The Holy City

"The Holy City"
8"x16" oil on canvas mounted on panel
#080328
© Laura Marie Anderson

I went to Cody, WY today to drop off some photographs for a photography show. That done I drove out the the Cody Armory to see the other Bears for the Cody library fund raiser. I have been honored to paint/decorate one of those bears. See their progress as http://www.grizgathering.com/. The bears are coming along, and some of them are finished already. Mine is going to be a Circus bear and since the circus is coming to town this week, I'm waiting to see it before beginning the character paintings. Right now it is great big yellow bear. I will make a separate post for the bear.

After visiting with the other artists and stopping into the museum, I drove out towards Yellowstone to what I call the Red Rocks. The tourist sign calls then "The Holy City". On my way out there I saw and photographed two herds of Mountain Sheep, females and young males. The day was partly cloudy and the sun shone sporadically throughout the painting process. This was a beautiful spot. As soon as the sunset a chill filled the air that forced me to clean up quickly. Suddenly, the warmth and friendliness turned to chilling cold and memories of the town folks saying "be careful the grizzly are out already". Having my faithful dog, Sam with me there was little fear, until I noticed him tucked down in the snow napping. We got out of there quickly as he let out his tell tale growl looking just down the canyon. See a grizzly from the car with my camera in hand had been a thought earlier in the day, but seeing one with my equipment spread out on the snow was not my idea of a great moment. the drive back was a fun one, seeing many deer along the road (not hitting any and having the heater turned up full blast, to thaw out those parts of me that I didn't even notice where cold while I was possessed by the painting magic.

If you are interested in purchasing this painting please email me at ArtistLauraMarieAnderson@gmail.com

Bird Island from Rodeo Cove

“Bird Island from Rodeo Cove”
8x19 3/4” Unframed - Oil on Hardboard

Laura Marie Anderson © April 12, 2007

I’m getting a little tired of the fog and cold. I decided to stay inside and paint from a photograph I took last year in Sausalito, CA, where it was pleasantly warm and sunny most of the time I was there.

Sun Setting, Moon Rising

“Sun Setting, Moon Rising”
8”x6”
Oil on Linen in Wood Panel

Available at $100.
Laura Marie Anderson © December 3, 2006

This was irresistible on my drive to Rapid City. The sun setting on one side of me throwing color on the moon while it was rising.

Blue Heron #2

“Blue Heron #2”
20” x 16”
Unframed - Oil on Canvas
Available at $800.
Laura Marie Anderson © November 16, 2006

I have been painting on this for three days now. Each and every time I call it finished and photograph it I return it to the easel for more paint. It is driving e crazy. For now I call it finished. Perhaps I will return to it one day.

Tomorrow I have to go to Billings and take down a show I have had up at McCormick Café, teach a cycling class at the YMCA, and happily visit with my eldest daughter, Karie, and grandchildren, Marcus and Christopher. Follow that link and see a painting I painted of them when they were both one year old. They are three years apart in age.

Great Blue Heron

“Great Blue Heron”
16” x 16”
Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite
Available at $750.
Laura Marie Anderson © November 13, 2006

I started this yesterday and finished it today. Quite honestly I don’t know for a few days if I have actually finished something not. Paintings are like brand new love affairs it takes a while to be able to see their faults.

This was painted from a photo that Karl took in Shark Valley, Florida. While I was painting he was touring.

I forgot to tell what happened while I was painting in Shark Valley. I was positioned behind a wood railing that was about two feet tall. There was an older gentleman watching me paint and chatting with me. There were many other people near a building not to far away. Before the fellow came along, I watched an alligator skim across the water and try to take a non suspecting bird. I’m not sure if he got the bird, it was so quick and them he was gone. I was sitting there thinking about how stupid the bird was to have held still for so long. Then I started thinking about how long I had been sitting there painting. How stupid it might prove to be. Then this older man came by and while we were talking I forgot all about the alligators. Suddenly an alligator flopped himself up on the grass about two feet in front of me. I flew back out of my chair, saying one of the most familiar four letter words. When it was over the old man and I laughed at the language that had sprung from my mouth. The alligator moved on. I think he was like my old rottweiler, Carma; he just got some sort of thrill in watching the humans scatter.

Shark Valley

“Shark Valley, Florida”

6” x 12”

Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Available at $150.

Laura Marie Anderson © October 31, 2006

This painting I did plein air at Shark Valley National Park in Florida, while in vacation last February. I was so blinded by the lighting that the painting was very dark and the birds were not even close to white. Anyway, I had to look up the name of the place so I found this site with pictures. (Do come back to my page :>))
http://www.great-florida-vacations.com/shark-valley-gallery-1.html
I think the painting is just about right now and I found a bunch of other photos I took on our trip of lovely exotic birds that I may paint sometime this winter.