Art Treks

"Forest Light", Molly Hilton, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

2011-09-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

"Forest Light" is a lovely acrylic painting by Molly Hilton. The painting was completed on location in Green Valley Park outside of Boone, North Carolina. Molly used wonderful texture and color to capture the planes in the rocks and to achieve perspective in the painting as we look through the forest to the light that is cast through the trees. Delicate forest flowers are expressed in hints of white in the underbrush. I love the color and reach of the tree to the right in this painting.
"Forest Light" Molly Hilton, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC
Acrylic 12x14
Available for Sale

"Mountains at Green Valley Park", Charlie Chatham,Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

2011-09-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

This painting is loaded with expressive color. Charlie is a lovely soft painter and for this session he experimented with color. This is a wonderful expressive painting that demonstrates skill and presents a bold dramatic color story. The work is a story about the dramatic interaction between color and light. The clouds in the sky are moving and this is achieved through active brush work. We see the shadows on the mountains which give us a perception of depth and dimension. The yellow ochre in the road drifts off and blends into the brilliant summer greens of the mountains. This is a dramatic and successful exploration into the world of color.

"Mountains at Green Valley Park", Charlie Chatham, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

Oil 18x24

Available for Sale

"Hay Fields", Pegge Laine, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

2011-09-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

"Hay Fields" is a very free, energetic plein air painting that is full of the joy of life. There is a great sense of happiness in the activity and relationship of the colors in Pegge's work. I love the heavily textured trees that rise above the fields reaching into the rhythmic brush strokes of the clouds. The colors are brilliant and perspective is achieved in the deeper blues and purples of the mountains that recede into the cerulean blue of the sky.

"Hay Fields", Pegge Laine, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC
Acrylic 18x24
Available for Sale

"Hay Barn", Charles Maling, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

2011-09-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

"Hay Fields" by Charles Maling is a wonderful, soft watercolor that tells the story of the light in the Appalachian Mountains surrounding Boone, North Carolina. I love the way Charles applied yellows in this painting. The yellows bring forward the light that is reflected in the band alongside the road and the flowers give us perspective on barn in the distance. I also appreciate the deep shadows in the hills and the rough nature of the roof of the barn which is achieved through a series of dry brush techniques.

"Hay Barn", Charles Maling, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone,NC
Watercolor 18x24
Available for Sale

"300 Years in Boone" Molly Hilton, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

2011-09-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

"300 Years in Boone" is a total delight. This is a lovely, bright painting of one of the oldest trees in Boone painted from the grounds of the historic Jones house downtown Boone. I love the brilliant mix of colors and attention to detail in this delightful, bright painting. The tree is full of life as it spreads its huge branches across the painting. The details in the stone wall and bright colors of the buildings bring light through the huge branches of this wonderful old tree.

"300 Years in Boone", Molly Hilton, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC
Acylic 12x14
Available for Sale

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"Porch at the Jones House", Charles Maling, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC

2011-09-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

Charles Maling's "Porch at the Jones House" is a wonderful watercolor. This painting demonstrates a high level of artistry in his very careful rendering of the porch and his careful attention to the details in the buildings. I love the way Charles depicted the windows in the building across the street. There is great depth in the story of this painting found in the 300 yr. old tree that dominates the painting. The soft layers of color reflect the light that penetrates the leaves and the wonderful curvature of the porch railing provides us with an intimate view of life in Appalachia.

"Downtown Boone from the Porch", Charles Maling, Turchin Center for the Arts, Boone, NC
Watercolor 18x24
Available for Sale

"Iris in Full Bloom", Mary Lou Heine, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS

2011-09-14T12:47:00.000-07:00

Mary Lou Heine is a skilled watercolor artist. She uses bold color against a very white background which accents the drama in this wonderfully organic watercolor. Wet into wet is used to create delicate transparency within the powerful mix of color underneath each petal. The whole image seems to be growing right before our eyes. The interior stamens are moving and seem to be intertwined in their efforts to expand into the outer petals. This is a powerful painting. It is a representational piece yet itss very abstract nature draws the viewer into the interior of the image.
"Iris Full Bloom ", Mary Lou Heine, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 18x24

"Purple Iris", Sherrie Boden Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-09-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

"Purple Iris" by Sherrie Boden is a lovely soft painting that tells the story of life in early spring flowers. This is a very delicate painting with beautiful color. I love the effects of the wet into wet techniques that Sherrie used in this painting. The delicate expressive petals are full of light and maintain the transparent effects of watercolor. The deeper purples under the delicate soft petals give dimension and raise the upper petals. The mix of aqua blues create the feeling of a soft spring rain that brings joy to the flowers.

"Purple Iris", Sherrie Boden, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 14x16
Available for Sale

"Iris Petal" Krista Pojman, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-09-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

I love this abstract use of watercolor in this painting of an Iris petal. Krista is a wonderful expressive artist. I am so excited by the abstracts that have recently come forward in the workshops. is a high school student and her painting, although simplistic being only one petal, the image is dramatic and full. Krista's use of wet into wet is just wonderful and the uneven edges of the petal express great movement. Krista was also able to maintain the lovely transparent effects of watercolor in this highly expressive painting.
"Iris Petal", Krista Pojman, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS
Watercolor 18x24

"Spring Lilly", Sharon Spence, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-09-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

This is a very expressive watercolor. We see so much drama and excitement in the contrast between the very soft background and the bold dramatic color of the Lilly. I love these next two paintings. Although these two students were experimenting with watercolor for the first time, they both demonstrate skill and movement in their treatment of the flowers. This image seems to be floating in a soft wash of color. Large, bold colors are used to accentuate the depth and dimension of the flower. I love the expressive use of wet into wet and powerful brush work in this painting.
"Lilly", Sharon Spence, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 12x14

"Amber Lilly", Sharon Spence, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-09-13T12:42:00.000-07:00

This painting is a wonderful work and is one of Sharon Spence's first paintings. The background is fluid and the central Lilly seems to be moving across the page. The deep greens ground the image against the background. The deep amber of the interior petals is bold against the very light yellows and movement is created in the lift of the new flowers that are growing up into the background. This is a really exciting painting. Congratulations!
"Amber Lilly" Sharon Spence,Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS
Watercolor 14x16Available for Sale

"Water Glass and Spring Flowers" Kathy Pojman, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-08-30T13:59:00.000-07:00

"Water Glass and Spring Flowers" is a wonderful expressive piece. Kathy used great innovation in this painting. We see a very contemporary approach to an expected still life. The flowers have delicate color and the background is created using almost a pointalism technique that is typically reserved for oil painting not watercolor. The very light yellow supporting band of color is suggestive of the light that is flowing into the room through the flowers. I love this very free loose painting.
"Water Glass and Spring Flowers" Kathy Pojman, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS
Watercolor 14x16
Available for Sale

"Spring Rose", Paula Johnson, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-08-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

Paula Johnson is a skilled watercolor artist and her work has taken on abstract qualities. She is a very interesting artist. There is an iridescent quality of the interior of the rose petals which reflect the light as they begin to unfold. The yellow in the petals is accented by the brilliant application of the aqua blue and purple that make up the leaves which ground the painting. The very light green background is an expression of the soft light of spring.
"Spring Rose", Paula Johnson, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 18x24
Available for Sale

"Lillies" Paula Johnson, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

"Lillies" is a work that Paula Johnson created during one of our workshops. Paula has been studying watercolor for many years and in this painting we see the fruition of all the years of hard work. The depth of the water is created by the skilled use of charging where the water recedes under the petals of the flowers. I love the softness of the whole painting. Deep greens help form the center points of the flowers and in this the water directs the color which creates the lovely movement within each flower.

