Monsanto, Portugal -A study in stone

My constant companion is a 3.5" by 5” sketchbook and I gave it a workout in May in Portugal. Here are a few observations from my new favorite place. Monsanto is at the top of a steep hill, the road gets narrow quickly and then one has to walk. A historical site, it is slowly being re built and has a few places to stay-between boulders in very old stone buildings. It was wonderful to be high up, sitting on ledges with a pen and a few dots of paint. My entire mini art kit fits into a zip locked sandwich bag, as the sketchbook is the size of two business cards. 

Looking down into a roofless home from a higher spot.

Monsanto is a town built between boulders. The next is a view looking uphill. It seems there are few flat spots! 

Painting from a kayak

 I brought watercolors, brushes and a sketchbook in a ziplock bag to try another Plein Air painting from a kayak.

I just sketched here because there were so many birds and much to see on Motor Island in the Niagara River.  Five of the Niagara Frontier Plein Air Painters kayaked from Grand Island while several other  artists stayed ashore. Our lunch conversations were full of bird sightings and fish spawning among the rocks. No wind and the current was manageable considering we were above Niagara Falls.

Finally completed the Lagoon

Several Spring seasons ago I started a painting at Beaver Island State Park and held onto it hoping to finish on a day with similar conditions. In the meantime, the silver maple trees on the far shore had died. When I finally found the right day this year to work on the painting I left those trees in the background and completed the rest of the painting. I added the new heron's nesting platform in the lagoon which sported a nest and a resident bird, smaller than the expected herons. 

The Lagoon at Beaver Island, 16x20 oil

I don’t usually leave paintings unfinished so I’m pleased with this and have one less picture in the 'needs more work' pile. 

Working under an artist umbrella in sun and a stiff breeze, this painting is done! 

Wilson Harbor and shops

Greetings from the wildlife at Niagara Falls

Too tired. 

While painting the first bridge at Three Sisters Islands I was surrounded by newborn geese as well as 1-2 day old Ones In the first photo, the newest babies had a hard time crossing the path with their new legs. The second shows a family of duck critics in front of me.

The last shows my painting and the actual bridge from my view. Unfortunately the cat on a leash who decided the shade of my easel would be a good nap spot escaped the photo opportunity.  

Regular critics. Quack 

The First Bridge  12x16 oil  

March and April continues my resolution

Continuing daily postings of previously painted compositions, here are 36 more, getting me to the Cherry Blossom Festival, the last weekend in April. Although I have many more paintings to show, Plein Air season has officially begun and I have reached 100 posts. That about 70 more than I had resolved to do. There are a lot of buildings, a few more water sites and lots of flowers in these few weeks.

So, I’m going out to paint now. 😊

 

WIP. Evolution of a colored Glass Painting

This is the original set up, some were moved, others added or subtracted until I was happy with the composition.  16x20” oil. 

Saturday at Buffalo Cherry Blossom Festival

Guests of the History Museum are checking out my work in progress on the Museum porch. I chose the Albright Knox and the new building in progress, seen behind the pink blossoms of the Japanese Cherry Blossom Garden. 

Only 5x7, this is the plan for the large oil painting below.

10”x20”, the two museums are separated by beautiful trees in all seasons. And a parkway, can you pronounce Squajaquada? 

Paintings posted January and February

January 1, 2023

It’s time for a new resolution.

"I will post daily for the month of January."

It worked in January, I did it every day, so I posted daily in February too. That’s 59 paintings, mostly older ones that I dragged out for the month. I tried to post only a few that had sold and passed up some of the best ones, hoping to use them later. The paintings went on Instagram and/or Facebook, most always on both social media platforms.  After a while I chose subjects for each week. These images are taken from my instagram page. @kathschifano. 

A New Year Resolution in progress.

Want to see lots of older paintings? My New Year's resolution is to post paintings daily in January, so I began with paintings from 2015 and 2016. They can be found on Instagram as well as Facebook. This is a screenshot of the first 10 posts of January, starting with the large Sailboat, 'Barcelona Lunch'. 

The last two shots are the Christmas Blizzard and my new studio wall, set up for the holiday open house. 

 

A New Studio Space Evolves Quickly!

