Summerfair demo

I'm participating in Cincinnati's Summerfair Art Fair this weekend and the organizers like for the artists to demonstrate in their booth. I volunteer to do that each year that I'm accepted into the show because it's fun to show visitors how the pieces are created and the kids love to watch even more than the adults.
I usually demonstrate an image I've worked on previously since concentration time is spotty.
However, dividing my attention between the demo and customers gives me frequent breaks and helps me get away from the piece so when I return it's much easier to evaluate the colors or shapes

"Elkhorn Creek Fall Colors" demonstration at Summerfair

Blue Licks State Park

In late May I visited Blue Licks State Park just north of Carlisle, KY on US 68. It's a relatively small park but steeped in American history and staffed by a super friendly group of people. Talk about southern hospitality!

"Buffalo Trace" Blue Licks State Park 8"x12" plein aire sketch on Wallis sanded  paper

Did you know that wooly Mammoths and musk ox once roamed Kentucky and created trails to the salt licks. Then the bison followed those same trails, followed by American Indians who were hunting the bison. Soon the settlers were also following those wide trails through the forest and eventually the easiest way to create a state highway was to follow that same trail. So US state route 68 follows that trail.


At Blue Licks State Park you can find a lovely history museum that traces the history of the area - they even have a stuff musk ox - it's going to be a drawing soon - can't resist that face.

"Licking River Trail" Daniel Boone escaped down this trail to cross the Licking River to safety

During the revolutionary way British raiders allied with Indians were attacking the settlers in this area, even though a treaty had been signed. Daniel Boone and 150 others soldier/settlers came from Bryan Station (near Lexington) to attack the British but were defeated and had to retreat back across the Licking River. Thus ended the last battle of the Revolutionary War.

"Foggy Morning at Tanner Station" 8"x12" plein aire sketch on Wallis sanded  paper

A settler named Tanner created a small fort to protect the salt lick from Indians. It took 850 gallons of salty brine water to boil down to create a few pounds of salt. Eventually a lovely hotel was built on site and the water was bottled and sold as a cure for all kinds of ailments. During the Civil Way the hotel was burned but was replaced with two smaller hotels.

"Licking River bottom land" 8"x12" plein aire sketch

Carter Caves State Park

The Kentucky Department of Parks gave me a hotel room grant so I can go to 9 state parks this year to do pastel drawings of each park.
My first park visit was to Carter Caves State Park which is located 5 miles from the Olive Hill exit off I-64 in Kentucky. 
On my first afternoon, which was a bit damp from a morning rain, I stopped at the visitor's welcome center to get a trail map and talked to Sam, one of the park naturalists, about the most picturesque hiking trails and the best places for sunrise and sunset. 
And yes, Sam followed my request and did "think like an artist, Sam" Thanks so much. You were right on about these beautiful locations.
I'm expecting that each park will have it's own distinctive topographical features and Carter Caves is full of running water - beautiful streams that gurgle along the surface of the land and then disappear into a cave only to reemerge later along the trail.

"Laurel Creek"-disappearing into a cave  8"x12" plein aire pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Carter Caves has over 25 miles of hiking trails that traverse the hilly cave region. In comparison, Blue Licks State Park has only 5 miles of trails but is immersed in historical information. I'll be talking about Blue Licks in my next blog.
An unexpected feature of Carter Caves is the small fishing lake, Smokey Valley Lake. 

"Smokey Valley Lake Sunrise" 8"x12" plein aire sketch

I was drawn to the sunrise and sunset colors soften by the mist over the lake. I think each park will have a visual surprise that I did not anticipate which makes creating artwork from new areas both a delight and a challenge.
I'm in Cincinnati getting ready for Summerfair Art Fair and when I get back home to Lexington I need to check the names of these creeks - may need some correction. Right, Sam?

"Laurel Cave Creek Bridge" 8"x12" plein aire sketch

"Little Creek at Carter Caves

I got my money's worth today at Carter Caves Park starting at 7:30 this morning and finishing up this evening at 8:00 pm. This is such a beautiful place. I could work here every week for the rest of the year. 

But tomorrow is my final day here and then off to Broad Ripple Art Fair.

My favorite pastel of the day is another one of the lake this evening but since I posted the lake yesterday, I'll show the reference photo, initial step, and final pastel of a tributary to a creek on Horn Hollow path.

My earlier pastel of this site took in more of the scene but that was taking in too much and with this piece I focused on the side creek with an emphasis on the ripples.

Tributary creek on Horn Valley Trail -- reference photo for "Little Creek"

"Little Creek" initial drawing

"Little Creek" 8"x12" plein aire on wallis sanded paper

Sunset over Smokey Valley Lake

Tree frogs chirp as we hike down to the lake at Carter Caves Park.

The day has been misty wet but the sun peaks through the clouds at sunset.

Smokey Valley Lake at Carter Caves Resort Park photograph taken on May 14, 2012

"Sunset over Smokey Valley Lake" Wallis sanded paper

Elkhorn Creek from my kayak

Drawing with pastels while sitting in my kayak isn't the easiest way to create new work, but OMG, was the creek beautiful today. Bright blue skies with fluffy clouds, geese honking, bobwhites singing, a light breeze and plenty of water in the creek....a bit too much water. My plan to paddle up creek was a good idea but hard to execute - oh my aching arms, and I'm a bit sunburned. Forgot the sunblock.

Back to the art.

Part of the plein air experience is recording the image quickly and with enthusiasm because the scene changes so quickly, especially sitting in a boat. My expectations remain high ... to create something worth taking to an art fair. But sometimes that's not the real reason to work on location. Sometimes you just have to relax and enjoy all the sensory experiences and be happy with the day.

This piece was difficult - I tried to take in too much of the scene and ended up rubbing out the whole thing with a paper towel, which produced a good medium green underpainting. Then I took a big breathe, talked to myself about just enjoying the experience, and started again. Painting/drawing requires that not only you get into the "zone" but that you also watch what you're doing and respond to what is actually happening on the paper. I tried to view the pastel strokes as an abstract painting, checking the shapes and enjoying the color. It was fun watching my mind bounce back and forth between "watch the abstract shapes" and "oh, that doesn't look like a tree"

Tomorrow, when I work in my studio I'm going to use some of these plein air sketches and reference photos and see what new piece I can create.

"Elkhorn Creek May Day" 8" x 12" pastel on Wallis sanded paper

Elkhorn Creek with the Plein Air Painters

This morning the Plein Air Painters of the Bluegrass met at Elkhorn Creek close to Peak's Mill for a morning paint out thanks to Betty BeShoar who secured permission from the landowner for us to set up along the creek.
The creek is always a beautiful place to work but I was especially interested in getting in some plein air practice because of my upcoming project. The Kentucky Department of Parks has generously granted me hotel space at 9 of the state parks. While staying at the parks I will be creating plein air drawings of the beautiful landscape. KY Parks are known nation-wide for their beauty and hospitality.
From those sketches I will create larger works which along with the initial sketches will appear in my show at Artists' Attic in Februray 2013.
So here are 2 sketches from this mornings plein air practice session.

"Elkhorn Creek May Morning" 8"x12" plein air drawing on Wallis sanded paper

"Elkhorn Splits" 12"x8" plein air drawing on Wallis sanded paper