"Lillies" Paula Johnson, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 18x24
Available for Sale: Contact Paula Johnson

Eilene Fink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Eilene Flink working on the break out sessions at the Lumberyard Art Center in Baldwin City, KS

" Fall Still Life" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

In this painting we see traditional forms expressed using combinations of sophisticated watercolor techniques; wet into wet in the stairs and in the lovely background washes, scraping, and skilled use of "paper white". This painting demonstrates a sophisticated water color artist that has a profound sense of balance in her compositions. Yet the wild lines of the scraping lead us to question, "What more can we do with watercolor?" In the following series of works we will see this question answered. This is a story of how we begin to manifest our individual creative intelligence in our work as artists.

" Fall Still Life" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Eilene Flink

"Apple and Orange" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

"Apple and Orange" began the break out sessions for Eilene. These two forms began to lose their identity as specific forms and became defined by the color story in the work. This painting began the journey into exploring all the possibilities that are available in this wonderful water media. The following works explore the internal creative consciousness of the artist.

"Apple and Orange" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 12x14
Available for Sale: Contact Eileen Flink

"Color Study One" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

This was the first of the series of a break out session for Eilene Flink. In the following works we see the development of an artist in her work. Each piece in the following series of three paintings provides us with an in depth vision and understanding of the artistic process. What else can I do with this medium? Was a question Eilene began to explore in these sessions. Using traditional
watercolor techniques Eilene began to explore watercolor from the internal need to use the medium in a new way that gave her the freedom to let go of the object and look within individual creative consciousness to find the story in these beautiful works.

"Color Study One" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Eilene Flink

"Color Study Two", Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

"Color Study Two" is the second work in this series and we are drawn again to the center of the work by the bold application of purple over a bright magenta. The paper white that is left on the page is stark and yet gives power to the large, quick blast of purple brush strokes that we see moving up the side of the painting. Are we looking at a bridge, a waterfall or are the colors bringing us to a new level of our own creative experience as we explore the depth of our own internal color story?
"Color Study Two", Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Eilene Flink

"Color Study Three" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Arts Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

"Color Study Three" is the final in a very fast and exciting series of contemporary explorations into watercolor. Yellow reaches into the delicate blues of the background wash. Are we seeing flowers in the bold, dramatic reds placed against fast green brush work in the painting or are we seeing the the explosion of creative intelligence that is taking place within the artist? Purples, blues, yellows, and a cascade of blues bring us closer to the artist and her journey as she explores the vibrant color from within her own consciousness.

"Color Study Three" Eilene Flink, Lumberyard Arts Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Eilene Flink

"Through the Windows", Eileen Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T10:57:00.000-07:00

In this work we are able to see the color story unfold in the buildings and in the composition. The color remains clear and has the series has become more defined. The bright expressions of color form the architectural lines of the buildings. Lights are saved in critical points above the buildings, in the windows and in the doorways. These lights define Eilene's new perception and excitement exploring color. Fast brush strokes move the color inviting us to look closer as we examine the scene.

"Through the Windows", Eileen Flink, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T10:43:00.000-07:00

This is the final work in the series. We can see the buildings have become more defined and expressed. The color remains clear and powerful against the snow covered streets. When Eileen completed this series I was excited by the break out, free method of working that had successfully developed during her time at the Lumberyard. These are very sophisticated works that exemplify a new sense of individuality and creative freedom. Eilene's works are a study in the development of an artist's individual creative intelligence. Her work has become a part of the artistry of her internal vision.

"Downtown Baldwin City", Kathy Pojman, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Kathy is a natural contemporary painter. Her work is highly expressive and creative. She uses different tools and techniques that are highly individualized in order to create texture, pattern and geometric forms. This is an image of downtown Baldwin looking through the window of the Lumberyard Art Center. There is a wonderful piece of stained glass with an artist's palette that hangs in the center of the window. Kathy kept her lights using a lightly loaded brush combined with stampings to create many of the textures in the brick buildings across the street. This is a very lyrical painting.

"Downtown Baldwin City: Through the Windows", Kathy Pojman, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Kathy Pojman

"Apple and Orange" Mary Lou Heine, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

Mary Lou is a very free and expressive painter. She works beautifully in a very loose, free style that follows light across the page in soft fluid movements. Lights and darks are expressed in bold applications of color that move across the forms. Shadows are created in a more linear brush stroke that still manages to maintain her very loose style as they fade from beneath the forms.

Mary Lou Heine, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Mary Lou Heine studying her work at the Lumberyard Art Center.

"Yellow Lillies" Mary Lou Heines, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2011-03-29T09:51:00.000-07:00

Mary Lou has been working in watercolor for several years. She has a very free style of painting that can be seen in the beautiful loose wash she created behind the flowers. Her colors are full of light and expression. She works keeping all of her lights part of the story while using deeper tones to give the petals graceful movement. I love the brilliant yellow against the deep magenta fabric.

"Yellow Lillies" Mary Lou Heines, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS
Watercolor 18x24
Available for Sale: Contact Mary Lou Heines

Sherrie Boden Lumberyard Art Center

2011-03-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sherrie Boden working on her first painting, "Kansas Sunflowers".

"Kansas Sunflowers" Sherri Boden, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS

2011-03-29T09:38:00.000-07:00

"Kansas Sunflowers" is Sherrie's first painting. I love the brilliant color story in her painting. The colors are clean, vibrant and exciting. The depth of the petals and confusion of petals is clearly defined in the bright purples, magenta, reds and orange hues. The petals have a wonderful expression of life and strength and boldness which is unusual for a first time painter. Sherrie's freedom in her use of colors is inspiring and the typical sunflower became a modern work of expressionism.

"Kansas Sunflowers" Sherri Boden, Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Sherrie Boden Lumberyard Art Center

"Pumpkins" Ben Doss, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2011-03-29T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is a work by Benn Doss, a high school student from Kentucky. He was very interested in working with watercolor. It was very exciting to have him in class because of his sophisticated color work and internal vision. He asked me if it was alright to use colors that were not "realistic" and I told him to go for it. This is the result of his inspiration. Watercolor can be a challenging medium and his ability to keep his color clean and work using "wet into wet" watercolor technique is just amazing. He defined the forms using deeper purples and blues and worked very quickly. Working wet into wet was a perfect match to express his internal color story and creative intelligence.

