Friday, December 30, 2011

SOUTHWEST POTTERY, Oil, 14x15

I decided to make some changes to this still life because I thought it needed some drama with more darks behind the yellow vase.  The photo I took closed in on the center of interest and I'm much happier with it.  Now I just need to stop painting on it and let it dry so I can varnish and frame it for a spring show.

YELLOW BARN, 11x14, Oil

I make some changes to this painting of my neighbor's barn.  It seemed to need some more distant background on the right side behind the far fence.  I think it made the barn and the blue tractor stand out and take center stage as I intended.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

HILLSIDE SYCAMORE (9 x 12, Pastel study)

The barren landscape can be challenging but the white native sycamore trees stand out against the hillside.  I plan on studying tree skeleton and shapes this winter.

COUNTRY CHARM, 9x12, Pastel

I painted this pastel 9 x 12 en plein air on a chilly day in Nov.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

ROUND ISLAND II, 8x10, Oil

Painted at Cordorus State Park in Sept.  This island is a favorite nesting place for bald eagles.  Canoeing and kayaking around the island is a popular activity.  This was painted late in the day.  

SUNLIGHT AND SHADOWS, 18x12, Pastel

A pastel painting that I unframed and repainted.  I can do this with pastel and often do in the winter months.  Reworking a painting is a great way to learn new techniques to improve a painting.

Monday, December 5, 2011

Smoke House, Gettysburg, 9x12, Oil

Painted in August at a farm on the Battlefield in Gettysburg.  This painting along with four other plein air paintings will be exhibited at the Mechanicsburg Art Center's Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters show for the month of December, 2011.  18 Artcraft Rd. Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Spangler's Barn

I wanted to try a larger canvas (20 x 16) and do a plein air painting.  I didn't have any problem, just used larger brushes and mixed larger piles of paint.  Most plein air paintings are small because they must be completed in 2 or 3 hours because the sun moves and shadows change rapidly making the whole scene change.  I hope to do more larger paintings, maybe a snow scene this winter.

Hillside Vines, 9x12, oil

I've painted this scene on several ocassions each time trying to capture the different light effects.

Gettysburg Overlook, 9x12, Oil (sold)

Painted in August on a day starting out sunny and then the clouds and rain came in.  I chose to stay with a sunny setting.  The distant mountains were beautiful.

Friday, May 13, 2011

FARM ABOVE LAKE MARGURG, 11x14, Oil

Painted en plein air at Cordorus State Park, Pa. on a warm light filled day in May.  Painting is 11 x 14 on canvas.

THROW THE STICK, 11x14, Pastel

A pastel painting created for the Hanover Area Arts Guild "Pet Paintings" Show for June 2011.  The guild and gallery are in Hanover, Pa.

GOLF COURSE POND

Painted en plein air at Mryle Beach, S. Carolina.  The new growth on the trees and in the ground cover were rich in color.

Monday, March 7, 2011

SHADY SIDE

This barn was located on a farm owned by an artist friend who told me after the fact it was really a pig sty many years ago.  Really, they kept the mamma and baby pigs there.    She now uses it to store flower pots for her nursery business.  I painted it because I liked its unusual shape and beautiful colors on the side and its rich dark stone foundation. 

EARLY SPRING

The snow has melted and Spring is on its way.  This painting was painted en plein air several years ago at Washington College on the eastern shore of Maryland.  The Forsythia bushes were in full brilliance.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

MAPLES, BOILING SPRINGS by Sharon Benner

Boiling Springs was rainy on this day in October, 2010.  I sat in the back of my van in a beach chair with the hatch up and painted for a couple hours.  The red maples really popped with local color against the dark grey sky.  You can vew more of my paintings at my show in Hanover at http://www.hanoverareaarts.com/