Joan Applebaum Art: 10 Days of Walking in the Winter Wonderland, Day 3

"On the Eagle Marsh Trail"

It's Day 3 of Walking in the Winter Wonderland!

So for all of you who can't get into the Christmas spirit unless the ground is covered in snow, Windy Hill Studio takes you "On the Eagle Marsh Trail". 

A few years ago my husband and I took a winter hike with the Indian River Lakes Conservancy in the area near Butterfield Lake and Lake of the Woods. It was a mild day with just enough snow to make the scenery interesting. Since the snow covering was sparse we were able to view moss and other hearty vegetation along the way. (The following year we hiked with the Conservancy in freezing cold weather and continuous snowfall which was a much different experience!)

The trail went through the woods, around some interesting rock formations and eventually led us to a spot where if you looked very closely you could spot an eagle's nest. 

After hiking back to the beginning of the trail we were treated to hot chocolate and s'mores as we gathered around the campfire.

Painting the Eagle Marsh Trail

One of the things I liked best about working on this painting is the opportunity to add other colors to the winter landscape. The warm colors of the green moss and red-brown dirt provide a nice contrast to the cool winter colors in the snow and in the background. The colors of the trees in the foreground were made by using all of the other colors in the painting in various amounts; sometimes mixing, sometimes using straight from the tube, creating a series of lively neutrals instead of pure brown or gray. 

The trees and sky in the background are painted in cool blues and purples which recede and create a sense of distance. 

What's in store for Day 4?  It's time for a touch of brilliant color so tomorrow I'll feature the Cardinals! 

I have 3 different cardinal paintings, so I'll keep you guessing as to which one will be spotlighted as we continue Walking in the Winter Wonderland.

Related Posts:

http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2015/12/joan-applebaum-art-10-days-of-walking.html?spref=fb

Joan Applebaum Art: 10 Days of Walking in the Winter Wonderland, Day 2

"Wintering"

It's Day Two of 10 Days of Walking in the Winter Wonderland! And still no snow in sight around here.

Today's painting "Wintering"comes from camp, and it's the second time I have used it in a blog post. 

While on a winter hike around the lake we came upon this camp nestled in the trees. The sunlight pouring through the trees and casting long purple and blue shadows convinced me that the scene needed to be painted. And I loved the pattern of snow on the dock and the big blue barrels holding it up! I took a few photo references and began the painting a few days later. 

While working on the painting I was fairly faithful to the color of the camp--mint green, but later changed the color to a red brown. The mint green was throwing off the color harmony and the composition by drawing your eyes directly to the camp instead of the foreground which I felt was much more interesting. I did leave a bit of the mint green color which glows through the red/brown here and there if you look closely at the painting.

Tomorrow we head to the Eagle Marsh Trail. See you then!

If you missed Day 1 you can click on the link below

http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2015/12/joan-applebaum-art-presents-10-days-of.html

Related Post:

http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2012/01/wintering.html

Joan Applebaum Art Presents: 10 Days of Walking in the Winter Wonderland

"Winter"

Where's the Snow?

We're having a warm December here in Upstate New York, so for those of you who just can't get into the Christmas spirit unless the ground is covered with snow, I am presenting 10 days of winter landscapes. Or should I say Snowscapes?

Our first painting is titled "Winter". Yep. Real original. But the painting itself is an experimental watercolor.

I used salt create the starburst effect and cool colors to give a brittle winter-y look to the painting. The white-ness of the branches was enhanced with opaque white paint.

This painting reminds me of walking along the camp road on winter days so cold that the snow squeaks under foot. You can almost hear the branches creaking as they sway in the icy wind.

Come on back tomorrow for another Snowscape!

Tis The Season for Everything Happening at Once!

It's December and Tis the Season for everything happening at once. 

I have back to back events this weekend starting with the Holiday Gift Fair at Nature-Tyme in Syracuse on Friday from noon to 7:00 pm, where I'll have an assortment of prints, cards, Woodlands and Waterways calendars, art-to-wear and Cardinal mugs. The mugs come with a surprise inside---ok it's chocolate and I just might eat it all to keep my energy up enough for my next event!

Which Is:

My show at Auburn Unitarian /Universalist Society!

I'll be hanging the show on Saturday; opening reception on Sunday after the service from 12:00 - 1:00 

Auburn UU is located at 607 Seward Ave. in Auburn NY.

And here is the artist statement and a preview of the show:

TO EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON

If you are a painter, painting the seasons just seems like a natural thing to do in Upstate New York. Living here we are greeted with an ever-changing palette of colors as the seasons shift.

The year begins with wispy whites shimmering in the pale winter sun. Spring brings us delicate green tendrils curling up from the ground. At last!

Summer is glorious and filled with color. Flowers, fruits, blue skies and sunny days! Ah, we wish that it could last forever! Fall is glorious too as trees show off their “Sunday best”, their color rivaled only by the brilliant orange pumpkins.

And then the sky grows heavy and leaden, and the bare silhouettes of trees settle in for their long winter nap.

And the cycle begins again.

I hope to see you at once of these events this weekend!

