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Welcome!  In my previous blog, I announced my newest painting series called Willow Ponds, where I'm revisiting some favorite scenes of the pond located behind our house.  When I work on a new series, I always dive deep into study...looking for inspiration and making notes on how I want to proceed with the new paintings.  I usually "check out" art books from my own home library and at the top of the stack was this Corot book from the MET gallery.  

I got lost in the beautiful pages of Corot's artwork.  The muted, silvery, mossy green landscapes are dreamy and I knew right away I wanted to use this vibe for my Willow Pond series.  Below is a small painting that I've hung on to for a long time.  It provides constant inspiration when I'm looking for moody, muted inspiration.  When set next to Corot's paintings, it meshed beautifully and my vision for the Willow Pond series was created.  

I found this chapter, noted below, in the Corot book and it sent me down a rabbit hole.  It describes Corot as "the very poet of the landscape".  I couldn't agree more.  I already knew that my favorite Impressionist artist, Berthe Morisot, studied under him at a young age.  When critics began comparing her work to Corot, she burned most of her earliest work.  She wanted to stand on her own as an artist...but I can't help but think about how amazing art history is.  To imagine these artists working together over 150 years ago just blows my mind.  I would love to dream that my work would still be relevant long after I'm gone.  

My goal of starting up a blog is to keep a visual diary of my art happenings...and it just happens that some of you like to read my stories too, so thank you for following along with my ramblings.  I'll leave you with some inspiration photos  and quotes from the chapter of the Corot book.  

"There is only one master here..Corot.  We are nothing compared to him." -Claude Monet, 1897

"Corot drew and modeled every tree trunk with the same devotion and love as if it were a figure. "-Vincent Van Gogh

"He is still the strongest, he anticipated everything. "-Edgar Degas, 1883

Condensed from the Corot book-

Poetry became the catch all concept that explained his unsophisticated drawing, the indecisive forms and the vagueness of views.  Corot never copies nature, he dreams it, paints the exact sensation he has experienced.  The poetic feeling that the sight of nature arouses in him is so intense, that in order to transmit it better,  he falsifies and denatures the spectacle before him; and the object represented thus loses the very power that he wished to give it in order to communicate emotion.  To communicate emotion, however, was one of the tenants of Romantic landscape to which Corot was most faithful. This is not a landscape painter, this is the very poet of landscape...who breathes the sadness and joys of nature....the bond that makes us brothers of brooks and trees, he sees it.   His figures are as poetic as his forests.  Often named his paintings "souvenirs" . Silver light diffuses his paintings.  

"I never hurry to arrive at details, the masses and character of the picture interests me mosts."-Corot

It was values and shapes first, then color and detail for Corot.  Eventually he used less color perhaps a nod to studying photography in the 1860's -1870's which used more muted color of browns, grays and greens due to the technology available.  His suppression of color was quite conscious and considered.  Corot aspired to render the appearance of nature without adding anything.  He worked at getting down, with precision, the things seen and to ignored details, then adding secondary traits.  There was a shift in the 1870's to more light tonalities like Pissarro, Sisley and Monet.  Some say he was entering the modern era...but he never ventured into the colors and methods of Impression. Corot made his sentiments visible by rendering the "effect", the impression. He was the painter most intimately associated with this approach. His nymph and figures were inseparable from his landscapes.  

So...just a few thoughts and insights which align with my own thoughts.  The romantic landscapes...shapes and tones before color...getting out in nature to study.  So much more to study and learn. Stay tuned as my next blog post will dive into the palette colors that Corot used and my own limited color palette I'm thinking of for the Willow Pond series.  

I've been back into my painting for almost ten years and I've been doing a lot of reflecting and looking back at older works of my art.  In September 2021, I did a 30 day Strada painting challenge where I painted from life every day.  I was kind of shocked to see that I had painted almost 20 of those days en plein air at a pond behind my house lovingly named Willow Pond.  It's been a source of beauty, peace and inspiration for many many years.  For the Strada challenges, I usually painted more indoors from still life setups. So to be reminded that I made it outside to paint for 20 almost straight days was pretty amazing.  Below you can see those plein air studies, all of Willow Pond. 

Some were painted in sketchbooks, but mostly on panels with oil. 

Willow Pond, at that time, was lush and surrounded with trees that provided the most beautiful scenes of tree reflections.  It looks a lot different now due to some menacing beaver and I'll share more on that in another post.  

I am very proud of all these little studies and learned so much about trees, reflections and water.  I'm so glad that I keep my plein air studies.  They're always a source of inspiration and learning. 

It was hard to select  but I chose my top  paintings from that month long challenge.  Below is a water reflection scene that had glowing sunlight and the trees seemed to just bubble and boil out of the water.  You couldn't tell which was more real...the reflection or the actual trees.  I did make some alternations to this back in the studio and was happy that I did.  

