Spring Studies

Spring, or its lookalike, came early this year. The snow was missed by those of us who love winter, and in any case its lack was disorienting, like a whole season of the year had disappeared.

Still, there was beauty to be found even in the prolonged season of mud. I didn't get out painting as much as I'd hoped and would have liked, dealing with a particularly exhausting and painful bout of illness; when I could, it did my heart good, focusing on the light and the slowly awakening landscape.

February 15,16, 2024. 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Evening light in a birch grove. Patchy snow lingered between the tree trunks, and the sky was clear and bright. When I came back the next evening to make minor adjustments, the snow had already all but disappeared.

February 20, 2024. 8 x 6" plein air oil on linen/birch.

February's moon is called the "snow moon", but there was more mud than snow this year. I painted this small study one evening standing in a pasture, as the waxing moon rose in the eastern sky and the afterglow of sunset cast a soft warm light on the landscape.

February 24, 2024. 7 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Snow! If only a dusting of it. It settled on the dirt field-road and between the stalks of corn and stems of the dry grasses in the frozen fields. The moon sank towards the western horizon, fading in glory as the sun rose in the east.

February 24, 2024. 7 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

In the evening I watched the eastern sky, anticipating the reappearance of the moon. A bank of clouds hid it for awhile, as the light faded and the colors of the landscape began to change in the dusk. I worked quickly, trying to catch the subtle hues and the lines of the fields curving along the hillside. And then a patch of pink above the clouds and there it was, the glowing face of the moon.

February 28,29 2024. 12 x 16" oil on linen/birch.

Buds and blossoms of very early spring. The flowers of Silver Maple, buds of elm and poplar, and twigs of birch showing that winter was coming to a close.

March 13, 2024. 7 x 5" plein air oil on linen/birch. Sold.

A warm day in mid-March, the air filled with the songs of blackbirds and robins, and a hint of green under the dry grass and weeds of the fields and pasture.

March 15, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

I had begun a large studio painting from a sketch I had done in this place a few weeks prior. Wanting some more information I came back with my paints to take some more time to study the light and color that had first captured my attention and admiration.

March 19, 2024. 5 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch.

More studying of that beautiful March light! The shadow of the hill stretched out and began to envelop the trees of the woods, as a few clouds to the east turned purple and pink in the light of the setting sun.

March 22, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Winter makes a flying visit once more, blanketing the landscape in snow. The dark clouds began to break up as the day drew to a close, the low sun peeked through and illuminated the hilltop.

April 4, 2024. 5 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch.

A small study just after sunset. One more ode to snow. The landscape looked wintry, but sounded anything but, the dark trees of the woods filled with birdsong at the end of the day.

April 9, 23, 2024. 11 x 14" plein air oil on linen/birch.

The view from Mount Charity, along the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota.

Sometimes it does me good to climb the many steps to this spot, to sit on the rocks, sort out my thoughts, pour out my heart to my Maker, and watch the clouds over the river while eagles and vultures wheel and glide above and below me, riding the air currents around the bluffs.

 I started this one in early April, and returned once again later on, when the trees were beginning to bud, to bring the painting a little closer to what I wanted to share.

April 18, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

A rough little study overlooking the valley, with trees budding on the hills and clouds moving across the spring sky.

April 24, 2024. 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

On this afternoon I walked out to the orchard, sat in the grass in the warm sunshine, and feasted my eyes on the scene: twisting and draping branches festooned in flowers, the pear trees in full bloom.

April 30, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Another study of pear blossoms, this time under a sky heavy with clouds. The grass was growing lush and a few dandelions showed their faces among the green.

May 1, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

A return to a favorite spot. The trees were budding, and below the spring greens were beginning to grow up through last year's collection of oak and maple leaves, winter-bleached, that carpeted the forest floor.

Early May, 2024, 11 x 14" oil on linen/birch.

A collection of blooms that graced my kitchen shelf. I pecked away at this one over a few days, until the flowers drooped and faded. Dandelions, wild plum and crabapple twigs, violets from the yard, and one pink tulip.

May 8, 14, 2024. 7 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

After the pears come the apple blossoms. Glorious! Walking out towards the orchard, the air became more and more fragrant. This one started out as a quick study of the blooming branches as the late light fell on them. I returned again nearly a week later to work on the grass and tree trunks, neglected while I rushed to capture the flowers and too soon encompassed by the shadows of evening. I love this place.

May 8, 2024. 10 x 12" plein air oil on linen/birch.

O Dandelions. There's nothing like that time in May when they reign supreme in the yard, gardens, and fields. I plopped myself down among them one afternoon and took it all in, with the leaning figure of the old summer kitchen as a backdrop.

