Colorado Storm Clouds

Colorado Storm Clouds
16" x 20"
oil on canvas
Click here to purchase.

I really enjoyed this painting! This was from another of my fabulous stash of reference photos from that glorious rainy sunset. I was trying to decide between a photo of boats in the water, but this one won out. I enjoyed the more subdued colors in this photo.

The funny thing about cloud paintings is how they look like a big fat stinking mess until right before they are finished. I learned a while back not to freak out about the pig sty on my cloudy canvases until it is all over and done with. I wiped several paintings before learning that lesson.

I am trying to concentrate on composition. I've been reading, and the almighty "they" seem to agree that the key to a good painting is a good design. Food for thought.

Sunset Storm Clouds

Sunset Storm Clouds
11" x 14"
oil on canvas

I just finished an email a friend and fellow cloud painter, Ronnie Watt, about the frustrations of painting and the wonderful advice I have been given about how to deal with it.

With this particular painting, I found Mary Anne Cary's advice most helpful. She said "...when I question it all, I have to just try to stop what's going on in my head and paint without high expectations..."

Think about it. Its brilliant! She is not saying to lower your standards, but to let the painting be what it will be- to focus on the process rather than the product. Time for a new mantra for me! (Well, time to add a new one to the pile.) But how do you sum something like that up in just a few words?

When I felt that old familiar feeling of wanting to pull all my hair out because my painting looked like a big fat stinking mess, I stopped to count back from ten, and then started again with the intent of just letting this painting find its own way... so to speak. Really what I was doing was letting go of the anxiety attached to the desire for a good finished product and focused on the act of painting. I really have to concentrate to match colors. Especially grays.

Ya know, Julie Beck said basically the same thing. She said "...finish it and if you're not happy with it, do another."

There it is - Let the painting be what it will be.

Sunset Clouds II

Sunset Clouds II
16" x 20"
Oil on Stretched Canvas
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Finished.
This is painting #3 in my Cloud series. I like it.

I realize it is not a very original title, but I figure the painting has enough personality to make up for a simple name. I really like the way this one turned out. I think the larger canvas suits a skyscape. Ooo! imagine a huge huge painting of clouds. Mmmmmm.... like a 5 foot x 6 foot canvas all painted red and waiting to be smothered in stormy sunset clouds. That sounds like fun!


Woohoo! My reference photos came in! I am spastically excited. AND!!! My shipment of canvases came in. Could there be any bigger inspiration to paint?

More Clouds

Sunset Clouds
8" x 10"
oil on canvas board
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Painting number 2 in my Cloud series. I started and finished this one last night after Soren the Destroyer went to bed. I was amazed at how fast it went.

This photo came from my favorite painting spot in Western Colorado, same spot the photo for Anticipation came from. I'm pretty sure it was the same evening.

Ooo! if you get a chance, check out Sandra Flood's artwork. Amazing artist! And she is self taught! She is my hero. Her work is full of life, mystery, and spontaneity. I love it. She has work in Austin, Texas at the Wally Workman Gallery. I so want to see some of her paintings in real life- I'll have to stop by when I'm in Texas next. Here is a link to an interview she did with an online art magazine- good read.

Oh- I just saw that Carol Marine, another of my favorites, has work in the same gallery! I definitely need to go there.

Fast Clouds

Anticipation

8" x 10"
oil on canvas board

I started this painting last night and my husband said that he was thinking I should do this one as well. It was meant to be.

I took this photo at my favorite painting spot in Western Colorado's high desert. The sun was setting and this.. just.. phenomenal storm was blowing in. I took like fifty shots of billowing pink, and orange, and purple clouds. They were churning and swallowing themselves, only grow larger --expanding in every direction at once. Oh!- the energy of it! WOW!

My favorite part of a thunderstorm is that vibrating crackle that is so thick, you can almost feel it pulsing through the air and exciting every atom. Ooo! My skin tingles just thinking about it.

That was a wonderful day. So productive. I managed to successfully capture a skyscape while painting on location. Those sunset drenched storm clouds were, to me, like a fireworks display celebrating my accomplishment. It felt good.

Some more oldies but goodies

8"x 10"
Oil on canvas board

I had a favorite painting spot outside of Grand Junction. It was surrounded by nothing, full of sky, and all mine. Most of my skyscapes were painted out there. This particular evening gave me a wealth of reference photos. A storm was blowing in, it was right around sunset- the golden hour. There is always such a wonderful surge of energy that comes with a big storm like that. Seems to wake up every cell in the body.

This was one of my favorites at the time, but I am not so impressed with the painting itself now. It must have been the emotional experience attached to the piece. It was bought by The Gallery Bed and Breakfast in Grand Junction, Colorado. .. I think... If you get a chance, check them out. That place is awesome, just vibrating with creativity. They have some of my favorite artists renting studio spaces there.

8"x 10"

Oil on canvas board

This was a little stone shack on the edge of some orchards in Palisade, Colorado. The cherry trees were in bloom and that big blue mass in the background is the Mesa. I took my glasses off for the first half of the painting process, and really tried to concentrate on the tonal values rather than familiar shapes. I was quite happy with this one at the time, and am pleased to find that I still am.

8"x 10"

Oil on canvas board

This one was not very popular, but I like it. It is very moody. I see things in it now that I didn't before. My absolute favorite part of this painting is the wet sand, where the waves are pulling back after swallowing the beach. This was painted on tide-pooling trip to Oregon a couple of years ago. It was my first experience painting in the Oregon drizzle. Believe it or not, painting in the rain was somewhat exhilarating. Like nothing could stop me from doing what I enjoy- not even the weather!