This little gem below is so special to me. I really came into my Tonalist love combined with Impressionism and this study just came together so easily.  Big shapes, subtle value and edge changes, details in the water and foreground grasses that I love to paint.  

This study was of the bushy Willows and had a fantastic, tonal underpainting that I left some showing through.  By leaving pure color, it makes a reflection shine against water that looks white(ish).  Some scratchy marks with my palette knife and trusty wood skewer finished it off.  

This study of the Willows was from a marshy area at the back of the pond and was a complete study of color and shapes.  A much more Impressionistic approach with more visible brushstrokes and more saturated color used than normal. This one was totally immersive and I can still remember painting it.  

Once I began looking back at all of my Willow Pond studies and social media posts, I decided that Willow Pond would be a great subject for my next series.  I'm almost finished up with my Creekside series so this inspiration hit at just the right time. I'll be sharing more soon on how Willow Pond looked now and then, my plans moving forward and artists that are inspiring me with this new series. So stay tuned and thank you for visiting my blog.  

It happened on July 18, 2023...about 6 months after my mom died.  The grief of losing her had hit me so hard that I thought I would surely never paint again.  But time has a way of gently healing and I found myself out in a family meadow, gazing at a scene I drive by all the time when going on country rides in my buggy (my Gator).  I dearly love a scene that has dark shadows of a tree row with the tree trucks illuminated.  It's always the tree trunks in shadow that get me. 

 I have a video of this scene on this day so I know the breeze was blowing and the birds were singing and it was about 8:30 in the morning. The notes on my sketch (shown below) tell me it was 75 degrees and overcast, probably an unusually cool morning for the middle of July in Kansas. I scribbled "Bob White quail" so I know one was calling out, which I adore.  I made a special color note on my sketch of the yellow wildflower that I knew I wanted to include.  

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Then I started my painting on a 5" x 7" wood panel.  I remember that this one just felt right.  I loved the scene, I loved my sketch and my brushes were just dancing as I did my underpainting.  

I remember thinking to just keep things loose and that the best I would get would be some good color notes.  

But as I continued to work, the painting was coming to life.  The darks and the lights were playing against each other very well.  My brushstrokes were bold but subtle marks that went from warm to cool greens.  I was able to pull up some paint that let the tree trunks come to life.  I left the edges untouched so that the process of this painting could be seen.  

And with some final marks for the branches, I had said all I wanted to say.  The painting was loose and sketchy but contained all the information it needed to read well.  

Then I signed it by scratching my "MWooderson" with my trusty skewer.  

I remember that this one felt good.  I didnt' stress and think "oh this is terrible".  I didn't have back paint from tensing up while painting.  I actually loved it which is rare for a plein air piece.  

That little, yellow wildflower. I even included it in the painting as a last minute touch.  

I used my worn chip brush to add in the tall, dried grasses and they lit up again the dark shadows of the tree line.  Wispy branches that I thought might be hokey really finished the scene.  There are a 4-5 distinct green, square brush marks placed on the dark shadow (far left) that are enough to say "foliage". A few blended brushstrokes above the trees soften the sky line.  

And just like that I had painted what would become my favorite plein air piece to this day.  I carry this thing around like a security blanket, I tell ya.  All felt right in my parting world that July day.  Maybe it was just time to get back to painting...or maybe Mama gave me a gift of a good one...or maybe both.  

I hope I always remember this day, painting out in the green, grassy meadow.  

And I hope I have many more painting days like this....and that by sharing my stories, they'll live on for maybe my girls or my grandkids...and they'll maybe take my little painting some day and go sit in the same spot I did while painting this.  Wouldn't that be wonderful?

I always look forward to Winter and snow right after Thanksgiving and then when Christmas rolls around.  Then I  kinda feel over it.  Truth is, our winters in Kansas don't really start until January and February and can last well into March.  I've learned to embrace Winter now and lean into the season and all the goodness it has to offer.  Here are some of my Winter favorites that help me create a cozy and hygge feeling.  

Our beautiful stone fireplace with a roaring fire.  There's nothing like sitting by the fire with a cozy blanket, a warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa and a pile of books.  Hands down my most favorite place to be when it's bitter and cold outside.  I make sure to fill my bird feeders often, especially knowing that Kansas has some amazing wild bird populations that love to stick around during the cold months.  

I often take my coffee into my art studio to check out books from my own little art library, brimming with art books I've curated over the years.  You can never have too many books...unless they sit on a shelf unread.  That would be a shame. 

I turned a bedroom closet into my own art library, complete with an old leather chair nearby, a warm lamp and a pile of cozy blankets.  

