Returning again and again…

bay point boat houses red wing mn

On the second day of the plein air event, in the late morning, I set up by this scene. I painted for several hours, and then the light changed too much to go on. The next morning I got up at 5 am to catch the morning light in a different painting, and then in the late morning went back to work on this panting – and kept working on it as my temp gage climbed up to 104′, but stopped again when the sun moved behind me. And then the following day I did the same. So this is officially the first plein air painting I’ve worked on for three days in a row.

Best Wishes,

Jessie

Green Door at Bay Point Park, oil on linen, 9×12″, available at Red Wing Arts

bay point boat houses red wing mn

Painting the view at Frontenac State Park, MN

I’m on quite a plein air (painting outside) journey right now!

Last Friday afternoon I drove about 5 hours to a town I’d never seen before, to participate in a plein air event as a “Featured Class Artist”.

It’s been really wonderful. I’ve been staying with a delightful woman, and painting all day, every day…

Even on the day when it was over 100′. So much painting!!

It’s such a gorgeous area, choosing where to paint has been it’s own challenge.

This is the first painting I finished. The water here really is violet in the afternoon light.

Adventure in the Badlands

May 31, 2022 I drove over to Badlands National Park in South Dakota pretty early, so I could pull over for photos as often as I wanted on the way (which was pretty often) and still get to the badlands in time to look around. 

The north half of the park had the bighorns and deer and the teeth-like rocky structures that the park is known for, and the south half of the park had bison and emense rolling rocky grasslands, cut away with rocky ravines.

I got to the park early enough to drive all the way through before heading over to the town of Interior (population 94) to check in at my airb&b sleeping arrangements, and still get back to see if the sunset would be visible through the clouds. It wasn’t, but it was magical anyways. Don’t these bighorns look beautiful in the last light? 

I stayed overnight in a very rustic cabin without electricity or wifi, way off the beaten path. The kid (maybe 10 years old) who gave me directions from the main house out to the cabin was adorably professional.

I slept sparsely and restlessly, and got up at 4:30 am to get back to the park in time for the sunrise. I’d planned ahead with some much needed gas station coffee in the car. 

I only saw a few humans out and about, mostly professional looking photographers. But the park was full of singing birds, some fluffy beautiful deer, molting bighorn sheep and bison… 


I have about 500 photos – many of which I can’t wait to paint from! 

Color Mixing Primer (free 1-hour online workshop)

Friday May 20
10-11 AM Central Time (US and Canada).
It may go longer if there are a lot of questions.

Register HERE

The workshop is for anyone who asks “How do I mix that color?”

There will be a short presentation about how to mix using just primary colors, and another related method.

Topics will include

  • how to know what to mix to get a bright green, orange, or violet
  • what to mix to get a lovely grey or brown
  • how to tell if you have the colors you need on your palette

Mixing demo will be in oil.

There will be ample time for your color mixing questions!

Register HERE

This workshop is designed as a free resource for my upcoming “Dive into Color” summer workshop but is open to the public.

10 Reasons an Artist Should Have Their Own Mailing List

learn to paint in oils

Business Benefits

•Sell artwork directly

•Sell classes directly

•Help venues promote your events

•Nurture collector and potential collector relationships

•Nurture relationships with people, galleries, or other businesses you’d like to work with

Art Journey Benefits

•Have company on your art journey

•Cultivate your artist persona

•Nurture fan relationships

•Share things you’re excited about

•Get feedback on art experiments and ideas

Are there any other benefits you’re enjoying? Comment below and let me know.

Friends – the journey of a small painting

impressionist woman painting

Here’s a little behind the scenes story about Friends.

I really, really want to exhibit with the American Impressionist Society again, so I decided to put my best effort towards that. Since most of my recent work is tied up in shows, I decided to make a painting specifically for this exhibit – so that whether I get in or not, I’ll know I put my best effort forward. 

I sorted through all my figurative source photos and chose one of some women at an outdoor art fair last summer. I spent several days painting it, and even did a “draw with Jessie” looking closely at the woman’s hand to sort out how to simplify it. 

In the end, I set that first effort aside (I think I’ll let it dry and then crop it down to the part I really love…). 


Then I started fresh. Before painting I lightened up the shadows in my source material and noted all the things I loved and hated about the first painting. And then, as I painted, for some reason she just really wanted to look right at you (she’s not doing that in the source photo). 

Now this painting will sit in the “held” area of the studio waiting to see if it can show with my art heroes this year. 

Anyways, that’s the journey this little painting has taken so far… 

American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition – member event excitement

american impressionist society award rasche

Photo: Opening, 9×12″, oil on canvas, Awarded “Best of Quarry” at the American Impressionist Society wet wall competition, Sold.

Last week I went to Omaha for the American Impressionist Society National Juried Exhibition (digital catalog). This was my first time attending an AIS exhibition. I had a piece accepted (below) – Yay! – and it was only a 3.5 hour drive, so I rented an air-b&b, signed up for all the paint-outs and lectures, and went for a 4-day whirlwind.

impressionist duck painting
This is the piece that was jury-accepted into the show: Impressionist Ducks, 9×12″, in AIS Ntl Exhibition, Gallery 1516, Omaha, NE, (402) 305-1510

It was great seeing the exhibition in person. It’s probably the best exhibition I’ve seen. If you’re in the area, I can’t recommend visiting the exhibition enough. 

I got to meet artists I’ve admired for some time, including my favorite contemporary artist, Carolyn Anderson. Just recently I had written to her and asked permission to use one of her paintings in a slideshow about brushwork for my painting class – and was giddy when she replied yes. 

carolyn anderson aism talk at ais in omaha
Panel talk with Carolyn Anderson, CW Mundy (obscured here), interviewed by Tim Newton (right)

I also got to paint side by side with some of the best painters there are, which was thrilling. We painted at the Omaha zoo – starting an hour before it opened! Another day we painted at a private property that was one of the most beautiful places I’ve been. It was called the Quarry, and looked like Monet’s garden. I could have painted there for months…  

On Saturday each AIS-member artist who attended could submit one small fresh painting from the week to show on the “wet wall”. It was a beautiful collection of work, including zoo paintings, a portait, a cityscape, and Quarry paintings. I submitted my lillypad painting from the Quarry.

Painting at the Quarry, and then putting signature and final touches on in the gallery parking lot. This is where I should have grabbed my real camera for a real photo… Note for the future. 🙂

cw mundy aism music at impressionist society omaha
CW Mundy making music while the wet paintings were hung

I am over the moon to report that Juror of awards CW Mundy, awarded my painting (above) one of the top wet-wall awards: “Best of Quarry”! 
It was a purchase award, and the painting is now in the private collection of the owners of the Quarry – how neat is that? There were so many other wonderful things over the week, getting to be in Joslyn Museum after hours with AIS, lovely lunch and dinner, getting to see old friends and meeting new friends… I feel so inspired. 

Thanks for your interest in my art, and have a great rest of your week!

Sincerely,
Jessie