OCTOBER MORNING

LAST POOL DAYS

LAWN OF LEAVES

Fall Vegetable Garden

Still have not posted all the paintings done in other people's gardens but in the meantime it is fall and I want to post the season's crop.

EARLY FALL LANE

YELLOW GRIST MILL

JOANNA'S GARDEN

by the Creek #2

One of the nice things about this trip to other peoples properties is that you often get to go to the same place the next year. Here is another version of the same creek.

BY THE CREEK #1

STORM CLOUDS

GARDEN TAPESTRY #2

GARDEN TAPESTRY

The Long View

On the day I painted this the sun kept moving along over all the fields lighting them up as it went. I finally had to decide on one version of the light show.

Provence in Pennsylvania

This lovely house and garden looks just as I imagine a chateau in France must but it is actually nestled in the hills of Chester County. On the other side of the house there are lovely lavender gardens. I didn't get to the other side until it was too late to paint them so I'm looking forward to next year.

COUNTRY CALM

Every year the Wayne Art Center offers a work shop of sorts. One signs up and then a map comes in the mail to various locations around the area where you are welcome to come and paint for the day. These spots are always beautiful and it is a little adventure to follow the map and end up in a lovely garden or field with a bunch of other artists.

I will be posting paintings from this adventure for the next week or so. They won't always be from this year but the first couple are.

Ben in the Secret Garden

This is the last painting of the secret garden that will have any semblance of order as I have abandoned it to the weeds. (At least for this year) At the moment there is not a sign of the brick paths and all sorts of new plants have sprung up. In the foreground of this painting is my much loved dog Ben, who loved to pose whenever he got a chance. This slide is not too good unfortunately.

SECRET GARDEN #6

SECRET GARDEN #5, VEGETABLES

SECRET GARDEN #4

SECRET GARDEN, SPRING EVENING #4

SECRET GARDEN #3

Approaching the Secret Garden

SECRET GARDEN #2

The first garden I established in this spot was for vegetables.

Secret Garden #1

I am working on a pool painting at the moment, but in the mean time I will be posting a series that has been going on for quite a while.

About 20 years ago or so I cleared out a garden in the back of my property that had been used as a dumping place for leaves over the years. I wanted to have a place away from the hubbub of family life to sit and think... or simply escape. I took out a weed tree and laid out a formal garden with bricks. This is the first painting of that space. My neighbor's garage is in the background.

POOL WITH GRANDSONS

While I'm finishing my current pool painting I will put some oldies up. This painting of my grandsons must have been painted around 18 years ago as both these kids are now in college. This painting was actually painted outside over a period of days. I don't know if that qualifies as PLEIN AIR or not.

POOL AND UMBRELLA

POOL REFLECTIONS

REFLECTIONS

Pool Garden 2

Pool Garden

Morning Pool

Since we are in the heart of summer in Merion I will post paintings I have done over the years of our pool in the next few days. When I have the date I will post it. This painting does not have a date unfortunately.

I realized after posting this that it had to have been painted in the morning because of the direction of the sun.

Clouds

Bee Balm

The Bee Balm have completely taken over my garden. Next year I'll get things in order but for now they are having the time of their lives.

May Garden

I love the tumbleweed clouds, the sense of endless possibilities in an open space. And yet in that solitary tree , the foreboding title" before the development", is recalled and an unsettled quality descends. Oh powerful drama!

Laurie Leevy

Before the Development

Jake and Bay

Jake and Bay our very sweet new dogs, found starving in Arkansas about 4 months ago. They were sent to a no kill shelter in Pennsylvania where we adopted them.  They have been a constant source of delight for us ever since.

This is roughly the same view as the previous piece but it is painted on canvas.  I think the texture difference is interesting.  Masonite is so hard and slippery that the oils take on an almost watery appearance and that seems to encourage looser brush work. This version on canvas is framed so the scan is not too good as the varnish catches the light but I think the difference is obvious.

LATE SPRING LIGHT II

Late Spring Light

Tulip Light

JAKE AND THE WEEPING CHERRY

If you want an animal to pose for you, it is impossible.  However, some dogs just seem to show up when you are painting and sit or lie in the middle of the scene.  It would seem our new dog Jake is one of the posers.

Birdbath and Forsythia

Forsythia #1

The feisty forsythia thrusts itself into the blue violet air of spring,

everywhere joyously poking and jabbing,

Atwhirl among the city trash or dancing down an open field,

It won't stop saying - 'Yes'!

Except of course, where some  fool 

has brutally whacked its spirit into an ugly ball.

Then it squeezes out an occasional desultory bloom, 

just to show what might have been.

Next Door Early Spring

Here the snow is gone and Spring is on the way.

Nest Door Snow

Here are two paintings of the same subject - my next door neighbor's yard as viewed from my side of the fence.  Things are melting in this one.

Deep Snow

This is most likely the last snow painting of the year.  It is surprising to note that one can paint outside after a snow storm.  You have to dress very warmly of course and sit in the sun - sometimes that requires sunglasses as the glare is fierce.  It is best to prepare exactly what you want to paint first, as far as shadows are concerned. Then start to paint about a half an hour before that moment.  You will probably only have about an hour total before your fingers are too cold to continue so speed is of the essence. Heavy boots are a must.  This is a painting that was completed quite a while ago as there has not been this much snow for some time.

neighbor's garage

Melting

Porch Shadows in the Snow #2

Porch Shadows in the Snow #1

Since I am posting snow paintings I thought I would include two large works that were done many years apart.  The first was done quite a while back.  The second was done many years later after my painting had loosened up a bit.  They are paintings of porches on the second floor of my house.  One on the east side and one on the west side.  They were done from the door leading to the porch, not from photographs.  I think there is an interesting change in the work, although I still like them both.  I may have to try this theme again as the shadows are so interesting.

The House in the Snow

Chair in the Snow #2

Bushes and Snow #1

CHAIR IN THE SNOW

Steps to the Beach

Acorns

Yellow Awning to the Sea

Cherry Tomatoes

Day Light

Fall Grapes

Spring Grapes

Wall Shadow

Grace's House

Blueberries

Crab Apples

Aloe

Cactus

Chair Shadow

Stripes

Porch Shadows