April in the Woods

A couple of recent paintings, enjoying and exploring the subtleties of April in the woods.

April 13, 2017. 6 x 8 inch, plein air, oil on linen/birch

The first was done on a north-facing side of the bluff. The trees grow tall out of the steep hillside, and large, moss-covered boulders mark the landscape. Delicate hepatica flowers bloom among last year's fallen leaves.

April 17, 2017. 10 x 8 inch, plein air, oil on linen/birch

 A few days later.

This spot is on the western end of the same bluff, and already the low-growing shrubs and bushes were leafing out, making a soft green haze over the forest floor. I loved working out how to convey the differing hues and textures of the spring-green foliage, and the thick clinging moss that grows on some of these old poplar trees.

Winter into Spring

I have the window open right now, and can hear that sweet sound of spring frogs singing in the stillness. It was a warm and windy day. I got to go on a long walk with my little niece to jump on round bales, check out the trees budding in the orchard, walk through the hay fields looking for birds and looking down gopher holes, and finding the cows. It was a good day.

Here's a little catch-up of some of the paintings I've done over the past month or two, as we've been transitioning from winter into spring.

February 26th. Returned to one of my favorite places to paint the snow, what was left of it, between the trunks of the great old trees that stand on the hillside. The shadows were long and blue, the sunshine warm. I painted quickly, trying to capture the light before it disappeared.

February Among the Trees, 9 x 12" plein air oil on linen/hardboard.

 March 11th. Another sprint of a painting - working hard and fast as the wind blew and the sun sank in the west. The bare fields were golden in the evening light, full of texture and subtlety that I couldn't do justice to in the time I had, but which I tried to hint at. This spot has a great view through the neighboring bluffs in the background that always draws my attention. As the wind died down at sunset, the sound of geese rang out as they flew overhead on their way north.

Evening Impression, 9 x 12" plein air oil on linen/hardboard.

 March 12th. Orchard time. My little sis worked on her pruning skills, while I worked in paint. Different types of brushwork. It was a hazy sort of day, and I wanted to convey those soft greys and purples I saw in the rows of trees and thick masses of branches and twigs. A birdhouse stood at the end of one row in a clump of dry grasses.

The Birdhouse in the Orchard, 9 x 12" plein air oil on linen/hardboard.

March 22nd. A portrait of a tree, its rough bark and the old barbed wire fence that's it's grown right over. A grape vine loops its way into the upper branches. The valley stretches out below. The light was soft through a thin layer of clouds. I painted until sunset.

View from The Point, 12 x 9" plein air oil on linen/hardboard.

March 28th. Another paint and prune day. The sun shone in a clear sky and the shadows were strong and dark. The grass was beginning to grow green on the south-facing slopes. My eye was really drawn to the intricate tangle of twigs against the sky, but I wasn't sure how to best give that impression while working wet into wet oil paint. I tried one way and another. This was the result. Smudged and thick with texture.

Spring-time Shadows, 9 x 12" oil on linen/hardboard.

April 16th. We've had snow since the last painting, but it has long gone, and the pastures are dry and green enough for the cows to have a snack, if not a feast. Painting living, moving creatures is still a huge challenge for me! The trees are budding and beginning to show some color, and the fields are beginning to show more green than brown.

Basking in the Sunshine, 9 x 12" plein air oil on linen/hardboard.

H.C.H.

Ramps

 It was a beautiful day, and I was so happy to get out into it. Walking along the edge of the woods I spotted one little ramp plant. A little farther on, a whole patch! I know they have a short season, and decided that's what I would paint today. A little piece of April in this north-facing woods.

Just finishing up.

Ramps, 9 x 12" plein air oil on linen/hardboard.

The Picnic Place

I had a few more challenges than usual when I went out painting today.

The Picnic Place, 14 x 11" oil on stretched linen.

1. A bigger canvas than I usually use for plein air painting. I'm out of panels, and my next order hasn't arrived yet, so I used an 11 x 14" stretched canvas I had on hand.

2. I forgot most of my good brushes. I washed a bunch of them out after painting yesterday, and forgot them by the sink. I had to use old, rather worn out ones that I still had in my kit.

3. This dog.

 I love her and all, but she's not the brightest or best behaved little thing. She's extra colorful now. In between chasing squirrels, she suddenly decided to do a little dance on my palette. >_<

She's not sorry.

April Wilderness

April Wilderness, 9 x 12" oil on linen/hardboard. April 2, 2015

My sister introduced me to this place, a steep and textured landscape on top of a Wisconsin bluff, crisscrossed with trails. I'm sure it's beautiful in summer, but I wanted to paint it now, while it's still in the subdued colors of early spring, before the new greens have overcome the old browns.
 When I began painting, the sun shone, and there were more pronounced shadows that showed off the contours of the land. But the clouds moved in and the scene was much darker and the light flatter by the time I called it quits.
 It was also very windy. Before I began to paint, my panel had already taken flight once, and my easel did a half somersault. I lowered my easel and sat to paint instead, which helped. But the wind made it much harder to stay warm. The weather, it seems, hasn't settled yet on whether it should still be winter or if spring is truly here.

Maple on the Marsh Trail

Maple on the Marsh Trail, 10" x 8" plein air oil on stretched linen.

Warm and breezy day in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Myrick Park marsh trails were busy with people enjoying the day, and the water was filled with coots, ducks and noisy geese. This is a view of the footbridge from just past a large grey maple tree.

April 3 plein air

Melting snow turned this cow path into a little stream reflecting blue sky. 

 It was beautiful to sit out in the woods and hear the rushing of the water under and through the snow, and the blackbirds calling to each other from the tops of the tallest poplars. I'm loving the spring sunshine, but it's still cold enough to freeze my fingers!