"Summer Trees" Taryn Leiter, Art Treks, Lexington, KY

2011-03-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Taryn is a very talented high school student. Taryn expressed an interest in painting Plein Air so she and I took off one afternoon to paint. I know of a lovely creek close to Lexington that is really one of the best places to study the effects of light on water. We were working in Watercolor. When we arrived at the creek it was high summer in the Kentucky Bluegrass. Taryn looked at me and said, "Everything is green." So I encouraged her to just take off and tell her internal color story in fast quick studies. This is the amazing result of her work. The painting is fresh bright, vibrant and full of the light and color of life. I love it!

"Summer Trees" Taryn Leiter, Art Treks, Lexington, KY
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Taryn Leiter

"Fall Pumpkins" Darlene Doss, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2011-03-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

This is one of the first paintings for Darlene Doss. I was so excited to have her for her first watercolor class. She quickly moved into developing her own painting style. Her understanding of lights and darks and working wet into wet in Watercolor is demonstrated in the beautiful highlights left in the pumpkins. He background wash is soft, yet demonstrates that she is beginning to understand how to create form and volume with the deeper tones under the pumpkins.

"Fall Pumpkins" Darlene Doss, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY
Watercolor
16x20
Available for Sale. Contact Darlene Doss

"Flowers in Blue Vase" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, Kentucky

2011-03-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

This painting is one of my favorite paintings from the fall session at the Living Arts and Science Center. I love the expressive immediate nature of this painting. This painting is free, fun and tells a complete color story from the soft red in the flowers to the deep blue shadows below. It sits within itself.

"Flowers in Blue Vase" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, Kentucky
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale: Contact

"Fall Still Life" Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Lexington, Kentucky

2011-03-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

In another piece from Sharon Ross, "Fall Still Life" Sharon continues to explore color light and shadow. There is beautiful shadow work in the deepening folds of the fabric. These folds are further expressed in the highlights we see as the fabric moves much like the water in the following works "Kentucky Creeks" and "Summer Day at the Beach". These are all beautiful expressions of the dramatic play of light in painting.

"Fall Still Life" Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Lexington, Kentucky
Oil 12x14
Available for Sale: Contact Sharon Ross on Face Book

"Day at the Beach", Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Lexington, KY

2011-03-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

"Day at the Beach" is another work by Sharon Ross that explores the play of light on water. I love the shadows that extend beneath the feet of the children as they play in the gentle waves. The color of the waves is a soft aqua and the white of the surf plays beautifully against the soft white of the children's clothing. These are Sharon's grandchildren. The figurative work is very exciting and the interaction of the figures with the sea gives us the experience of those long, free days at the beach during summer vacation.
"Summer Waves", Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Lexington, KY
Oil
16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Sharon Ross Face Book

"Kentucky Creek" Sharon Ross Art Treks, Lexington Kentucky

2011-03-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

"Kentucky Creek" by Sharon Ross has been exploring new media. This piece is an acrylic and captures the soft light of a meandering Kentucky creek. The color work in the creek and the shadows on the water from the trees is a wonderful example of how light plays on water. I love the confusion of the tangled forest growth at the bottom of the trees.

"Kentucky Creek" Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Lexington, KY

Acrylic

16x20

Available for purchase. Contact Sharon Ross on Face Book

"Farm Cupola" Anne McGarity, Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS

2010-10-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

Anne has a very architectural eye due to her background as an Architect. Her work often combines sections of architectural elements with broad open landscapes. She is a professional painter and has a wonderful sense of perspective and color. Soft colors take the hard edges off the architectural elements in her paintings. The lovely field grasses in the foreground give Anne's painting a full rich feeling. It is almost as if the form is speaking to us like the Tin Man in the Wizard of OZ. Teh beautiful colors of the fields in the background let us know fall is on the way. The distant sky has an ominous feeling of pending rain. And this is exactly what was happening. We were just finishing up when the rains came.

"Farm Cupola" Anne McGarity, Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS
Oil
18x24
Available for Sale

"Fields from Nitcher's Farm" Anne McGarity, Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS

2010-10-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

"Fields from Nitcher's Farm" is a wonderful oil completed by Anne McGarity. She captured the whole feeling of the changing sky and the early colors of fall in the fields. I love Anne's perspective of the distant hills. The small grove of trees in the foreground brings dynamism to the beautiful yellow ocher grain field. The sky is filled with beautiful purples and the distant hills of Vinland recede into the violet sky. The trees in the center of the painting create a bold statement and contrast to the lovely red field.

Fields from Nitcher's Farm" Anne McGarity, Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS
Oil
24x36
Available for Sale

"Janette Working Plein Air at Nitcher's Farm" Vinland, KS

2010-10-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

Janette is a wonderful watercolorist. Her experience painting is rich and having her work with us is just a total joy. She is a very fluid painter and seeing her standing at Nitcher's farm in her bare feet on the stones painting transported me into another world. I felt like I was standing in the midst of the great Impressionist painters.

"Steeple on Vinland Church" Kathy Pojman, Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS

2010-10-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful loose painting completed in an afternoon by Kathy Pojman. She works primarily in oil and woks more realistically. However, each time Kathy joins us she "takes off" and works in watercolor because of the freedom she experiences working with the medium. I love the additions of color used in the building and the contemporary approach she uses for this medium. She is a very free painter in watercolor and I love the bright pinks that show up in the trees.

Steeple on Vinland Church" Kathy Pojman, Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS
Watercolor
18x24
Available for Sale

"Canada" Eileen Flink, Shawnee, KS

2010-10-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

Eileen Flink is a highly skilled watercolorist and is part of Artistic Trekkers. "Canada" is one of the paintings she completed during a recent trip to Canada. I love the wonderful colors of the water and the reflection of the rocks. The softness of the trees in the background give the whole painting a very quiet perspective. There is an experience of isolation towards the windswept pine at the far end of the group of trees. I love the soft colors and the bold use of purples for the shadows and reflection in the trees.

"Canada" Eileen Flink, Shawnee, KS
Watercolor 16x20
Available for Sale

Field Mushrooms, Artistic Trekkers, Krista Pojman, Vinland, KS

2010-10-11T13:23:00.000-07:00

"Field Mushrooms was painted by Krista Pojman and was first watercolor and she expressed herself in a free and colorful background washes. The perspective on the mushrooms is wonderful. The free use of her combined colors in the background make the mushrooms come forward in this painting. I love the relationship between the forms of the mushrooms against the wonderful background. This is a wonderful painting.

Field Mushrooms, Artistic Trekkers, Krista Pojman, Vinland, KS
Watercolor
18x24
Available for Sale

"Kaw Indian Reservation" Dan Freese, Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

2010-09-08T08:10:00.001-07:00

Dan Freese is a gifted painter living in Council Grove, Kansas. His children have inherited his artistic gifts and they often share their experiences together by participating in the Plein Classes I teach through the Arts Council in Council Grove, Kansas. This powerful painting is about the endless horizons on the Kaw Indian Reservation near Council Grove. The views are uninterrupted and seem to go on forever. Life on the vast praries of the West are found in the expression of color in the landscape letting us know the wild flowers are in bloom. The light of the sun is expressed in the bold use of bright yellows in the deep prarie grasses. We are not sure where the land ends and the sky begins. The clouds are strongly stated by his use of powerful brush strokes. Subtle violets and soft yellow support the billowing clouds above the beautiful colors of the land which seem to be reflected in the clouds. The vision of the artist is expressed in the beautiful undefined nature of the color work.