Joan

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Not all Birds Head South for the Winter!

Not all birds head south for the winter

In fact this bird will be traveling east to his new home in Hull Mass. This is a commissioned piece, recently completed, approximately 24" x  30" with a wrap-around canvas. The painting is based on a stunning photo in which the play of light and dark in the shallow water create as much interest as the heron itself. In fact the background was just a little too interesting to transfer successfully from photo to painting.

Taming the background

When I began working on this painting I knew the biggest challenge would be in making the heron stand out from the water. In the photo the heron is nearly the same colors as the water, providing very little contrast, which is fine for the heron who is trying to blend into his surroundings. But we want something different in a painting. A painting needs contrast: opportunities for brilliant colors to glow against subtle colors, and light colors to shine against dark tones.

After sketching the heron and some of the major patterns in the water, I under-painted in complementary colors to give the painting more "life". Underpainting in complementary colors lends a fuller, richer look to the finished painting, especially when some of the under-painting is allowed to show through create a nice dynamic tension to the surface.

I painted the water first, then painted the heron adjusting colors and values to contrast with the water. The color of the heron in the painting is "amped up" and definitely darker in value compared to the heron in the photo. The lines around the feathers are more prominent than they are in the photo and are painted with high contrast to add definition and texture. I increased the orange-y rust color around the neck for contrast. The warm orange/rust comes forward and the cool blues recede. 

Glazing

When the painting was nearly finished I mixed a combination of glaze with soft blues and purples (very little color, mostly glaze) and painted it over the water to further subdue the background. It worked!

As I was working on this painting I kept finding so many "lessons" within the piece from start to finish and it made me wish I was still teaching. We'll see how long my teaching hiatus lasts!

Title?

I haven't thought of a title yet. any suggestions?

Related posts

If you are looking for more information on working with underpainting in complementary colors, check out this related post from a couple of years ago.

http://joanapplebaumart.blogspot.com/2013/08/red-white-and-beauties.html

Painting is for the Birds!

"Twosome"

Christmas "Card"

Last week I found myself returning to a familiar theme. Cardinals in a winter landscape. I have painted a grouping of cardinals sitting on a branch last year.  I love the contrast of their brilliant plumage against the somber winter sky.

Both paintings are watercolors in which I used crumpled cellophane layered over wet paint to create an abstract background. In this case I wanted the look of snowy branches crisscrossing against the sky. The paint was allowed to pool around the folds and creases, so that when the cellophane was removed there was a network of lines and shapes to work from.

Using those lines and shapes I added depth to the paintings by darkening some areas and keeping other areas untouched. The contrast of the dark and light and push/pull of warm and cool colors created the illusion of depth. The brilliantly colored cardinals stand out nicely against the cool winter sky.

And Now What????

Twosome is already matted and framed and in a couple off weeks (unless it sells) headed to the Associated Artist show "Off the Wall" at the Manlius Library. 

Gift Fair at Natur-Tyme

Twosome and Christmas "Card" will both be available as greeting cards and prints at the Holiday Gift Fair at Nature-Tyme Dec. 4, noon - 7:00 pm.   Address: 3160 Erie Blvd. East, Dewitt

Maybe I will see you there!

Three Big Events Coming Up for Windy Hill Studio

Woodlands and Waterways 2016 Calendar

3 Big Events Coming Up!

Gift Fair at Natur-Tyme

Good news!

I will be part of the Annual Gift Fair at Natur-Tyme in Syracuse on Dec. 4, noon till 7:00 pm.

No large paintings in this event; I will have my assortment of greeting cards, prints, art-to-wear and the 2016 Woodlands and Waterways Calendar (which has been selling really well in Thousands Islands and Sackets Harbor!)

Put it on your calendar, it's going to be a fun event.

Hope to see you there! 

Cardinals! - available as a matted print 11x 14 or greeting cards

And here's a little info about Natur-Tyme
http://www.natur-tyme.com/about-us.html

National League of American Pen Women

The other big event is the Pen Women Exhibit at the Fayetteville Library, which will run through the month of November. Our CNY Branch of the National League of American Pen Women is celebrating its 90th anniversary. This exhibit of art and poetry/prose will be the kickoff event to our year-long celebration. Our National President Candace Long will be in town for two days and she will be speaking at our opening reception on November 18.

On display at the reception will also be a few artifacts from our CNY Branch. The handwritten minutes from our first meeting in 1926, as well as photographs and articles from the Syracuse newspapers of many prominent Pen Women will be part of the historic items on display.

To read more about the Nation League of American Pen Women go to the link below.
http://www.nlapw.org

The Healing Muse

And last but not least, on Wednesday I will be attending the launch party at Upstate Medical for Volume 15 of The Healing Muse. And guess what it will be my 15 launch party too! It's been an honor and privilege to have my work included in the Muse every year since 2001.Kudos to the staff at SUNY Upstate Medical Center for Bioethics and Humanities on another volume of this excellent literary and visual journal.

http://www.upstate.edu/bioethics/thehealingmuse/

"Leave Only Footprints" included in The Healing Muse volume 15