Morning vision - Greenbo Lake

"Greenbo Morning" 8"x12" pastel on sanded paper

Heavy moisture from last nights' rain gave atmospheric depth to the morning landscape at Greenbo Lake. "Greenbo Morning" is more closely aligned with what I saw at the lake this morning.

"Morning Lake Feelings" 8" x 12" pastel

"Morning Lake Feelings" is what I FELT this morning as I sat in my kayak and absorbed the stillness of the morning. I've said before that my challenge as a plein air painter is to interpret what I see in the landscape and not just try to copy. I waffle back and forth with each outing.
Wolf Kahn, one of my favorite contemporary artist, said to approach each painting as if you know nothing, so as I attempt to explain the landscape through pastels I try to figure out my focus. This morning I kept repeating, "how do I feel about this place?"

"Lake Shore" 8" x 12"

So back to the waffling. This scene is close to what I saw, but I was drawn to the scene because of the beginning of autumn touching the forest. I like this time of year. Later in fall when the forest is screaming with brilliant color, it's hard to keep my drawing from looking like a cheap persian rug -- way too many colors. Right now, autumn is more subtle.

Floating along on Greenbo Lake

I'm visiting Greenbo Lake State Park in Greenup, KY and floating along the lake in my kayak art boat. It's a bit tight quarters but nothing like it to feel the quiet, gentle movement of the lake. "Peaceful" is an understatement, especially with all the hubbub of life this month.

But before breakfast I hiked out to a cove area to watch the sunrise and record the colors in pastel.
Early morning colors are especially tricky. It seems the longer I work on the piece, the more colorful I make it and then I look away and then back again. Now I see the colors differently once again. I think your eyes adjust to the hazy colors. I'm going out tomorrow morning to try again.

"Morning Cove" 8"x12" pastel on Wallis sanded paper

It was time to hike back to the lodge for breakfast but the sun suddenly topped the ridge and illuminated  the woods behind me. So I sketched a quick drawing to try to capture the feeling of sunlight on the pine  trees along the trail. This one isn't even close to being finished but it may never be because I think it says enough.

"Pines along the Trail" 12"x8" sketch

After breakfast my husband drove me over to the boat ramp and helped me launch the kayak stuffed with all my pastels, paper, drawing board, water and lunch. Plus, my camera and the constant iPhone. Yes, I can get service on the lake which is great for posting my art activities on Facebook but awful when a junk call disrupts the quiet of the lake.

"Cove and boat dock" 8"x12" pastel on sanded pastel paper

The hillside is showing some color which connects it visually with the orange colors at the distant boat dock. I'm going back tomorrow morning to draw just the cove with the reflective colors. This drawing has too many points of interest and needs simplifying which is always a challenge for me especially when working en plein aire. So much information in full view!

"Greenbo Lake shore" 8"x12" pastel on sanded paper

Clouds began to gather and grow. I wonder if I should be heading towards the fishing dock.

Buckhorn Lake Sunshine

The sun came out at Buckhorn Lake State Park and we rented a pontoon boat with a shade cover and boated around the lake.

If you read my blogs you know I'm always in conflict about my plein aire drawings following too closely the composition and color provided by nature and not interpreting the experience enough - not adding enough of my own artistic license to the view.

This time I started out creating images pretty much as I see them as in "Overhanging Tree"

But then at the end of the day and after drawing the lake many time I finally got around to creating a more expressionistic version of the scene.-- "Sunset Impressions 2 & 3"

"Sunset Impressions 4" is more of a mix between realism and expressionism because nature provided an incredible sunset.

"Overhanging Tree" 8"x12" pastel on sanded paper

"Sunset Impressions 1" 8"x12"

"Sunset Impressions 2" 8"x12"

"Sunset Impression 4" 8"x12"

Buckhorn Lake Sunset

The weather forecast called for intermittent rain all day but as we drove to Buckhorn State Park some blue sky began to come and go.

After dinner we walked along the lake and I grabbed my pastels hoping the sunset would have a bit of color.

It didn't disappoint and, of course, an artist can always enhance mother nature's colors.

"Buckhorn Lake Sunset 1" 8" x 12" plein aire sketch

"Sunset Promise" 8" x 12" plein aire sketch at Buckhorn State Park

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