"Kaw Indian Reservation"

Dan Freese, Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

Oil

24x36

Available for Sale. Contact Dan Freese

Draw at the National Grasslands" Emily Freese Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

2010-09-08T08:09:00.001-07:00

Emily has just graduated from high school and is on her way to Kansas University. She has been studying Art in school and through classes with the Arts Council in Council Grove, Kansas with her Father, Dan Freese and brother Jeffrey Freese. Her work is full of powerful dynamic color a. Her brush work is bold and strong and demonstrates the power of her artistic vision. Powerful brushwork lets us know the wind is blowing through this valley at the National Grasslands and the distant tree line lets us know there are bluffs leading to the expansive horizon. The sky is a brilliant cerulean blue and the sun is expressed in large areas of bold yellows in the fields. This is a wonderful painting and encapsulates the entire feeling we experience in this vast, never ending landscape.

"Draw at the National Grasslands"

Emily Freese Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

Oil

18x24

Available for Sale. Contact Emily Freese

"Road on the Kaw Reservation", Jeffrey Freese, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

Jefferey Freese is a high school student and comes from a family of very gifted painters. This is one of his first oils. The color in this piece brings to mind a storm is on the way. The clouds are forming in clusters and there appears to be a stillness in the air. The tree line in the middle ground breaks our vision and we see no movement; only the stillness of the prarie. I love the reservation and the beautiful colors that surface in this lovely, soft, still painting. The road leads us to the end of our journey where the sky and land meet. You can see forever on the Kaw Reservation and this painting lets us see the end of our journey. The brilliant greens in the foreground let us know where light penetrates through the clouds. This is a wonderful painting and demonstrates a unique and profound relationship between the artist and all that he sees.

"Road on the Kaw Reservation", Jeffrey Freese, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

Oil

16x20

Available for Sale: Contact Jeffrey Freese

"Flint Hills at the National Grasslands" Sher Olson Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is a highly expressive and beautiful painting that is full of the texture and light of the hills in the National Grasslands. Many of the colors reflect the shadows of the clouds and the lovely deep purples used in the foreground of the painting allows the viewer to see the splashes of color in the abundant wildflowers. I love the wild movement of the clouds in the sky. The bold brush strokes let know that the clouds are moving fast across the horizon creating shadows on the hillsides. The wonderful use of lights on the tops of the hills indicate the sun breaks through the clouds at intervals in this wonderful and highly expressive painting. Sher is an accomplished artist and educator living in the small historic town of Council Grove which is just north of the National Grasslands.

Flint Hills at the National Grasslands" Sher Olson
Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS
Oil
16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Sher Olson

"Distant Hills at the National Grasslands" Dara Lowery, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

I love the sky in this very rich and beautiful painting. The activity in the sky is repeated in the light and motion of the grasses in the foreground. The distant hills are brought to our attention through the light and the receding horizon. The soft purples used are just an indication of the variety of color we see in the Flint Hills and at the National Grasslands. The land is vast and uninterrupted. We can see to the farthest hilltop. The sky moves the earth in this wonderful painting. I love the ridge line of the hills and the way the colors move through the painting.

"Distant Hills at the National Grasslands" Dara Lowery
Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS
Oil
12x14
Available for Sale: Contact Dara Lowery

"Grove of Trees National Grasslands" Sher Olson, Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sher Olson is a highly talented artist living and teaching in the Council Grove area. She has been working in oils throughout most of her artistic career. She experimented using high color to bring out the grove of trees in the draw below the hills. The sky and distant hills are masterfully created using blues, purples, and deep greens to give perspective and to let us know the clouds are moving in an endless procession across the sky. I love the brilliant greens in the hills and the way every color is clear and pronounced, yet is still part of the story of this beautiful painting.

"Grove of Trees National Grasslands" Sher Olson, Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS
Oil
12x14
Available for Sale: Contact Sher Olson

"Flint Hills at the National Grasslands" Anne McGarity Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T12:24:00.000-07:00

Anne is a sophisticated oil painter and architect. Her paintings are an expression of her fluid and accepting artistic nature. She uses broad brush strokes and color which allows us to explore this wonderful endless landscape. The hills close to us are full of soft color and areas of light where the sun has broken through the clouds. This painting moves the viewer out to the distant horizon where the clouds are moving quickly across the sky. Her fast bold brush strokes let us know the wind is active. Broad brush stokes let us know the deep draw is stationary below. Subtle lights and broad brush strokes are characteristic of Anne's beautiful work.

"Flint Hills at the National Grasslands" Anne McGarity Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

Oil

24x36

Available for Sale: Contact Anne McGarity

"Wild Flowers Kaw Indian Reservation" Dara Lowery Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T08:59:00.000-07:00

I love the textural quality of this vibrant and exciting painting. There is great movement in the activity of the brush strokes and the colors. The wonderful brilliant wild flowers contrast with the early spring grasses. The soft violet color in the sky seems to be a reflection of the purples from the flowers. I also love th activity in this beautiful sky and the way the light in the field leads us to the top of the ridge. The shadows of the clouds are reflected on the field in the deeper greens and the power of color is expressed in this wonderful painting that is full of color and light.

"Wild Flowers Kaw Indian Reservation" Dara Lowery Council Grove, KS
Oil
16x20
Available for Sale: Contact Dara Lowery

"Hills at the National Grasslands" Lauren McGarity, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

I love the wonderful colors that move in this painting. The activity of the wind is beautifully suggested in the wild waves of the clouds above the vast plains of the National Grasslands. Everything moves in this painting through the applied use of color. The sun breaks through the clouds and colors the ocean of grasses. The distant purples lead us to the point of the bluff in the far distant left of the painting. Everything rises and falls in such a way that we are often unable to determine if we are in a land or seascape. The clarity of color is maintained throughout this exciting painting. The sky is an amazing expression of light, color and activity. I love the way color is used to help the viewer understand the vastness of this land.

"Hills at the National Grasslands" Name, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

Oil

16x20

Available for Sale: Contact Name

"The School House" Linda Shoults, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-08-31T08:48:00.000-07:00

Linda is a sophisticate painter and an active member of both Art Treks and the Arts Council of Council Grove,KS. This wonderful painting was completed at the National Grasslands. Linda has a wonderful eye for detail and we are able to see these details expressed in the light she uses to define the trees and the colors found in the grasses. The viewer feels as though they are looking across a draw up to the school house. The wide expanse of the horizon is captured beautifully in the soft blues that move into the sky. The movement of the wind is expressed in how the trees lean back into the painting. I love the perspective in this piece and the brush strokes she used to create the trees.

