ITS ALL ABOUT ART

Almost daily painter, traveler and art lover
It's all about art, what else is there?
@lisahutart on instagram

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Day 171 Whirlwind-ish

There is really nothing calm or peaceful about this painting. I like it when someone calls a painting of mine calm, or colorful or soothing. I'm almost beginning to like the dead silence that happens on occasion too. Really. What are they thinking? I can guess ... sometimes it's a big question mark, or "I could do that", we've all thought that. Unless you create art yourself that I admire, or happen to be an amazing curator for a museum - I pretty much don't get my feelings hurt anymore. Art is subjective regardless.
This was one whirlwind-ish (I like making up words) painting that sort of did it's own thing. It's certainly reflective of my schedule for the past and next few weeks - and that's totally OK. I'm enjoying every minute of my whirlwind crazy life.

Whirlwind-ish
oil 6x6


Day 170 Now You See Me

I've painted 3 similar paintings of these super colorful aspen trees. They all sold at the Summer Art Market, which was fabulous. I feel inclined to keep painting them, trying to make them better, experimenting with different versions. I like the now-you-see-me-now-you-don't idea of painting things -  that they disappear from my view (and studio). This whole painting journey is about learning to paint better, using oils vs. acrylic, palette knife vs. brush, natural bristles or synthetic? So many choices. But it's much more about how you see things and I'm definitely seeing it my way.

Now You See Me
oil 24x24


Monday, June 20, 2016

Day 169 Funfetti Flowers

I'm still a day behind, you may not have noticed but I did. I painted a lot over the weekend and am banking my paintings. Kind of like the 13 paintings I did in 3 days during the Littleton paintout and Ft. Collins marathon a while back. Then I had a few extras to post on those days when I may have framed all day or did art stuff but not actually painted. Or sometimes the paintings don't turn out and I can't post a total crappy one. Sometimes I do anyway. sigh.
This painting was an exercise in painting flowers for the fun of it - which makes me think of funfetti. If you don't know what that is, go make some for the fun of it.

Funfetti Flowers
24x30 oil


Day 168 Bossy Purple

Nothing adventurous happened to me at all yesterday. I stayed in my own backyard. The sage are in full bloom and the pine dust is blowing. Yellow is all around. I have a few groupings of lupine so no worries, still rocking the purple. I decided to paint close up of the lupine with the smattering of sage in the background. I initially visualized lots of yellow and sage green, working to get that yellow just right. Then that purple just took over again.
Bossy.
Sometimes I dream about my ideal job. Naming colors for Crayola for example, wouldn't that be fun?  but they only have 120 colors, which I find sad. Crayola needs to get with it for those young budding artists out there.

Bossy Purple
20x20 oil


Saturday, June 18, 2016

Day 167 Ice Cold Lemonade

Today I painted with my friend Tracy Haines. We were driving around looking for a spot and saw a dirt road along Willow Creek that seemed to have a good spot. Dismayed to see a "No Trespassing" sign, we approached the first house to ask if we could paint along the river.
Nancy, the homeowner said of course we could paint there and that she used to paint too.
The road stopped around the corner and we ended up basically painting in their front yard. I felt a little bad, surrounded by National park, National forest and here we are painting in someone's yard? A stunning yard with a river running through it. The whole family was so nice - it was very hot out and they offered us lemonade. Ice cold, homemade lemonade.
Nancy came out to visit and after a short conversation Tracy and Nancy discovered that they had taken a class together years earlier at ASLD and knew each other! Hopefully, Nancy will shoot me an email and we'll get together to paint next time I'm up in Grand County.
I could name this painting Along Willow Creek but every time I see it I will think of that delicious lemonade and the kindness of strangers. Who weren't strangers after all.

Ice Cold Lemonade
9x12 pastel


Any other plein air painters scored on ice cold lemonade lately?

Tracy Haines - I love her art! Check it out at Tracyhaines.com

Nancy has this beautiful parrot - who knew that's the "wildlife" I would see today?
Fun adventures in Plein Air Painting!


