Shady Shore

Shady Shore, 11x14" oil on linen, ©Diane Mannion

Plein Air to Studio Painting

and

NEW GALLERY NEWS!

Shady Shore was painted in the studio using this small plein air study for reference.  Story about painting with the Light Chasers in Nokomis and the palette I've used for both paintings is in the previous post.  Click here to read it.

Block in stage.  Zoomed in on the shady area under the trees.

Mid-stage, worked with color masses.

And final stage, added figures, birds, and boats.

NEW GALLERY NEWS!

I've had the honor of being invited to be represented by the J.D. PIERCE GALLERY in Dallas, Texas!  

These two paintings are available there now:

DeSoto Park, 9x12" oil on canvas, ©Diane Mannion

Private Outlook, 9x12" oil on linen, ©Diane Mannion

Please click on the gallery link above or here for more information.

Nokomis Shade

Nokomis Shade, 8x10" oil on linen, plein air, ©Diane Mannion

Painting with Friends

Last meeting of the Light Chasers Plein Air Painters for this season, but many artists will continue painting anyway, Floridian summer or not, there's always a cool place in the shade.  Wonderful seeing so many happy painters and friends this morning! 

I found a shady spot at the water's edge with a view up the waterway.  Worked with a limited palette of Blue Ridge Oil Colors (which I LOVE!): Transparent red oxide, cad yellow medium, pyrol red, and ultramarine blue.  Also my favorite titanium white... Grumbacher Pre-tested Original Formula.  

Used Gamsol for wash in underpainting and no medium at all. 

 

Penny Pond

Penny Pond, 11x14" oil/linen, ©Diane Mannion

Pond Ponderation

Another plein air started on location and finished in studio, and #3 of my gardenscape series.  Named this Penny Pond because it was tiny and probably didn't have a name at the nursery.  Changed it around quite a bit, used artistic license to clear water weeds so the sky could be reflected.  This painting does have the early morning light effect I experienced while painting with the Englewood Plein Air Artists, but it doesn't have the nearby roar of traffic.   Penny Pond lives mainly in my imagination.

Dinner Bell

Dinner Bell, 8x10" oil/linen, ©Diane Mannion

Artist Acres Again

This painting started as a plein air while painting with the Englewood Plein Air Painters at Artist's Acres this morning.

I forgot to bring Gamsol, linseed oil, or a medium... RATS!  But painted anyway.  First time using Blue Ridge Oil Paints from Ashville, NC.  Limited palette of red, yellow, blue, white, and transparent oxide red.  Couldn't thin the paint, had to wipe with paper towels, and fortunately, had plenty of brushes, so no need to clean them.  Not fun painting without MS or medium!  But LOVE the Blue Ridge Oil Paints!  Rich and wonderful feel, glorious colors.

My first attempt was a total wipeout (one with awful chair below).   Second attempt came close but John liked it so I didn't wipe it.  Sometimes, it's a struggle.  And yes, that Great White Heron actually flew into the painting.

Warm Mineral Springs

Warm Mineral Springs, 6x8" oil on linen, plein air, ©Diane Mannion

Great Place to Paint

Painted at Warm Mineral Springs in Northport this morning with about a dozen VAC Punta Gorda Plein Air Artists.  Many thanks to Sharon for setting it up!  Great landscape views, water scenes, and lots of folks wearing colorful hats.  

People walk in the water around the edge, while many swim in the center which is 250 feet deep.  I swam across after painting... a treat!  (OK, another update... was only thinking how nice it was not to think about sharks while I swam across, never once thought about gators.  Click here for gator info. ) Click on the Warm Mineral Springs link above to read the history and don't miss watching the videos of divers exploring the depths!

Sharon, Katie, and Helga painting and view of my setup.  Painted with my Alla Prima Pochade box and used limited palette, red, yellow, blue, and white. (Updated note: also used Transparent Orange Oxide for sketching in stage.  Didn't do a thumbnail and think this painting would have been stronger if I had.  Sometimes, I want to dive right in because the light was changing fast with clouds moving in.  With such a limited palette, spent too much time spent mixing colors.  But like the idea and will do more experimenting.)

View of spring with a corner of Susie's painting... great clouds!  

Orchid House

Orchid House, 11x14" oil on linen, ©Diane Mannion

The Danger of Painting at Nurseries

Second in my summer gardenscape series... paintings started outside and finished in the studio.  Endless inspiration in local nurseries!  This was a complicated subject worked tight and loose at the same time.  Had to simplify and make things up as usual.  But happy that I captured the incredible pleasure of peeking inside this little orchid house.

My painting after an hour on location.  Changed things around for stronger composition. 

Beginning block in stage.

The danger of painting at nurseries is bringing home plants!  

This time, an olive tree for John.

Gray Day at Chadwick

Gray Day at Chadwick, 5x7" oil on canvas, plein air, ©Diane Mannion

Wind!

Painted with the VAC Punta Gorda Plein Air Artists this morning at Chadwick Park, Englewood.  Strong winds kept me hunkered down next to the car while others chased paper towels and hats.  But even though it was cloudy and gray, we enjoyed every minute painting outside.  

Unfortunately, there are a lot less reflections when the water's stirred up by wind, and without strong sunlight and shadows (something that's almost a constant in SW Florida)... this location was not as inspiring as usual.   

So I painted a small one, another recycled panel with an old painting turned upside down.  Very often, these little just-for-practice pieces turn out really well, perhaps because I "care less" about making a mess and just GO FOR IT?  Whatever the reason... this one turned out fine!

Location shot and upside down old painting.

Ginger Flower

Ginger Flower, 11x14" oil on linen, ©Diane Mannion

Flowerscapes

Starting a series of garden paintings.  Some will be still lifes set up outside and some, like Ginger Flower will be captured in gardens or nurseries.  Goal is to begin 11x14"s on location and finish in the studio.  Perfect approach for Floridian summer weather, cool mornings outside, cool air conditioned afternoons inside.  

This painting was started with the Englewood Plein Air artists at a local builder, Southern Living Design.  The shady garden was filled with tropical foliage, splashing fountains, and singing birds.   Artists were lulled into several hours of creative bliss.

I was immediately struck by the light patterns on the blooming ginger!

Sketched composition with transparent red oxide and ultramarine blue.  Pushed paint around with paper towels working out value structure.  Captured color notes and mentally absorbed the atmosphere and sense of place.  Took plenty of reference photos and after a couple of hours headed back to the studio to finish while the experience was fresh in my mind.

Unfinished, plein air stage: