I Love My Backyard!

Day 2 in Don Gray's Class...

...this was a class where we brought subject matter we were interested in pursuing.  After some demonstrations by Don, we then went to work and he would walk around and advise.  I decided to work on a painting of a farm building I took a photograph of on Hwy 125 just north of Walla Walla on the way to Prescott.  I didn't like the background in the picture (or the color of the gray corrugated siding against the blue sky) say I made some additions and changes in color to my painting.  I have a photo taken by my co-worker"s (Yvon Barber) son, Jason, of the Blue Mountains with wheat fields in the foreground, so I used that image for my painting's background.  Below are the photos that inspired the painting followed by the painting.  There's a tiny bit of work left for me to do on the painting and I will probably crop it some when I mat it.  Other than my clouds (a paint and learn process), I'm pleased with my day's work!

The farm building photo...

Jason Barber's photo of wheat fields and the Blue Mountains...

The inspired painting...

Revision of the Sycamore done in the studio...

...while taking a class from Don Gray at the Pendleton Center for the Arts.  I decided to go dark to contrast with the sunlit background foliage.  Maybe I will do another where I do the tree lighter with a darker foliage background.

 

Every Day Objects...

...August's Sketchbook Challenge.  I liked what I saw people posting on FLICKR so I thought I'd go for it.

Getting out on my own...

...to do Plein Air.  I went to a nearby park and painted one of the sycamores that surrounds the gazebo there.  I love the patterns on their trunks.  This is okay.  Maybe it will be one I focus on painting in the studio when I take a class with Don Gray at the Pendleton Center for the Arts this weekend.