Hubbard Squash #2 Reworked

Reworked Paintings: I spent the day working on five paintings that I didn’t like for one reason or another. Most of them have been facing the wall for sometime now, expect for the Hubbard Squash #2 that I painted on October 20.

Old
New

“Hubbard Squash #2”
9” x 12”
Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Available at $175.
Laura Marie Anderson © October 31, 2006

Wood Toy Airplane

"Wood Toy Airplane”
6”x8”
Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Available at $100.
Laura Marie Anderson © October 26, 2006

I am posting the Wood Toy Airplane I at the conference in Helena. Another great toy that brings back many great memories.

Wood Toy Train - Sold

"Wood Toy Train”
6”x8”
Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
SOLD
Laura Marie Anderson © October 30, 2006

This little train is the partner to the wooden airplane I painted while in Helena that I have yet to post. These wood toys remind me of the hours of fun my sisters and I used to have at our Grandma Anderson’s. Nothing but our imaginations and someone’s creation and we had hours of fun. Much more creative than the video games of today.

Due to bad roads and bad timing, I have cancelled my trip Rapid City. I have a solo show December 1, at the Toad and Willow in Billings, Montana.

Trip to Helena

Last week I was traveling to and working in Helena, Montana. For the past two years I have coordinated and ran an art show in conjunction with the Montana Conference on Mental Health. This year there were 108 entries from Montana artists all who suffer from some type of mental illness. The show was great and it is quite a rewarding process, for me as well as the artists.

I did manage to get one painting done on Thursday, October 26 as I had some volunteer gallery sitters that day. Unfortunately, the other days I did not. It is a 6x8” painting of a toy wooden airplane. I will be painting another toy tomorrow: a small wooden train.

The airplane painting is in my car down in Roscoe. I have been leaving my car down there as it does not like the snow. Tomorrow I will carry with me, my mini office and try to get to the pictures sent out from some destination on my way to Rapid City. My friend is ill and I am going to help her for a few days.

I had access to WIFI in Helena, but since I am using Outlook, I would have had to change my POP setting to send out and receive mail. I am learning how to do that. I will try my best in Rapid City. Wish me luck, Laura

Beaver Pond #2

6”x8”
Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Laura Marie Anderson © October 22, 2006

The beaver has been busy plugging up the culvert that passes under the dirt road. Karl, my husband and Lake Caretaker has been busy removing the dam sticks (literally and figuratively). The ice has started to form. The thin ice skin causes the colors underneath to be opaque. The beaver never showed his face today, probably because Sammy, my dog, was busy fishing. He can stand and wait for hours in the freezing cold water waiting to make his move.

Ripe Tomato

6”x8”
Unframed - Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Laura Marie Anderson © October 22, 2006

This tomato was given to us by our friend Bret who lives in Joliet and prides himself in his abilities to care for his family, raise a garden and bake bread. The tomato has been patiently waiting for me in the line up of object to paint. It was so ripe that the skin had begun to thin and it was quite transparent and tasty. We ate it for lunch.

Hubbard Squash #2

"Hubbard Squash #2”
9”x12”
Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Unframed and Available at $175.
Laura Marie Anderson © October 20, 2006

First, I must say what a surprise this squash was. In my attempt to slice it open I had to use two very sharp knives. Once it finally went it sort of split itself. As I studied this squash today, I was thinking about how beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder. What we choose to appreciate becomes beautiful.

Karl Petersen's Cabin

5”x7”Oil on prepared Masonite Panel
Available at $100.

Laura Marie Anderson © October 19, 2006

I started this painting on October 14th when I had the flu. I just didn’t have enough energy to finish it. I finished it today. A fun little painting.

Hubbard Squash

9”x12” Oil on prepared Masonite Panel

Available at $175.
Laura Marie Anderson © October 19, 2006

I picked up this beauty while I was in Rapid City at the Farmer’s Market. I have been waiting to paint to. Tomorrow I’ll make use of that knife and slice it open to paint.

Windy Sunny Day

16x20" oil on canvas

Available at $800.

The forecast was for 48-50 degrees. I waited with anticipation.

I started this painting on October 10th. The first day for me to miss a painting, but it wasn’t close to being finished. I had to wait for the perfect day. A sunny day when the snow was somewhat melted compared to yesterday.

At this time of the year the sun comes over the mountain and hit the other side of the lake around 9am finally making its way to this side about 11am. By the time the sun made it, the winds had picked up to about 55mph, and the lake white capping for most of the day. About 2:30 the winds died down. I was going to change my position and move myself out more into the sun, but decided to wait for one hour and see if the winds were still down. About fifteen minutes later, gusty winds blew across the lake and the blue waters stirred until long after the sun set.

Also, check out the changes to yesterdays painting. I woke up in the middle of the night wondering if the icicles had fallen of during the course of the day or if I had somehow just failed to paint them in. They were the item that made yesterday special. Our first icicles of the winter.

I looked this morning and sure enough the icicles were still there. Wow, makes me wonder where my brain was. I think the icicles improve it 100%.

Icy Cold

9"x12" oil on prepared masonite

Available at $125.