It took all of September to put this giant room in order and another month to get set up with three artists I love to paint with. We are Plein Air buddies but decided to keep our brushes flowing by sharing a studio space in the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. Surrounded by theater groups, artists of all mediums, musicians, museum spaces, and a frenzy of activity, as well as a restaurant, we are thrilled to be working together in such a creative place.

 

I chose a wall for my easel, it turned into a comfortable place. There is plenty of room here to expand.

But then, DECEMBER! The NACC invites crafters to fill the halls and has open house weekends, we took this opportunity to exhibit and sell paintings. My space expanded. Most of these extra paintings will remain stored here, but it will return to a painting spot after the New Year.

And of course, Santa came to visit. 

Edit. We have five artists sharing the space now! More action, more feedback. 

Hoyt Lake, Delaware Park - Taking indoors out

It is warm enough to wear the pink shade hat instead of winter duds!  Instead of a studio still life, on Thursday the Niagara Painters headed to Hoyt Lake at Delaware Park. Hard to believe this was late November. A beautiful day. It won't last so we will be in Studio 120 at NACC for most of winter.

Work In Progress 'Hoyt Lake'

Artpark, cold and windy.

Keeping cozy in dappled sunlight

Artpark on a Fall Saturday is usually pretty quiet but the Castellani Museum, Artwork and the NACC combined for a fun plein air event. The wind from the gorge was too much for me, so I settled on the building serving food and beverages. Hot apple cider with a shot of Fireball Whiskey was a  perfect warm up and kept me going. Someday I'll go back to paint the Lewiston Queenston bridge from the gorge rim.

Same place, one year apart, different media

Sun and Clouds Picnic II, oil 9x12 2022

Autumn Sun Streaks, pastel, 9x12 2021

WWPO and a Wet Paint Wedding Purchase

What a traditional view of the cataracts! The annual WorldWide Paint Out, sponsored by International Plein Air Painters was a huge success. NFPAP had at least a dozen artists on both Friday and Saturday. I had not painted here in a while and it was so satisfying to be right at the rail. Working in the heat was difficult, the swirls of wind from the gorge made an umbrella unsteady and I should have had more drinking water with me. But, by persevering I could complete this beauty. After a summer of good experiences and practice, my brushes just danced on this canvas. 

The second WWPO day, we worked by Three Sisters Islands and I went into the shade near the first bridge. A bridal party appeared and had their vows to my left, across the water. Members of the wedding party came to see me at work and purchased the wet painting for the newlyweds. I took it home, attached it securely in a perfect pizza box and delivered to their hotel. They paid me, but included a nice tip for packing and delivering! What a wonderful gift and memory for this couple. And asking your local pizza place for a clean box 'for emergencies' is a tip for artists reading this.

September Morning Wedding

Work in Progress!

Painting in a rainstorm

I was excited to paint in Youngstown at the end of the mighty Niagara, it ends at Lake Ontario with two forts, several dozen sailboats and two marinas and Canada all in view.

And then it rained, in fact it poured and was 1" deep under the tent which also started dripping underneath. No good for pastel painters, but I was using oils. The red roof shed was a perfect collection of shapes, so I started my painting...not planning to have my view blocked by the blue sailboat 'lifter' which wheeled in front of my view. 

In Fall all the large and small sailboats are removed from the Niagara River and packed together, similar to cars at a busy mall on a Saturday holiday weekend. The huge masts create an aluminum forest, with ropes continually clinking on metal.

But, I persisted and happily completed my painting. How many more old buildings will I find?

I

RCR shed at Youngstown Yacht Club 9x12 oil c. 2022

Three Sisters In sunshine

September brings the sun a little lower and the glare on the water is almost difficult to watch or paint. Having sold all the bridge pictures of Three Sisters at Niagara Falls State Park, I selected a 16x20 canvas for my favorite spot. 

As I painted this a group passed behind me and gathered across the water by the rocks and steps and I realized it was a wedding. Every painting has its own story and I enjoyed watching a very informal marriage ceremony as I painted. Afterwards some of the attendees asked to buy this painting. It wasn’t complete but we made arrangements to meet at their hotel later. I carefully packed the wet oil at home and signed it with their wedding date. The group had taken up a collection to pay for it and they included a tip! I’ll have to paint here again soon, these bridge paintings are my favorite and apparently others feel the same. 

September Morning at Three Sisters 16x20 oil