Wednesday, December 28, 2011

ABANDONED FARMHOUSE

     One thing I've always enjoyed about Plein Air Painting is the "Search". I had to drive down many miles of old roads in rural Kansas to find this place. The road up to the farm was just a couple of ruts. There were some old antique farm equipment around the property and a broken down kids swing. The day I was standing there doing the painting, I started hearing kids playing while dad was out on the tractor planting the crops and mom doing laundry on a wash board. It was like the past was speaking to me.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

GEUDA BARN

     I am kinda missing my Kansas family this year because I haven't been back there to visit in many years. This is an old barn that I see when I go to visit my sister Liona Sue in Geuda. I think it has a population of 80 maybe. I grew up back there and it seems when I go back to visit, my feet always seem to be more connected to the ground. That must be why they say "Getting back to your roots", or not?

Friday, December 23, 2011

URBAN SUNDOWN

     I was intrigued by the atmosphere created by those last rays of sun disappearing behind the hill and everyone on their way home.

Monday, December 5, 2011

CRYSTAL COVE

     This is a very enchanting place I found when I was painting over on the California Coast. I drove into an old hamburger stand overlooking these sort of beach shacks down along the ocean. I was painting the scene on top of a picnic table when someone drove up in a little car filled with their belongings. I overheard the person talking to someone about having to move out of this little beach colony. I went ahead and drove down to the beach and was totally blown out by the character of the place. I hiked and painted there many times during the Laguna Plein Air events in subsequent years. There was a movement to keep the area from being demolished and instead turned into a historic sight. I donated a painting to that cause for the "Crystal Cove Alliance"