Fast Painting Fun by Pamela Blaies

30 Minute Study

9" x 12"

Oil on unstretched canvas

I don't know why I had never thought of doing this before.  Just this past week, I've started doing 30 minute quick study paintings on unstretched canvas, which is really inexpensive.  I have found this so liberating.  Since I am only committing to 30 minutes, I can now paint each day, even busy ones.  Since the canvases don't take up any space and don't cost much, there is no stress for perfection - just pure painting fun!  I used to create a vision in my mind, collecting photos to make sure I had the fully developed idea in mind and then went directly to creating the final piece - a little pressure!  Now when I have an idea or inspiration for a painting, I can try it out on a study.  If I find a winner, I take more time to create the piece on a stretched canvas, with the prep-work already done.  Here is the first landscape study I did.  I had so much fun, I ended up doing 3 studies that day.

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Misty Morning, Assateague/Tom's Cove by Roxanne Steed

12"x12" oil on Ampersand's archival gessobord

"Nothing dies as long as there is the memory to enfold it and a heart to love it". -Ida Beebe

I am down here in Chincoteague, Virginia at the 8th Annual Plein Air Event hosted by Chincoteague Cultural Alliance. Here's a picture of me from a previous year, in their web-site. After hurricane Irene blew through the east coast the other week, I was wondering what I'd find down here, but they are doing fine! There is a new cut through on the beach at Assateague, strong storms are always moving shorelines, the power of the sea and weather is really something to behold. I spent the early morning down on the beach at Assateague Island, looking towards Tom's Cove. The weather was looking a bit questionable, as it had rained while I was eating breakfast. Luckily it was a passing shower, moving off to the west. It took it's time in clearing off though, which was fortunate because there was a beautiful misty cloud cover, and as the sun started to burn through the haze, the marsh grasses were a fantastic limey-electric green! What a beautiful way to start the day!

Mark your calendar for the big event- I'd love to see you if you're in the mid-Atlantic and can make the visit over to the island!

Reception, Exhibition & Sale
Saturday, September 10, 2011
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Paschal Hall
St. Andrew’s Church
6288 Church Street
Chincoteague Island, Virginia

Here's your first preview! Contact me here for more information about this painting!

Yellow Barn, Griswold Point, Sunny Day in Old Lyme

8"x10" oil on Belgian linen mounted on archival board

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
- John Muir


This morning I headed out to Griswold Point, down in Old Lyme, to meet up with other CT Plein Air Painters. What a gorgeous September morning. I took a walk down to see the water, from time to time turning to see what was behind me. That's when I noticed the sunlight on this yellow barn! My intentions were to paint some of the shoreline this morning....but I know the thing that 'grabs me' quicker than anything is strong light contrasts! We're at the time of year when the tall grasses in the fields are getting those red-tinged tops- it makes for such interesting color variations across the surface!

I just got back in Sunday evening from a trip down to DC. Though I didn't take the oils with me this time. We went down on the train, so I wanted to pack light. But I did take a sketch book, and had time for a few museum trips!

I still have 2 more small oil paintings to share with you from my Chincoteague paint-out, and I've recently finished a commission to share with you! Thanks for following along, I'll be talking about all those later this week!

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