What I Did On My Summer Vacation 2014

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

This summer was really wonderful for me as an artist.  It was beautifully cool for the most-part, but pretty rainy.  Despite working at summer school, I still got out to paint as often as possible and was motivated to do some studio work when I couldn't work outside.

As a result, I managed to get a lot of work done, and even framed!  This is a photo of  the cumulative work from over the summer. I am very pleased by the volume and quality of the work. I am also a bit down in the dumps because I am back at school and my time and energy will be devoted to that.  I wish I could keep the momentum up, but realize that won't be possible to do both.

I will keep plugging away at it though, and will paint as often as my time and energy will allow, even if summer vacation is over.

Cool Day at the Beach

Cool Day at the Beach  -  pastel, 8x10" SOLD

Well, summer is definitely winding down around here.  In a couple of days, the kids and I will all head back to school.  It's been a great couple of weeks and I was able to paint as often as I wanted to.  Truly felt like heaven to me.

The day I painted this was beautifully clear with a cool breeze coming across the lake from Canada.  Those distant  clouds came marching closer and closer until they filled the whole sky.  It didn't matter.  The colors of the sky and the water were fantastic; rich and pure.

Unlike some days when I head up to the beach in the summer, it was pretty deserted.  Only a few souls were brave enough to go into the water.  Most people there were content to just hang out on the sand.

Later, after it was dark, I decided to do a smaller version of the same scene based on the painting I did en plein air.  Both were such a joy to paint.

Beach Walkers  -  pastel, 4x6"

"Cool Day at the Beach"
pastel, 8x10"
sold


"Beach Walkers"
pastel, 4x6"
sold

Irondequoit Creek In Summer

Irondequoit Creek in Summer  -  pastel, 8x10"

This was the second of two paintings done on Aug. 27th.  My easel was set in the same spot for both.  I just looked in different directions.  Economy of time and energy is a good thing.

The creek looked cool and inviting, but I had time restrictions to deal with, so I kept at it until it was time to pack it all up.

As I worked, several groups of people with kids stopped by to look.  I really enjoy talking to people about my work - especially kids.  They are genuinely interested and love the beautiful colors of the pastel sticks.

By the time I had finished the two paintings, I was beat.  I am always amazed at how tired I get at the end of a good day of painting.

Pastel, 8x10"
available

It's Cooler in the Shade

It's Cooler in the Shade  -  pastel, 5x7"

Well, it was at first, but as the day wore on in Channing Philbrick Park (formerly Linear Park) in Penfield, it became unbearably hot and muggy.  The good news it that it made the distant trees appear even blue-er.  I love those distant blues. And I love the dappled light that shone through the trees.  That's what caught my eye in the first place.

This was the first of two paintings done there that day, and honestly, I almost gave up on it half way through.  I felt as though I had gotten lost and had to really stop and reassess what was going on in the painting.  Stuck it out though and was able to pull it together.  Definitely more of a challenge than I expected.

Pastel, 5x7"
available

Early Morning on Buck Pond

Early Morning on Buck Pond      9x12   SOLD

This studio piece was commissioned by a dear friend of mine for her mom.  Her mom had recently settled into an assisted living facility. My friend thought it would be nice for her mom to have an original piece of art depicting a favorite place of hers - "up along the ponds".  I am very familiar with the area, as it's one of my favorite places to paint.  In preparation, I took tons of reference photos and walked around the area looking for inspiration at different times of day. I also did 3 other studies before I sat down to do this final version. .

I think due to all of the prep work done ahead of time, this painting came together very smoothly.  I am very happy with the results and hope my friend's mom will enjoy the scene in her new home.

pastel, 9x12"  sold

Summer Cornfield

Summer Cornfield   4"x 6"  SOLD

Today I had the opportunity to paint on the property of my friend Karlene.  When we got there, she gave us the grand tour - complete with all kinds of lovely scenes, making it hard to choose just one!  After a delicious lunch of BLTs, salad and cheesecake with fresh berries, we headed to the location where we had left our gear, set up and painted.  There is nothing nicer than talking and sharing the joy we have in the natural world with other artists.  It was a great way to spend a beautiful day!  SOLD

4"x 6"   pastel

Shady Grove

Shady Grove - 9x12   Available

I don't always finish the paintings I start.  There's lots of reasons why; other things have to get done first, I lose interest, I never really liked the subject, there are problems with it I can't resolve right then...  I never toss them out, though. I just set them aside in the hope that I will finish them someday.

