein air painting. Still struggling with that, but enjoying the challenge. I only bring very small canvases with me to experiment with.

Looking forward to our synagogue's annual retreat in McCall (Idaho) soon. We missed that the last 2 years because of the pandemic. 

Jenny Lake

 I think this one is finally done. Jenny Lake in the Tetons, 11" X 14", oil on canvas. I kept it on my easel for a while and kept fiddling. 

Spring is finally here and I'll be going out to do more paintings. Meanwhile, I am recovering from getting a Pacemaker and hope to have more energy this year. I'm looking forward to our trip back east for Passover next month. I love the NH scenery and enjoy seeing my northeast family.  I have lots of family in the northwest too so it is hard being so divided.  

More winter plein air

 

 I enjoyed sketching (in oil) with the other artists, but I'm looking forward to the warmer weather when we can be outside again. I miss trying to paint the landscapes.

Meanwhile I put together a puzzle that I had contributed a photo to. "Delightful Idaho". My puzzle is in the middle and has my name on it. The puzzle was difficult but fun.

Two of my landscapes have been accepted to the next Treasure Valley Artist Alliance show in Meridian for March at the Initial Point Gallery in Meridian City Hall.   I will post a link when the show is online.  The theme was "Verdant Discourse".  I did not pick paintings with bright green, but more natural greens of the northwest.

This is the Little Dell Reservoir in Salt Lake City in the fall. Greens were quite dull then. Oil paintings.

Robie Creek (Idaho) in the early spring. Just starting to see better greens. Still had some snow in places. 

Plein air painting in winter

 

I joined the artists from Plein Air Painters of Idaho yesterday at the Edwards Greenhouse in Boise, Idaho. It is too cold to paint outside now, but I wanted a little practice. I focused on the pretty bromeliads. This is bromeliad guzmania.  I didn't have the right shade of yellow with me, but I still painted and had fun.  I will do this again at some time. I had been there before and painted the outside of the greenhouse (it wasn't as cold that day). This was a small 5' X 7" gessoed hardboard panel. It was a nice break, getting out and meeting other artists and the flowers are beautiful in the greenhouse.

Before it got too cold, I painted with the group outside the greenhouse. I started this small one there and finished it in my studio.

Also 5 X 7, oil on canvas board.

Enlarging my studies

 Gathering of Elks, 16 X 20. Oil on board. I had a hard time with this painting. I had made an 8 X 10 earlier, but enlarging it and painting it was difficult. 

Warm winter's day. This one was also difficult. 11" X 14" enlarged from my plein air paintings last week.  I changed some of the buildings and added them (from my photos). I wanted to include the hawk that was in the tree too.

I found it easier to work on canvas than board in top painting. I guess I need to practice more. I noticed a big difference in color palette. The Elks photo was taken in Alberta in early summer. The cattle were observed in early winter in Idaho.