Lurking on the Horizon

 © 2015 R.L. Delight, Lurking on the Horizon, 9"x12", oil on canvas panel, plein air

I decided to head up to Cannon Beach to paint yesterday to paint at Ecola State Park. My decision was mainly based on two reasons. The first is that my two year park pass expires at the end of this month and, while I will get a new one, I seem to want to cram in as many visits as I can in the remaining time. I am sure there is a psychological reason for that! The second reason is that I wanted to stop at the White Bird Art Gallery to have a look at a couple of artist's work. I admire both of these artists and both are local.

I stopped at the art gallery first. It is always a treat to go and enjoy and admire the art, one I don't partake in nearly enough. I was not disappointed either! I even managed to find a parking place in Cannon Beach the day before a very busy weekend. Memorial Day weekend kicks off our busiest season on the coast. This year, probably due to the nice weather, seems to be busier than usual, even during the off season.

After the gallery, I headed up to Ecola State Park. I wanted to paint at Chapman Point again. The day was foggy but I love the mysterious diffused light. It brings out the most amazing colors in the sea. When I reached my painting spot, Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach's breathtaking icon, was barely visible. I have been putting off painting Haystack Rock because of its famous icon status. I wanted to wait until I was ready, but I loved the misty illusiveness of it hanging on the horizon and decided to put it in. Of course once I started in, the fog thickened and it wasn't visible. I wasn't worried though, I knew it would be back. Sure enough, it reappeared and I was ready for it.

Here are a few more pictures of the day:

Chapman Point looking toward Haystack Rock.

A foggy view with Crescent Beach

A visit from a crow friend hoping to be invited to tea.

Breathtaking beauty.

Today is a catch-up day for the small things that need to be done to make life go a bit more smoothly. I know I am spoiled with the solitude that can be found in such a beautiful area but I find it challenging to be out painting on a holiday weekend. I don't mind talking to people when I am out painting but when they outnumber me by such large amounts it is hard to get work done and concentrate. I will be working close to home until next week.

Have an enjoyable, safe Memorial Day weekend and remember to take time to honor the spirit of the holiday!

-Renee

Contemplating Spirit

Yesterday I joined a local group of artists and painted on the grounds of a local church, St. Catherine's. This church is one of my favorites as it was designed by a local architect with Spirit in mind. It is beautiful, inside and out. Nature plays a big roll in the design here.

The afternoon shadows were lovely and I was drawn to this quiet contemplative spot. I admit, I misjudged the direction of the path of the sun. I will need to pull out my compass when in unfamiliar spots! This was a bit of a change for me, which is always a good thing to do. I have come to the realization that I really don't like human-made artifacts in my paintings and I prefer the wild places to those that are deliberately shaped by people. It is a beautiful spot, just a different kind of beauty.

The wild places touch my soul more than cultivated spots. They call to me.

Here are two pictures of the final painting. The first was taken on the spot before packing up. The second was taken this morning with filtered overcast light. I love the light in the first one. The second one is nice too but gives a different mood. This gives me food for thought about photographing my work. Something I will have to work on.

© 2015 R.L. Delight, Contemplating Spirit, 6"x8", oil on canvas panel, plein air.

© 2015 R.L. Delight, Contemplating Spirit, 6"x8", oil on canvas panel, plein air

I am heading up to Cannon Beach this afternoon to paint. Back to the wild places...

-Renee

Change Over

© 2015 R.L. Delight, "Change Over", 10"x8", oil on linen panel, plein air + studio

I am finally able to get out to many of my favorite spots to paint. I even managed the hike into Short Sands last week! The painting above, however, is not from Short Sands beach in Oswald West State Park but from a few miles north, at Falcon Cove. This was painted at a vacation rental, owned by a friend. My mate was doing some work there so I went along too and painted. Oh my! I couldn't have asked for better conditions or a more beautiful spot.