Today was cold, but there was no wind. I waited for the sun to appear, but it never made it’s way out from behind the thick clouds. So, I decided to paint this chilly scene.

The snow that came down yesterday lay in wait for the sun to melt it.

Gourd #2

6"x8" oil on prepared masonite

Availabel at $100.

I got up this morning and took another look at this gourd. What a beauty. After turning it this way and that, I decided upon this position.

I love it’s knurly bumps. Tomorrow I must give it up and move on to the Hubbard squash, so that we can then eat it for dinner.

View from the Porch

10x8" Oil on Prepared Masonite

Available - Click above

This morning I was painting a gourd - see below. When I came out of my zone, about noon, I turned around to see huge snowflakes coming down. About one o’clock, I finished the gourd painting and proceeded to sit down to a lunch in front of the window. The trees were accumulating snow and the view across the lake was almost totally obscured. I was thinking about a lovely painting I came across yesterday where most of the edges were lost. I thought this would be another perfect opportunity to try that sort of painting, again.

“View from the Porch” will make a wonderful addition to your collection.

Gourd

6x8" oil on prepared masonite

Available - click above

I found this wonderful gourd at a Farmer’s Market in Rapid City, SD. I love the way it is shaped. I think it is deserving of being repainted over and over again. It reminds me of a piece of driftwood we used to draw in my favorite drawing class at MSU-B with Professor John Pollock about ten years ago when I had returned back to college to finish my degree. The driftwood and this gourd could both be turn in a million directions and be something different each time. Check for my painting tomorrow to see if it has moved me again.

“Gourd” will make a wonderful addition to your collection.

Blue Day

6"x8" Oil on prepared Masonite

Available at $100.

Most generally up here in the mountains, we miss this atmospheric bluing. It is caused by particles in the air. The air is so pure up here, especially in the morning, that there is no hazy. Today was an exception, so I decided to paint it.

Beaver Pond - Fall

5" x 7" Oil on prepared masonite.

Available at $100.

After lunch I headed up the road towards the mountains. I spotted a place to paint the other day when I had no time. As I passed the beaver pond, it yelled out at me, paint me, paint me, but I was destine to paint my prearranged place. So I continued up the road, climbed over some rocks, and downed tree, to get to my spot. I held nothing for me today. I went back to the pond swearing I'd never do that again. Instead, paint the first thing that moves me.

I set up my paints and began. I had my trusty guard dog with me, my golden retriever, Sam. He will be 2 years old on Jan. 15. I need him as I space out while painting, thus making me a meal for the wild animals, that doesn't even run. ( While alone, I have been startled several times by wild animals - deer mostly, a few gigantic moose, and a bear once.)

About twenty minutes into the painting the beaver surfaced. Sam noticing stepped down into the water and then just stood there, the most patient hunter I know. He surfaced again, but in another spot. Sam stood in wait.

I put some of the leaves back onto the bushes for this painting. The recent snow and wind has almost stripped them naked. When I was down with the painting, Sam stepped out of the water and we walked home. I with a lovely little painting, Sam with visions of himself as the great hunter.

Family of Sugar Pears -SOLD

8" x 6" Oil on Prepared Masonite

SOLD

I got up this morning an pretty much started painting, then I continued that way until the sun went down. It was a good day. I painted two small paintings.

I wanted to paint these little Sugar Pears that some friends of ours grew and then brought all the way out to Montana from Kansas City. So I got up and set myself up to paint them. In my mind I see a Daddy Pear a Mommy Pear and a Baby Pear. The Mom bend over and sort of protecting the little one. Anyway that's where my creative mind went while I was painting this painting. The little family has been split up now and the big bad people of the house ate the Mommy and Daddy. :>(

Snow on the Mountain

6"x12" Oil on Canvas

Available on eBay Starting November 8th,
check back for link to bid

This afternoon the skies went from completely gray to a spotty blue sky. When I walked outside it felt almost warm. This painting seemed to paint itself. I was happy with the medium I used, the brushes and the surface. Some days are just like that.

First Snow

6"x8" Oil on archivally prepared Masonite

Finally, I am caught up. Last night about 9:30 it began to snow. At 4 o'clock this afternoon it finally slowed way down. Still having not figured out blogging yet, but getting closer, I put on my Carhartts and headed out into the snow. Being just under 30, it seemed fairly brisk, but there was no wind, so it was a good time to go out. What a change from yesterday. I wanted to find something special about the day. Heading towards the walk bridge, on the path now covered with ten inches of snow, I passed this willow, still full of leaves and weighed down with snow.

The Scott's Last Day

5"x7" Oil on archivally prepared Masonite

Available on eBay Starting November 8th,

check back for link to bid

Still playing catch up. Yesterday, Sunday, Oct. 8, I walked out of the house and down to the lake carrying with me a comfortable but heavy wood chair. I sat on the shore looking across the lake towards the Scott's. They would be leaving the next day, for the season, so this would be the last day that our United States flag would be flying. During these warring times, it reminds me of how lucky we are to live in the land of the free.