Break in the Reeds

Break in the Reeds, 10 x 8

Another painting from one of the piers on Western Lake in Watercolor, FL. It's such the peaceful place, and I love heading out there in the late afternoon. These trees seem to group themselves just for me.

-julie davis

Distant Pier

Distant Pier, 10 x 8

sold

We're in Florida this week--the same spot we came last year. We love this area, and are sad to think that the gulf oil spill may affect it as soon as this week.

This view is just a short walk from the beach house where we're staying. These trees line a lake, and the pier (one of many) reaches into it. Families can be found fishing, canoeing, and stand up paddle-boarding at the lake.

-julie davis

HIdden Barn 2

Hidden Barn 2, 6 x 6

This is a rework of the piece I just did with palette knife--a different take. What do you think?

Very different feels...

julie davis

Hidden Barn

Hidden Barn, 6 x 6

sold

Another jump in the palette knife direction. I pulled this together this morning before I had some house guests. Besides the texture, another quality I enjoy about palette knife painting is that it seems to come together more quickly for me--at least with the small sizes. It's almost like laying or blocking in the main values in a painting, and then being finished. You cannot fuss with it. I like how this one came out.

The house guests I mentioned were some dear friends who have a monthly or "as needed" Friday tradition of hitting the latest art exhibits in town and doing lunch: Jane Hill, Mitzi Easley, and Gayle Roche. (Today was an exception being Wednesday, but what the heck.) They were kind enough to put my studio on their list for a stop on their tour, and we had a great morning here at the house. Thanks, friends!

-julie davis

Along the Creek

Along the Creek, 8 x 10

sold

Our Wednesday painting group met at Bull Creek again last week. It's always amazing to me how many people are walking dogs, taking a stroll, and just enjoying the weather on any given weekday there. As one young man said to me as he paused on his walk, "That's what I love about Austin--you see people painting outside on a random Wednesday....you just don't see that everywhere."

-julie davis

Cabin in the Trees

Cabin in the Trees, 8 x 10

Fairly certain that I'm showing my ignorance of the proper method of painting with a palette knife here, and because of the novelty of the process I've missed some areas where my values should agree, and don't.....BUT fun!! This one did begin with a paintbrush, but then spiraled out of control into a palette knife event. My infatuation with lots of paint is leading me right now--it will be interesting to see how it settles out.

-julie davis

May Cedars

May Cedars, 6 x 8

This little group of cedars line a private drive in Hunt. The colors in this one went kind of electric on me--still trying to get more paint on the canvas, too. I find there is so much that I want to experiment with after Skip's workshop--some of these "experiments" are definitely not making it on the blog, but that's part of the process!

-julie davis

Wimberly View

Wimberly View (study), 8 x 10

sold

The last day of the Whitcomb workshop I did something I've never done before--used a palette knife to paint. I didn't intend it--it just happened! I used my knife to load more paint onto my panel, and I was enjoying it so much I just kept going. I'm certain my technique is all wrong, but I was pleased with the outcome--and had quite a good time with it. (And no snakes that day, just bugs...)

-julie davis

Next to the Highway

Next to the Highway, 6 x 8

sold

On the way to the Skip Whitcomb workshop in Wimberly last week, I kept passing this red barn. It caught my eye every time, as the morning light couldn't have been more beautiful on it.

-julie davis

Sunlit Entry

Sunlit Entry, 9 x 12

sold

It's been a really busy week--I've been challenged by Skip Whitcomb's workshop and am learning so much. This piece is the one I did on Tuesday at a ranch in Wimberly. Just as I finished, a 5 foot snake in a big hurry decided to head my way. Fortunately, he noticed me and did a 180. To top that, today an even longer one slithered within about 6 feet as I painted near the water. I'm thinking tomorrow I'm wearing those snake-proof boots my husband recommended! Yikes!

