This piece was inspired by a misty morning hike down an oak lined trail. This piece was done using Blue Earth pastels, listening to Downliners Sekt (an old album, “Statement of Purpose”).
Oaks in the Mist
Tag Archive | green
Bald Peak Viewpoint Misty Morning
I sought out this location with some plein air painting in mind, but what I actually got was a rainy day with muddy trails and mist-obscured views. It was beautiful in its own way, and worth the trip. I’ll go back again, when the weather is fair and try to get a look at the view this spot is known for. There are lovely spots with picnic tables convenient for lingering awhile, and I can see this location becoming a favorite spot to paint.
This piece was done using a combination of Blue Earth and Sennelier soft pastels, and inspired by the dense mist, and rain-drenched early spring landscape of grassy slopes and mature hemlock trees.
Spring on the Clackamas River
My week scouting inspiring locations for a bit of plein air work took me out to the Clackamas River. I enjoyed a chilly morning of hiking new trails, and scouting likely spots to sit alongside the river somewhere taking in the view. I finally found “my spot”, and I know I’ll be going back there. The chilly gray day threatened rain, but I did manage to get a bit of painting done before heading for home.
This piece was painted with Sennelier and Blue Earth pastels, on Ampersand Pastelbord.
7″ x 9″ pastel on pastelbord, 2025
Into the Sunset
Reflecting on the recent drive to the coast on my last painting getaway, I worked from the recollection of the drive, similar other sunset drives, and the view of a sunset in-progress from the balcony of my hotel room. It was a fun quick piece that I did while the sunset flared to full vividness, and finished as it faded.
From Summer into Autumn
I’ve been getting more time in the studio, but spending less on the computer. New work is piling up, unshared!
Summer very much felt worth celebrating, and there were some stunning moments that seemed to sparkle with joy.
The time slipped away so quickly… and just this past weekend, I found myself noticing hints of Autumn here and there, on my walks, and as I ran my errands. Time spent in the studio hints at those hints.
Happily, time in the studio is increasing as I become more settled in my work and home routines in this new place. More to come!
Irises
My recent burst of inspiration resulted in some fun work in glow, mostly pretty light-hearted. It was a gray rainy day, too, and the filtered light and overcast skies resulted in creating some sunshine on canvas.
“Irises” 8″ x 10″ acrylic on canvas w/glow
This one results in a bright “moonlight” silhouette when charged.
“Irises” charged and glowing.
Spring flowers haven’t bloomed in the garden quite yet, but they bloom in my studio. 🙂
The Return of Inspiration
I haven’t been as artistically productive this year as I had hoped to be, but when inspiration struck I was ready, and that made quite a lot of difference for artistic ease and general quality of life. I’m glad you stuck around! There’s more to come…
Potentially Anything
“Potentially Anything” 11″ x 14″ acrylic on canvas w/pen&ink and glow 2015
Painted on a rainy late summer morning, feeling inspired by love, and life; I started this piece thinking about lush green forests, and new life, and finished it thinking about space travel, and contemplating the future of humankind, and how vast our potential is, viewed from the perspective of how much we do not yet know. It is a piece I find myself hoping communicates some sense of how each moment is potentially the seed of some future greatness, and how precious our uncertainty is on our path of discovery. The basic image is of a gravid woman surrounded by whirling motes of dust, imagination, atomic particles, or… really…anything.
Summer Lamb’s Ear
“Summer Lamb’s Ear” 8″ x 10″ acrylic on canvas with glow 2014
This light fun floral impression was inspired by a bed of Lamb’s Ear in summer, blasted by the brilliant midday sun, and having caught my eye and distracted me from conversation I attempted to capture the moment, and the quality of light. A small 8″ x 10″ piece on canvas, it is also dramatic when charged and viewed in the dark.
Charged, and glowing.
This one is a favorite piece of glow work; I love the perspective shift, and the appearance of a moonlit garden.
This 8″ x 10″ piece is available for $150.
Upon Closer Inspection
“Upon Closer Inspection” 8″ x 10″ acrylic on canvas w/googly eyes and glow 2014
“Upon Closer Inspection” is an exploration of color and texture outside my usual materials. The vibrant green isn’t one I make a practice of working with, and having started out with it, I continued exploring the opportunity by also using new glow material. I had run out of phosphorescent acrylic paint, and the local art shop had none of quality in stock (many stores don’t consider glow in the dark to be a ‘professional use’ characteristic, and stocking it is a low priority). They had a sale bin, and in the sale bin were several craft kits for making glow-in-the-dark projects; they included packets of glow crystals. I used those, and clear medium with the googly eyes I had on hand to complete the piece, hoping to convey something about the idea that what we see up close isn’t always predicted by what we view from a distance… or perhaps something about life taking unexpected forms (or directions). It’s a small piece, at 8″ x 10″. This piece is available for purchase at $150
The Art of M. Elisabeth Howell 