Plein-air Efforts of the Day ...

 

 

'Plein-air Trek!'

 

 

Day 1 of 'Plein-air Trek'!

 

 

 

 

Phase #1. 'Plein-air Trek'

18" x 30". Oil on Birch panel. 2013.

Copyright. 

 

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Day 2 of 'Plein-air Trek'!

 

 

 

 

Phase #2. 'Plein-air Trek'

18" x 30". Oil on Birch panel. 2013.

Copyright.

 

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For the past several months while I would take my morning walk

or afternoon bike ride, I would pass by a number of cute little houses.

 

And I've been telling myself for all these months .....

 'Oh, I've got to paint that some day!'

 

I recently got a new Jullian umbrella to make the plein-air experience

a little more enjoyable by being shaded from the Sun

and also keep the light even on the painting itself.

 

And I also got new hybrid tires for my Trek 4100 MTB!!

 

For the past few days I've been retro-fitting the plein-air gear to the bike

and also giving it a few test/trial runs before actually senting out.

 

Yesterday, was the day to try riding the bike with the plein-air gear

and actually setting up on-site and getting familiar/comfy with the process.

 

I will admit I was a touch nervous at first, but the nerves soon

faded away as I pedalled closer to my intended painting spot.

 

This piece 'Plein-air Trek' has a few things it needs to be completed

 which can be easily be done in the comfort of the quiet studio!

 

Please stay tuned for more what's new from the studio!

 

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

Plein-air Efforts of the Day - Phase 1

 

 

Plein-air - Early Spring Colours (phase 1)

30" x 24". Oil on panel. 2013. Copyright.

 

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I've started to introduce larger formats once again into my 'plein-air efforts'

repertoire for a number of reasons, but mainly because when working with a

larger sized panels there is sense of freedom which allows for more 'playtime'

with the paints and still devote enough effort for to smaller areas without feeling

confined and becoming too tight, which tends to happen with smaller pieces.

 

 

Blocking in composition, colours and values.

 

 

The Sun came out only very briefly this morning while I was traversed

the yard looking for a place to set-up and paint, I was immediately attracted to

the light nestled on the ground in fron and behind the Honey Locust

and to mention the daffodills were looking rather sweet in the Sunshine.

 

 

Filling in and refining.

 

 

Since I haven't worked on such a large format for plein-air painting

in a long while and since the sunlight was playing peek-a-boo

I've decided to make this plein-air effort a 2 part phase.

    

 

Had a little special company today!

 

 

So, please stay tuned for Phase 2

of 'Early Spring Colours!'

 

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

 

 



Plein-air Efforts of the Day ...

 

 

Yesterday's plein-air efforts that is!

 

 

Plein-air / Painted Turtle Pond - Hunts Brook.

10" x 10". Oil on mdo board. 2013. Copyright.

 

For all inquiries on pricing and shipping please email me.

 

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Yesterday was a touch warmer

for a little plein-air venturing!!

 

A few miles from the studio

there is a lovely brook called

Hunts Brook.

 

In the warmer months

 I often ride my bike through

the back roads and one road I'm

particularly fond is, Unger Road.

 

Unger Road slices through

Hunts Brook

making it widen

and creating a marshy type area,

ideal for Painted Turtles,

though not the road.

 

(Over the years of riding my bike,

a few turtle rescues have been made.)

 

 

The view that called out.

 

 

Hunts Brooks Farm

is in the background of the photo,

you can just make out the greenhouse roof.

 

 

And here is the easel

with my work in progress attempts.

 

You can't quite tell from the photo,

but it was slightly sunny 

and the Sun was gracious enough

to peak out from behind

its silver curtain of clouds

from time to time.

 

Please stay tuned for more

what's new from the studio!

 

Cheers, ~ Polly ~



Plein-air Efforts of the Day ...

 

Plein-air / Blue Shadows - 11 Degrees Fahrenheit.