"The School House" Linda Shoults, Art Treks, Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

Oil

12x14

Available for Sale: Contact Linda Shoultz

"High Plains, Kaw Indian Reservation",Emily Freese, Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS

2010-08-30T14:07:00.000-07:00

Emily has just graduated from high school and joined her family to paint with us at the Kaw Indian Reservation. She is a highy emotional painter and her bold brush strokes and use of the palete knife bring great drama to her canvas. She uses lights and darks to express the impending rain storms and the deepening sky. Deep blues and purples power across the canvas like the winds that are bringing the storm. The tree sways in the foreground and deep purples let us know we are looking over a draw. Powerful yellows give brilliant contour to the rolling plains which make up the lands on the reservation. This is a powerful painting.

"High Plains, Kaw Indian Reservation"
Emily Freese, Art Treks, Arts Council Council Grove, KS
Oil
18x24
Available for Sale Contact: Emily Freese

"Historic Home" Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2010-08-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

Sharon is a wonderful watercolorist. She works with lovely soft washes which she layers in to bring out the colors she sees. I love the pinks and blues in the tree. This painting was painted Plein Air in Lexington in an area full of historic homes. The soft colors of

spring are reflected in the plants and the bushes beneath the porch. Sharon is really great with architectural details. Even though this is a simple, fast sketch, the succession of columns on both porches are intriguing. I love the yellow on the soffit of the porch. This is a very fast,expressive painting.

"Historic Home" Sharon Ross, Art Treks, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

Watercolor

16x20

Available for Sale. Contact Sharon Ross

Sharon Early Spring Plein Air Class, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2010-08-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Sharon is one of my art students from the Living Arts and Science Center in Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington lovely springs. Large white and pink magnolias bloom and every spring flower you can imagine breaks through the earth. The air is lovely and warm and a wonderful relief after the long cold winter months. Our classes often work outside during the late spring.

"Spring Pansies" Peggy Entrenkin, Art Treks, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2010-08-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

Peggy is a very expressive painter and has a very light expressive touch. Watercolor is a perfect medium for her. This is early spring in Lexington, Kentucky. We can see this by the purple wash and delicate flowers that are just beginning to bloom. The soft wash of Paynes grey through the window lets us know we may be in for a rain storm. Soft white pansies reflect the light of the sky and the loose wash in the fabric moves in patterns and waves across the table. We feel as thought what is happening outside is also happening inside. The livliness in this paiting comes in the soft application of variations of the primary colors. We have a lovely red terra cotta pot, a soft yellow table cloth and a brilliant blue window trim. These add color which contrasts with the rain out the window,

"Spring Pansies" Peggy Entrenkin

Art Treks, Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

Watercolor

16x20

Available for Sale. Contact Peggy Entrekin

"Mums and Pears" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T11:20:00.000-08:00

Linda is a highly skilled oil painter and has been working in this medium for many years. Her work is unique because it combines her devoted eye for detail with a soft expressive quality demonstrated by the pears and fabric. The flowers in the vase are highly expressionsitic yet the vase grounds the image in the details. The composition is laid out so that each element although separate within its own form is crucial to the relationship of the other forms in the painting. The colors in this work are subdued and subtle. There are gentle folds in the fabric that lead us into the pears. The edge of the table is not abrupt, but is softened as it meets the background. Light is skillfully attended to in the pears and the delicate colors in the vase and flowers. Details are suggested in the pears, but are not pronounced giving this whole work a soft gentle expression.

"Mums and Pears"
Linda
Oil
14x16

"Boots and Silks" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

Anne was able to complete three paintings in the workshop sponsored by the Arts Council in Council Grove, KS. This work is a wonderful painting. The colors are bold and the boot that is laying down creates an interesting and exciting painting. Anne is highly skilled in her use of perspective in her paintings. The drama in this painting is created by the relationship of the colors between the fabric and the boots and the position of the boots in the total composition. The lovely, bold southwestern fabric gives us a fresh burst of color. The boots become the focal point of the painting due to their position in the composition. Lovely yellows and brilliant pinks contrast with the more subdued tones of the background. Purples work to emphasize the folds in the fabric adding to the color in this painting.

"Boots and Silks"
Anne
Oil
18x24

"Pears and Mums in a Tin Vase" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

This is another painting created by Anne McGarity. Color and perspective play a very important role in Anne's work. The backgroung color provides an excellent backdrop for the lovey Mums that dominate the painting. The beautiful white flowers are defined by the textures which seem to fade into the soft colors of the background. The pears provide this composition with a solid ground as do the sharp lines in the table. The movement of the flowers into the background gives us the perspective in this painting. The soft folds of the fabric offer a beautiful contrast to the sharp edge of the table.

"Pears and Mums in a Tin Vase"
Anne McGarity
Oil
18x24

"Fruit on Blue Silk" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T10:49:00.000-08:00

Anne uses lovely soft colors to create drama and interest in her work. The central forms are not lost in the soft draping silk fabric. Lights are maintained by the use of soft purples and deeper shadows created by the folds in the fabric. The peeled banana is of particular interest due to the details in the folded peels. This leads the viewer deeper into the painting. The tangerines create the bold drama in the center of the painting as well as the bright splash of red in the apple. Details begin to fade as we get farther back into the painting.

"Fruit on Blue Silk"

Ann Mc Garity

Oil

18x32

"Pears and Mums" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T10:31:00.000-08:00

Dan Freese uses heavy texture and bold strokes to create excitement in this painting. We see a softer quality in this work from Dan than in the two following pieces. The lightness and whites in the Mums are separated from the background by texture and we see great movement in the flowers. The stationary pears are lovely in this composition. They seem to hug the bottom of the metal vase that holds them together. The deep colors in the shadows of the vase are the source of drama in this piece and I love the bright blue handle.

"Pears and Mums"
Dan
Oil
16x20

"Prarie Fire"Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

This is another one of Dan's pieces that was completed during our workshp sponsored by the Council Grove Arts Council. Dan used both a palette knife and very large brush to complete this work. This area is prone to prarie fires and the brilliance of the fire line is the focal point of this wonderful and expressive painting. The intensity of the fire is in the center of the painting. The flames appear to be moving across the prarie in the wind. The wind carries the flames into the sky to the left of the painting. The areas in the foreground have not been affected by the fire. It sweeps from left to right rather than advancing further towards us. The brilliant blue of the sky is just visible through the flames as the whole scene catches a breath in the intensity of color in the background.

"Prarie Fire"

Dan Freese

Oil

24x32

"Still Life, Jeans and Fruit" Arts Council, Coucil Grove, KS

2010-03-05T10:07:00.000-08:00

"Still Life, Jeans and Fruit" was completed by Dan Freese. The following work was completed by his daughter Emily. There is a stark contrast between these two highly skilled painters. Dan used a paletted kinfe throughout this painting. This is a powerful work in terms of the color and the emotional content. Color is applied in heavy expressive movements. The boldness of the deep blue shadows gives the other forms great movement and intensisty as the viewer is led directily into the center of the painting.

