Yellowstone National Park USA, 63

This is the centennial year of the USA National Parks system. I'm taking part in a group art show celebrating this milestone. My 4 paintings are all representative of Yellowstone National Park. (Although The Grand Canyon National Park will always have a special place in my heart too.)

As well, I have fond memories as a kid of Summer road trips with my dad as he and I hit many of the national parks & state parks in the western areas. Precious times...

Following are the 4 paintings for the show, and for sale this month through the Livingston Center For Art and Culture. (These prices reflect the gallery retail prices.)

all 4 paintings together, just before bringing them to the gallery

PRISMATIC SPRING, 12x12" oil on canvas, $150

PRISMATIC SPRING (showing side gallery wrap-around feature)

GREAT FOUNTAIN GEYSER (showing side gallery wrap-around feature)

GREAT FOUNTAIN GEYSER, 12x12" oil on canvas, $150

TOURIST SEASON, oil on canvas board, $150

TOURIST SEASON (another view showing frame, included)

NATURAL WONDER IN A VIRTUAL WORLD, 18x24", oil on hardwood panel, $430

NATURAL WONDER IN A VIRTUAL WORLD (showing frame, included)

Prayer Flag Over Montana, 62

The Finished Painting  
This idea evolved from a photo I took of our clothesline outside (something I Jerry-rigged in a temporary way) that appealed to me mostly because of the interesting design of the clothespins. I decided to modify my lovely piece of semi-transparent orange fabric that I've used previously in paintings (     ,    ). The Montana mountains are probably left-over "ghost images" since my recent Montana plein air event (    ). So, putting all these elements together, I have the finished painting that you see here.
 
"Prayer Flag Over Montana" is for sale: https://www.etsy.com/listing/459918102

PRAYER FLAG OVER MONTANA, oil on hardwood panel, 8x10"

 

Some Plein Air Paintings, 61

Translated from the French, "en plein air" means "in the open air". So plein air painting means to be painting outdoors directly from life/nature. 

I've just finished an annual week-long event called "Plein Air Painting on the Yellowstone, 2016" along with 24 other artists. The idea is to set up our easels anywhere in Park County Montana (Livingston MT being something of the epicenter) and paint away. Our chosen 3 paintings are currently on exhibit & have been judged for prizes &/or awards.

Park County MT is shown outlined in pink

I don't usually paint outdoors, so this was a challenge for me. It was invigorating, life-affirming, fun, somewhat trans-formative and... exhausting. (The emotional crash when the week & subsequent exhibit was over was something like the day after Christmas.)

Wish I had a photo of the opening night to share. The Livingston Center for Art & Culture (the host of this event) did an excellent job of hanging well over 75 paintings in a matter of hours. But I do have this photo:

Dave took this photo of me painting along the banks of the Yellowstone River

And now, on to the paintings:

The first 5 paintings below are in the exhibit until Sept. 6th. If you're interested in a purchase, just email me. The prices below reflect a 35% discount from the gallery prices. Shipping will be extra. All paintings are framed.  
My contact info: puci@puciart.com

Sunday Morning, oil on hardwood panel, 8x10"  $210 sold

Urban Waterfall, oil on canvas board, 11x14"   $240

Mountain Sunflower, oil on canvas board, 11x14"   $240

Little Rapids on the Yellowstone, oil on hardwood board, 16x20"
$210, as is (still needs work)
*please see next photo for reworked-paining*

Little Rapids, oil on hardwood board, 16x20" sold

Entrance to Paradise Valley w/Coal Train, oil on canvas board, 12x16"   $150

Headed East, oil on hardwood panel, 3x9"   $55 sold

Thunderheads, oil on hardwood panel, 8x10"   $90

A New Direction at 60, 60

Interestingly, This is blog post #60 and I happen to be 60 years of age right now. Maybe I've painted 60 paintings so far this year too (sounds about right). Anyway, I've decided to take a new direction with the theme of this blog since it's conception in May 2013.

I was initially really excited with Google Street Views as a way to "travel the world" and to record my journeys in the form of oil paintings. I had decided to limit this blog to only those finished paintings inspired by virtual images I found on Google Street Views. I'm still very taken with Google Street Views as an artistic tool, but I've decided to also also include paintings created directly from life as well as paintings inspired from my own photos.


So, onward to blog post #61, where I share the results of my recent week-long participation with the other 24 artists in the "Plein Air Painting on the Yellowstone 2016"...

Norwegian Woods, 59

The Finished Painting   
One of the lovely visuals about snow is that it is highly reflective. The colors I love reflected most are pinkish highlights & bluish shadows; so it's not surprising I guess, that these 2 colors made their way into this painting.

"Norwegian Woods" will soon be for sale.

NORWEGIAN WOODS, 8x10" oil painting by puci

 

Visual Inspiration

Seems kind of odd to be painting snow when the temp outside is currently 95 degrees. Maybe it's a way to cool off...? Anyway, my mission was 3-fold:

1. to paint something 

2. to paint something in Norway (along with the other "Virtual Paintout" artists in Norway this month)

3. to paint a forest (along with the other "Daily Paintworks" artists, this week being "The Forest Challenge")

Jarsbergveien, Buskerud in Norway, Google Street View

The Destination

We are in Norway, searching for a forest (see "Visual Inspiration" above).  Here's a direct link to the spot I've decided to paint: https://goo.gl/maps/vFf2CLaiEJr

Google Maps, Norway