649 Girlfriends

I'm sure at one time or another, every artist is asked, "How long did it take you to paint that?"  Very wise Jean Leigh of The Leigh Gallery in Chicago suggested to say, "Thirty-nine years (my age, HA! wishful thinking) because it has taken a lifetime to get to the point where we can paint as we do.

For many months I have been studying sky/water/boats, boats being very foreign to me other than through casual observation.  A dear friend put forth Herculean effort and many, many hours to help me revamp and organize my Penthouse (attic) studio, and she would not accept a penny for it.  She suggested she might like my little Door County plein air painting of the Fish Creek Harbor, which was so awful that it is now gessoed over and a different subject.   I've wanted to give her something I can be proud of and that she will be happy to hang in her home.

Yesterday I went back to the Harbor near the Sailing Center looking for more lessons and inspiration.  The sailboat in this painting was oddly floating this way and that, even in circles, seemingly with no real purpose or guidance.  Upon closer look, it was clear that in that boat were five women without a care in the world, just laughing and floating around within the boundaries near the North Gap lighthouse.  I came home and spent hours studying the photos and drawing the different images I had taken, carefully studying the angles.  I got no painting done, other than to correct Pepper's eye from the previous day's painting and I was frustrated.

Today, I decided to try once again and as I was painting,  I thought about those women who were having such a wonderful time on a beautiful June day, and I was disappointed that I allowed myself to get so frustrated over sails, water, and sky.   That was the real lesson I learned yesterday at the Lakefront.  I know this is not a perfect painting, and I may have more work to do.  Honest husband critic says, "Nothing special."  It has the elements that say "Milwaukee," and in this case, the amount of time it took me to paint it was incalculable, yet worth it in my mind. 

644 Late Afternoon at the Harbor

This was a lovely scene in the harbor at the sailing center, Milwaukee, Lake Michigan, Wisconsin, where I go to study the relationships among water/sky/boats.  I am still frustrated when painting these water scenes, specifically boat scenes.  I am concluding that painting in a small format presents more difficulty for me, as I have had success with larger formats.  Any way you look at it, I may be moving on to land soon!

"644 Late Afternoon at the Harbor"
acrylic - 6x6 in

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/644-late-afternoon-at-the-harbor/394324

630 Center Gap Lighthouse, Milwaukee

I find the mostly blue sky/seascapes to be very difficult to paint.  Maybe one day there will be a painting with a sailboat in it.  I have to figure out a way to make it interesting.

626 Lake Sinisippi

My friend Dawn posts the most beautiful pictures of sky/seascapes of Lake Sinisippi on Facebook and gave me permission to paint them.  Each one is more beautiful than the previous.  Dawn is also an artist, and she should be painting these beautiful scenes herself (ahem!).

Here's what I've learned:  The more beautiful and colorful the scene is, the more difficult it is to paint, at least for ME!  I would much rather paint a grey day seascape than a total blue sky/blue water sort of painting.  As an example, my neighbor friend sent me such a beautiful untouched picture of an exquisite sea/skyscape, complete with subtle pinks, purples, corals and blue.  I felt I had to paint it and yet, I've struggled for 3 days and who knows how many pounds of paint to get it right, which isn't happening.  I photographed it and was ready to post, but that inner voice said "May as well have painted a clown.  Don't do it."   Lake Sinisippi trumps Pine Lake today.

605 Atlantic Ocean, March in Massachusetts

I am feeling a little more confident about using the oil paints and am understanding how they work, even enjoying the process, today starting a new large landscape with the oil paints.  I can't imagine how long this will take to be finished.

In other news, the Owl Patrol has discovered the Great Horned Owl family has moved to another clump of trees on my block to escape the crow attacks.  The owls are less visible, but hopefully we will be able to see and hear them from our house.

Last night I saw a You Tube video of a female GHO laying her egg.  It reminded me so much of my childbirth experiences.   There was another amazing You Tube video of the mother GHO feeding her 2 day and 4 day old owlet babies.  Check it out. 

"605 Atlantic Ocean, March in Massachusetts"
oil - 9x12 in
http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/605-atlantic-ocean-march-in-massachusetts/373051

597 View of Lake Michigan From the Harvey's

I've been working on sea/skyscapes for the last several months as inspired by Roos Rose Schuring.  I just love her work, which is so free and seemingly so simple, but really so very difficult to achieve.  I am not trained in oil paints, so I am learning that too.  The photo reference was taken in the early evening on the shore of Lake Michigan.  I cropped out my garden club friends (shhhh...don't tell).

