Back to Wekiva Island

Wekiva Bridge, 2010

Original oil, alkyd on canvas panel • 5" x 7"

Available to purchase at Daily Paintworks

Yikes! Time flies when one is getting ready for the holidays!

It's been two weeks since my last blog post; and I have to admit that I've not been in the studio much. However, I did get out last Saturday morning, meeting up with a couple of the Central Florida Plein Air artists at Wekiva Island.

I painted at Wekiva last April. You may recall the photo I posted of the alligator sunning on the lawn where I had hoped to set up my easel? Well, this time I was greeted by 5 deer that ran out from the surrounding woods, just as I was driving into the parking area. My sister contends that I have a lot of "wildlife encounters." I guess she's right!

Anyway, it was a rather atypical Florida morning: fairly cool (I actually had on a fleece hoodie); overcast (I thought it was going to rain any minute); and most surprising, there was autumn color on the trees!

The challenge of painting on an overcast day is capturing the more subtle color shifts in the scenery while keeping it interesting. Since I began with a canvas toned with a burnt orange, I let a lot of that warm color come through for the branches and trunks of the trees. I think it plays off well against the cool colors of the sky and water.

Around noon the sun came out and the clouds floated away. What a difference the dazzling sunlight made! It's like turning on the lights on the Christmas tree. Although it was tempting to brighten up everything, I resisted (Now, that's unusual for me!) And I'm glad I did.
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Text and image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved

More greens...

View of the Lake
Original: oil, alkyd on canvas panel
10 x 8"
To purchase contact Artist

My dad was from Minnesota, known for its motto, "Land of 10,000 Lakes." However, considering all the little lakes (and quite a few big ones, too), I think Florida could lay claim to that slogan as well.

A few weekends ago, I went out with the Central Florida Plein Air Artists again, this time to Lake Minnehaha Park, located in Maitland, a suburb of Orlando. It's quite a lovely city recreation site, with a boardwalk over a marshy area, winding sidewalks with manicured lawns, and nice trees providing plenty of shade throughout much of the park. I found a cool spot with a view of the lake.

Since I'll be staying in Florida for awhile, I have many opportunities to paint trees and water—views not readily available in the high desert of New Mexico.

Thanks for taking a look. Have a great week.
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Text & image ©2010 Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Home Sweet Home

John & Mary's Back Porch, 2008

Oil, alkyd on canvas panel

10" x 8"

SOLD

Today's painting is of another home in the Eola Heights historic neighborhood of Orlando, where I painted with the Central Florida Plein Air Artists last April. The owners were most gracious to allow me to setup and spend a lovely spring day in their yard. And they purchased the painting, too!

I am still working on another painting from my travels in Italy. It is larger (9x12") and is taking a bit longer to complete than the smaller panels I have been working on. I hope to post it on Wednesday.

Thanks for looking and have a really good day.

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Text, art, and image @Carol Adamec. All rights reserved.

Back in the Garden

Morning Light, 2008
Original, oil on canvas panel
10" x 8" unframed
SOLD
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This is another painting inspired by the Eola Heights neighborhood where the Central Florida Plein Air artists had their April "paint out" this year.

I started the painting a few months ago, then let it sit around the studio, unfinished. This week, I was determined to complete it, and I'm glad I did.

The painting challenge of this piece was to convey the "temperature" of the morning light, which is cool and bluer than the warm sunny light of the afternoon. The method is to cool down all the colors while retaining the warmth of the spring season. The other challenge was the interplay of light and shadow patterns on the garage wall and trellis.

For a painting which I had almost given up on, it came together rather nicely. Many thanks to the Muse of Inspiration for all of her guidance!

I hope you have a great weekend planned. See you Monday.
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Text, images, and artwork ©Carol L Adamec. All rights reserved.

July Flag: Done!

"July Flag" 2008
Original,

oil on canvas panel
10" x 8" unframed
Contact Artist to purchase.
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Last Friday (July 4th), I posted this painting as "in progress." Here is the final version.

If you compare the two, you'll see that there's more sunlight in the foreground in the sidewalk and lawn area; and, in general, the flag colors are more vibrant. There are several other "tweaks" throughout the painting, too—all intended to focus attention on the flag. Do you think it works?

Thanks for taking a moment to read this post and see today's painting.

Keep cool this weekend. See you Monday!
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Text, Images and artwork ©Carol L Adamec. All rights reserved.
BLOG URL: http://www.CarolAdamec.blogspot.com

Fourth of July

July Flag, 2008
Original painting
Oil and alkyd on canvas panel
10" x 8" unframed
In Progres
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Back in April, I photographed this Eola Heights front porch in Orlando, in preparation for the Central Florida Plein Air Artists paint-out event later that month. Many of the homes in this historic neighborhood were built between 1900—1920's. Except for the palm trees, the neighborhood has a Norman Rockwell flavor about it...kind of like this painting.

As I mentioned in Wednesday's post, photographs are very handy for capturing a moment "right now." I saved this photo with the intention of having the painting ready for today.

Well, it's almost done—done enough to share with you on this 4th of July. I'll complete it and show you the "final" version next week.

I hope you enjoy a pleasant and peaceful Fourth of July.

Have a great weekend. See you Monday!
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Images and artwork protected by copyright ©Carol L Adamec. All rights reserved.

Practice Makes for Improvement

Cactus Garden, 2008
Oil, alkyd on canvas panel, 10" x 8"
Left: Plein air session • Right: After studio re-work

After my move to Florida, I joined the Central Florida Plein Air Artists ("CFPAA") to get acquainted with the tropical flowers and foliage and to meet other artists in the area. I also was looking forward to the practice of composing and completing a painting within a 1–2 hour time span....a necessity for capturing the ever-changing light. Then, too, the weather is just divine in Florida during the winter and spring months—a lovely time to be out of doors.

Naively, I thought plein air painting would be fairly easy to do, especially since I was working on small 8" x 10" canvas panels. Boy, was I wrong!

Pictured above is my painting of a garden in the historic Eola Heights area of Orlando. The panel on the left is what I had accomplished after about 3 hours of painting "en plein air," meaning, sitting in the owner's yard, with my easel and paintbox, working "live." I had pre-primed the canvas panel with a red orange color to give an overall warmth to the painting. But as you can see, I had barely gotten the composition and basic colors down. Before leaving the site, I took a digital photograph so I could add some details later.

The panel on the right is the painting, mostly finished, completed in the studio after two days of painting!

After several outdoor sessions, what I've discovered is that plein air painting is quite challenging. I have a new respect and greater understanding of paintings by the Impressionists, and sincere admiration for the members of CFPAA and other practitioners of plein air painting. I'll let you know how my next attempt at "live" painting en plein air goes. I am hoping that practice makes for improvement...and quicker results!

You can visit the Central Florida Plein Air Artists website and view paintings by its members at http://www.cfpaartists.org.

Thanks for looking. Your questions and comments are welcome.

Have a great weekend. See you Monday!

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Images and artwork ©Carol L Adamec. All rights reserved.