And just like that...

And just like that...it's winter.
 It's been a beautiful autumn, and I'm still hoping to work on more November-inspired paintings. I just love its colors, and the intricate forms of the bare trees along with the muted tones of the sky and landscape.

5x7" watercolour, copyright 2011 Hannah C. Heyer

 But December has arrived and brought the snow-- gorgeous, soft, wet stuff, which has turned even the mundane into a feast for the eyes.
 I had the chance to do a little plein air painting this morning, my first this winter and I hope not the last. :)
 

5x7" oil on linen, copyright 2011Hannah C. Heyer

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We've been cleaning and childproofing around here, getting ready for my sister and her family, who'll be coming from Australia's summer to a Minnesota winter. We're digging out all the coats, boots, and blankets, and hope they'll thaw out before too long.
It's been almost two years since I've seen them, and I can't wait to see my niece and nephews! (Hurry up and get here, guys!)
 

Little bits of news

I'm tickled pink to find out that a copy of Binksie and Bep is on an actual shelf, in an actual library, complete with a little "local author" sticker!

 The girls on whom the book is based are half-convinced they're famous. Especially since, in the past month, they've each been recognized by people they hadn't before met, who had read the book.

 Rumor has it that three of my paintings got to be part of the Robbin Gallery's annual Extremely Minnesota exhibit! I haven't seen the show yet (and sadly, had to miss the opening last night! :-( ) but hope to soon.

I've been trying to finish up all my oil painting in preparation for cold winter weather. Ventilation gets more difficult in the winter, and besides, these November days of moody skies and bare trees really make me want to spread out my watercolors and get to work! But I keep starting more oils, while waiting for the ones I'm working on to dry. :-P

 Some paintings drying.

 Here's one I've just finished:

 "Dusk" 

12"x16" oil on linen

Hannah C. Heyer

Binksie and Bep - It's Here!

Binksie and Bep is finally here!
 It's now available on my Etsy shop: Here!
 And on my Artfire shop: Over Here!

Written and illustrated by (yours truly) Hannah C. Heyer
8" x 10" (20.32 x 25.4 cm), soft cover, 34 pages, with 27 full color illustrations.

 I'm excited! :-D

Moonrise

The moon rise yesterday was truly awesome. Seeing it rise above the pink hued clouds, while the fading light still illuminated the trees along the river... breathtaking.

"The heavens declare the glory of God," says the Psalmist, "and the skies proclaim the work of His hands."



Preach it, moon!

I actually entertained the idea of staying up all night to paint, but settled on doing a quick pencil sketch, and got everything ready to start in painting this morning.
Trying to capture the dusky, peaceful scene before I forget it.

Moonrise over the Mississippi, 8"x10" oil on linen.
copyright 2011 Hannah C. Heyer

Self-delusions and Painting Progress

I got a big fat box of new stretched canvases yesterday! I love getting new supplies in the mail. It's like it's my birthday and I'm getting a lovely gift-- that I had to pay for, but still!
Then I check my bank account balance and say to myself, "Oh Hannah! You shouldn't have! You REALLY shouldn't have!"
Having a lot of blank canvases, or paper, and fat tubes of paint lets me trick myself into thinking I have an endless supply. I can be less stingy with my usage, and don't worry so much about making every canvas or sheet of paper turn into something great.
Otherwise I can save and save, waiting to use my limited materials on only the grandest ideas, which never actually works in improving the quality of my work and only makes it more disappointing when something doesn't turn out and I've used up precious supplies. And I've missed trying a lot of ideas that might have been grand after all.

These new canvases, while still relatively small, are larger than what I've been painting most of the year. I'm really enjoying the challenge of working a little larger again, and hope to use more of my smaller canvases in some plein air painting this autumn.
But we've been stuck under cloudy, rain-spitting skies for the past several days, and I've been working indoors. Here's an update on the painting I began on the 21st:
The top of the large tree has become much more defined, the foreground has been filled in and given some grassy, weedy detail, and the sky is smoother and a bit lighter.
I can't wait to get my brushes messy again! :)

Blustery Beginnings

A day as gloomy, blustery, and beautiful as today was going to influence anything I painted. I began a new 16 x 12" oil painting this afternoon. I worked on the sky, and had just started to block in the tree and landscape when it got too dark. Blurry pic, but here's what it looks like so far:

Also, I was very happy to be featured today on the Artisan-Denizen blog! It was fun and challenging responding to the interview questions; it can be hard to express myself through words (thanks for including pictures, Wendy!)

September Watercolours

Does it make sense that while we were without water (the old cistern was being replaced) I just had to paint with watercolour?

8x10" watercolour

A Roadside, 2.5 x 3.5" watercolour

September Tree, 3.5 x 2.5" watercolour

The bright clear days, fields changing to autumn hues, and trees clinging to summer green-- I had to paint something! And washing out oil painting brushes without running water was not very appealing.

I've had to stick close to home a lot lately, and after a much needed (but very short) ramble one evening I did some quick watercolour sketches while colors and places were fresh in my mind. This is such a beautiful time of year.

Happy to have water again, and hoping to work on some of my incomplete oil paintings very soon.