"Still Life Jeans and Fruit"
Dan
Oil
16x20

"Jeans and Fruit" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Emily is the daughter of Dan Freese who were both enrolled in this workshop. She is also a very accomplished oil painter. I love this painting due to the skilled colorwork in the jeans. The bananas and tangerines contrast dramatically against the deep blues found in the jeans. Emily's use of light in oil is reminiscent of watercolor techniques. There is an almost transparant nature to the dramatic layers of colors in the jeans. The bananas cuve and give solid form to the moving lines of the jeans. I love the bright tangerines and the light that is captured in the yellow ochre background.

"Jeans and Fruit"

Emily

Oil

16x20

"Fruit on Silk" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

This is the first in a series of minature works created by Janelle. She is a highly skilled oil painter and her understanding of light and form is wonderful. The forms take center stage in this work. Color and the placement of the fruit in the composition draws the viewer into the painting. I love the bold use of primary colors in this piece. The peeled banana is especially interesting since it completes the painting and also draws the eye into the tangerines which form the central core of this wonderful painting.

"Fruit on Silk"
Janelle
Oil
4x6 inches

"Peeled Banana" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

I love the simple statement made in this work. Again Janelle is working in minatures. There is great movement in this piece and the folded peel of the banana is expressive against the deep shadows under the fruit. The curve of the fruit is and the way is is balanced on the peels is intriguing. Janelle is a highly skilled oil painter and the fruit is brought forward by the dramatic background colors. I love this small intimate painting and the story it tells.

"Peeled Banana"

Janelle

Oil

4x6 inches

"Lilly" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T09:38:00.000-08:00

Janelle worked primarily in minatures for this workshop. The colors of the petals in the Lilly are soft and delicate yet the background is bold and dramatic. This creates great drama in this work. I love the way the flower petals move and bend. This movement is accentuated by the deep shadows beneath the flower and the leaves. The outer petals reflect the light that give this whole piece a very sensitive expression. I can imagine this flower being in a Japanese water garden. I love the way the Lilly is positioned in the composition and the way it moves and flows into the bold background.

"Lilly"

Janelle Brown

Oil

4x6 inches

"Still Life" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS,

2010-03-05T09:30:00.000-08:00

This is a dynamic painting full of life. Even though we place this work in the category of a Still Life we see the fabric moving and it appears to be held together by the solid forms of the fruit. The colors are subdued yet the movement draws the viewer through the painting. It is almost as if the image is part of a larger field of color. Elanor creates a relationship of forms between the bananas and the oranges. The deep shadows under the fruit move into the folds of the fabric creating depth and dimension in this work.

Still Life

Elanor

Oil

16x20

"Red Cup and Tangerines" Arts Council, Council Grove, KS

2010-03-05T09:22:00.000-08:00

This is a dynamic painting due to the use of so many primary colors. I love the height the cup gives this composition. The tangerines are brilliant against the blue silk table cloth and the light that plays in the silk is lovely. The deep shadows that were created using purples and magentas and reds create greater emphasis on the tangerines and also compliment the cup. Glenda used wonderfu reds and kept the lights active in this painting.

"Red Cup and Tangerines"

Glenda

Oil

18x24

"Covered Bridge" Artistic Trekkers, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-05T09:04:00.000-08:00

Kay is a highly accomplished watercolor artist. This scene is dramatic due to the wonderful color of the bridge against the snow. The interior of the bridge is expressed in deep umbers and sepias which lead us through the bridge into the softly falling snow. The shadows from the trees in the snow are long and skillfully handled in transparent washes of blues and purples. We can see the snow caught in the rough textures of the trunks. I love the spatter effect on the barn which gives us the idea that snow is still falling. This is a very quiet scene and we want to wander through the bridge into the soft forest in the distance.

"Covered Bridge"
Kay
Watercolor
16x20

"Barns in Vinland KS" Artistic Trekkers, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-04T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is a dramatic winter scene that gives us the feeling of an impending winter storm. Kay uses very loose washes of paynes grey to let us know the storm is just about to arrive. The muted tones of the painted barns and outbuildings give us the impression that the afternoon light is quickly fading. The skilled use of layered washes in the shadows cast by the outbuildings do not diminish the white snow that covers the ground. The trees in the background give us a solid backdrop for this scene.

"Barns in Vinland KS"

Kay

Watercolor

16x20

"Winter Barn" Artistic Trekkers, Baldwin, KS

2010-03-04T12:39:00.000-08:00

In this painting we see that Kay continues to master the art of watercolor. In the following paintings we can see her many years of experience and her in depth understanding of this medium. This barn is half hidden from view, yet the deep tones of blues, sepias and umbers present us with a very dramatic image against the white of the snow. The perspective on the barn is intriguing as are the windows. The branches of the trees have almost hidden the barn behind them, but the dramatic darks that play against the lights in the surrounding landscape which cannot hide the barn. The trees let us know how deep the snow is and the exposed wall and road leading up to the barn is another way Kay demonstrates her intuitive sense of perspective.

"Winter Barn"

Kay

Watercolor

16x20

"My Front Yard" Artistic Trekkers, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

In this painting we see how Kay skillfully controls her watercolor washes. The late afernoon is casting shadows of the trees over the snow and the light is filtering through the branches of the trees. The tree trunks are bare and the snow has collected in the textured tree trunks. The soft shadows are long and stretch from beneath the trees. The colors are soft yet not forbidding. The whole painting invites us to listen as we walk quietly through the snow.

"My Front Yard"
Kay
Watercolor 16x20

"Prarie Cattle" Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-04T12:25:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful painting due to the beautiful work that Edwin did on the sky and the attention to detail in the cattle. The expressions of the cattle are interactive and their posture is intimate. The colors in the huge sky and clouds are full of purples and deep blues which reflect the oncoming rains. I love the colors of the prarie grasses and the incredible detail in the structure of the cattle. Edwin works in minatures yet the whole painting magnifies the broad expansive prarie and the animals that live on it.

"Prarie Cattle"
Edwin
Acrylic

4x6 in.

"Oranges and Purple Bowl" Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

I love the bright contrasts in this wonderful watercolor by Mary Lou. She uses wet into wet skillfully in defining the folds of the fabric. The purple bowl is just fantastic and the deep purple shadows under the oranges balance the painting. Large areas of white were left untouched in order to demonstrate the direction of the light. This whole painting is very loose and free with color and at the same time the forms are not lost. This painting demonstrates the brilliance of this wonderful medium.

"Oranges and Purple Bowl"
Mary Lou
Watercolor
18x24

Yellow Bowl and Strawberries" Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

Katelyn is a middle school student and has been taking watercolor classes for a number of years. She is a talented painter and works very well with this highly challenging medium. She uses wet into wet very well . She able to heavily charge the forms without losing the transparancy of the medium. Her yellow bowl is full of color and the strawberries are deep in the bowl giving the bowl depth and dimension. The soft blue background contrasts beautifully with the yellow and red primary colors found in this piece. The dramatic shadows also give the painting a very loose yet defined light source.