I didn't quite finish the painting before we left. Not only did I have a small interruption from the garden maintenance crew but the light, tides, and color of the ocean shifted dramatically. I don't usually see such a dramatic color change in the ocean over such a short period of time. It was beautiful to behold. The name of the piece is derived from all the changes that happened as I painted. The tide turned, the light, the color of the sea, and wave direction changed, and there was a change in color from the horizon to where the ocean approached the breakwater.  I finished the painting yesterday in the studio using my Notan sketch and memory. Here is a picture of the painting on site while still in progress:

"Change Over" WIP

I did not make major changes, just a few corrections and finishing. I will probably be putting this one up for sale. I want to consider if I want to use it for a reference for a larger painting before I do that.

Since this is such a beautiful spot, here are a few pictures of the view I took:

Cape Falcon looking north to Cannon Beach

Looking out to sea.

Needless to say, I could happily stay there at least a month painting all day, every day. The ocean energy is quite fierce at this spot as it is on the cliff side. I can imagine it would be intense during a storm! Such beauty here where I live. I am fortunate.

-Renee

On the Mend

I am finally on the mend. I am not quite up to the hike out to my favorite spot at Short Sands, but I can manage some of the other beaches. Today was a lovely spring day to get out to paint. The tides were perfect to paint at Hug Point. Hug Point is a little further north of Short Sands. It has been a while since I have been to Hug Point. The cliffs are mostly sandstone and the waves are continually carving the stone. The beaches are always in flux, ever changing.

There has been another wash up of Vellela vellela jellyfish. It was impossible to avoid stepping on them. I could smell the odor as soon as I opened the car door.

Vellela, vellela on the beach.

I took a bit of time poking around before setting up. It has been a while since I have been there after all and I like to look around at what is different. The best time to paint at Hug Point is when the tide is just going out. The tides can trap the unwary if they are coming in. Low tide was around 5:30. I got there about 12:30 so I had a good long time to paint without concern.

I spent much of my healing time studying art and am finally able to start putting what I learned to practice. Sometimes easier said than done. Here are a few more pictures and the final plein air painting:

Hug Point, Oregon Coast

Hug Point, Oregon Coast. Plein Air Painting

© 2015 R.L. Delight, Hug Point Falls, 8"x10", oil on canvas. Plein Air

I am looking forward to a good spring, summer, and fall of painting!

-Renee

Studio Changes

It has been an interesting month since my last post. I worked hard going through every nook and cranny in my studio cleaning, culling, and reorganizing. There have been many changes both large and small.

I actually was pretty much finished a couple of weeks ago but due to getting hit with a rather nasty cold virus that has been going around and spraining my foot a week ago, I have not been able to get back to work quite yet.

Yesterday I couldn't take it anymore. I wrapped a garbage back around the armored boot protecting my foot, hoisted my painting pack on, and hobbled the 1/4 mile out to the north end of Neahkahnie beach to paint. The winds were fairly strong and the tide was going out. Not the best time to paint. This time in the tide cycle I usually head out to Short Sands beach or Hug Point to paint. I am not quite up to those spots yet but hopefully next week.

I made notan sketches while waiting to see if the winds would die down. They didn't so I weighted my easel with rocks and got to work. I wasn't trying for a masterpiece, I just wanted to paint. I did spend much of my downtime studying and I wanted to play a bit. The winds increased to the point where they were blowing me around to much to paint so I had to head home.  Here is a photo I took from yesterday:

The painting wasn't that great but I am actually pleased with it as it is showing some of the things I have been learning. It will take more practice.

I have a surprise addition to the studio.  I wanted to find a way to take some of the financial pressure off the art making while continuing to put in the time and effort to improve and using resources I already have. I have been a weaver in the past and have a rather large weaving loom and the skills to use it. The skills may be a bit dusty but they will come back fast. We live in an area that has a tourist economy. I have decided to spend a bit of my day weaving accessories to sell in area shops. Weaving has given me many skills that have been beneficial to my painting. Weaving and music both. My painting also helps my weaving.

So with all of that, here are the pictures of my refreshed studio. The loom is empty at the moment, waiting for my foot to heal!

The back of the loom, looking toward the painting area.

Side front of the loom. I have a few plaster casts for drawing, and a Lego phone!

This is the drawing nook, with my canvas and paint supplies on one side, and art books on the other. The photo of the handsome man on my bulletin board is my wonderful supportive husband Bob.

