A GREAT DAY FOR BEING OUTSIDE HERE IN SW VIRGINIA

Hey Friends,  I went with my buddies, the DLP's, today to paint in the cemetary in Fincastle

A pretty spot indeed.

I got two panels started but only showing this one.

It was blocked in pretty well.  Hope to finish tonight.

I HAVE A NEW BLOG !!  I hope you will follow it with me.  A NEW WEBSITE too.

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW BLOG

CLICK HERE FOR THE NEW WEBSITE

NEW ART HANGING AT PENNY LANE AND AN INVITATION TO THE CRITTER SHOW

Hey Friends,  We, the DLP's, hung new paintings at the new and fabulous, Penny Lane Gift Shop, on West Main St., Salem, Va.   Hope you can stop by soon.

They also have some very cute stuffed critters for Easter and candy eggs too!

And here is the  official invitation to the reception on Sat. April 9th from 1-3pm for the CRITTER show at 2nd Helpings Gallery in Roanoke, Va.

Do hope you will come over to chat with us.

I'm displaying polar bears and I know the other ladies will have cats, dogs, burros, birds and more!

Happy Trails

2nd FRIDAY ART WALK AT GOOSE CREEK, BEDFORD, VA.

Hey Friends, I've been busy with a business class and almost forgot to post about Sally Koopman's beautiful show at the Goose Creek Gallery in DT Bedford, Va.

It opened this past Friday night and will be up thru sometime in April.

Don't know is you can see the red dots up top but I think 5 of them have found homes. I know she is super excited about that.

They had a pretty good sized crowd when I left.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Happy Trails

Out Collecting Reference Photos with the DLP today

Hi Friends, Today was a beautiful, sunny day, BLUE sky.  So the DLP and I took a little trip to gather some reference photos to work from for a big exhibit coming up soon at the Arts Depot in Abingdon, Va.

Top is at Claytor Lake State Park and this (above) is where we started at the Draper Mercantile.  I had never been here (I really need to get out of the house more) and it is a really nice place with great food.  And they have live music on Friday nights and PIE !!

And here is a closeup of me and a couple tools and a cradled panel.  Getting ready to start slinging some paint for this show coming up !!

I will keep you posted so you don't miss it.

Hope you can make it.

Happy Trails

Leslie's 30 in 30 - Day 29

Hello Dear Friends,  I'm sure you know by now I'm basically using the same photos for these glad paintings.  'Tis a good way to get to know your subject.

Day 29 !!  One more to go and I'm kinda flowered out.  I will have the pleasure of my GranBabes company tonight so I may miss day 30.  Who knows maybe they will let me sketch something.  It's ALL good as my daughter says and well worth it.

This painting is available in my ETSY Shop .

Happy Trails

30 in 30 - Day 18

Hey Friends,  Posting a lot earlier than usual today because I had a second job out side my home.

I painted this using a photo from "Let's Paint New Mexico" and I used acrylics.  I have mostly used acrylics for this challenge 'cuz they dry so fast.  I prefer to scan paintings rather than photograph them, and you can't scan a wet oil Painting.!

This mini is in my ETSY shop- CLICK HERE.

Yesterday I painted (2) 12"x16" oils for an up coming show about Rt. 11.  This will be a great show I'm sure for the Double Line Painters.  I'll have details as the time gets closer.

Have a great week

Happy Trails

30 in 30 - Day 17

Hey Friends,  Here is one very similar to the painting 2 days ago.  Different color palette.  I didn't want to waste a good idea.

This is painted on a 4" sq. canvas panel and varnished.  I listed it in my ETSY shop.

And it's cold here in these beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains but I got outside anyway to pack and load my car for a trip to Altavista Tuesday Morning.  We DLP's are hanging another show Tues.

Should be fun as usual, if we don't get delayed by weather.  Write down that date on your calender so you don't forget to come to the reception.!  We would love to see you.

Have a happy healthy week.

Happy Trails

30 in 30 - Day 16

Hey Friends,  Here is another mini !   Lilacs.....Can't imagine anyone not loving lilacs.

That heavenly smell alone is worth your effort to grow.

And how many colors do they come in now?

I'm painting another one or two but bigger.

This mini is a 4"x 4" canvas panel.  You could display as is on a mini easel or frame it.

It is in my ETSY shop waiting for you to come by and take her home.

Stay tuned, not to many to go now.

Happy Trails

30 in 30 Day 14

Hey Friends,  Almost half way!!  This is # 14. 

The first color laid down is turquoise.

Then the dark seed heads.

Then their silly little skirts.

Then some more layers laid over the first.  Texture, ya know.

More colors and what a grainy photo.  Went a little too far with the resizing.

Title is "Mexican Umbrella's".

It's available in my ETSY shop.  Hope your week has been pleasant and productive!

We will be removing the artwork from the Jefferson Center in DT Roanoke tomorrow.  I hope you got a chance to go by and see all the pretties.  In the meantime you can go by Potentially Chic on Brambleton Ave. to see the DLP's works.

Happy Trails

30 in 30 - Day 9

Hi Friends,  Here is No. 9.  I have painted this sunflower before, in acrylics.  I liked both versions.

She is in my ETSY SHOP.

21 more florals to go.  Shee-e-e-e-e-zzzz.

