Facing Fall in July

9 x 12

oil on linen panel

Although there's nothing autumnal about this scene, painted plein air on a very hot July day,  it is so named since I was facing the Fall Pavilion in the beautiful Calendar Garden of The DeFries Garden in New Paris, Indiana. The garden is divided into the fourths, encircling this lily ladened koi pond with lovely little buildings and seasonal flowers to glorify each of the four seasons. It's also marked with each month of the year and the brick walkway is imprinted with each day plus holidays.  For details, visit the garden's designer Jon Cutrell's Flickr page by clicking here. Two artist friends and I painted in this paradise last week and though it's over an hour away, I was so impressed, I drug my husband back there yesterday so he could admire it as well, gardener that he is. It's no wonder it's a popular destination for weddings and other events. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit and the drive and I'll be painting for quite awhile from the many photos I took.

In the Between

16 x 20

0il on canvas

This was painted from a photo I took in the late afternoon, in late summer, or else very early evening, in early fall.  The little surprise bursts of color and the contrasts of cools and warms and brights and shadows created a great image.  I started this with a plan to paint it as a companion to my painting "Sentinel", but followed my instincts to get loose with it.  It seriously flowed and the whole process was completed within a few hours, not my usual modus operandi.  I have to send out a big thank you to Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam for their great album, Ten. Turn's out to be perfect music to paint to.  And drive to, and belt out with in the shower.  Good music.

Sentinel

16 x 20

oil on canvas

"For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver"  Martin Luther