Summer Morning at the Light House

I am trying a new approach to how I paint outside ("en plein air")  I start by toning my canvas with a warm tan/orange middle value color.  Then I decide on my composition, and draw it in with charcoal.  After I have the drawing the way I want it; I use a fixative spray to seal the charcoal..

Then I begin with putting in my darkest colors and my lightest; and proceed with the painting, working on the values of what I see.

I try and finish the painting on site, on the day I started.  Occasionally I will tweak a few things once I get it back to my studio.
Summer Morning at the Lighthouse  11"x 14"
Available

Summer Afternoon  6" x 8"
I had been painting in the morning at a light house location on Lake Michigan, and while driving home, I came across this scene in the afternoon.  I decided I wanted to paint it, and it worked out that I had a small canvas panel in the car.  I loved the white birch trunks that were lit up against the dark evergreen and field colors.

Summer Sails

Summer Sails  9" x 12"
Finally, a warm summer day to paint outside!  It was a beautiful day in Green Lake, Wisconsin.
This painting is available at my Etsy shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GailFrankeArt?ref+sea

Summer Sails; Reflections

Summer Sails  9" x 12"
This is a painting I did  last summer "en plein air" (outside), and then I worked on it some more this winter in my studio, and now feel it's done.  I'm pleased that I am now represented by a gallery in Green Lake, Wisconsin: Arts of Daycholah  and this is one of my paintings that is available at the gallery, along with 8 other small paintings.  If you're in the Green Lake area, stop in at the gallery; it's amazing; wonderful sculptures, paintings and other works of art.  You'll enjoy it!

I will also be participating in the Green Lake Plein Air painting event on Sunday, May 25th, put on by Arts of Daycholah gallery, so if you're in the area stop by; there will be lots of artists painting in town and around the Green lake area.  

The Garden Shop  8" x 10"
It is suppose to be spring here, but yesterday it was below freezing and snowed.  So I decided to head out to find spring, and I found it in a garden shop and nursery located nearby where I live.  The owners kindly let me set up and paint in their greenhouse, and it was wonderful; warmed by the sun and flowers and colorful pots all around!

Winter's colors    9" x 12"
I really enjoy painting outside in winter, it is so peaceful.  I am often drawn to strong value shifts in scenes; and winter certainly provides that; with the snow and the beautiful evergreens and grasses.
This painting is available at my Etsy Shop at: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GailFrankeArt?ref+sea

Pear colors     5" x 5"
This little painting is done on canvas board and mounted on a black panel with a 1& 1/4 inch black boarder.  It is for sale at my Etsy shop  https://www.etsy.com/shop/GailFrankeArt?ref+sea
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