I have so many wonderful friends to go outdoors to paint with!  We all have backpacks which makes it easy to get some fun hiking in as well as paint to record our experiences!  This painting was done at Charleston Falls.  Pauline and I hiked for almost 30 minutes just scouting out areas to find just the right spot.  As we were walking along this path to the pond, the bright sun was filtering its way through a field of daisies.  It captured my heart.   I had to record it for history.   I hope it captures your heart as well.

Just scroll down to leave a comment (I think it's your turn.  You know you've secretly always wanted to do that.........go ahead..........have some fun!).

To see a larger image of this painting, please click here.

 

Click here for In the Studio, to what the Hayner students are doing!!

A friend and I donned our painting gear in backpacks and climbed down into Charleston Falls, Ohio to paint the falls.  What a glorious time it was!!  We had just had a gully washer of a rainstorm the day before; and, although it was extremely hot and humid, the drips from the walls of the rocks above us kept us cool. We were on a tight schedule, because after painting the falls, we headed to Yellow Springs for a live model drawing session.  It's always good to keep up the drawing skills.  An entire day of ART.   Oh, that's Donna's Dream Day!!   I hope you like todays painting:  Trickles from Heaven, Charleston Falls, Ohio, an 10 x 8 acrylic on canvas panel.  For more details, please CLICK HERE.

What you are seeing above is the final version of this painting.  After painting at the falls, I went home and worked a bit in the studio.   Below, please take a look at the initial painting done at the falls and the final painting for comparison sake.   

  

Working on site, one must work quickly with a large brush to capture the lighting and colors. 

In the first one, I was not pleased with the bright yellow on top of the falls; and far prefer the more subtle background in soft hues of green.   What do you think?

New Art Website on Fine Art America:   Acrylic Landscape Artists, now has 28 members and 80 paintings (as of July 19, 2010).   It's so exciting to see all of these gorgeous paintings!   Stop by and take a look:  CLICK HERE.

On the Dock II......I had to tweek it!!   It was too dark for me.  Please take a look at them (before/after) side by side (below) and let me know what you think of the difference.   I was working to get more depth and more vivid colors, but retain the sunshiny hill in the far distance.  I hope you can still see that.   As always, there are other areas I would change, but that's for another time (maybe).  All paintings are a journey, a painting is never "really" finished.  Nothing in this life is 100% perfect, nothing.  

On the Dock BEFORE

 

On the Dock II AFTER

 

NEW DRIVEWAY!!

We've had stones for 15 years!

Finally!  Paved!   

There is a huge area to the right for playing basketball!!!   The whole family loves basketball!

The garden with the duck is a memorial garden for my nephew, Paul.  The bush blooms in

April (my and Paul's birth month).

Brian overseeing progress.  Trained in construction management, he was very pleased with the work ethic and attention to details.  We were, too!

For a larger image, please click here.
 

Navajo Reflections, 12 x 16," gouache on paper

I have a number of Exhibits coming up very soon.   This Thursday evening, at 8p.m., a Reception for a wildlife exhibit will be held at Bruckner Nature Center, just about 5 miles west of Troy, Ohio.   There, I have 3 wildlife paintings: one of an owl, one of a black bear, and one of an iguana.   For more information about any of these events, please click on EXHIBITS at the left or you can CLICK HERE.

Mary Visits Elizabeth, wip 2 (work in progress "2"), is still not "quite" complete.  Getting really close!  

Thank you to everyone who submitted ideas of what "might" be found hidden within this painting.   Especially thank you to Keith, who mentioned seeing Golgotha. I have a feeling you are closer to what is there than anyone else.   I'm not sure where it is; but I know it's there.   Hang in here with me and if you see something before I do, please let me know.   In the meantime, I will be starting another Marian painting.   I have so many in my heart!!   So much to do!

For MARY VISITS ELIZABETH:   As of right now, I am aware of some very enlightening symbols.   The two water pots at the left, just behind Elizabeth represent for me two burial urns to signify the deaths of the two children represented within the wombs of Mary and Elizabeth.   The doorway just behind Elizabeth suggests two things to me:  a shadow behind Elizabeth and an entrance to a tomb.   The shadow becomes a tomb entrance, but is also a doorway.  An entrance into death, a doorway into Eternity.  The two are one.  The greeting of Mary and Elizabeth was an eternal meeting of two chosen women in time.   This was an explosive moment.   Yes, new life was about to come; but as well, two significant deaths are also represented here.   Eternity is seen in the two windows above their heads:   windows of time.  And, above the windows, the painting continues to become more and more golden, representing Heaven and Eternity.   Two windows: everything in this painting screams two.   I had no intention of doing this.   It's just there.   John ushered Jesus onto the scene.   John baptized Jesus.   There is a verse in an old song, "you can't have one without the other."   We need one another.   We should treasure each other.   Two sweet women, about to birth two men.  One who will soon die and become the Savior for all mankind; and the other who introduces the Savior to the world.   A truly earth-shattering meeting.

I look forward to your thoughts.

Many interesting ideas are coming in for the Marian painting and Students at Hayner are going Experimental! They are stretching their wings and are about to fly!  Check out IN THE STUDIO to see their fun work (use navigation bar at left please).   

Thank you to a dear collector.  This was a popular painting in the workshop last week.  Dramatic Lighting!

MISTY MORNING ON JEKYLL ISLAND was one of the first paintings done at the Elin Pendleton workshop.   My paintings are forever altered.  I am so thankful that Elin has worked out her color system. It works!   To see more about this painting, please CLICK HERE.

As you can see (below), I was so serious!   Elin Pendleton made us think before applying the paint.   It was a color workshop and we learned so much, my head is on overload!   One time, she even counted one of the student's brushstrokes.   One stroke, just one is all we should be making, friends!   Think first, then make that one well thought out stroke of singing color!  

Always enjoy hearing from you!!   Please leave your comments below.   Remember, your email address is only for my eyes.   It is not published on this site or used in any way.   I just like to know who sends mail to me.   Thanks!