This is a painting like that.  I started out going gang-busters on it, but became distracted.  I was working in a small town and had lots of people stopping by to talk.  I really like to talk about my work, but it's hard to paint and talk at the same time.  Eventually I just quit.  I had enough of it done to show people what plein air was all about and that was enough.  I set it aside and rediscovered it several years later (yesterday).  I realized it had a lot of potential and decided it was time to finish it up.

Can be seen at the Pat Rini Rohrer Gallery in Canandaigua.

Fields of Green

 Sometimes I just can't get out to paint due to a lack of time.  So this time instead of just ruminating about it, I looked over a bunch of photos I'd taking during my daily travels to find some inspiration.  I did this little one based on several of those photos.  You can see the unfinished edges on this one.  Ordinarily, these are covered by the mat.  Just something a bit different.  SOLD

5"x7" currently unframed and unmatted

for more information about this painting, please click on

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColetteSavage 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/112550073/original-pastel-landscape-painting

Purple Loosestrife

There was this great patch of purple loosestrife growing along this gravel road which was very eye-catching. I see this stuff growing all around the area. I know it's an invasive weed, but it really is very beautiful.

Clouds Clearing Over Braddocks Bay

This was done last summer, but never photo-graphed - probably couldn't find my camera. Anyway, it's a very nice piece. The clouds were just clearing out after another of the many down-pours we had last summer.

9"x12"

https://www.etsy.com/listing/107563386/original-pastel-landscape-painting-storm

Queen Anne's Lace

This is of a place in my backyard where the shadows are cool and deep. A couple of years ago, my son and his friend had dug a huge hole there which was to become a "shack" - until they hit water! They abandoned their plan and soon the weeds took over.




Size 6" x 9"
Not for sale

Chris' Garden

Painted in the lovely summer garden of Christopher and Suzanne O'Handley.










Size 6"x9", framed size 11"x14"    Sold
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Erie Canal in Fairport

This was the first time I'd ever painted in Fairport. It's beautiful village full of very quaint scenes, but the haziness of the sky and canal really caught my eye. There are so many great places to paint there that I plan on going back very soon. SOLD

Fishing at Dusk on Buck Pond

There is a little fishing access on Buck Pond and I went there around 7:30 at night to catch the sunset. It turned out to be an extremely busy spot. The people who were there to fish stopped to look at what I was doing and to ask about it. Even a motorcyclist passing by stopped to talk. I always enjoy talking about painting though, so I didn't mind the company.

Size 9"x12", framed size is 15"x18"
Paintings come matted and framed under glass, ready for hanging.

Morning Meadow - Corbett's Glen

The morning was extremely hot and sticky and the bugs were out in droves. I decided to just work from photos for this one.

Golden Morning

There was a beautiful yellow glow in the sky on this morning - something I never really noticed before, so it made this painting special for me. Even the marsh grass (which is usually artistic suicide for me) came out well. Done at Burger Park on Salmon Creek. This has become one of my favorite paintings.

Irondequoit Bay Morning

Done on a hazy, hot summer morning while standing on the right of way on Empire Blvd. The traffic flying past was a bit unnerving, but the scene itself was calm and pleasant. This painting will be given to the attorney who donated his time and energy to help the Genesee Valley Plein Air Painters to incorporate. SOLD

Still Waters at Salmon Creek

Done on the longest day of the year - the first day of summer, June 21, 2006. We were hoping for summer haze, but instead got a beautiful clear morning.

Warm Summer Breezes

Done in July 2005 while I waited for my kids to have their music lessons. It all came together in 40 minutes and has been an award winner in several shows. Sometimes it feels like someone else is guiding my hand when something comes together so easily.