-julie davis

Workshop Work

"group mass"

"L" or "tunnel"

This week I'm taking a workshop in Wimberly with Skip Whitcomb. We started today with a couple of hours of Skip sharing his wisdom --so much to learn! We spent the afternoon attempting to put it into action--no paint, just sketching. We were attempting to see the landscape with the visual vocabulary taught by Edgar Payne, in his book , Composition of Outdoor Painting. Laurel teaches using these compositional tools as well, so I was familiar enough to feel good about what we were doing. I did 16 sketches--here are two. I think tomorrow he'll let us paint. :)

-julie davis

Camp Stables

Camp Stables, 8 x 10

sold

As promised, here is a painting I just did using a study I did on-site from our Plein Air Austin trip. As I mentioned, I wasn't pleased with several of my plein air pieces--for a variety of reasons. The way my paint was taking to the canvas was one of them--I've since determined that the panels I was using seem to absorb more paint than the one I used here. I really liked the way the paint stands on top of this panel--it's a Pannelli Telati canvas panel from Jerry's. I've been using RayMar, which I like for other reasons, but I think I'll be gessoing the remainder I have to get the results I want. Like anything, it's a learning process.

This stable is one of Camp Waldemar's, in Hunt, Texas. It's the first subject our group of four stopped to paint on our recent PAA annual trip.

-julie davis

Morning Walk

Morning Walk, 8 x 6

This morning I met some painting friends out at the Bull Creek Greenbelt. The creek was full and rushing with water, the cottonwoods were bright green, and the weather was amazing. Thanks to my pals for getting me out there today!

-julie davis

Lost Creek Footpath

Lost Creek Footpath, 8 x 6

Our Plein Air Austin painting group just returned last night from a weekend annual trip--what a fantastic time we had! There were 23 of us--we went to the Hunt/Kerrville area and had two and a half days of non-stop painting and camaraderie with great friends....and the area was gorgeous. So much to paint. I wasn't as thrilled with my product as I'd hoped to be, but I learned plenty and am energized to work on some larger pieces in the studio from the studies I did. I'll post some of that work in the coming days.

As far as this piece goes, the last time our plein air class was at Lost Creek (a neighborhood here in Austin), we painted along part of the Barton Creek Greenbelt that runs through it. This trail was a little off-shoot of the main trail, and led down to the water. I can't seem to resist a trail right now....

-julie davis

Distant Fenceline

Distant Fenceline, 8 x 10

I've had a photo in my stash for a while that I took that intrigued me--finally I had a moment to play with it. It's a bit more abstract than I typically enjoy, but it was fun to do, and I got it out of my system.

-julie davis

Rain-soaked Fields

Rain-soaked Fields, 10 x 12

Painting in the studio sure feels warm and dry after a day like we had in Lockhart (yesterday's post). That day was a challenge: wind, drizzle, dogs, cool temperatures.....so Monday I took the scene on again, only this time with my memory, my study, and a photograph (perhaps equally challenging). But I was warm and dry:) Personally, this one feels more composed....could be that's just how I felt.

-julie davis

Underwater

Underwater, 8 x 10

donation

Here is the plein air piece I mentioned yesterday. It was a very overcast day--the windy, drizzly kind where full-on rain is inevitable. Tomorrow I'll post a piece I did in the studio of the same scene--just purposely changed things up a bit.

-julie davis

Up the Road

Up the Road, 12 x 10

Apologies for the resolution on this one--I'll try to retake tomorrow--if you can see lines on the painting, let me know. I can here, but not in my photo file, so it's that mysterious photo gremlin at work, I guess.

Our local plein air group met last Thursday at a beautiful location in Lockhart- so many opportunities for inspiration. This road led in and out of the property. The weather that day was overcast and windy, and a bit wet, but I took reference photos--this is from one. I upped the sun factor, we'll say. The piece I painted on location, more representative of the weather, will post tomorrow.

-julie davis

Inviting Entrance

Inviting Entrance

When I met Becky Joy at the Wildflower Center yesterday, I took several photos on the grounds--it's a wonderful asset and fantastic right now for photographers, artists, and anyone who loves nature. This is the path that leads to the main entrance from the parking lot--appropriately understated and inviting.

