Wow. It’s been awhile… the kids have returned to school, the Clothesline Festival is behind me. I am beginning to be able to focus again. Most of the tomatoes from the potager have been harvested and made into sauce, salsa, pico de gallo and gazpacho. My freezer is stacked full for a delicious reminder of summer 2011.

Junebug and Poppa visited Linwood Gardens this spring for the Tree Peony Festival wherein they found out the gardens were open throughout the summer season for artist’s workshops. Guess what I got for my birthday??? Yay. A weekend workshop in Plein Air painting! Such a treat… on so many levels.

Stay tuned for more info on Linwood Gardens. Hoping to post a Fabulous Friday Find on that this Friday. You won’t want to miss it. A hidden gem.

Jean Stephens taught the workshop. I had visited her website and seen her work before the workshop and thought that her style/vision was just what I needed to help me get over my block in oil painting. Jean’s demonstration Saturday morning was so informative and helpful.

Saturday morning demonstration. Jean does a quick value sketch of her subject (left) then creates a monocromatic  underpainting on her canvas.

 A limited palette with warm and cool primaries (left). The sky value goes in first then Jean builds the painting out into the foreground based on her original value sketch.

I am not an experienced oil painter and I have never painted in the plein air style before (painting in plain air). It was marvelous. I was inspired by the beauty of the gardens and challenged to use that lovely french easel that I had sitting around in the studio. Jean was so professional in her set up. I am a messy painter. Its the only time I have ever painted in oils and NOT been covered in paint when I was done. Her “house keeping” made me feel so organized (not an easy feat)!

Bringing out the values/hues in the middle and foregrounds (left). At the end of the day we put up our work and had a lovely critique.

Our lesson on atmospheric perspective was a turning point for me. You will see. Some of you know how I love to paint the view from my studio. Now… I get it. Just wait and see.

It was such a treat to talk art, technique and social media with other artists. The weekend encouraged me to get involved again with my local art community. I was so impressed with Jean’s demonstrations and her open, giving style of teaching.

Sunday morning demonstration on painting trees… a good thing to learn when painting landscapes!

I have a few changes to make to the paintings that I worked on there. Perhaps I will post them when I feel like they are done. Until then I may be showing up with my french easel all over town!

For more information on Jean Stephens artwork and classes please visit her website. Also, if you are in the Rochester, NY area be sure to visit Jean’s upcoming show at The Arts & Cultural Council October 12th – November 3rd. Her work is amazing!

A new watercolor that I’m working on for the Clothesline Festival in Rochester, NY.  Shown below is a detail of the horses. The background wash was still wet causing the sheen on the paper. I hope to finish the detail in the mane of the horse on the right and sign this little darling. : ) I’ll post a better photo of the finished piece!

I think I have gotten Scottish Terriers out of my system… at least for a little while. They are so darling. This is my little Santa’s Helper- anxious to get going. The Greeting Cards will read on the inside: May all your holiday wishes come true.

Santa’s Helper will be available online in October on Linen Guest Towels and Holiday Cards.

Hope you like the new Scottie in the Garden design! I “may” have gone overboard with all the pattern and Scottish references and let me just say that painting Tartan plaid has its challenges! There are four graphic references to Scottish culture… can you name them? A free set of cards to the first person who does!

I love the compact shape of these little dogs and all of the sharp angles in their profile. While playing around with the design above and after posting the Wordless Wednesday post of Oliver yesterday titled Play Ball? I came up with this little design below. Simple, silly and sweet- its just the way I roll. ; )

For ordering information click Here and select a design!            

I’m getting ready for the Allentown Festival this weekend. Shown below are some new paintings/studies that I hope to have framed for the show. Which one is your favorite? They don’t have titles yet… any suggestions?

Well, I have been strolling down memory lane with this one. Truly. I mean, how many kids get to bring a hound home to have her puppies and then get to experience the joy of opening a stall door and seeing a litter of tiny foxhound puppies come bounding out!? Oh, what joy.

Daddy and Jumbo, Kelly and Top, Kim and Signal, Me and Rookie, Momma and Alfie

The cutest ever. So this week has been a sort of “happy time” revisiting for me. Just today I sat and talked with my sister about our experiences and memories of foxhunting in MS. Run-away horses that came from the race track who were hard to handle in the field but eventually made lovely hunters. Hounds… the Walker pair named Mason and Dixon. Too funny.

My memories of the hounds themselves were very sweet, jovial, loving and affectionate. How they listened to the sound of the horn and my father’s voice (the Huntsman).

Its hard to forget the sound of a hound on the trail of a fox, or the shout of a “Tally-Ho” (when the fox is seen). There is barking… and then there is the bay or cry of a hound. Much different.  The heart races… in the horse and the rider at the sound of a hound on the scent.

I recall waiting with a group of 20 or so other riders as my dad “cast” the hounds into a wooded area. Everyone quiet and listening. How exciting it was to hear the cry of one hound… then two… then the whole pack. The horses heads would pop up. Their ears pricked forward… listening.  As the pack opened in full cry, the horses danced- ready to follow.

I have never known of a fox getting hurt or killed when I was younger. It wasn’t until I was older that I hear of how different hunting could be. Our hounds “ran them to ground”… into their holes until another day.

There was the knowledge that if there were no fox there would be no sport. It was all in the chase. There were many stories of fox “playing” with their pursuers, running in circles, confusing the hounds and then going to ground. I hope that sort of hunting can still take place, for the history, the sport and lovely, bounding foxhound.

We are pleased to announce that 15% of sales of any product featuring the Paris Hedge design (shown above) will be donated to Friends of Topiary Park in Columbus, OH during the week long Philadelphia International Flower Show. So stop by booth 535 at the show and support a historical jewel in the gardening community!

For more information on The Topiary Park go to their website and read on this blog about Michelle’s visit to the gardens last Fall with her family.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your sweetheart! This design is titled “Smitten”. When I showed the sketch to Farmboy I asked him what he thought about the ears of the rabbit on the right. His response was “They’re great. He’s completely smitten. He doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going.” Love that!

Ahhh. Paris. I’ve been listening to Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel to get into the spirit as I work… such fun! This design will be available at the Philadelphia Flower Show as a greeting card, blank notecards and perhaps 8 x 10 prints.  Hope you enjoy it!

This is one of my favorite new designs! It is available online in Notecards, Linen Guest Towels, Lavender Sachets and Limited Edition Pillows and Prints. The Michelle Masters watermark does not appear on any of the products. : )