Have a great Sunday.

Happy Trails

30 Day Challenge - Day 6

Hey Friends,  I've been on my feet most of the day.  Varnishing and prepping newly finished art to go to local galleries.   Needless to say "I'm Tired" (no whining allowed)

This painting No. 6 I did ahead yesterday, thank goodness.

You will find it HERE in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for coming by.

Happy Trails

30 Day Challenge - Day 5

Hey Friends, Here is # 5 !!  Ta Da..."Wild Daisys" is available in my ETSY STORE.

It is painted with oils on an 8" x 6" canvas panel.

And here are two more starts.  Started with molding paste up there, right onto the board.  Never have done that before but I think it will work as well as gesso.

This is gessoed canvas with an under coat of  reddish acrylic.  The white is molding paste again.  I really like having all this texture  ready to go.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PLEIN AIR LANDSCAPE PAINTING

Hey Friends,  The small painting done on the spot at Explore Park, here in SW Virginia is up for auction on Ebay.  CLICK HERE if you want to check it out.

And be sure to have a fabulous Monday !

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL LANDSCAPE PAINTING OF PLEASANT GROVE FARM

Hey Friends, Came across this 8x10 acrylic painting I did in May at Pleasant Grove Farm in Botetourt, Va.  the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy sponsored a paint out at Whitney Feldman's farm.  I put this and another in a safe place to dry after varnishing and forgot about them.

So now this is available HERE.

I will post the other tomorrow.

And BTW I will be with my plein air buds tomorrow at Explore Park, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Should be a fabulous day.!

Happy Trails

PLEIN AIR PAINT-OUT AT SOUTH PEAK

Hey Friends,  Hoping some of you can stop by South Peak tomorrow after 1pm.  Some of us are returning to finish up some paintings and pick up what doesn't. sell.

I made one that I liked today, above, and another that I hated and wiped off.

These 2 photos show how heavy the air was over Roanoke today.  It was very pretty but a little chilly.

There is a huge gazebo with a big fireplace overlooking the valley and that is where the majority painted.  The fire kept us warm too.  And the staff at South Peak gave us a very NICE reception.

Some of us will return tomorrow to finish paintings.

Come UP and see the beautiful vista's captured on canvas.

Read more and get directions on the Double Line Painters's blog HERE.

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PAINTING OF BABY CHICKENS 'FOUR PEEPS"

Hey Friends,  I'm making it through this dreary weather by staying busy with the brushes!

I should slow down long enough to take a few progress shots.  Maybe I'll remember if I tie my brush to the camera.

These little guys are for auction on EBAY -click there.

I'm doing a lot of Ebay work on gessoed matboard. now.  Only because I have so much matboard and it's light weight, cheaper to ship.

If anyone sees something they like but would rather have it on canvas, I can do that.  It will cost a little bit more, of course.  Just let me know.

Have a wonderful week.

Happy Trails

THE 150 PAINTINGS CHALLENGE ENDS THIS SATURDAY, OCT. 3RD

Hey Friends,  Make plans to come by IKENBERRY'S ORCHARDS on 220 in Botetourt this Saturday from 10 til 3pm.

The Double Line Painters and myself will have a small art show on the giant porch.  We will be finishing up our last paintings for the challenge.

The little hen above will be there, because I'm not sure if I'm finished with her.

And you can go check out our PINTEREST PAGE HERE.  Most of the 150 paintings are there.

Happy Trails

WORKING ON THE LAST PIECE FOR THE ELEMENTS SHOW AT GOOSE CREEK !!

 

Hey Friends,  Thought it might be of interest for you to see the beginning of this last piece for the ELEMENTS show.  This will be a dyptch.  This is the stained Masa Paper drying in the parched grass.

 

And this shot shows you what gelato containers are good for when empty! Gesso is easier to deal with in smaller jars.  The cradled panels had to have gesso barriers before gluing the Masa down.

 

This is the beginning of adding bird shapes.  Very loose and splashy.

 

I have a water soluable graphite pencil that I love and it proved useful on this wet paper.

I had forgotten how much I love to work on Masa.  I must use it more often. 

It should be easier to deal with on hardboard versus stretched canvas, the gluing stage I mean.

 

I will do the gluing in the morning so we shall see.

 

Have a wonderful and peaceful Sunday.

 

Happy Trails

Happy, Happy

 

Hey Friends,  Thought perhaps you would " be happy for me" also.  It's great when your work is validated by someone putting down their hard earned dollar to take it home!

 

Above the lavender with the addition of daffodils was a commission.  And the owner seemed genuinely happy with it.  Thank You, Linda.

 

I hung these two bits of whimsy at "Cups" in the Grandin Village on Wednesday and a gentleman bought them on Thursday !

 

Thank you Joe.

 

So three of us peoples are happy.

 

Happy Trails

ORIGINAL PAINTING OF SPRING TREES AND DAFFODILS AT A POND

 

Hey Friends,  A spring time bit of sunshine.  My neighbor's pond with the redbud trees blooming and a weeping cherry tree with narcissi blooming.

The ducks were hiding on the far bank.

Can't wait to get back out there !!

 

Click HERE for EBAY auction.

 

Happy Trails

Travel Safely in these frigid temp's.