*the link above for the Wildflower Center takes you to the catalogue for the Gala Art Auction for this year. Scroll through the art--it's full of good stuff and I am fortunate to be a donor again this year!

-julie davis

Field of Green

Field of Green, 6 x 8

It's been much too long since I last blogged, but we've finally finished the hill country remodel, and I think I'll be getting my painting life back! To that end, I painted with a new friend this morning at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Becky Joy was in town from Arizona for the Salon International in San Antonio last weekend, and we met to paint. Becky is a fellow Windrush Gallery artist, and it was great to meet her--and now I have someone to paint with when I visit Arizona!

-julie davis

A Fresh Start

A Fresh Start, 12 x 9

Yesterday our class went out to Lost Creek again here in Austin--the greens are popping everywhere and I was a bit overwhelmed with the hue of them. This tree in particular must have just leafed out last week--a true fresh start.

-julie davis

"Almost There"

Almost There, 8 x 6

This sign ("Mo Ranch, 6 miles") tells me I'm just a few miles from our hill country retreat. Mo Ranch is just beyond our place, and is a Presbyterian camp and conference center that has been there since 1949. This sign is a little more recent than that, but not much!

-julie davis

Overcast Morning Cedar

Overcast Morning Cedar, 8 x 10

Austin got a good bit of rain today, but before it really poured, our plein air class met near a creek (and under a bridge to avoid the drizzle) in Austin's Lost Creek neighborhood. I'm sure we were quite a sight as we were all set up and stashed under a bridge like a family of trolls! The view was beautiful, though, and we all painted this cedar tree using a block in method that Kevin Macpherson uses--blocking in with large shapes and obvious color within the shadow, then light families, then moving on to detail after we had it blocked in.

-julie davis

Call or Write

Call or Write, 6 x 8

This is one of many driveways off the highway on my route to Hunt, TX. I stop and photograph scenes along the way during my biweekly trips. The sun had been up about an hour and was reflecting on the verticals nicely. Pedestrian scenes like this one are somehow the most inspiring to me....

--julie davis

Compatible

Compatible, 20 x 16

Apologies for being away so long--Spring Break trip with the family took a good bit of prep time, then the actual vacation..... I painted this before I left. It's a larger version of (perhaps too similarly named) "Compatibility", done a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping to get back on my daily painting kick this week--I've had a lot going on, but am really ready to get back to my routine.

And on an exciting personal note, I'm on the Windrush Gallery website as of last weekend. If you have a chance, check it out. I'm extremely honored to be a part of John McCullough's group of artists--a link to his site is on my blog, and, well, right here.

-julie davis

Sunlit Boathouse

Sunlit Boathouse, 8 x 6

sold

On Friday I got the chance to paint outside again and went back to an old standby--the lake inlet at Laguna Gloria. This little boathouse is an inviting subject, and while I stood there a friendly fisherman joined me, as did a watercolor class.

-julie davis

At Rest

At Rest
6 x 8 in., oil on panel

Austin has this great little organic farm not terribly far from where I live called Boggy Creek Farm. The Plein Air Austin group met there for one of our paint-outs this winter, and while I wound up painting another subject, I took some photos before we painted. This tractor caught my eye. It was parked restfully in the shade, waiting for Spring.

-julie davis

Well-Worn Path

Well-Worn Path

Hints of spring are creeping into the landscape around Austin--huge amounts of spring greens jumped into this painting. I must be ready.

-julie davis

Palm Tree Study

Palm Tree Study

What a great day....today was the start of Laurel Daniel's plein air class. It got me back outside, and the weather was phenomenal. Laurel had us follow along as she did a demo, and line and mass block-in on a simple subject was the assignment. This group of palm trees was on the grounds of Austin Museum of Art's Laguna Gloria campus (where our classes take place).

-julie davis

Compatibility

Compatibility, 8 x 6

These two looked like they'd been together for so long--clearly they are compatible. And speaking of compatibility, I'm thrilled to report that I've been asked to join the family of painters at the Windrush Gallery in Sedona, AZ! I've sent several paintings out this week--I'm on cloud nine.....

-julie davis