My Last Critique from Kevin Macpherson

"You have been holding back this year, saving all your best work for the end. The colors are very beautiful and I just love those shadows on the rocks." (from my last critique by Kevin!)

Today marks my last critique from the ProDJ Program with Kevin Macpherson.  The comment he made that I pasted above made my day.  And no, I was not holding back all year AT ALL.  But, I have grown and become a better painter because of his critiques and assignments, which, I guess, is what he actually is commenting on.

At times, this was a very difficult program for me to keep up with.  Probably the most difficult, personally, was getting ALL of the work done and on time.  This was one of the main reasons for starting the program in the first place, to get me to paint on a more "regular" basis, which it did.  The other more obvious reason, was to become what I believe to be a better painter.  I do believe this also occurred.  Not only because of what Kevin told me, but because I like my paintings more:~)  Not ALL of them, but more than before.

So, now that I'm not tied to the monthly assignments, I'm hopeing to continue to be as prolific a painter.  But, I also want to paint on a larger scale again, which means more time spent on each one.  And in contrast to this, I want to work more on even smaller, "daily" paintings and concentrating on different pallettes and uses of color and light!  So, I've got alot of directions to go in -- which, in the end, doesn't really matter -- as long as I continue to paint and become the painter I long to be.

"Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway"

"Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway"
8" x 10"
Oil on Canvas

This is something every Virginian does -- usually over and over again!  A beautiful, peaceful place -- both on foot or in a vehicle.

"Woodland Waterway" Oil Painting on Canvas

"Woodland Waterway"
18" x 24" Oil on Canvas

This painting was done of the waterway that led up to the "Cascades" Waterfall in Southwestern, Virginia that I have painted before.  The trip up is a gorgeous as the waterfall at the top!

"Cascading" - Waterfall in South West Virginia

"Cascading"
16" x 20"
Oil on Canvas

This waterfall is located West of Blacksburg, VA deep in the mountains. Of course, it's a vigorous hike up to it, but well worth the effort! The electricity in the air from the rushing of the water, felt even before you reach the falls, is euphoric --everyone radiating huge smiles of happiness...

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My Last Limited Pallette Painting

"Lake Monticello Beach"
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas

For my final painting in this months ProDJ Program with Kevin M., I've chosen to use the limited pallette of Cadmium Yellow Light, Quinacridone Red, Dioxazine Purple, and Titanium White. I had a difficult time getting over not having a true blue to paint the sky and water reflections with, but when looking at the final result, I like the way it both looks and feels.

It's been interesting being so limited to the colors I could use, frustrating at times too, but then being pleased each time with the way the final paintings turned out. I'm guessing that's why Kevin is the "Master" artist--he knew these particular color combinations would bring about pleasing finished paintings!



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"Kevin's Truck" - 9"x 12" Oil on Canvas

"Kevin's Truck"
9" x 12"
Oil on Canvas

The limited pallette I used for this painting is Cad.Yellow Light, Alizarin Crimson, and Ultramarine Blue plus Titanium White. I liked working with these colors a bit better than the other pallettes I've used before-- although mixing with the Alizarin made things more in the violet range than I'd like.



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"Roadside Chickens" 8" x 8" Oil on Linen Board

"Roadside Chickens"
8" x 8"
Oil on Linen Board

Here's another painting using a limited pallette. This used Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, and Chromatic Black plus Titanium White.





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"Approaching the Cascades" 18" x 24" Oil on Canvas

"Approaching the Cascades"
18" x 24"
Oil on Canvas

This is my finished painting using the "limited" pallette of Burnt Sienna, Yellow Ochre, and Ultramarine Blue, plus Titanium White. It was more of a challenge than I expected since I really wanted to put in the bright, vivid colors of the fall landscape. This was impossible because of the Yellow Ochre--it muted every mixture I tried.

Even so, the trip up to the waterfall is gorgeous any time of the year--this is a reminder of just a piece of the vigorous hike up!


