New auction of Provence

"Springtime at the Chateau de Lourmarin" Oil on panel, 6x6" ©Jennifer E Young

Technical difficulties on my blog last week didn't exactly create a seamless experience for my first auction. But I'm trying again with a new feature that I think will work much better. This week's auction isa sweet 6x6" Provence landscape. Congratulations to Pat H. for winning this auction!

Ancient Hills, Golden Valley

My latest sunflower landscape painting (the start of which I posted here) has actually been finished for a while. But once again I have been delinquent in posting. Here is the final:

"Ancient Hills, Golden Valley", Oil on linen 20x24" (SOLD) ©Jennifer Young

Sunflowers!

I've needed some cheering up lately, so yesterday I started a new painting of Tuscan sunflowers. It's nearly impossible to frown while beholding a sea of sunflowers, right?

Tuscany sunflowers painting in progress by Jennifer E. Young

Feeling better already :-)

Another garden plein air

Here is this week's plein air effort, once again at the botanical gardens:

It's incomplete as I started late and had to close shop before the two-hour mark. It was a beautiful morning, but the light quickly shifted from sun to overcast clouds, making my previously well delineated, high contrast subject suddenly a muddled mass of leaves and confusion.

Or maybe it was just my mind that was muddled? Every so often the light would peek back out, but not quite often enough to provide the kind of clarity I needed. In any case, this is as far as I got before I had to call it quits and pay the babysitter.

I painted this general location some time ago, though the arrangement (and light) was different. I had planned on painting another setting, but a large group was visiting the gardens this morning and had taken over my spot, foiling my plans.

Being short on time I decided to take another stab at this scene. I'm not sure if I will finish this piece. I may just treat it as an artifact of the morning's experience to learn from as I look forward to the next outing.

Plein air with the birds!

I spent two and a half hours yesterday morning literally contemplating the birds and bees at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. And of course, painting (which is the reason for this post!) I have watched this garden grow over the years that I have lived nearby, and it has become one of my favorite places to wander and paint. In fact, it has recently been awarded one of the "top 10 gardens worth traveling for" , and I feel really fortunate to be just down the road. At the far end of the garden, through the "woodland walk", one can come upon this little scene; it is a sanctuary for birds, butterflies, bees, and maybe even a human or two:

"Garden Sanctuary" Oil on Canvas, 12x9" ©Jennifer Young

I have really missed plein air painting. It takes me beyond "production mode" and more deeply into the experience of painting nature. After yesterday's session I made a resolution; my goal for the next 60 days is to paint en plein air once a week. There may be a week here and there that my mommy duties will have to take precedence, but generally speaking I think this is a manageable goal. So if you notice me falling off task, you have my permission to nag, or slap me with a wet noodle--your choice! ;-)