Created in late winter/early spring as I was craving the warm weather and having my toes in the sand!
Similar in style to “Monochromatic” that was posted last week, this whimsical creation at least let me dream about being somewhere tropical! Here are some images taken during the creative process:
So, does it warm you up too? Lynne
After leaving the sand dunes we went a bit further north up the Pacific Coast, visited a lighthouse and then ate our picnic lunch with this friendly bluejay.
I’ve got to say, I’ve never seen jays as blue as the ones out there! We arrived at our campground, right beside the ocean, set up the tent and campsite and had time to go talk a nice walk on the beach at low tide.
We even went back again at sunset and enjoyed that too!
It was delightful to sleep so close to the ocean that you could hear the waves roll onto the beach. This was our last night by the ocean, the next day we would tour a little further north along the coast and then head back inland to the Columbia River Gorge.
It’s only fair to mention that I’ve not spend ALL my days in the studio working! Here are a few pics of other fun I’ve been having, from trips to the beach, nearby towns, picking blueberries and indulging in a bit of a treat! Hope you are enjoying some of the fun activities of summer while it’s here!
Continuing to show some step-by-step images of new acrylic paintings today, with a piece titled “At the Beach” which is shown above. This is another piece that was created outdoor so I was able to freely paint & splatter my way through it. I really do need to get a photo of the rocks in my driveway to show how much fun I’ve been having out there! This started with the bright pastel colors of other recent pieces, I find it hard to recognize it in it’s early stages:
Eventually it made it to it’s mostly blue hue and more details were added. I wasn’t as diligent taking progress photos of this piece as I normally am…which is usually a sign that I’m just having too much fun and just letting things flow along instead of thinking about photos. As I got to the end of the piece I really wanted to add details that would seem like the froth and bubbles of the seashore so I made a mixture of dish soap, water and white acrylic paint then grabbled a bubble blower and just began to play. It got the effect I was looking for but I have to say it is really difficult to “aim” where a bubble will land. Especially on a slightly windy day! But that helped with the loose, playful feel by being very unpredictable.
After the bubble layer dried I stamped black acrylic paint on with a “wheeled” stamp that left the small round circle patterns that look like tiny bubbles running through the piece. I have really enjoyed my time painting outdoors and playing with acrylic…be on the lookout for another sample or two of new work soon. Following that? Hmmm, well, I am really feeling drawn to some printmaking projects – or at least acrylic projects with printmaking elements in them the next time I am in the studio!
Paint, print, stamp, smile…
Lynne
Here are a few pictures from our trip to Indiana Dunes last week! It was beautiful weather and a beautiful spot to get away for a few days. Our first day we took a four mile hike through the bog to an overlook on the beach.
The scenery was beautiful, but the mosquitos were BRUTAL! You could literally wave your hand and feel them pelting against your skin. Ewww. Thank goodness for bug spray! There were some of the biggest ferns growing there that I have ever seen. Some were as tall as we were! Amazing. There were several varieties of wildflowers blooming too, very lovely!
Our second day we walked the beach for several hours in the morning, exploring barefoot with cameras in hand. It was a beautiful place to walk, listen to the waves hit the shore, snap some photos, get our toes wet and enjoy the sunshine. Although Lake Michigan doesn’t have a lot of shells gracing it’s beaches it had some beautiful, smooth polished stones. I couldn’t resist filling my pocket with a selection of favorites!
Along with the variety of stones there was a nice array of driftwood both in & out of the water. I love driftwood!
Our afternoon included a visit to the art museum at Valparaiso University and a trip to Anderson Winery to sample their delicious wines (and purchase a few bottles to enjoy at home)! We returned to the beach that evening for a sunset walk & more photos.
Add in some good food, time to rest & relax, swimming laps in the pool and lots of good conversation and it was a wonderful time! I hope you are enjoying these summer months and the beautful, warm weather!
xoxoxo,
Lynne
A Randomly Creative Blog 