"Yellow Bowl with Strawberries"

Katelyn

Watercolor

124x30

"Quick Study Tangerines" Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS

2010-03-04T11:54:00.000-08:00

In this quick study Janette captured all the light and volume by an effective use of vibrant color washes. The tangerines seem to be moving due to the fast quick strokes of Janette's brush. I love th deep purple shadows under the tangerines and the large white areas that let us know where the light is coming from and how it is affecting the forms. This painting is a really fun and expressive painting.

"Tangerines, A Quick Study"
Janette
Watercolor 12x14

"Boots and Sunflower" Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

This is a very loose free painting. Kay is a gifted watercolorist and has been working in watercolor for many years. This painting is full of colorful washes which are applied in layers to bring out the depth of the forms. The deep center of the sunflower is expressed in purples, reds and sienna. The background shadows are deep and bring the sunflower into the forefront of the painting. The very loose washes give a weathered and worn look to these boots. I also love the

deep purple color that is used to show the curve of the toes of the boots. The soft pink and blue background contrast with the rugged nature of these well used boots. They belonged to my niece who used them for barrel riding in Wyoming. I always bring them with me where ever I teach because so many students get such wonderful paintings from them.

"Boots and a Sunflower"

Kay

Watercolor

16x20

"Lillies" Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin City, KS

2010-03-02T13:57:00.000-08:00

These Lillies seem to be reaching for the light and their delicacy is grounded by the deep blue and sienna ground they rest on. Kay uses an understated technique to express the edges of the petals which seem to fade out into the background of the painting. The depth of the delicate petals is expressed by texture and color.Kay is a highly skilled watercolor artist and has been painting in the area around Lawrence and Baldwin City, Kansas. The beautiful deep green leaves also reflect the pattern of the flowers and catch the light that penetrates through the petals.

"Lillies"
Kay
Watercolor
16x20

"Parrot", Lumberyard Art Center, Baldwin, KS

2010-03-02T13:42:00.000-08:00

This is a painting by Katelyn. She is a middle school student. Her understanding of water media is extensive and she has been working in watercolor for several years. She applies her understanding of the technique for using wet into wet for background washes. She is very detailed in her use of color. She has a good understanding of the importance of the subtle shadows that appear under the feathers of the bird. The precision of the white areas against the very loose background creates the drama of color in the bird. Deep blues add to the bold brilliance of the red feathers. This was painted from a photo she had taken on a trip to the zoo.

"Parrot"

Katelyn

Watercolor

16x20

"Sunflowers and Basket" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2009-12-28T08:50:00.000-08:00

"Sunflowers and Basket" is a wonderful expressive painting that tells us the story of fall. The flowers seem to have just been removed from the basket after a day in the garden. The beautiful, deep, red washes in the centers of the flowers are skillfully handled and give life to the painting. The basket is askew and the flowers seem to be everywhere. I love the movement in this still life created by the flowers and the tilt of the basket. Lee Ann used deep blues and purples giving depth and volume to the painting which create a powerful backdrop for this composition.

"Sunflowers and Basket" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY
Lee Ann
Watercolor
18x24

"Two Pumpkins and Gold Flowers", Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington KY

2009-12-24T10:56:00.000-08:00

Sharon used a very limitied palette to create this beautiful, full still life. The entire painting seems to move beginning with the folds of the red striped fabric to the left. The petals engage with each other and continue to merge with the waves of color. Deep reds combined with burnt sienna create depth and volume in the pumpkins and the fast washes in the background look creates the idea that we are looking through a window to the November sky.

"Two Pumpkins and Gold Flowers" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

Sharon

Watercolor 16x20

"Tyrone and Shantia" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington,KY

2009-12-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

"Tyrone and Shantia" are the beginning of a three part series of animal portraits created by Karen of her beautiful dogs. The relationship between the animals and the owner depict the devotion between them. The colors Karen used to accentuate their wonderful long ears and beautiful eyes and long noses bring them to life. Light is used to bring them to the center of our attention by the large area of white that is left between them. Their eyes tell us all about their gentle nature and their loving hearts.

"Tyrone and Shantia" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

Karen

Watercolor 16x20

"Elvis" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2009-12-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

"Elvis" is an emotional painting. These images all depict the very sensitive relationship we have to our animals. I love the soft, intelligent expression in his eyes. Karen did beautiful work letting us see into his gentle heart. I love the deep colors we see in his long beautiful ears and the skilled use of foreshortening. Foreshortening is a very difficult and critical part of portrait painting. Fortunately we had the very best model for this very sensitive work.

"Pumpkin and Sunflowers", Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2009-12-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

Peggy created a lovely still life using layers of soft yellows, greens, reds and purples. She was able to maintain the beautiful transparancy of watercolor while giving depth and volume to the pumpkin and bringing out the brilliant colors of the Mexican blanket. A large splash of yellow across the background gives us the warmth of the sun against the walls as the flowers turn towards the light. "Pumpkin and Sunflowers" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY Peggy Watercolor 16x20

"Pears" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY

2009-12-24T08:11:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful, full, rich study of a very simple subject of pears in a bowl. Everything in this painting expresses dramatic emotion. Skilled application of color creates the power of emotion. Very loose, wet backgrounds and deep color provide a provocative backdrop for the details in the brilliantly colored fruit. Nadezda uses sophisticated color to achieve a dramatic landscape of emotion in this wonderful, highly charged still life.

"Pears" Living Arts and Science Center, Lexington, KY
Nadezda
Watercolor
16x20

"Old November Farm" Artistic Trekkers, Midway, KY

2009-12-24T07:59:00.000-08:00

"Old November Farm" was completed on one of the last beautiful days of November in Kentucky. This abandoned farm is located in a remote area across from one of the oldest working grain mills in the area. The November sky is prevalent. Deep browns colored with red washes let us know that winter is coming. The old road leads us into the farm house which is faint in the background. The fields are full of once bright purple thistles now turned into a lovely red brown indicative of the colors of November. Birds sail over the once productive farm. I love the skilled use of the last colors of fall seen in the pale orange and purple distant tree line.
"Old November Farm" Artistic Trekkers, Midway, KY
Evy
Watercolor 16x20

"Silk and Lemons" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

2009-12-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful painting that uses the brilliant colors of traditional Latino painters. I love the movement, depth and wonderful use of color to accentuate the deep folds of the fabric. Cesar uses lovely washes that create a rich background that becomes an integral part of this colorful painting. The colors breathe life into the painting. The brilliant lemons form the center core of the painting and tells us how light can be held in the beautiful transparant nature of watercolor.

"Silk and Lemons" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS Cesar

Watercolor 18x24

"Flower Vase" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

2009-12-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

This was a very fast painting and expressive painting. The deep purples are added as shadows on the petals that seem to burst forward from the vase that holds them. They are whimsical and bright and carry the transluscent value of good watercolor techniques. I love the reflected light that is suggested in the vase. The sun cast shadows across the walls of the room in soft washes of bright yellows that contrast beautifully with the purples in the flowers. This is an expressed idea, a moment in watercolor.