10" x 10". Oil on mdo board. 2013. Copyright.

 

For all inquiries on pricing and shipping please email me.

 

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'Old Man Winter'

is certainly here in

New England

and his grip is

a firm and rather icy one! 

 

My plein-air efforts over

the past few days have been terribly futile

for a number of combined reasons.

 

So, this morning

while deciding to do either

studio or plein-air work

I looked at my dud attempts

with mild disappointment. 

 

I gazed out one of the studio windows,

and those lovely blue shadows

were calling out loud and clear!

 

Instead of taking the time to 

suit-up and brave

 the bone-chilling air

I decided this time around

to paint those lovely blue shadows

from the comforts of the warm studio!!

 

Please stay tuned for more

what's new from the studio!

 

Cheers, ~ Polly ~ 

Plein-air Efforts of the Day ...

 

 

Plein-air / January Sunrise.

10" x 10". Oil on mdo board. 2013.

Copyright.

 

Private Collection.

 

 

 

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Put on the ski-suit,

the winter jacket,

the heavy gloves

 and set-up the paints!

 

Since, it was rather cold outside,

after a while I decided to finish the piece

in the comforts of the warm studio. 

 

Please, stay tuned for more

plein-air painting adventures

and

what's new from the studio!

 

Cheers, ~ Polly ~

(Big) Blast from the Past (4) ...

It's been a long while
since the last blog spot.

Between then and now
things in the studio have been
a bit slow, sporadic though steady.

The anticipation of the Holidays
always endues a certain
amount of extra stress. 

There are a couple of new Binoculars paintings
 nearing completion, but are not worthy of posting quite yet.

Once they're finished and framed
blog posts will follow! 

So, in the meantime
 while I am here dusting of the blog
I share with you another
'Blast from the Past'

I recently came across another
photo of a plein-air painting
I did back in the Summer of 1999.
 

 

The Mystic Seaport - Thomas Oyster Co. and the Nellie.

12" x 16". Oil on Canvas. 1999. Copyright.

 

Private Collection.

 

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Oh, the Summer of 1999,

how great is was!!

 

From book end to book end

it was packed with

adventure, fun, and opportunities!

 

There were two big highlights

of that sweet Summer,  

 

1. My sister and I, planned and took

a month long 'cross-country' trip together. 

 

which was immediately

followed by highlight

 

2. The first 'John Stobart Workshop'.

 

 

 I was still in school at the time

(and also the very last person to have)

signed-up for John Stobart's workshop. 

 

It was a once in a lifetime opportunity

that I just could not miss!

 

The plein-air workshop took

the eager and excited group of

Stobart admirers to the picturesque

Connecticut towns of 

Old Lyme, Noank and Mystic

and then later off to Westport Mass,

the location of Stobart's home and studio.

 

The plein-air trip to

the Mystic Seaport

proved to be the highlight

of the entire workshop

in more ways than one. 

 

Later, after the workshop

had become a fond memory,

Stobart was kind enough to feature me

in his studio newsletter

'Palette Scrappings'.

 

 

 

 

Stobart took a snapshot of me and my painting

in its very beginning stages at the Mystic Seaport. 

 

I was also approached by a gentleman

(within the workshop itself)

who was very much interested in buying my painting.

 

 



 

So, I returned the Mystic Seaport after the workshop

 for a few  plein-air sessions to finish the piece on-site.

 

 

 

 

Reference photo of the slope the 'Nellie'.

 

 

 



 

A couple Stobart workshop attendants

fast at work in Stobart's Westport home backyard.

 

 

 



 

Stobart (in the middle) giving a group critique at the end of the day.

 

 

 

 



 

Stobart's (messy) studio.

 

 

 

Stobart and myself during a lunch break.

 

Oh my, what fun it was!

 

Please stay tuned for more

'Blasts from the Past'

and other what's new

from the studio updates!

 

Cheers, ~ Polly ~