Thursday, June 16, 2016

Day 166 A Curious Landscape

Plein air painting was a little adventurous tonight. I was painting at Monarch Lake when a young male moose let his curiosity get the better of him. Ed followed him from a distance and when he started getting really close to me, Ed tried to call but alas, no cell coverage. Then Ed finally whistled when the moose was only about 15-20 feet away. The moose are pretty used to people up there but this guy got way too close. And I never saw the mom, which was nerve-racking.
I'm smart.
I ran. Dodged behind a tree first.
Then he continued on to see what in the world is a Coulter easel?
A Curious Landscape
9x12 pastel

The resulting art, with my adrenaline pumped hands and while looking over my shoulder every 30 seconds searching for wildlife.


This is the photo Ed took as the moose watched me and slowly approached. I didn't hear a thing, too busy concentrating on my pastels, doh!

Notice there is no artist standing by that easel.

We left the big camera in the car, too heavy to carry so these were taken with our iPhones.
Then a bird pooped on me. Big time, down my face, all over the front of my shirt. It was gross.
No shit - nature was out to get me tonight. But I'll be back tomorrow.


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Day 165 Hills above Lory State Park

This was the last painting of the day in Ft. Collins at Lory State Park. My feet hurt, it was hot, I was tired and my ice had all melted. I set up in the back of my car "Lazy Plein Air" I like to call it. I kicked back in the car to contemplate the painting when it looked close to done ... I may have dozed for a few minutes or two.

Hills above Lory State Park
12x12 oil on board





Monday, June 13, 2016

Day 164 Focus

This was painted at sunset during the Littleton Paintout. The art studio is such a mess I lost it for a few days and it took some work to unearth which pile it was in tonight. I love painting sunrise and sunset, especially in warm weather.
I had a great weekend at the ASLD Summer Art Market and the Alzheimer's Association MIM Art Auction. The last month has been filled with plein air events, classes, a couple shows, a hail storm causing roof damage and packing up my house. More on that later. Now I'm reminding myself to get back to my focus asap - learning to see and express in paint my view of the world, daily.

Focus
9x12 pastel





Saturday, June 11, 2016

Day 163 Addicted to Art

Today started early and went late. I am showing and selling at the ASLD Summer Art Market, and I'll be back tomorrow. A couple people commented that my paintings were bright and happy. That's exactly how I feel when I paint - happy - so glad that it shows to some.
Tonight, I attended the Alzheimer's Association MIM Art Auction. What a lovely event honoring 90+ artists with dementia and raising funds for programs and services. I donated 2 paintings and I was good and only bought one small painting for myself. It's an addiction. This painting was done last week as I've been seeing lots of wild blue flax blooming outside lately.

Addicted to Art
16 x 20 acrylic


Friday, June 10, 2016

Day 162 Columbine Mill Study

Last week during the Littleton paintout I found a quite spot on Bemis street and saw a great view of the historic mill between the trees. You can read all about this landmark here:

https://www.littletongov.org/index.aspx?page=333

I like how this one turned out better than the 9x12 I labored over for hours. Something to reflect on.
Apparently there was some construction going on nearby, an occasional construction worker in bright orange would walk across the field and look at me oddly as if I was as out of place as they were. Which we probably both were.

Columbine Mill Study
6x6 oil





Thursday, June 9, 2016

Day 161 Iris on Nevada

I'm jumping around on the posts from my weekend painting marathon from Littleton to Fort Collins. This was from Nevada St. in Littleton just next door to those poppies I painted. I love iris, mine were decimated by the hail a few days ago so now I have to just enjoy the painted ones.

Iris on Nevada
12x12 oil


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Day 160 Shady not Sketchy

Location 3, old town Ft. Collins. I found a nice shady spot on Remington and painted this corner building. Not "sketchy" shady, but actual shade from the sun. Guess sketchy has two meanings also. Geez, I'm tired. I've been framing all day for the Summer Art Market and need to head to bed.

Shady Not Sketchy
12x12 oil

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Day 159 How Does Your Garden Grow?

PAAC Paint Out Ft. Collins - 2nd location 2nd painting.
After I finished the first 12x12 oil (yesterday's post) I decided to try a small study of another artist painting a similar view. Mary had a really cool gardening cart to haul her art supplies. Some artists use backpacks, rolling suitcases, tool boxes, many many different vessels to haul our gear. I'm sticking with my backpack even though fully loaded it's about 25 lbs. Thank you Mary for unknowingly posing!
Check out her work at MaryGiacomini.com.

