Happy Thanksgiving! Four New Works Completed on This Day After...

Finally had time to get back to the drawing table, literally.  Sometimes, when a long break has occurred, it's really hard to settle in and focus on painting.  I squirreled away a bunch of time today for myself and boy am I glad I did.

Today's works all stem from imagination for the most part.  A few photo references were used but only to get a sense of basic shapes.  Otherwise, the work is all very intuitive.  I did not sketch out any plans beforehand.  Some thoughtful decisions were made along the way but mostly I just followed the paintbrush around the paper.

Cardinal Pair    11.5 x 7.5"    $395, framed or $250, unframed

Grasshopper Hunt    11.5 x 7.5"    $395, framed or $250, unframed

Winter Spruces    11.5 x 7.5"    $395, framed or $250, unframed

Winter Tangle    11.5 x 7.5"    $395, framed or $250, unframed

One of these will be this year's holiday card from Birchtree Studio.  I'm keeping it  a secret for now but you can leave your vote in the comments box.  If you do, your name will go into a drawing for one of this month's paintings.  Drawing to be held on Sunday, Dec. 1.  Don't delay!

Milestones

The word "milestone" is described as a "significant event or stage in the life, progress, development, or the like of a person, nation, etc." according to Dictionary.com.

With these two recent works I feel I've reached a milestone in my watercolor work.  Both are a bit more abstract than what I "normally" produce but they represent exactly the style I've been trying to achieve, something I intend to master.  About two years ago someone commented on my work, claiming they see a recognizable style developing.  While I appreciated the compliment I didn't necessarily see what they saw.  Now I can.

Departure 2    11.5 x 7.5"    $395, framed or $250, unframed

I absolutely love the ethereal, dusk feeling of Departure 2.  The loose and bold use of the medium is both striking and moving.

Waking Above the Clouds    11.5 x 7.5"    $395, framed or $250, unframed

Waking Above the Clouds is born from a weekend hiking trip I did with a few friends in October.  I was very hesitant to go on the adventure because I haven't done much hiking this year.  Even my running had been minimal.  Thankfully, I made a last-minute decision to go for it.  It was tremendously hard but I'm so glad I went!  I spent time with my husband and some really good friends, learned to work through an incredibly difficult (physically) task, and literally woke above the clouds on one of the mornings.  The trail is part of the AT, along the Saddleback Ridge section in Maine.

Busy Few Days of Painting!

Cattail Shadows    11.5 x 7.5"
$395, framed or $250, unframed

So, what's different here?  Pretty obvious.   These two images are nearly identical but I bet you can spot the difference.  I thought I was done with the painting (first image) then, later in the day, decided to add something more.  From a composition standpoint, which do you like better?  

I completed two more paintings today, as well, both of which I am quite happy with.

Departure    11.5 x 7.5", unframed
$395, framed or $250, unframed

Departure recalls the fall migration of tree swallows.  Have you ever witnessed this event?  Tree swallows gather together by the thousands.  They'll spend several days building their numbers then, one day, they take flight and head south as one massive group.  While their building in numbers they spend their time feeding voraciously in anticipation of the miles and miles they'll travel.  Standing under a swarm of thousands of tree swallows is something you'll never forget.

Greater Yellowlegs Trot    11.5 x 7.5"
$395, framed or $250, unframed

Greater Yellowlegs is a species of shorebird that spends time here.  This one was spotted at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.  The photo resource is another from Bill Gette, Director of Joppa Flats Wildlife Sanctuary on Plum Island.  I thought the bird exuded some personality with it's "trot" through the water.  It has a cute button-like large eye, too.  Really cute.

Go to my Birchtree Studio Facebook page and share the 30/30 October album for a chance to win one of my paintings before the holiday season is over!

Three More Paintings Done...Including Two Small Gems.

In the past week I managed to get several more paintings done.  The two small pieces were done outside, as I promised myself I would do more of.  Yay for me!  Spent a day painting with a good friend last week.  We started out at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in the morning.  Got some warm-ups done in my sketchbook but nothing that I wanted to consider for posting.  After a yummy lunch we moved on to Maudsley State Park in Newburyport where I created Foggy Hillside and Nearing the End.

American Pipit   11 x 7.5"    $395, framed

 American Pipit is after a photograph by Bill Gette, Director of the Joppa Flats Audubon Center.  He has graciously given me permission to work from his wonderful bird photos.  This is the first of many, I hope.

Foggy Hillside    7.5 x 5.5"    $150, framed

 Both Foggy Hillside and Nearing the End were done on the same exact spot looking towards the same patch of woods; Foggy Hillside to the left and Nearing the End to the right.  It wasn't actually foggy out but it's what I felt as I progressed through the piece.  I love them both, as they each have qualities I seek with the medium.

Nearing the End    7.5 x 5.5"    $150, framed