Cottonwood Creek Aspens

"Cottonwood Creek Aspens"

Day 1

8"x6" Oil on canvas panel

$75

And so begins another challenge of painting 30 paintings in 30 days.  Leslie Saeta started this challenge a few years ago and this is the 3rd time I have participated.  Just over 1,000 artists around the world are also taking part in this challenge and I find it exciting to be on a mission to paint every day!  It is not a contest and there are no rules, but it is a way to allow yourself to paint each day.  Some of my paintings will be good and some will not be so good, but the important thing is that I am trying to improve and the way to do that is to paint more! More importantly, for me, I want to practice or improve on a particular skill and in this case it is trees.  I have always loved trees and have decided to continue this pursuit by painting this topic in a number of different ways.  Hopefully, I will learn along the way!

"Cottonwood Creek Aspens" was inspired by a September trip to Grand Teton National Park when I was there plein air painting with friends a couple years ago.  

I hope you will continue to follow along with me and will return to see what I paint next!

Museum Garden Aspens

"Museum Garden Aspens"

#1 of 30

8"x6" oil on canvas pad

$75.00

For the first time, I am participating in Leslie Saeta's 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.  This is probably the fourth time Leslie has sponsored this challenge and it is a way for artists to get motivated and get in the studio and PAINT every day.  As of today, there are over 850 artists from all over the world!  Leslie suggests each artist pick a theme for their challenge and paint a small painting each day based on that theme.  I have chosen "Vacation Memories, or Not".  The "or not" paintings may be plein air paintings because I will be participating in a plein air workshop and event in Georgia during part of this time.   It is my hope to chronicle the vacations and trips we have taken over the years and this will be a selfish way for me to relive and remember those trips and the memories that were created.

About five minutes north of Jackson Hole, Wyoming is the National Museum of Wildlife Art.  It is a gorgeous 51,000 sq. ft. building housing some permanent exhibitions of 19th and 20th century American Art.
Last year at this time I spent a week in Jackson Hole plein air painting with two art friends.  While inside the Museum we also saw the 2013 Western Vision show with works by many of todays notable contemporary artists.  The Museum overlooks the National Elk Refuge and these aspens painted above were in the beautifully landscaped gardens surrounding the Museum.  Just one of the sights to see while in Jackson Hole!