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Beginning of 18" x 24" Limited Pallette Painting

I'm using the limited pallette of Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, and Titanium White on this painting! I really am wishing I could use additional-brighter-colors for this beautiful fall scene. But I have to trust the "process" and stick with just the four tubes of paint. Mixing them doesn't seem to give me anything much brighter either. Trudging on to "completion".


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My Newest Painting-"Look Out Below"

"Look Out Below"
9" x 12" Oil on Canvas

As I was out painting, I heard all the neighborhood dogs suddenly start barking at the same time, and then a loud sound that I immediately recognized from the past as a hot air balloon. As it emerged from behind the trees where I could actually see it, it looked as if it would land on the neighbors roof! Well, it didn't, it just kept lowering until it disappeared behind the trees again. This is my interpretation of the scene.

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"Fall Display" - 30" x 40" Oil on Canvas

30" x 40" Oil on Canvas

At some point-which is now- I just have to stop working on this! I probably could continue forever. I've really wanted to be outside in the beautiful Fall landscape instead of tied to my studio working on this. But this was a major part of this months "assignment" in the Pro D J Program. So I'll call it finished and wait to hear Kevin M's critique.

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Tuckahoe Plantation Plein Air Event

My plein air painting done at Tuckahoe Plantation.

8" x 10" oil on linen panel



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5" x 7" Study of Fall Display

5" x 7" Oil on Linen Panel

My Artist Mentor, Kevin Macpherson, suggested I do a "still life" painting on a HUGE (for me!) canvas, 30" x 40" this month--concentrating on contrast of light/dark. This is a small study of part of the set up that I'll be painting. I think I might have to push the lights/darks on my larger piece even further than I did here.

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Lilly - 8" x 10" Oil on Board

My painting for today.


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"Just Because It's Friday" Bouquet of Flowers Painting

My husband came home with these "Just Because It's Friday!"  They were so pretty and fall-like, I just had to paint them.  Even tho I hate seeing the end of summer, fall time is also beautiful with tons of beautiful colors everywhere to paint.  I look forward to that.

My Most Recent Painting I call "Heading Home"

I just finished this oil painting of the sun setting on Lake Monticello near my home.  My husband and I decided to go out onto the lake in our boat after dinner one evening, and I quickly picked up my sketchbook and camera before we left.  We knew it was a beautiful evening to be out on the water, but, of course, were totally surprised and pleased when we watched the colors of the sunset explode in the sky.  As we were thinking it was time to go back to the dock, we spotted this sailboat also heading in.  It was a perfect addition to the already beautiful scene.

Somewhere Off the North Carolina Coast

12" x 16" Oil on Canvas

This is one of my favorite places to be and consequently to paint!  Anywhere off the North Carolina coast is fine with me.  I've painted most of them.  No need to specify which this is. . .



Lake Monticello Cove

9" x 12" oil on Canvasboard

I painted this study overlooking a back cove of Lake Monticello near my home.  I used my usual pallette of Ultramarine Blue, Cad. Yellow Light, Cad. Red Light, Yellow Ochre, a touch of Burnt Sienna, and Tit. White.  It was a calm, peaceful day with hardly a cloud in the sky.  Even so, there was enough color reflected in the water to make this a bit of a challenge yet fun.

Under the Crape Myrtle Trees



So I went out into my garden again and painted this "study" under the Crape Myrtle trees.  The only colors I used were Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Cad Med. Light, Burnt Umber, White. I'd like to someday paint a much larger version of this . . .

Paintings from Grotto Falls, Great Smokey Mountains National Park

These are two paintings that I recently painted from Grotto Falls

in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee.  We took a strenuous hike up the mountain to where the falls was located, and then were able to not only walk up close to the falls, but behind where it was falling from above as well.  Spectacular is the word I'd use to describe how it felt being behind the falls, and hearing the loud rush of the water falling, breathing in the humind lush mountain air, and feeling the spray of the Falls all around and on us.  I'd recommend this trip to anyone who could possibly make it there!

I loved painting these two paintings and long to complete more of the same location.  I actually can vividly remember how I felt while there, which makes painting them something I'd love to do more of.  Maybe a "Series" is in order?????

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