Welcome

"Welcome"
6" x 12"
Watercolor on Yupo
The wide, red pathway maundered between an opening in a fence… not quite a gate, but welcoming, nonetheless. Come see what's beyond, it beckoned.  

I shall, once I get there to see it with my own eyes. This is from a photo I found. I'm trying to match colors to see if I'm taking the right palette with me. Space is limited! I will be responsible to carry everything myself… no man will be with me to help. Alas, I'll manage. Giggle.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

The Lieutenant River

"The Lieutenant River"
14" x 11"
Pastel on canvas panel
I was in Old Lyme, Connecticut a few years ago and again before that. This is the Lieutenant River  in the back yard of the Florence Griswold House and Museum where the American Impressionists painted at the same time the movement was in progress in Europe. Many artists summered in the comfort in her large home. They painted during the day and chatted and played games in candlelight after dark.  I've spent hours in this place, channeling the energy of our country's Impressionists who created in this place 110 years ago.

I've painted this before, but not quite like this. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

At the Fence

"At the Fence"
7" x  5"
Acrylic on canvas panel
Here are more hollyhocks from my trip to Door County, Wisconsin.  They were nodding their pretty heads at every bend. I love adding spiky plants and flowers to my little landscapes.  

By the time this posts, I will have been painting in Wisconsin again. I'm hoping to find more lovely things to photograph and bring back to my studio.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Carolkeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com

Many Iterations of Fence

"Many Iterations of Fence"
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard 
Fences that meander like quilt stitching across the topography of hills and valleys intrigue me, but so do the ones that have been crafted at various times, from different materials. This one in particular, in all its iterations on fenced-ness, makes me smile.  

This little fence painting brought me such comfort tonight. Must be tugging at my landscape roots.  

Carol 

Path to the Fence

"Path to the Fence"
5" x 7"
Pastel on gessoed canvas panel
The landscape was a simple one, it was the textures that intrigued me. There were only a few elements, but they were gnarly and nubby and easily represented on this surface.  

I used the clear gesso on a previously painted and sanded down acrylic painting. The rep at the art supply store told me it would be possible, so I tried it. The underlying texture made for interesting new textures for the pastel painting.  I'm liking this medium more as I test its limits.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
Dailypainters.com
Dailypaintworks.com

Island in the Wheat

"Island in the Wheat"
7.5" x 10.5"
Pastel on paper
An island off shore of a harvested wheat field shone its flaming maples that October morning.  I saw them through the evaporating haze and was happy I drove this route instead of the other. 

 I'm in Colorado visiting galleries, looking for a place to represent me. If I miss posting for a few days, please know I'm fine, just here with only my camera.

Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
Dailypainters.com
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Ms Scarecrow

"Ms Scarecrow"
16" x 20"
Watercolor on paper
Once the crops were harvested and she no longer had to keep the pesky birds at bay, Ms Scarecrow stood and waited. She waited patiently, albeit, propped, day after day, for someone to come along to stimulate and entertain her, to make her smile, at least make her think of smiling, since she never really had a face to begin with.  

 Here's a watercolor from a few years ago. When I taught watercolor, these were the things I liked to demonstrate; weathered wood, rusted metal, crinkled leaves, snowy fields and fabric.  I loved to tell stories with those items.

Carol

Dailypainters.com
Dailypaintworks.com
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Neighborly

"Neighborly"
5" x 7"
Pastel on paper
I had a tree, you had some rope and I tumbled for you the afternoon we constructed our swing. We soared and sang and laughed on that swing until you moved away.  

I'm testing my abilities with pastel on paper.  Tonight's challenge was to make fine lines using thick sticks.  I seem to have done it.  I particularly enjoyed making the wire on the fence.  

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net 

Peg's Again

"Peg's Again"
10" x 8'
Oil on canvas panel

















It's hot and steamy and the colors are intense in the garden this time of year, if you can get past the humidity and bugs.  

 This was a thirty minute painting, but it would never have gone longer, no matter what, with the bugs and the heat of this summer.  I'll wait until it's cooler to venture into another plein air experience.  I'm not made of the right stuff for this!

Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
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My Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Lieutenant River Fence

"Lieutenant River Fence"
6" x 6"
Oil on canvas panel
On the east bank of the Lieutenant River, just south of Florence Griswold's home in Old Lyme, Connecticut was this split rail fence.  It marked some border before the American Impressionist Museum was erected.  It is gone now, but it was a part of my experience on the hallowed ground of where my beloved Impressionist predecessors painted.  


I took this photo in 1997.  It seemed like a "pretty scene." From that moment on I became educated on the historic significance of that yard.  So many of our country's Impressionists gathered there because the light was similar to what they had seen while painting with Monet in France.  A little piece of heaven...


Thank you for wandering into my world today. I love that you come here to look.
Carol

Dailypaintworks.com
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My DPW Gallery
Brushstrokes@comcast.net

Rusted Gate

"Rusted Gate"
6" x  6"
Oil on hardboard panel 
I drive by this fence once a week, and  it remains as undisturbed as you see it here.  It's a back road to my destination, and easily missed if you're watching the curvy, hilly road.  But I'm vigilant for subject matter, and my camera is ever present.  In fact, my photo on my blog was taken by ME at a traffic light as I held the camera on the steering wheel.  Ya just never know...  

I painted the background last night. The fence tonight. I wanted the landscape to be dry enough to paint on top of, instead of plowing into it with wet paint. I managed to do most of this with a rigger and a maulstick.

See it, buy it on Dailypaintworks.com. 

Thanks a bunch!
Carol