Road home

Started this outside yesterday afternoon but it was too cold and I wasn't dressed for it. Many of the fields around here are carpeted in a purple flowered weed, chickweed I think. It turns brown pretty quickly but for a few days blankets fields in color. Did take a pic of before packing it in and gave it a three 20 min sessions this a.m.

8 x 10"" oil on board

Green Eggs

Always fun to paint eggs from Christina's hens. The shape of the right one is a little wonky but was a good morning exercise. Since I have gotten back here, seems I have only found time for morning exercises. Oh well, hopefully will be caught up enough to get a few things done later in the week, and not just laundry, however good it would be to get the washer fixed.

6 x 8" oil on board

self-portrait

Spent the previous weekend at a portrait workshop with the excellent painter & teacher, Rob Liberace. Years ago I studies for a winter under him working with three-color pencil. Part of this workshop was working first in burnt umber, burnt sienna and white, similar to the pencils. First morning home I worked on this, starting the first 20 min session in only burnt umber, second adding sienna and white, third & fourth session, tweaking a bit. Could do more, but will leave this one here

Aura & Behr, morning exercise

Was staying up in DC with Annie and this morning joined her at Joan's studio for morning exercises. Joan had set up this simple still life and we spent several 20 min sessions painting this, from about 7:30 to 11:30 am with breaks for coffee and stretching. It was a fun one to do. This is about 8 x 10" oil on paper.

Meissonier again

Jean-Louis-Ernest Meissonier is one of my favorite painter of horses. Military scenes were something he was known for, which required knowing horses. I like his sketches best, have copied this one before and look forward to copying others.

12 x 16" oil on board

Snow Goose Down

From the series, the snow goose that fell from the sky last winter. Scared the dickens out of my old white horse and startled me, too. They are not as big as Canada Geese.

Morning exercises

Spent a few days with Annie in DC. Joined her and Joan for their morning painting exercises, several twenty minutes sessions with a still life. Spent two mornings with these colorful eggs. The twenty minute stints are a good exercise. It is long enough to allow some paint to be put down and check things, but not too long to get beyond help!.