May 11, 2024. 5 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch.

This happy little cluster of dandelions was growing on the grounds of the Bell Museum in Saint Paul, Minnesota. I joined a great group of painters from the Outdoor Painters of Minnesota, and whomever else cared to drop in, and painted the morning. I got stuck in traffic on my way and dropped in with only 30 minutes to paint! But it was a happy half hour with my little yellow sweet-smelling models at my feet.

May 11, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

It was a day for looking down, I guess! Wandering through the woods in Willow River State Park I decided to study this small clump of violets. I never realize how much flowers and leaves move until I try to paint them and they don't hold still. Whether the painting turns out or not, I have a greater appreciation for the form and design of these small wonders.

May 13, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Pasture study. I spent time this evening wandering - checking on all the growing things from the funny little mayapples to mushrooms, battling my way through the thorns of invasive roses, and finally stopping to study green and light on this hazy night, happy to be feeling well enough to be out in it.

May 14, 15, 2024. 12 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

A clump of dandelions snatched before the mower could cut them down. I probably should have taken a moment to arrange them, but I didn't think of it. I just admired their brightness as the sunshine from the window hit the blooms, and the wild unruliness of the leaves and stems unceremoniously stuffed into a jar of water.

May 15, 2024. 5 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch.

A little study from the woods. These north-facing hillsides take a little longer to wake up from their winter sleep, and I love walking there with the thick leaf-litter underfoot and the tall trees around me.

May 18, 2024. 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Cloud-watching. Just a quiet evening, sitting on the ground along the hay fields, the grasses all astir with the chatter of blackbirds and bobolinks sorting out their personal affairs.

May 20, 2024. 9 x 12" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Dandelions, once again. How I love them all going to seed, catching the light, sending out a small cloud of seeds with every gust of wind. I knew this was my last chance to capture them in all their glory; the rain and wind were on the way and would not wait. I loved the shifts of color in the clouds, and the sunshine and shadow took turns transforming the scene as I worked.

May 22, 2024. 5 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch.

The light on this evening was so rich and delicious, I just wanted to drink it in. The trees of the woods caught its warmth and cast their shadows, and the tall grass glowed.

May 22, 2024. 5 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch.

And then, the moon. A dash to catch the soft colors of the farmstead in the afterglow of sunset with the moon rising beyond it.

May 22,23, 2024. 14 x 18" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Marking the season, I kept my tradition of gathering in some of the blossom-filled branches of my grandma's Bridal Wreath spirea bushes. I first painted them by her bedside, keeping her company and caring for her, and I've painted them every year since she went Home. Much love is bound up with these works.

May 27, 2024. 6 x 8" plein air oil on linen/birch.

Another just-after-sunset study. The fields were so green, and even the weeds are beautiful in May.

May 28, 2024. 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch.

This was a day of changing weather, sunshine and showers alternating throughout. I thought the rain had finished and walked out into the fields in my rubber boots looking for clouds. They did not disappoint. The grasses of the hay fields were rich in their variety of subtle color, and I loved the glimpse of the bluffs beyond the trees of the woods. I glanced behind me and saw a dark mass of clouds moving in again. The birdsongs quieted and the dogs looked at me reproachfully as the drops began to fall once more. But it didn't last long, and the reward was a show of rainbows that I would have missed if I'd stayed indoors.

So long, Spring! I'm glad to have known you.

Spring Solo

 From March to mid-April I took over the walls of the Blue Heron Coffeehouse in Winona, Minnesota.

Hanging the exhibit. Whew! That was a lot of work!

The Blue Heron is a delightful place to visit - the menu is always changing with the seasons, always good, and I've long admired their commitment to sourcing ingredients from local small farmers, including my own family.

They have a beautiful space dedicated to showing art, and they put out a wonderful spread for the opening reception on March 3rd.

Dandelion Time; 16 x 20" oil on linen/birch. Sold

It was a pretty special night, filled with meaningful meetings and conversations, and the opportunity to share the work many months in the making.

A small collection of still life paintings.

I painted this piece, a small study of Virginia Springbeauty flowers, in May a few years ago. I love these little flowers, with their star-like blooms lifted skyward in the sunshine or closed and nodding downward when the light is dim.

Virginia Spring Beauty; 8 x 6" oil on linen/birch, painted from life. Sold

I was so pleased to meet the collector of this piece, and hear the story of how she had transplanted some of these very flowers to the place she now calls home.

The main wall of the Blue Heron exhibit space, showing larger studio works representing each season.

This piece was painted at Farmers Community Park near Winona over a couple of days in early spring, while the grass grew green, fish jumped, and leaves began to unfurl on the gooseberry brambles.