One final mention, I do have a weaving blog. It has been in virtual mothballs these past 5 years while I worked on art. I will be posting my weaving results there and not on this blog in the future. The site can be found here.

The studio is a bit crowded but definitely workable. Now to get to work!

-Renee

Spring Cleaning in the Studio

First Day of Spring

Welcome Spring! It has been a beautiful rainy, blustery day for the first day of spring. I am spring cleaning my studio, very thoroughly. Everything is coming off the shelves and being culled, cleaned, reorganized and re-arranged. I now have a nice little drawing area in one corner. Three more corners and the middle to arrange! After such huge changes these past few years, it was time to go through everything to reflect my direction and focus. Painting has slowed way down at the moment but not stopped entirely. It will pick up with a renewed studio soon!

I seem to be struggling a bit with my painting at the community garden. Part of the reason is I am still trying new approaches. I also realized that I am not used to painting in such cultivated areas. I usually am painting on the beach looking at waves, water, cliffs, and falls. I think it is a very good thing to be working in gardens, orchards, and old farmland too. I want to be more versatile and I know the same principles apply. That said, I am going to bring my sketchbook for the next couple of weeks and get some graphite sketching in before attempting another painting.

Here is last week's attempt at painting. The wind had picked up and it was raining a bit so I set up behind the duck house for protection to paint this old pear tree. It hasn't bloomed yet but is covered with moss and a few ferns in some areas. Quite the character.

Alder Creek Farm Painting in Progress

I thought about wiping this one off the panel. I waited to make that decision after I got home. I still considered it but, as I looked at what still needed to be done and corrected, I decided to keep it and play with it in the studio. I know what I was trying to achieve. It will be a good learning tool to see if I can achieve it in the studio. Working at it this way will allow me to have more success in the future while out in the field.

I will post again when the studio spring cleaning is finished!

Wishing everyone a joyful spring season.

-Renee

Working the Studies

I have been painting a lot of studies the past few weeks. I am pushing my skill level again. It is always a challenge often fraught with frustration and the appearance of little progress. Perhaps artistic growth follows a different timeline. It definitely isn't a straight line!

I have two works in progress. One was at Short Sands. It was a beautiful afternoon. We have been fortunate to have many of these this winter, if you can call it that. While Eastern U.S. has been hammered with snow and wind, we have had mild days with little rain and much sunshine. It is as if the storms back East have sucked all the water from the west and dumped it, in the form of snow, on the storm weary people and animals there.

I got a great start on a more detailed study but had a small time window to work. I thought I would be able to go back within a day or two but weather and life circumstances have kept me from it. So, it waits. I am hoping there will be an opportunity next week. Here is a picture of the start of the painting:

Short Sands North End-WIP

Short Sands South

I woke up this morning with emails announcing not only a gale warning but heavy rains. I figured I had better get out today before the storm arrives. I just made it. The tide was hitting low when I arrived. It is always surprising how little time the tide takes to come back in. When I left, the waves were coming within a foot or two of my easel. This is another work in progress. I got enough that I will be able to finish this study from memory in the studio.

Calm before the storm, Neahkahnie Beach

Storm Building, Neahkahnie Beach

© 2015 R.L. Delight, Mood Change, WIP, 9"x12", oil on canvas

The day was not sunny but the gray filtered light was bright. It was not hazy though. One of the things I love about gray days are the amazing colors that pop out in the sea. This study still needs work to capture what I was seeing. I put the waves in last so they were done in haste.

The wind was picking up as I was leaving the beach. I had heard the eagles behind me but suddenly one swooped right above my head and landed up the beach a bit. The crows always follow or chase the eagles. This one had a nice tidbit it was eating and as I stood there watching, it finished it off and cleaned its beak in the sand. I did take pictures but the exposure on my cell phone camera went haywire and they did not come out. I always enjoy watching our local Bald Eagles. Such a treat, and a nice ending to the day.

I have big changes happening in my studio which involves a clearing out and re-arranging. It is always a good thing to do as one learns and grows.

Spring is coming!

-Renee