Road to Home

In this post I would like to show how two plein air studies along with several reference photos aided in the studio painting "Road to Home". I did the studies several weeks ago, not far from my home, and decided right away to do a larger painting from that experience. Study one:

"Poplars and Sumac", oil on linen panel, 10x8, $500. framed







Study number two on the same morning:

"On the Way Home", oil on linen panel, 8x10, $500. framed



In the studio I set up these studies and photographs up together, and did a small composition sketch. My canvas was 24x36 so I wanted to be sure the composition would work in that format.

This is a photo of my set up and partially finished work. You can see the sketchy underpainting on the bottom half.

The finished painting:

"Road to Home", oil, 24x36, $3000. framed

October Orchards

"Apple Orchard - Morning", oil on linen panel, 9x12

Wow, what a beautiful morning to paint. Last week I went to Robinettes Orchard with two artist friends and we felt so fortunate to be there. The light was great and there was something to paint in every direction. I did two paintings with the help of an apple fritter and coffee. It was delish!

"Peach Orchard in October", oil on linen panel, 12x16

I loved this scene. The peach trees were just starting to turn a golden color and the morning shadows created nice patterns across the grass and hilly road. I had to paint fast to keep my initial inspiration as the sun rose, everything changed very quickly.

Plein air Work

"Red Barns and Pumpkins", oil on linen panel, 9x12 SOLD

The beautiful October weather is starting to fade. We still have some sun, but with it comes the wind and chilly temps. I feel good that I was able to paint on location most of the month, accumulating many studies and finished works. I am going to feature some of my favorite ones in the next few blogs.

"Farm on the Hill", oil on linen panel, 9x12

"Pasture Creek", oil on linen panel, 14x11

A Commission

"Summer Waves", pastel, 24x36 - SOLD

This painting was recently completed as a commission. The client wanted a pastel painting of Lake Michigan with the water and shoreline as the subject, and this was the result.

Favorite Creeks

"Creek Bend", oil on linen panel, 11x14

"Sunlit Creek" oil on linen panel, 14x11

I can't help it that I love to paint water especially a small creek. Maybe it goes back to my childhood when I spent many hours playing in and around the little creek in the woods behind our home. All of those wonderful memories surface as I paint along a babbling creek. These two paintings were painted last week at two different creeks and I loved every minute of it.

Paintout at a Farm

This past weekend continued with the beautiful painting weather for the Plein Air Artists of West Michigan to meet at a local farm to paint. I chose to paint the fresh produce building with the morning shadows cast from the 80 year old cherry trees. The most difficult part was the color of the building with the shadows so I tackled that first before the sun changed everything. I also wanted the shadows cast from the trees on the road to connect the shapes and create a lead in for the viewers eye to travel throughout the composition.

"Farm Market - Morning", oil on linen panel, 9x12
After a short break I drove towards the back of the property to find another subject and came across a recently cut cornfield. Last year I painted here when the corn stood tall and could not see the farm in the distance. I also liked the tree line that cast a purple shadow across the field. Beautiful atmosphere!

"Distant Farm in Morning", oil on linen panel, 8x10.

All paintings copyrighted by Kathleen Kalinowski, 2010.

To the Beach!

"Over the Dune", oil on linen panel, 11x14

"Sun, Sand and Memories", oil on linen panel, 9x12

What beautiful October weather we have been blessed with! Since coming home from the St. James Court Art Fair, I have been painting almost everyday in my other studio...under the sky! These two new works were painted at Duck Lake State Park, obviously on the beach side of the park. Duck Lake empties into Lake Michigan north of Muskegon. It was absolutely a joy to be out painting on the beach when it was near deserted and the temperatures in the high 70's. Although I only had time to do these two paintings, I will soon want to paint the stunning views of Duck Lake in October that I photographed.

Patti, I and Barb on the dunes.