Wells Street Bridge

16 x 20

oil on board

I started this one last year when the weather in northern Indiana was more typical of the winter months up here. It was freezing out and too cold to stay outside and paint. I worked then from the photo, but it was a long season and I soon lost enthusiasm so I set it aside, probably feeling too winter weary to stay with it. Then last week, attending the artist reception at The Castle Gallery, I found inspiration in all the beautiful paintings of snow scenes and became enthused to tackle the challenge of capturing the colors and play of light in snow. After this went back up on the easel, it fairly, as the saying goes, "painted itself". The snow in the foreground was the main challenge, but inspired by the works of local artists, Fred Doloresco and my friend Douglas Runyan, I dived in with my brush loaded with paint and laid it on thickly. And I think it worked.  By the way, after I finished today, my husband and I took a bike ride to look at Christmas decorations with temperatures in the mid-60's. Weird.

Thank You Mr. Sullivan

24 x 30

oil on canvas

Chicago's beautiful old Carson Pirie Scott building, now called The Sullivan Center, is one of the masterpieces of architect Louis Sullivan and one of my favorites. This commission gave me another wonderful excuse to go visit my favorite city so I could photograph the building. I won't lie, it was challenging for this girl who prefers figurative and portrait painting and I'm celebrating that it's finished! 

The ironwork on Sullivan's building is magnificent and actually practical since it is fireproof. This building was designed after Chicago's infamous fire and so created to prevent another such catastrophe. Chicago's architecture is an absolute treasure and if you ever get a chance to go up there and take the architectural tour, it will be time well spent.