How Does Your Garden Grow?
6x6 oil on wrapped canvas


Monday, June 6, 2016

Day 158 You Had Me at Purple

At Saturday's PAAC paint out in Ft. Collins our 2nd location was the Environmental Learning Center. There was a river, a bridge, tons of things to paint but how could I resist purple flowers? More reasons to paint with PAAC:
-They had donuts at sunrise
-They loaned me bug spray
-They knew the names of the flowers, Dames Rocket
-They (unknowingly) posed for my next painting - which I will post tomorrow!

You Had Me at Purple
12x12 oil on 1.5" gallery wrapped canvas



Sunday, June 5, 2016

Day 157 Sleep Deprived Sunrise

The PAAC all day paintout yesterday was a blast. I got up very early, drove to Ft. Collins and thought I'd be one of just a few showing up at 5 am to paint. I was "late" at 5:10 am and there were 15 or more painters already deep into their canvas. I pulled into the parking lot at Fossil Ridge Natural Open Space and did a very fast pastel. We painted at 4 locations throughout the day and I'll post those over the next couple days. I met a few painters I havn't seen since last fall and met a few new ones.
Even though I did paint by myself most of the day, I was surrounded by other painters with the same passion for art that I have. It's a great feeling being in the zone.

"A late bloomer is a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual." wikipedia

"I've always been an artist, but not always a painter." Lisa Hut

Sleep Deprived Sunrise
pastel 8x10




Friday, June 3, 2016

Day 156 Poppies on Nevada

I'm confusing you now. I am posting a day ahead since I'll be gone all day/evening tomorrow and I hate feeling behind. Also, this title is the same from 2 days ago. I went back and changed the Day 154 title since it was really a study for this larger one. This one was put in the Littleton show and sorry the photo shows shadows along the edge from the frame. TMI for you all but I felt the need to explain to keep myself from getting confused. ugh.
Say sorry shows shadows three times fast. :)

Poppies on Nevada
9x12 oil
sold


Day 155 Behind Ned's

I got up very early and found a spot just off Main Street to paint the back of Ned Kelly' Irish Pub. I was enticed with the color of the buildings and composition. Besides, there was plenty of parking and a great view at 6 am! Who knew the Littleton park and ride overflow station would fill up by 7:25 am. Every 5 minutes a new car would appear and screw up change my viewpoint.
Who knew the guys who mow the strip of grass between the street and parking lot (where I was standing) would show up and ask me nicely to move my umbrella and myself for a bit so they could mow. I sorted my pastels, so no time wasted there. At least the cars covered up the dumpster that I really didn't want to paint. I was wrapped up and gone by 9:30 am. Instead of moving to my second location today I'm taking a nap. I am painting sunrise to sunset tomorrow with PAAC, so I really need that nap.

Behind Ned's
9x12 pastel
sold


Really? Better than the sprinklers going off

I honestly didn't see this coming that my
 view would be completely blocked so I moved up
above on the newly mowed grass


Thursday, June 2, 2016

Day 154 Poppy Study

Today was fun but I'm tired. I started out the day getting my panels stamped at 7 am and I was painting in downtown Littleton by 8 am. I really wanted to paint main street but couldn't find the exact spot. So, I chose some beautiful flowers in front of a quaint house on Nevada. I quit at 3:30 but then headed back out after dinner to paint the sunset at Jackass hill. Hung out with some teenagers sneaking some booze and I had to work hard to ignore them. Apparently it's a cool spot to drink, take a date or paint a sunset. I started with oils (did 5 paintings) then switched to pastels tonight for 2 fast sunset paintings. Tomorrow will be a pastel day I think.

Poppy Study
6x6 oil
sold

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Day 153 Ready for Summer!

Over last weekend the lupine in the mountains were just starting to bloom. Not many, but a couple that must have been in just the right sunny spot. They are ready for summer.
I think the rain is going to hold off and I'll have two great days painting in downtown Littleton with 49 other artists also ready for summer. Tomorrow and Friday, I'm easy to spot wearing my purple hat - stay tuned.

Ready for Summer!
6x6 acrylic on wrapped canvas



Day 152 Winter Aspen

Today is the day I catchup. I've been behind one painting and it's been bothering me. Today is really the 153rd day of 2016. Second post to come. I painted a lot last weekend so I can post two paintings today. Monday was Memorial day and I wanted to paint something patriotic. Instead, I was inspired by all the trees that were surrounding me and I had fun painting several colorful versions.

Winter Aspen
12x12 acrylic on board, framed
Sold