Lots of catching up to do

I've had almost no time for posting recently, since we're into the heart of the tourist season in Gettysburg. So this week, now that we're past the big annual reenactment, I plan to post a lot of things I've been working on in the intervening weeks. These are the last three plein air pieces I created during the Plein Air Paint Out, part of this year's Gettysburg Festival -- Pennsylvania Monument; Barn, Henry Culp Farm; and Gettysburg Railroad Depot. The railroad depot piece, the largest of these three, I completed within the timed, 2- hour Quick Draw event held within a one-block radius of Lincoln Square in Gettysburg. About 20 minutes into this painting, I'd realized I'd bitten off a little more than I could chew, because the detailing on this building is absolutely incredible. But I just kept plugging away, and much to my surprise, did actually manage to finish it within the 2-hour timeframe. All three pieces are done in watercolor and ink.

To see more of my plein air and other Civil War-themed work, please visit www.CivilWarFineArt.com.

Plein Air Paint Out at the Gettysburg Festival

The Plein Air Paint Out at the Gettysburg Festival began Friday with a great battlefield tour by our knowledgable guide, Bob Prosperi. So far I've painted Friday, Sunday and Monday (today it pretty much poured, all day, but thankfully this is really the only rainy day forecast for the entire ten day Festival). These paintings are all quite small, and rendered with watercolor pencil. The third painting featuring the General Warren statue on Little Round top has a little bit of ink line work added in the statue and the rock area. Hopefully I'll get out tomorrow morning to do some more!

Days 4 and 5, Gettysburg Plein Air Paint-Out at the Fringe Festival

It's been a busy but productive week! On Monday, June 13, I painted in the morning with Dianne Lorden, Sue Gray and Jonathon Frazier at the Rose Farm off Emmittsburg Rd on the Gettysburg battlefield. Then in the afternoon I painted out at Hauser Winery in Arendstville on a perfectly glorious (albeit a little windy) day.

Tuesday, June 14, found me in the company of Claire Carnell, Linda Young, Paul Gallo and Sue Gray in the Devil's Den/Slaughter Pen area of the battlefield.

Today I was supposed to have painted at Meade's headquarters (Leister farmhouse) on the battlefield, but it was persistently raining/drizzling and not terribly conducive to toting an art set-up a fair distance, as there's no really close parking area to that farm. So I opted to spend my time preparing for this evening's Edible Art Tour, the kick-off to History Meets the Arts, where I'll be "stationed" at Lincoln Into Art (next door to my own gallery) with artist/owner Wendy Allen, gallery director Elaine Henderson, and photographer Dan Mangan. This is a ticketed event which runs from 5 - 9, and is a part of the Gettysburg Festival. Tomorrow and Saturday I'll have my own gallery open from 10 am until 8 pm, where I'll be focusing on my personal "Civil War 150 Project". Looking forward to it and hope you'll come out to visit!

Day 3, Plein Air Paint-Out at the Gettysburg Fringe Festival

Sunday I painted at the absolutely indescribably-gorgeous Beech Springs Farm in Orrtanna, with painting buddies Claire Carnell and Linda Young. We had a brief interruption for a pretty serious thunderstorm, but fortunately we were able to take cover in the barn on the property. The storm passed quickly and I was able to complete this watercolor and ink sketch in the remaining time. A beautiful day (after the storm, anyway), great company and idyllic surroundings. Guess you couldn't ask for more!

Day 2, Gettysburg Festival/Fringe Festival

I didn't participate in the Paint-Out yesterday, due to needing to open my gallery on a Saturday. But I did attend the Artists' Reception at the BarnArt 2011 exhibit at the GAR hall, where I learned that I'd won First Prize for my entry, Summer Sunset, McPherson Farm, seen above! This small (approx. 6" x 8") painting is done on PastelMat -- a sanded pastel paper that has a very fine grit, feeling almost like velour -- using several underneath washes of watercolor pencil and finished with layers of dry colored pencil for detail and enhancement. All in all, I've had a very exciting start to the Festival!

Today I'll open the gallery at around noon but then will close to join fellow painters Claire Carnell and Linda Young at Beech Springs Farm in Orrtanna, PA, at the Old-Fashioned Sunday Supper paint-out. After my return I'll reopen the gallery, and hopefully this evening or tomorrow morning I'll have a new piece or two to post.

Day 1, Plein Air Paint-Out at the Gettysburg Fringe Festival PLUS More Good News!

Yesterday (Friday, June 10) was a very productive art day for me! In the morning I set up at the Eisenhower Farm to paint. Turns out I was the only artist at that location, so it was very quiet, but I managed to find a nice spot in the shade a little distance behind the house and created this watercolor and ink sketch of the house and a portion of the barn.

In the afternoon I attended a free workshop at the Gettysburg Railroad Station hosted by Chroma, a manufacturer of "interactive" acrylics -- a product I had not been familiar with -- entitled Luminous Landscapes. It was interesting and though I don't generally work in acrylics I did create a small ground for use as the basis for a future landscape, based on the techniques and using the materials Jennifer VonnStein provided. If I find a vista that will lend itself to this base, later this week during the Paint-Out, I'll probably add Prismacolor ArtStix to see what effect that creates.

After the workshop Mary Beth Brath, Jackie Mickler and myself headed up to the square to do some more plein air work, with the news that a local television station would be arriving at 4 to do a short interview for Festival plublicity. They did indeed arrive at 4 but went off to interview a musical group first, and as I needed to be at the opening reception for the Adams County Arts Council Juried Exhibition shortly after 5, I just couldn't stay any longer and took my leave. Still, I did get most of the way through another watercolor and ink sketch which I'll hopefully finish today and post soon.

Then: at the opening reception for the ACAC Juried Exhibition, I was awarded second prize for a piece I've posted several times this year, Transformation/Liberation -- the second in my Sarah Emma Edmonds series! I was stunned and excited to have received this honor. Quite a day!

Long Time, No Post!

Despite the fact that I haven't been posting, I have been working -- diligently! Other than research and rough sketches, I'll confess that I haven't done much with my next "Sarah" piece. But I've been working on many other pieces while I'm manning my Civil War Fine Art Gallery in Gettysburg, PA.

In mid- to late-June, I participated in The Gettysburg Fringe Festival in multiple ways. First, I hosted several receptions at my gallery for visitors as part of History Meets the Arts June 18 - 20. Also, I participated with the En Plein Air painters group again this year, completing a variety of works, including those shown above, top to bottom: "The Angle" and the Codori Farm, Round Barn Cupola, and Henry Culp Farm. These pieces are all fairly small, approximately 8" x 10", and were done using Derwent Inktense watersoluble pencils.

The next two posts will show other work I've completed in the past two months.