I do love painting "en plein air" (outdoors). I have been involved (and sometimes running) the Peninsula Art League (PAL) plein air group, where we meet at a different location each week in the summer. I was also a member of Plein Air WA (PAWA) for a few years. They met at various locations all over the State. PAWA does a fun art show each year where you enter 2 works together: a plein air done on site and a larger studio piece that resulted from it and make a book of the show each year!
Painted en pein air along the trail behind the Paradise Ranger station. It was an extra hot August, and we could hear blocks of ice breaking off the glaciers and tumbling down the slopes!
This PenMet Park is a jewel! The spit curves out and the beach and old shell midden makes the water glow turquoise. There are also great views to be had of the Olympics to the west and Mount Rainier and the Fox Island Bridge to the east. Pastel on Wallis paper with watercolor under painting.
9"H x 12"W
Right by the end of Fox Island Bridge is this lovely cluster of Madronas. I thought the deep color in the lagoon was the perfect contrast. Painted with Pastels over water color underpainting on textured paper.
12"H x 9"W
A very long plein air session (ok 2 sessions) painting the Dune Park in Tacoma for a PAWA event. It's a great park- lots of vista, views to Vashon Island and their ferry, environmental planting and a connected playground.
The Plein Air group met at Steamers in University Pace, across the Narrows from Gig Harbor. The Morning Light was perfect and there was a waterfall from an upper pond that attracted attention. Oil on Canvas Board.
I wanted to make this little lighthouse look more monolithic, so I painted from a low perspective. The result ended up very "Hopper". The light and shadows were great fun. Pastels on Colourfix.
Photo by artist
Plein Air Washington had a myriad paint outs to celebrate Centennial of Wa. State Parks. I painted at Cape Disappointment St Park in far SW corner- Louis and Clark were here!Pastel with watercolor underpainting on textured paper
I was up in Seattle for an International Plein Aie event. I painted this willow hanging over the water while balanced on the end of a pontoon bridge! (Luckily not many users- and all were kind and interested) Pastel on Colourfix
A very fast pastel en plein air with limited palette, no easel- and SOLD!
Crack of dawn, on the first day I attended Plein Air Painters US Open on Whidbey Island, and a gale is on it's way. I huddle painting this beautiful dawn view across Admiralty Inlet from my car- it was too cold and windy to set up!
11"H x 14"W
An unusual view at the end of Gig Harbor bay, who knew mud flats could be so scenic! Pastel on colourfix.
Painted in Seattle, this view of Alki point took 3 trips of the passing ferries to capture- the last one was the 10:35 ferry to Bainbridge island! Another piece from the International Plein Air Event in Seattle. Pastel on Colourfix.
8"H x 10"W
