Garden #6

This lush oasis is one of the many beautiful areas at Garden #6 in the series of garden paintings I am working on. This is an oil painting on linen and I used a Terra Rosa underpainting to help capture the glowing afternoon light. My morning plein air attempt was less successful and I decided to scrap it. (They are not all masterpieces).

There will be an exhibit of all the garden paintings by all the artists at the 2012 Ann Arbor Garden Walk on June 9.

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Winter Plein Air Painting Meet at Matthaei Conservatory

As the Plein Air Chairman of the Ann Arbor Women Artists I scheduled a winter painting meet, Monday February 13 in the Conservatory at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.

As a special bonus, Sharon Griffes Tarr, A Master Member of the Great Lakes Plein Air Painters Association presented a terrific oil demonstration on how to approach a plein air painting. The event was well attended with at least 20 members of AAWA & GLPAPA present.

Following the demonstration artists scattered to various locations to work on their own paintings.

I am pictured here (on the right) with Sharon and her beautiful finished oil painting.

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Garden #1

The first garden to be selected for the artists to paint in was actually the last one I was able to visit. It is the only one I did not have a plein air version to work from. Only photographs.

I hope I will be able to return in the Spring and capture some other area of the garden. The colors were so lovely on this September day and I love the contrast between the evergreens and the flowers and the way the fence leads to the shed.

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AAWA Gala 60th Anniversary Party

I have been a member of Ann Arbor Women Artists (and a Few Good Men) for quite a few years now. I have served as a workshop Chairman, Women's Center chairman, Vice President, President and currently Plein Air Chairman. I have also belonged to one of the critique groups for many years.

I have always found AAWA to be a great source of encouragement and inspiration. There are so many phenomenally talented artists in this group and I am privileged to count many of them as friends. On February 11 we held a Gala Masked Venetian Ball to celebrate 60 years of creating art and to honor all those who helped make this possible.

AAWA started with four women as a study group and is now has 330 plus members. I am pictured here with my husband, David (Phantom)and two of my daughters. Holly top left and Tammy bottom right. It was quite an event and a good time was had by all.