Spring Conversations; 11 x 14" plein air oil on linen/birch. Sold

Small plein air pieces, all between 7x10 - 10x10 inches, arranged from spring to winter.

A new studio piece, worked up from a plein air experience from this past winter.

Moonlight and Frost; 16 x 20" oil on linen/birch. Sold

A smaller study was painted from life, out on the edge of the orchard one frosty night in early January. Snow clung heavily to all the twigs and branches, and the light from the moon, rising ever higher in the sky behind me, cast soft shadows and illuminated the mess of footprints in the snow.

This piece was inspired by a night out painting in the fields a couple of winters ago.

Crossing Paths; 16 x 20 oil on linen/birch. Sold

The colors were unbelievable - the light from the setting sun caught the dry grasses, treetops, and tangled tracks that broke the surface of the snow. And in the east, the moonrise. I wanted to visit it again.

Many thanks to the Blue Heron, and to everyone who stopped by the night of the opening and throughout the exhibit!

Close to Home

Last night was the opening reception at Red Wing Arts of Close to Home, an exhibit of 52 paintings - 26 in oil, by yours truly, and 26 in watercolor by Andy Evansen. Andy's work is simply amazing, and it was a true joy to do this show with this painter and friend I admire so much.

The show came together over the course of a year, and the work reflects all the seasons of the year in this beautiful corner of the world that we get to call home.

"Hannah and Andy have lived in the rural Midwest their entire lives, giving them a unique appreciation of the simple beauty of a landscape that changes with the seasons in both drastic and subtle ways.  This exhibition was borne out of their desire to share their observations over the course of a year that found all of us closer to home than ever. The paintings document the seasonal shifts in southeastern Minnesota and southwestern Wisconsin, an area filled with rolling farmlands, bluffs along the Mississippi River covered in deciduous trees, and big skies. Each artist will exhibit 26 paintings, marking the transition from the cold blanket of winter to the melting of spring; the humid greens of summer to the first pops of autumn color; and the ways in which these seasons affect not only the landscape but the people who live here."

Red Wing Depot Gallery

418 Levee Street

Red Wing, MN 55066

Open 12-5pm Monday, Thursday, Friday & Sunday, 9am-5pm Saturday, or by appointment.

 The show will be up until January 10, 2022. If you get the chance, I hope you'll stop in to the gallery to see all the work in person, and you can also view all 52 paintings through the Online Gallery.

 It was really special to see the final results of all the hard work hung on the gallery walls last night, and get the opportunity to share a little about it and have the chance to listen in return to everyone who came out to the opening. In keeping with the times everyone was masked, and it sometimes took a little longer to recognize a face or hear what was being said, but it was so good to be there together.

 Below are my selections for the exhibit, by month.

December:

Snow in the Ravine, 10 x 7" plein air oil on linen/birch

Standing on the shadowed north side of a wooded bluff. The low winter sun couldn’t reach the remnants of an early snow that dusted the fallen leaves here, but its warm light illuminated the neighboring hills across the valley.

January:

 

In the Midst, 12 x 16" oil on linen/birch

This painting began as a small pencil sketch as evening fell over the frozen fields - with snow on the ground beneath my feet and in the air, as the weather moved in from the west. My eyes traced the curve of the fields, and delighted in the subtle and moody colors of the January landscape.

February:

Cutting a New Path, 30 x 24" oil on linen/birch

I’m always surprised and in awe of the colors of winter, and the brilliance of sun on broken snow. This piece began with a small plein air painting, which I wanted to develop further, and turned into a real challenge as I wrestled with the paint, trying to wrap my mind around the colors and contrasts of the scene – even lugging this piece three-quarters of a mile through deep snow and over barbed wire to the original location to paint on it from life, while the snow was still there to study. I was struck once again with how it is both humbling and inspiring to create something that seeks to echo Creation itself.

Fading Gold, 20 x 24" oil on linen/birch

Seeking to catch that moment of golden light that makes you forget your cold fingers and toes in the wonder of it.

Blanketed, 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

Thin clouds made for softened shadows on the newly-fallen snow this February afternoon. The wind was cold but the day was warm, well above freezing, making the snow soft and sticky on the sloping hillside.

February Snow, 18 x 24" oil on linen/birch

Revisiting this scene because one painting wasn’t enough.

March:

Leftover Snow, 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

Painted on a beautiful March day, with a clear blue sky and warm sunshine. Still, a little snow was to be found in the more protected corners of the pasture, and I loved the combination of color and texture, and the shapes of the disappearing snow patches.

