Long Beach Sunset

Long Beach Sunset - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Seriously, I couldn't get enough of these beach sunsets!

Last Light

Last Light - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

In my most recent trip to Ocean Park we were treated to some classic Washington Coast grey skies and rain. But the afternoons cleared up beautifully to reveal some great sunsets!

Pacific Shore

Pacific Shore - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

Does it have the big distinctive rocks of Cannon Beach? No. Does it have the sunny warm days of a California beach? No. Are there dead crabs and jellyfish everywhere? Yes. But if there's any stretch of beach that feels like home it would be the Long Beach Peninsula in southwestern Washington. My family has been having annual reunions there for longer than I've been alive; from all corners of the Northwest and beyond we take over the small town of Ocean Park, Washington. My husband and I enjoy the good company AND overcast relief from Eastern Washington summers! I love the challenge of painting the ocean every year, it's such a huge change of subject matter!

Summer Haze

Summer Haze - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

It's always nice during a plein air painting session when you know exactly what you love about a scene. I loved the way the backlit cottonwood glowed against the hazy, dusty purple hills. 

Heat of the Day

Heat of the Day - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I had a fantastic day out painting with a couple other painters today, we braved the outdoors despite predictions of temperatures in the 100s. Definitely worth it!

Palm Breeze

Palm Breeze - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

While in Florida I loved seeing all the different shapes palm trees could take, especially when silhouetted!

Summer Squall

Summer Squall - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I almost named this one something about spring, but then I realized that it's summer! The weather east of the Cascades has been so mild I'm losing track of what season it is. I painted this at a lovely little park outside of LaGrande, Oregon, looking across the Grand Ronde River valley. What a view!

Florida Shores

Florida Shores - 5x7 - Oil on Linen

I've been practicing waves lately, it's been a nice challenge. Some of my favorite shots to practice from are the photos I took from Palm Beach and Tequesta, Florida, while I was visiting for their plein air festival last February. Lots of great memories!

Colorado River Shores

Colorado River Shores - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

This little scene comes to you via Google Streetview! I loved the variety of colors in the big shadow on the rocks, even though it's sandstone it reminded me of the basalt formations we have here in the Inland Northwest.

Summer Skies

Summer Skies - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

This little scene is brought to you by Google Maps. I found it while virtually driving through Wyoming. I couldn't get enough of those clouds!

Touch of Green

Touch of Green - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I'm a sucker for the reddish brown shade the cottonwoods take on for winter, but this little Russian Olive was stubbornly holding on to it's leaves and I thought it made for a great complimentary scene.

Country Road

Country Road - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

I love these little country scenes, is there anything more fun than driving back roads with your music playing way too loud?

Wheat and Sky

Wheat and Sky - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Nothing says late summer quite like golden wheat fields and big puffy clouds!

Quarry Pond

Quarry Pond - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Remember that little sunset I posted the other day? Before it got quite  that dark I snapped this photo of a russian olive on the banks of Quarry Pond. For an invasive species they're very beautiful, especially during the golden hour!

Frenchtown Farmland

Frenchtown Farmland - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

I found this scene in the Walla Walla countryside near the Frenchtown Historic Site. There are lots of picturesque fields nearby with some interesting out buildings that turned out to be very paintable! I wanted to challenge myself to put more structures in a scene than I normally would, and I like the result.

Twins

Twins - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

I've been really focused lately on working from my photos of the Wallowa Valley, they seem to have the best little clusters of cottonwoods! I hope I can get back there to paint soon, and replenish my stock of great reference material.

Almost Sunrise

Almost Sunrise - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

Trust me, this scene was captured by photo when the sun was rising at much more leisurely hour than it is now, I am no fan of Daylight Savings Time!

Near Hurricane Creek

Near Hurricane Creek - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

This little scene came from my photo reference file, I really can't get enough of the Wallowa Valley!

Golden Cluster

Golden Cluster - Oil on Linen Panel - 5x7

One of the more interesting things I've noticed as the cottonwoods and poplars are turning for fall is how different the yellow looks against various elements in the landscape. Against the hillsides and other land features the yellow appears quite light, but when you see the same color against the sky it becomes clear how dark an ochre the leaves really are. Trees have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves to confuse us poor artists!

Peace

Peace - 5x7 - Oil on Linen Panel

I loved how peaceful this little marsh scene from eastern Oregon was. I've been combing through my photo reference stock and years after I drove by it finally spoke to me!