"Flower Vase" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS
Linda
Watercolor
16x20

"Pumpkin and Two Gords" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence,KS

2009-12-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin and two gords is study in brilliant color. The deep blue background and almost irredescent line green table cloth with the deep purple shadows cast under the gords provide us with a living still life. The pumpkin has great light accents and the gords lead us to the colors in the pumpkin creating a focal point. All of this is achieved by the very free use of bold color in this painting.
"Pumpkin and Two Gords" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

Julie
Watercolor 18x24

"Morning Flowers" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

2009-12-14T14:29:00.000-08:00

"Morning Flowers" is a wonderful expressive painting that expresses the joy of seeing a simple cup filled with flowers in the morning. Kathy is a very whimsical painter and her background lets us see the light reflected off a busy and colorful background. This adds to the movement and joyful nature of this work. I love the uninhibited nature of this very vibrant complete painting. The story is complete and we look forward to having a very bright morning.

"Morning Flowers", Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS
Kathy
Watercolor
18x24

"Red Cup and Bowl", Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

2009-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

"Red Cup and Bowl" is a wonderful Still Life study. The almost pearl white interiors of the cup and bowl provide a profound contrast to the deep rich yellow ochre background and the deep red cup and bowl. Light is captured in the cup and bowl by leaving areas open for the light to reflect off the surfaces. Purple gives us the dimension and shadows that are accentuated in the images. Vicki's use of burnt sienna for the table color grounds the images and gives a natural relationship between the warm background of the wall.

"Red Cup and Bowl" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence KS
Vicki
Watercolor
16x20

"Golden Rod", Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

2009-12-14T13:59:00.000-08:00

Kate used a delicate background wash to give the flowers full focus in this painting. The deep greens rise through the golden rod giving consistency and depth. The lovely color work in the flowers give them fullness and the light touches of deeper oranges move the petals in towards the stamens. This is a very expressive piece and is Kate's second painting.
"Golden Rod" Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS
Kate
Watercolor
16x20

"Vinland Hills" Artistic Trekkers, Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS

2009-12-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

Sara's treatment of the "Vinland Hills" is a very simple yet beautiful expression of the way light moves across the landscape. The gold road leads us beyond the horizon to the infinite. The skilled treatment of soft blended colors allows us to see movement in the hills. The hills become surreal and provide protection for us as we walk the road into light that is just visible beyond the horizon. The foreground gives the painting perspective and depth as the colors become softer and move us closer to our journey.

"Vinland Hills" Artistic Trekkers, Vinland, KS
Sara
Oil
16x20

"Lillies" Plein Air Class Artistic Trekkers, Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS

2009-12-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

Lillies" is a dramatic, contemporary acrylic painting created by Paula. Deep reds, purples, and blues allow the painting to flow towards the sun. The flowers are open and full and the stamen are delicately touched by light yellows indicating the sun is shining. The petals move and play off each other in bursts of bright color. They interact and become alive in by the use of abstract color . This is a wonderful bold colorful painting.

"Lillies" Plein Air Class Artistic Trekkers, Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS

Paula

Acrylic 24x36

"Fall Tree at Stone House at Vinland Berry Farm", Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS

2009-12-02T10:53:00.000-08:00

Color lets us know that fall has arrived. The wonderful explosion of color in the tree is contrasted by the linear lines of the buildings. Ann's architectural background is a prominent feature in this very bold, colorful painting. The brilliant red barn leads the viewer into the soft gold tones of distant wheat fields in this beautiful painting. Deep purple shadows tell us that the afternoon light is moving in. Light plays a dramatic role in this wonderful composition. Ann follows the light and allows it to express the brilliance of fall.

"Fall Colors at Vinland Berry Farm", Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, Kansas
Ann Mc Garity
Oil
18x24

"Stone House" Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS

2009-12-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

This beautiful old stone house is one of the most painted structures in the Vinland Hills outside of Lawrence, Kansas. It is located on the property of the Vinland Berry Farm. The dramatic treatment of the trees behind the lap sided section of the house pushes the structure and moves the viewer into the beautiful colors of the building. The light treatment of the windows and the door suggest the age of the house. I love the color used to indicate the tin roof. The light washes Kate used suggest the stone building and the windows are treated the same way. This is a lovely collection of washes that tells the story of a beautiful old stone house.
"Stone House" Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS
Kate
Watercolor 16x20

"Morning Glory", Vinland Berry Farm, Lawrence Art Center, Lawrence, KS

2009-12-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

"Morning Glory" is an interpretive contemporary acrylic piece painted on site by Paula. The color is dramatic and creates a linear aspect to the work. The leaves provide a soft contrast to the very bold flower which is set against the wood post. Light is caught in the edges of the leaves letting us know that it is still morning. The deep purples in the single morning glory draw the viewer into the center portion of the painting and where the flower really opens up. There is lovely dramatic color in this very contemporary and exciting piece.

"Morning Glory" Independent Plein Air Class, Artistic Trekkers Vinland Berry Farm, Vinland, KS

Paula

Acrylic 36x24

"Hanging Basket", Artistic Trekkers,Vinland, KS

2009-12-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

"Hanging Basket" is an very lively work painted on site by Ester. Light is caught in the edges of the leaves through the combination of areas of whites and lighter application of layered greens. The lively and delicate red flowers provide us with accent points in the mass of flowing green leaves. I love the very light shadows cast by the flowers against the walls. The very expressive background wash gives us increased activity of the light in this very active painting.

"Hanging Basket"
Independent Plein Air Class, Artistic Trekkers
Vinland, KS
Ester
Watercolor 16x20

"White Fences", Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY

2009-11-30T12:27:00.000-08:00

The brilliant white fences become lost in distant fields and trees. Lovely shadows cross the horse pasture from the trees that lean towards the fence. Karen used highly skilled washes using a variety of color to let us know that the evening light was moving across the paddock. There is a symetry to the curved lines of the fence and the long meandering area that leads us to the distant woods. Beautiful color defines the fence lines and evening shadows. I love the way the trees reach towards the lovely daylight and the way the shadows cross the fields. The landscape is moving and rolls from the brilliant greens that pick up the light of the sun to the deeper greens that are found in the foreground of the painting. The hills are defined by the colors of the shadows and the carefree expression of light patterns on the field. The two horses provide perspective on the size of their pasture and the surroundings.

"White Fences"Artistic Trekkers, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY

Karen

Watercolor

16x20

"Two Barns", Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY

2009-11-30T12:18:00.000-08:00

Lee Ann used beautiful washes to express the beautiful colors of the evening light. The gorgeous gold light of the sun is captured in the foreground. As we move back across the fields deep purple shadows are cast under the trees and surround the barns. We find the beautiful soft evening light is filtered between the two buildings as if they are waiting to be closed for the night. I love the contrasting colors of this very quiet yet expressive painting.

"Two Barns"Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY
Lee Ann
Watercolor
18x24