Somewhere in Texas

"Somewhere in Texas"
8" x 8"
Pastel on canvas panel
A while ago I found a photo of this Texas landscape and kept it on my desktop. I only remember that it was in Texas. The colors, the texture, the light all drew me to this spot. I'd love to go there some day to see a place where the land is so many different colors.  

I have about four or five more panels left from the dozen or so I painted black for this landscape series. I may have to prep more, as I'm getting a lot of favorable comments on my squiggle technique.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Pond Pads

"Pond Pads"
14" x 11"
Pastel on canvas panel
I've painted this scene at least twice before. I love the dark shadows and the reflections in this pond. I've wanted to paint it with pastel, so now I have. It was as fun as I hoped it would be. 

I'm testing old subject matter and new alike, with my black canvas and hard pastels. I'm also wearing nitrile gloves to keep my hands from looking like a car mechanic's.  Oh, what fun!!

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast. net
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Trout Stream

"Trout Stream"
8" x 8"
Pastel on canvas panel
I watched a movie last night after I finished painting and posting my missive for the night.  It had some beautiful scenery in it, so I pointed my camera at the TV screen and captured half a dozen images of things I want to paint. This is one of them. 

I've seen trout streams like this in Colorado, but this one happens to have been in Oregon.  I'd love to go to Oregon some day, even if it's just to drive through and take photos. Anyone want to take me on a subject matter trip?

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Garden Pond

"Garden Pond"
12" x 9"
Pastel on canvas panel
I have yet to see this pond reflect blue. It's always muddy brown as I cross the bridge that spans from the parking lot to the island that is the Chicago Botanic Garden.  I've photoshopped it, posterized it and tried to make it prettier than it is, but nobody would recognize it if it were pristine. Strangely muddy is how I perceive this body of water that surrounds one of the most beautiful places in Chicagoland. 

The closeup flowers hang from containers on the bridge. The flowers in them change with the season. This was the view from August, seven years ago.  I always photograph from this bridge. Every trip to the Garden begins or ends with this vista.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
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The Lieutenant River

"The Lieutenant River"
14" x 11"
Pastel on canvas panel
I was in Old Lyme, Connecticut a few years ago and again before that. This is the Lieutenant River  in the back yard of the Florence Griswold House and Museum where the American Impressionists painted at the same time the movement was in progress in Europe. Many artists summered in the comfort in her large home. They painted during the day and chatted and played games in candlelight after dark.  I've spent hours in this place, channeling the energy of our country's Impressionists who created in this place 110 years ago.

I've painted this before, but not quite like this. I'm pleased with how it turned out.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Polished Knob

"Polished Knob"
7" x 5"
Pastel on canvas panel
I visited many old bars, inns and homes in Wisconsin this summer. There were doors that fascinated me, and this was one of them. Imagine my surprise when I saw how shiny the brass knob was when I got up close. Of course it would be well used — being the door to the bathroom. 

I didn't use my squiggle pattern to paint this. Oh, I tried to, but the wood just didn't look… wooden, so I put on some Neil Young and let my hand stroke back and forth to his swaying rhythm.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Flaming Tips

"Flaming Tips"
20" x 16"
Pastel on hardboard 
I found this cluster of pots at the Botanic Gardens in August when I was there with friends to paint en plein air. I photographed it for the sunlit leaves and the banana plant in the background. Bananas do not grow in Illinois, unless they're in pots, such as this one was.  

I thought I'd make a palette knife painting of the photo, but I'm in a pastel mood right now, and it suited my need for subject matter, again, on a larger scale than I've been doing. I'm pleased with the outcome.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
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Coleus Carnival

"Coleus Carnival"
24" x 20"
Pastel on black panel
Flanking the front door of the floral shoppe down the road from Mary and Dee's home where I stayed for five days last week was a barrel of coleus and ornamental sweet potato plants. The colors radiated in the sunshine, so I photographed them, hoping to be able to use the image … some day. 

When I saw the image on my computer screen I knew they would be my first large, three day painting in my squiggle style of pastel painting.  I'm very pleased with the results. And I can hardly wait to begin my next large pastel painting. I've become … braver.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
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Downtown Blues and Greens

"Downtown Blues and Greens"
9" x 12"
Pastel on canvas panel
This is the last of the LaCrosse paintings. I had done the ones in warm colors and decided to make one to go in a silver plein air frame I brought with me.  I didn't like it as much as three other pieces, so it stayed behind. 

What has surprised me and some of my followers is that the squiggly marks I make with my pastel also works for non-organic subject matter such as buildings. I'm not as fond of it, used this way, but I rose to the challenge and did what I set out to do.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Fifth and Main

"Fifth and Main"
8" x 8"
Pastel on canvas panel 
This is one of the three pieces I submitted to the plein air competition this past week in LaCrosse, Wisconsin on the Mississippi. It's in my favorite style of painting with pastel, alas, it did not win any awards.

I made new friends and met up with a couple of recently-made new friends in my travels. I enjoyed being a part of this event, and hope to participate again.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
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At Water's Edge

"At Water's Edge"
5" x 7"
Oil on canvas panel 
How it stayed rooted for as long as it had, amazed me. A pine that close to the water's edge doesn't usually stand straight and flourish as this one seems to have. I hope my commenting on it hasn't jinxed it.  Hang in there, beauty…  

 I'll be out of state at a plein air event for about five days. I will not be posting during that time, but will be attentive to email in the evening if you care to write.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Valley

"Valley"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard 
I've been reading some old missives about applying paint to a canvas to create art, "The Boston School of Painting" by Frank Benson.  Choose the right value, he says, get plenty of paint on the brush, and apply it in one stroke — flat, don't fuzz it or fuss with it.  I'm not sure I can abide by those rules, but I tried it. Maybe it's appealing to someone.  

Carol  

Streaming Amethyst

"Streaming Amethyst"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard 
The sky reflected an amethyst quality onto the stream in front of me. I was tempted to wade into it with a fine mesh net to gather  the precious booty. 

 I love how water takes on the colors of what surrounds it and is in it. Here, I considered the sky, weeds, trees and rocks as I painted.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Pine Time

"Pine Time"
6" x 6"
Oil on hardboard
A river ran across this corner of the ranch where my friend took me to visit. The air was crisp and we never saw a bug… so unlike summer in Illinois. 

The fragrance of pine was prominent. Maybe that's why there were no bugs, but I didn't know what other kinds of varmints there were to threaten me.  Ignorance was bliss.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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As We Came Through the Clouds

"As We Came Through the Clouds"
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard
The captain informed us of possible bumpiness as we approached Chicago. The tops of the clouds didn't appear to be tortuous, but we cinched in our belts anyway.  He was right. Not so many bumps as rolls side to side. Beautiful to the eye — icky to the stomach. 

 My last sky painting for a few days. I promise.  I needed to make them to cover while I was out of town to attend a wedding. I enjoyed the hours spent "in the clouds."

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
Dailypaintworks.com
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