Day Two - 2009 Gettysburg Fringe Festival Plein Air Paint Out (Includes 2 new pictures added 6/20/2009)

We had a beautiful day for painting today. Most of the artists painted on site at Gettysburg College, but some of us set off for Little Round Top. What an amazing experience we had there - people of all nationalities; groups of children, groups of our armed forces men and women, and the fantastic Gettysburg Battlefield tour guides. Many people stopped to see our work and chat - it was lots of fun. One group of Italians (who could speak no English) looked at our paintings and said "Bella, Bella! Bravissimo!" - I am pretty sure that meant that they liked what they saw! Every time I plein air paint, I get lots of questions about my gear. I am beginning to think I should be a sales rep for Judson's!

Here are some photos. This first one is a group of our military listening to the tour guide.



This is the view from Little Round Top that I painted today. What a lovely, serene vista. It's hard to even fathom the death and destruction that took place there during the Battle of Gettysburg. But I swear you can feel the presence of the people who fought there.



And this is my painting for the day.
"View from Little Round Top" 9 X 12 Oil on Linen Panel



Here are two additional pictures that were taken by Mary Beth Brath. Both scenes are from artists painting at the Gettysburg College on Day Two.

Day One - 2009 Gettysburg Fringe Festival Plein Air Paint Out

Our first day of the Plein Air Paint-out started at the Peace Light Monument on the Gettysburg Battlefield. The skies were a bit gloomy, and every once in awhile there was a drop or two, but we were so lucky that the rain kept away.



Mary Beth Brath (one of the co-ordinators of this paint-out), talks to Glenn Souders as he works on a painting of the Peace Light Monument in acrylics.



Rebecca Jackson, from Frederick, MD works on her painting.



I am working with my Judson Guerrilla Painter 9 X 12 Pochade box, oil paints, and a 6 X 12 canvas panel. It is my first outing with the Judson heavy-duty tridpod, and it made a huge difference - no more wobbling of the pochade box. My back was to the Peace Light Monument, and the little barn in the distance is the McPherson farm on the Gettysburg Battlefield. Painting is about three-quarters complete at this point.



Finally, some gorgeous blue skies! Sure hope we see more of this tomorrow. Most of the painters are going to be painting at the Gettysburg College, but a few of us (including myself) are going to paint at Little Round Top.

2009 Gettysburg Fringe Festival Plein Air Paint Out

I will be one of the artists participating in the 2009 Gettysburg Fringe Festival Plein Air Pain Out, and plan to be documenting the experience from each day that I am there painting. We all are hoping that the weather will cooperate, but die-hard plein air painters know we'll be painting rain or shine!

Artists from Pennsylvania and Maryland will gather to paint "en plein air" ("in the open air”) at various locations in and around Gettysburg. Interested observers can come to watch, enjoy, and ask questions as the artists create their landscapes throughout the festival.
The public is invited to an exhibit of their work on June 27 at Gettysburg Presbyterian Church, 208 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, PA. The exhibit lasts from noon until 8 PM. Meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments at the reception, 6-8 PM.



June 18: 9am – noon, Eternal Peace Light, auto tour Site #2

June 19: 9am – noon, Gettysburg College grounds

June 21: 10am - 2pm, Hanover Shoe Farm

June 22: 9am - noon, Trostle Farm near auto tour site #11

June 23: 9am - noon, along Seminary Ridge – auto tour Site #4

June 24: 9am - noon, Weikert House near auto tour Site #11

June 25: various times, Gettysburg College grounds

June 26: various times, downtown Gettysburg streetscapes

and 6pm - 9pm, Hauser Winery

June 27: Exhibit (12-8) and Reception (6-8)

Field of Poppies Oil 6 X 8

This is a small one I just finished not long ago. Any kind of flower (or even flowering weeds) growing randomly in a field is something I love to see, and to paint.

Bouillabaisse 9X12 Oil on LinenJune 4th - 17th DSFDF Challenge

This is my entry into the current DSFDF challenge. It was SO much fun to paint - good comp, rich colors. As I was painting my piece, the ear of corn above the onions magically tranformed itself into a fish...thanks to Karin Jurick for hosting these challenges!

DSFDF Challenge

This is my first entry into the Different Strokes for Different Folks challenge created by artist Karin Jurick.

Night Lily

A very kind and generous person has submitted the most gorgeous pictures of flowers up on WC for everyone's use. This is a painting I have done using one of those photos as a reference.

Low Clouds

This painting is of a farm that is beside my grandson's elementary school. The day was cool and windy, and I was fascinated by the low lying clouds and the red buildings.

Ghost

I probably should get a bumper sticker that reads "I Stop for Paintings"! I was driving down a road early one morning about two months ago when I saw this Sycamore out in a field just begging for someone to take notice...and I did... It positively glowed with the morning light, so I whipped my car up along the side of a muddy cow field, got out my trusty camera and took lots of pictures in the hopes of capturing all of the colors I was seeing in that silvery bark. This is the resulting painting, which I started working on as soon as I got home.

Beginnings

One of my favorite times of the year is when the leaves just start to pop out in the Spring, and there is that light haze of color. I was out taking pictures one day, and just happened to turn around to see this bare tree in a field. Even though I never intended to paint this, I took a picture just because I thought it was beautiful.

Of course when I got home and downloaded the pictures I had taken that day, this was one of my favorites. What I like to call a lucky accident!