I will venture out if the weather is moody and overcast and especially after a fresh snow.  The trees have all lost their leaves and are taking their long Winter's nap....except for the cedars.  They are staying green and provide the prettiest contrast against the simple background.  I always have my big camera with me so I can snap photos for studio paintings.  I'm not much of a Winter plein air painter.  

That brings me to my studio paintings,  Painting Winter scenes has become a favorite Winter activity that I try to start early but every snow makes me want to paint more snow.  I have been offering Winter themed ornaments the last few years and this year I opted for some miniature Winter scenes in small brass frames.  This was the start of my Winter Path series.  There's a few of these still available in my online shop.  

I then continued my Winter Path series with 8 unique Winter scenes from around my home.  Each has special meaning and I love each and every one of these paintings.  There are some still available in my shop.  Each painting is on a wood panel with lots of texture and subtle oil paint and comes framed in a vintage gold frame.  I have quite the collection of vintage frames and decided it was time to start pairing them with my beautiful paintings.  

A few of the scenes I chose because of the dried, golden grasses still showed and paired so well with the frames.  

Each scene is a snowy, wispy, Wintry wonderland.  

In keeping with the Winter Path theme, all of the paintings have a path or road that leads off into the distance. 

This is a favorite below that I must keep for my private collection.  I take my dad on a buggy drive almost every day that the weather permits.  The stories come to life when Dad is surrounded by his meadows.  

This was a viewer favorite, with its golden hour glow.  Still available here.  

I've always wanted to paint this path that leads to our back timber.  It's well worn and feels like a place that belongs to just us.  

One of the many country drives we take, with warm travel mugs of coffee.  

I also love when I hear from viewers, that my country scenes remind them of home or a grandparent's farm.....some fond memory or a place they wish they could be.  That's always what I want to paint....a scene you want to walk into and a story that I start and the viewer finishes.  I hope if you get to embrace Winter where you live, that you lean in, get cozy and stay warm.  

Well here I go, back into the world of blogging.  I will be using my blog as a journal to keep my thoughts on painting in one place.  It's been 9 years since I got back into my art and I've done a lot of looking back...and looking forward.  You'll see posts here on my current thoughts and I also want to have a place to house some of my past work and projects.  So you'll see current projects and also past projects...a great way to see how far I've come and for you to maybe catch up on some of my past work.   I haven't veered too far off from my original way of painting so I feel the posts will still feel relevant.  

Today I want to put my thoughts down about how I gather information when painting outdoors.  You'll notice my images toggle back and forth between painting on a panel and painting in a sketchbook.  Below is probably my favorite plein air session ever in all my years of painting outside.  The initial sketch came together using pencil and markers, with some written notes.  The 5 x7 oil sketch came together so easily by using dry brush marks with layers built up very loosely.  From my very first time painting landscapes, I've done a a sketch along with the painting.I

Eventually, I began using homemade Kraft sketchbooks which lent to quicker painting sessions with lots of written notes and color notes. With this method of gathering information, I can paint by holding the sketchbook and using a tiny handmade travel palette with limited colors, brushes, etc.  

I haven't chosen a favorite way of gathering information but I do think about how I can get out more often to paint and what I can do to make the most of that time.  I equally love painting in the sketchbooks and on a panel.  When painting on a panel, I do feel like I set higher expectations of completing a good, finished painting...and that's not my intent now.  I find myself disappointed sometimes if I don't go home with a good painting, whereas in the sketchbooks I don't feel that way,  

Either way now, I find that I am just looking to gathering  information and not come home with a perfect painting.  I want to think like the first Impressionists and just gather those first impressions of how the scene looks and how it makes me feel.  Break it down to the most basic tasks of capturing the composition, color, light, form , values, etc.  

Most times now, I take lots of photos of the initial scene so I can use those photos back in the studio. I never want to copy a photo and I feel I have enough brush miles under my belt now to interpret the scene in more my style. So with a simpler oil sketch and pencil/marker sketch, I get just enough to capture an impression and mood.  

There is something though about painting outside that strengthens your skills even when you paint in the studio.  I feel that if I want to be a representational painter, I need to paint from life to keep those skills sharp. There's nothing that compares to painting from life to capture color, values, composition, mood, etc.  In the image below, there is no way I'd get those wonderful violets and yellows on the tree and snow if I didn't make this quick study outdoors.  

Taking time to gather my supples and going out to sit in nature has so many added benefits.  I'm getting fresh air, unplugging, and I'm using all my senses to hear the birds and water...see the color nuisances...smell the cedars or sweet earth...feel the sun on my shoulders....and to use get the mood of the day.  

I'm there to absorb the entire experience.  Whatever way I choose to gather the information, I always want to remember that feeling of nature and the great outdoors.  I recently found a page from my journals, that documents how I like to do my studies and collect information.  I'll share that soon! I'd love to hear your thoughts on how you like to gather information while painting outside.