Few New Pastels

February Moon, pastel, 6x6, $225.
Again, I was excited by the possibilities of another full moon painting.
I was happy the sky was clear and the moon quite large as it rose up from the horizon. I drove around  that evening until I could decide on a composition, and memorized the colors as best as I could. Immediately upon returning home, I drew it out in pastel. The pink/orange glow was present.

Hay Bales After the Rain, pastel, 12x16. $750.

This pastel painting was referenced by on oil sketch done on location in 2011. The plein air outing was interupted by rain, so I painted it fast and furious! I loved the oil painting (9x12) and decided to try a larger size in pastel. I changed the shapes of the tree line and the foreground is more detailed in the pastel. Overall, I like both paintings a lot!

Bay Sunset, pastel, 18x12, $900.

Painted from a digital photo reference. This painting will probably be at North Seas Gallery this summer unless it sells first!

Thank you for viewing my art!

Working From Studies II

Bell's Bay Sunset - Charlevoix, oil, 6x8, $300. framed
I painted this study while camping at Fisherman's Island State Park, near Charlevoix, MI,  last summer.
It is one of four plein air studies from the area.

Michigan Sunset, oil on linen, 24x30
I was inspired to paint this studio piece by combining the ideas from my study and a photograph of the beautiful sunset from that evening.

New Painting, New Print

"A New Day", oil, 30x40, $4800. Treeline Gallery
Also now a giclee print - see my website for details

This oil painting will be the centerpiece of my new work being featured this season at Treeline Gallery.  I look forward to hanging this new collection of paintings around mid-May. 

Inspiring View

"Inspiring View", pastel, 18x24, Button-Petter Gallery, $1500.

"View from the Top", oil on panel, 8x10, plein air study, $500. framed

In this post, I thought I would share my "inspiration"for my recent pastel painting, "Inspiring View". As many of you Michiganders know, the Michigan Great Lakes and shoreline scenes can be quite spectacular. I painted this little study on site in the Nordhouse Dunes area in the Manistee National Forest. Morning here is the best time to capture the dune shadows that add that element of contrast and interest to a scene consisting of sand, grasses and water. I also photographed the area, but the real help when doing the studio painting was my plein air study. I am happy to say that the resulting studio pastel painting will be at the Button-Petter Gallery for the season kickoff reception, April 17 from 1-5pm, along with more new work. Hope to see you there!

Thinking of Summer

I am thinking of summer as I work in my studio for the upcoming gallery shows. Here is a sneak preview of a few new pastel paintings.

"Windswept Dune", pastel, 18x12

"Morning Breeze", pastel, 18x24

More Exhibit Work

The exhibit at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center is hung! With a lot of planning and expert help, 41 paintings were hung in about two hours. It looks really nice and I am sooo excited for the artist reception, Jan. 13, 6-7:30. Music will be by David Pickel. Hope you all can make it.
More featured work:

Dunes-Autumn Air, pastel, 24x36

Beach Shade, pastel, 14x14

Happy New Year

I just want to say that 2010 was a very good year for continued growth in my artistic learning, a prolific output of work and an increased following of collectors that resulted in many nice sales. I am full of gratitude. New gallery representation and my first show at Button-Petter Gallery in Douglas, MI was also successful! I am happy to say that I have ready to hang up to 44 paintings for the one person exhibit in January at the Forest Hills Fine Art Center. I am going to feature a number of those paintings in the January blogs.

Autumn Solitude, pastel, 24x36

Katharina Dreaming, oil, 24x18