The Wheels of Time

" '28 Model T"  16x20

"Tractor Graveyard"  11x14

      While Gary and I  were traveling in April and May, we came across some old cars, trucks and tractors in Wisconsin and Missouri.  We took pictures of them and moved them into my picture file.  I have noticed that several of the winners in recent plein air competitions have been "old trucks and cars".

      I spent some time last week in my studio and decided to give these seemingly popular subjects a try.  I thought if I tried to paint a few of my photos that maybe the next time I saw one while painting in a plein air event like Augusta, maybe I wouldn't be to intimidated to try one.  They were fun to paint and I like the warm and cool color schemes they provided.  What do you think?

Errror

I just discovered a post written in 2007 that has been sent from my blog.  It is not from me and I don't know how it was attributed to my blog.  I will check into this.  Thank you to those who recognized that this was not from me and alerted me to this.  I hope this will not discourage you from opening future blogs from Judie Stang's world.

Art in the Vines

    Take a perfect 73 degree day,  add 30+ artists, wine tasting and music and you have a delightful event called "Art in the Vines" at Somerset Ridge Winery in Louisburg, KS.  The weather was "poetic justice" for this event that was rained out last year.  I was happy to be able to join the "Somerset Ridge" group of painters who met at classes at Artichokes Gallery in Leawood about 3 years ago.  Each artist was invited to display her paintings in the vineyard on the posts and guidewires. What a great looking event!  Patrons armed with glasses of wine, strolled through the vineyard enjoying all types of art.  A young 14 year old girl was next to me selling her art to donate to the Joplin relief fund.  There were several generations represented with grandma and grandaughter sharing a tent.

Strolling through the Vineyards

My "Augusta" paintings fit real well in the vineyard!

    I took the opportunity to set up my Easy L easel and painted the vineyards and the surrounding vista.
What caught my eye was the row of grapevines "dancing" against the dark row of trees behind them.  I kept hearing the song,  "I heard it through the grapevine" as I was painting.

"Dancing Grapevines"

   My daughter, Lisa, and granddaughter Rachel brought their puppy, Chloe out for a visit.  What a wonderful day in the sun!

Old Barn

?????

We are in Door County and last week I went out and painted one of my favorite barns on Hwy 57 just south of Jacksonport.  I have photographed this barn many times but could never see enough from the photo into the dark barn to paint it.  While I was painting plein air, the owner stopped by to see what I was doing.  He told me this was one of the most painted barns in Door County and that I may be one of the last people to paint it with the "old roof".  The new "metal roof" would be installed any day! I have been trying to come up with a title that might address this information and can not come up with any good ideas.  So I thought I might enlist my "blog buddies" for ideas. Do any of you have a suggestion for a title of the last painting of the old roof?  I'd love to hear from you. 

Sunset Paint out at Balducci's

   The final painting event was a sunset paint out and Balducci’s, a farm and winery just outside of  Augusta.  We had the day to get our paintings ready for the sale on Saturday or finish and frame any paintings.  I decided to paint on the property where I was staying.  The Hoefts had hosted the Private estate event in a previous year, and their home has a beautiful setting on the Katy trail overlooking the Missouri River.  Jeannine and Steve have become personal friends during my weeklong stay and  I wanted to paint a “keepsake” of my wonderful experience.  We finally had a perfect day; sunny, warm, and not windy.  I sat out in front of their home and set up my easel to paint the vineyard to the north of their home.  Once again, the sun provided a full spectrum of vivid colors.  Steve was working on the lawn and I asked him to pinch me because I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  My painting, “Vineyard Vista”  will be a constant reminder of an exceptional week.

Jeannine and Steve were wonderful hosts!

Entrance to the wine cellar

View from the vineyard

"Pinch me!"

"Vineyard Vista"

 The sunset paintout at Balducci’s Winery was a perfect ending to the week.  The surrounding farm and vineyards are set on several hills that provided a great place to experience the setting sun.  Artists and spectators dotted the landscape as the sun dropped into the west.  I spotted an old wagon (more wheels) near the entrance of the property.  The setting sun was creating some interesting colors and shadows to the wagon and the surrounding trees. 

This was a perfect subject for my final painting.  “Sundown at Balducci’s”  depicts the end of a day but not an end to my visits to Augusta Missouri.

Teddy, Tammy and I at Balducci's

Guests enjoyed watching the artists

"Sundown at Balducci's"

What a week!

 Pleasant Hill Winery was the sight of the final judging and art sale.  Individual 5’ square areas were designated for each artist to display the paintings they completed during the 10 day event.  Each artist was to submit 2 paintings for the judging in the morning.  Prizes were awarded for each medium.  The art sale began at noon.  I met many very talented artists during the week and I look forward to participating in future Plein Air events. 

Historic Augusta

Historic Clay House B&B

On Thursday, after a brunch at the Clay House B&B, artists were invited to paint  historic downtown Augusta.  This was quite a contrast from the day before.  The little downtown area of Augusta is full of old stores and homes that have been “recycled” into Inns, B&B’s, eateries, and shops.  It was another sunny day, so the flowers and trees added color to the streets.  There was a painting around every corner and a plein air artist capturing it. 

 As I drove around, I spotted an old horse drawn buggy on the lawn of a little Inn.  The area was full of antique articles but I kept going back to the buggy.  It was setting in front of a tiny log home on the property and the sun was creating some interesting shadows on the lawn and the building.  I decided to challenge myself with this old buggy and try to “keep it simple” in my interpretation.  About half way through, I had second thoughts and wondered what made me think I could pull this off in such a short time.  Another artist had selected the same buggy and after we discussed our problems, I decided to persevere.  The result, entitled “Rough Ride” not only describes the vehicle but also my journey in completing it!

Rainy day at Augusta Shores

On Wenesday, plein air artists were invited to paint at Augusta Shores, a beautiful development of upscale homes, surrounded by lakes, green areas and outcroppings of stone.  The residents planned a great day complete with box lunches , a wine and cheese reception during the judging, and a wonderful chili supper.  The only thing the residents couldn’t provide was a nice day.  It was cold and rainy ALL day!  As I drove around this beautiful area in the rain, my eyes rested on 2 bright red kayaks that were lying on the shores of the boat launch area.  This was the only spot of color in the area!  I drove down to the boat launch area and opened up the hatch of my minivan and set up my easel.  I have read about Monet and the other Impressionists who painted in all types of weather, but this was a first for me!  I used my new umbrella to cover my palette and proceeded  with a smaller canvas.  I enjoyed imitating the rocky shoreline with my palate knife and adding the bright red boats to the composition.  There were several other artists painting in the area.  Just like running a marathon, when you feel the support of others, you do things you probably wouldn’t do on your own.  This was a good lesson to learn today. 

My entry, “No Kayaking Today” got several looks at the reception that evening.