In Between, 6 x 8" plein air oil on linen/birch

A return to a place I’d painted just a few weeks prior, when it was still blanketed in snow. Now the tree-covered slope was bare, its winter-bleached carpet of leaves and mossy stones warming in the early spring sunshine.

April:

Anticipation, 24 x 36" oil on linen/birch

The smell of rain in the air, as the dark clouds move over the greening fields and woodland.

Awakening, 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

The landscape changes so quickly in the spring. This place that I’d painted in February and March was now veiled in the soft, bright greens of new foliage beginning to unfurl as the days lengthened.

April Anvil Cloud, 14 x 18" oil on linen/birch

This painting grew out of a couple of small plein air studies, taking note of the sprouting fields and watching the formation of a distant storm.

May:

Dandelion Time, 16 x 20" oil on linen/birch

I confess: I love dandelions. Call them an herb, a wildflower, or a weed, they are one of the brightest marks of May.

These Three, 12 x 16" plein air oil on linen/birch

“Now abide faith, hope, charity, these three…” In May 2020, in the midst of so much trouble and wrong, I took some time to visit these beautiful river bluffs, decked out in their spring greens, along Highway 61. The most distant bluff is named Faith, the middle is Hope, and of course “the greatest of these is Charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

June:

Lower Bluff Trail, June; 10 x 16" plein air oil on linen/birch

Painted late one afternoon along the Lower Bluff Trail at Frontenac State Park.

Tall trees, leaf litter, wild ginger.

While painting, I was distracted by noises behind me and saw, through the leaves, a family of foxes playing among the rocks and fallen trees. One little guy ventured pretty close before noticing me and dashing away.

Over the River, 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

A hot summer day, looking out over the river towards Wisconsin, from the north side of Barn Bluff/He Mni Can.

Fireflies, 18 x 24" oil on linen/birch

Walking out in the fields on a summer evening, eyes adjusting to the deepening darkness, still able to pick out the soft colors of the fields in the dim light, and finding a dazzling display – a humble beetle, and his innumerable companions, lighting up the night.

July:

The Haybarn Doorway, 14 x 11" plein air oil on linen/birch

I’ve always loved the view through the open doorway of this barn. These doors would often be open on the long summer days when it was haymaking time, letting a cooling breeze, if there was one to be found, make its way into the hot, dusty haymow where we would stack the bales of new hay, filling the farthest corners in preparation for the cold winter to come.

Summer Fields, 24 x 36" oil on linen/birch

This painting began as a sketch on a walk through the fields on a late afternoon in mid-summer. It was a good day for clouds, rich in color and form in the eastern sky. The grain field almost seemed to glow in the light of the sinking sun, while the bird chatter began its evening crescendo.

August:

On the Line, 8 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

My favorite way to dry laundry, though it sometimes gets an extra rinse with an unexpected summer shower, or an extra wash because birds just don’t care.

Harvesting the Early Apples, 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

Painted on a hot and humid August day, while trying to fit into the tiny patch of shade I’d found. The early varieties of apples were being harvested: off the trees and into the heavy canvas picking bags, gently emptied into wooden crates, and hauled back home, for market and sauce and snacks.

September:

Squash Patch, 10 x 8" plein air oil on linen/birch

The harvest continues. I loved the way the evening light hit the barn and trees, just beginning to show their fall colors, and all the fat little squashes just waiting to be gathered in.

September Woods, Color Study; 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

Painted in among young maples and old oaks, hoping the falling acorns wouldn’t land on my head or hit my painting, studying the fall color - so vibrant, yet earthy – in this familiar corner of the woods.

October:

Clouded Sunset, 16 x 12" plein air oil on linen/birch

Green hay fields, the rusty reds of the trees on the edge of the woods, and the subtle majesty of a clouded sunset.

A Quiet Transformation, 24 x 24" oil on linen/birch

Painted from a field study done on a day in October. The sun couldn’t quite clear the clouds, and the quiet day held occasional rain drops and sounds of distant thunder. The old pasture was a tangle of green grass and dried goldenrod gone to seed, and the leaves of the trees continued their persistent shift to their autumn hues.

November:

November Sky Drama, 24 x 24" oil on linen/birch

One night last fall, before the frost and early snows had seeped all the green from the late autumn landscape, there was a brilliant sunset to the west. But somehow the softer glow in the northeast is what captured my attention, in the clouds looming large over the contour fields and bare trees of the woods.

November Light, 10 x 10" plein air oil on linen/birch

In the woods. The north wind in the treetops, the late November chill creeping up from the leaf-covered ground, and the warm light of the westering sun catching the trunks of the tall trees and casting shadows against the steep hillside.