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/597-view-of-lake-michigan-from-the-harveys/370444

594 Reflections

I was thrilled to see this rippled reflection in the water of a boat in a marina at Captiva, Florida.  As artists, we are encouraged to look at shapes, not articulating or thinking of exactly what we are drawing or painting.  That was no problem for me since I don't know a thing about boats, so I wouldn't know what to call it in the first place. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/594-reflections/369533

584 Pier at Big Bay

Big Bay Park at Lake Michigan is one of my favorite spots to go any time of the year.  There are two paths down to the beach area, one with at least a million lannon stone steps, that completely immerses you in nature, and the other is a gentle winding slope.  The beach is fairly small but that's where I like to go to pick rocks and the occasional bit of sea glass.  I never come home with empty pockets.  The pier is a favorite place to sit on a calm summer day.  During the summer months, there are quite a few visitors there because it is easy to manage, but during the winter is when you see the dramatic ice that has formed on the lake and the pier.  Here are pictures I took this winter of the pier and the winding steps to the beach. The reference photo for the painting above was taken a week or two ago.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/584-pier-at-big-bay/366229

582 Lake Michigan at Beach Drive

When we first moved to the Milwaukee area, people talked about the "witch" on Beach Drive, which is located on a dead end drive on Lake Michigan.  The "witch of Fox Point," Mary Nohl created wonderful works of art, animals, people, dinosaurs, etc. out of cement.  She would haul buckets of water from the Lake, and people assumed she was strange, weird, witch-like.  Now that she has passed, there has been a movement to make her home a museum, but the neighborhood is resentful and doesn't want the traffic that goes with a museum on a dead end road near the lake. She has finally gained her notoriety and the respect she deserved as an artist.   I took a ride there the other day, where you drive so very close to the lake.  It was a beautiful day and brought back many memories of driving with my frightened children, who bought into the whole witch idea as children. 

580 Atlantic Ocean at Plymouth

My enthusiasm for learning to paint sky/seascapes was rejuvenated after re-watching Roos Schuring's videos from Holland, and after a very nice e-conversation with admired artist, Donna Shiver, who gave me good advice for painting this subject.  I figured I should capitalize on the moment and give the oil paints another try.

I am relatively happy with this painting attempt, except for the glare, and am baffled as to how to photograph a wet painting. 

577 Plymouth Beach, MA

I am enjoying this learning process of repeatedly painting skies and sea with a very limited palette; especially challenging are the grey tones.  With warm weather flirting with us, I am hoping to paint at the Lake in the near future. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/577-plymouth-beach-ma/364417

575 Captiva Island Welcome

574 Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts

Every click of the camera brought me a different scene to be painted.  Oh, how I am enjoying this learning process!  I hope it shows in my work.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/574-plymouth-beach-massachusetts/363687

573 Plymouth Beach, MA

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/573-plymouth-beach-ma/363489

572 Plymouth Beach and Rocks

I love the beach and being near water.  I especially love rocks.  While I was wandering around Plymouth Beach, I was wishing I could bring a suitcase full of them home.  The colors were so beautiful!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/572-plymouth-beach-and-rocks/353236

569 Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts

Here is another scene from Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts.  I love the colors of the sea and using a palette knife.  Painting these seascapes is very liberating!

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/569-plymouth-beach-massachusetts/352078

568 Plymouth Beach, Massachusetts

On Sunday, my friend took me to Plymouth Beach where I was so happy to see the grey sky and roaring sea.  I took hundreds of photos, catching every wave and frequent changes in the sky.  I even chased a few sea gulls off the cliff walk.    I have been influenced by artist, Roos (Rose) Shuring, who paints en plein air in the Netherlands, and am motivated to learn to paint the sky and sea in a new way.  Although she has inspired me, I am not willing to paint outside in the winter weather because  I hate the cold.  I have been visiting the Lake (Michigan) frequently since I have been home,  and realize there is not much difference between our Great Lake and the ocean.  I have always loved being near water, (hmmm, wonder if that's the Aquarius speaking) but learning through observation is very exciting to me.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/568-plymouth-beach-massachusetts/351865

566. Dusk at Lake Fanny Hoe

This is another painting with photo reference generously provided by my friend, Krissy.  I am not very familiar with boats, but I am enjoying learning about them through painting.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/566-dusk-at-lake-fanny-hoe/351072

563 The Headlands, Mendocino

I took the photo reference for this painting in 2012.  It was such a beautiful place and despite the cold and fog, my fellow plein air painters loved the experience. 

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/563-the-headlands-mendocino/348054

561 Lake Fanny Hoe2

This is the oil painting I mentioned yesterday.  I am using water soluble oil paints so that I don't have to mess with the chemicals.  I am untrained with this medium so I have a very steep learning curve ahead of me.  I am proud of the patience I had with this painting.  I didn't rush and I enjoyed every stroke and learning how the paint works.  I have much to learn, including how to photograph a wet painting to avoid the glare.  I am out of my comfort zone, but eager to learn.  Suggestions are always welcome.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/diane-campion/561-lake-fanny-hoe2/337531

p.s.  Just realized I forgot to sign this!