The Great Blue

The Great Blue Heron is actually

very grey.  It can stand over 3 feet tall and

spread its wings nearly 6 feet wide.  I think it is one of the most elegant

creatures around and I found this one in the Florida Everglades.

The Great Blue possesses a dignity like none other.  We had one that often visited our front pond and when he (or she) arrived I would stand, captivated and in awe, silently at the screen door watching it.  I never grow tired of sighting these majestic birds.

Revisiting some travel photos I came across this heron spotted in the Florida Everglades.  I took several pictures including one of his sentinel-like posture in full statute.  But this one appealed to me to paint.  Tired, hiding? Resting? I'm not sure what was on his mind but his self assuredness was still evident.

Great Blue Sentinel, oil

available, rustic grey barn wood frame

contact art@cindymichaud.com

And speaking of travel... my bags and paints are once again packed for adventure!  In addition to going off grid somewhere in the bend of the Rio Grande, I am also headed overseas for some colorful sights and scenes.  I say this since depending on when and where I can get a whiff of internet, my blog may become somewhat irregular.  Your interest and support have been so important in my writing; so never fear, I'm still on it albeit at the mercy of those invisible wires!

Color Full Wishes,

Cindy

Halloween Remorse

I really wish I had carved a knock-out jack o'lantern for you for today.  I just haven't really had time to even think goblins and ghosts.  And ever since our darling neighbors grew up we haven't had many kids brave enough to walk through the dark dead end street and up a long driveway to trick or treat at our house.  Kinda takes the "oomph" out of the holiday!  Sorry, no pumpkin, no witches, no nothing orange and black!  sigh...

But...progress.  A short share of a large piece that is one critique away from being done.

Everglades Sentinel, 30 x 24, oil on canvas

I say "one critique away" as I do like to spend a bit of time away from the piece before declaring it final.  That way, with fresh eyes, I can give a last critique and make corrections if needed.   I captured this fellow on a camping trip in the Everglades last spring on a crisp and sunny day.

There is a lot of texture in this piece when you come in close.  Layers of light and shadow dancing off the mangroves that framed this regal bird.  He barely moved but you could see that his eyes were taking in everything.

Here is a detail of part of the heron.  Not too much farther along we found another heron looking just as stoic and poised as an alligator swam right past him.  I was thinking either the gator didn't fancy to heron meat or the heron knew it was not meal time?!

Meanwhile I am back to another piece trying to get the tree to grow into the ground, not on top of it.

Hope your Halloween is filled with costumed gremlins at your door....this year I'm not falling for my husband's trick of insisting we load up on candy bars "just in case."

Enjoy your weekend of blue skies,

Color Fully Yours,

Cindy

Day #11: The Heron

Whew!  Just under the wire with this one.  It was no use trying to get an early start.  At one point today I was sketching with morning coffee (in p.j.s still) and looked up to see the Orkin man traipsing through the studio followed by my husband who was letting in the handyman who was being barked at by the dog who was inside because the lawn was being mowed!  And they all wanted to ask me a question at some point...not the ideal way to work.

So this Heron was stopped and started many times...even after I photographed him I returned to brighten his beady little eye a bit.  Oh well, I made it to day #11, over one third of the way to goal.  It is very time consuming but extremely educational learning to paint with my non-dominate hand.

I photographed this heron during a camping trip to the Florida Everglades.  He was very cooperative and let me take several shots of him in different poses.  Those tiny flowing feathers posed a challenge for me as they needed a brush about the size of an eye lash.  I also discovered the reason behind my criticism of most watercolor.  I love the depth that rich dark colors add to a painting and W/C requires layer upon layer to achieve this.  And it must completely dry between layers...so many painters quit before they ever get to that deep tone I find so lovely.  I suppose that with a few more days I could have gotten there myself.

The white is a gouche - some water-colorists refuse to use it staying pure to watercolor.  But I had no time for the alternative (nor supplies nor facility!)  This is a detail; the original piece is only 5" x 5".

 I have matted this piece to an overall size of 12" x 9" and, in keeping with the 30 in 30 theme of the month, am offering it for only $30.00 plus shipping.  You will find it on my etsy store by clicking here.

I am also learning that to complete 30 paintings in 30 days (with either hand) there can be no hesitation.  One cannot waste time looking for the perfect anything...it's burning valuable time to putz around with the brush second guessing yourself.  Be bold, be confident, don't over-think it.  And while the failures will be evident, so will, we all hope, the progress.

Check it off the Bucket List

While I have spent my life in Florida I had never seen the Everglades...(how can I even call myself a Florida Cracker?)  It's been on my 'bucket list' for a long time so when a friend mentioned she would go I jumped at the chance. I'll cut a long story short to: three ladies packed up with paints and cameras, loaded down with a tent and air mattresses set off on a grand venture to Florida's most famous National Park.  And it was an adventure!  Being the resourceful type we did not let the (unanticipated) fact of no water nor electric at our campsite deter us.  We covered the landscape, learned a lot and painted as well.  I'll be sharing lots of painting from that escapade in later posts.  But I will start with my favorite: "River of Grass."

After sunburning our necks and hands the day before we elected to find a covered post from which to paint.  There is a lovely boardwalk, the PaHayOkee Trail, which basically juts out onto the sawgrass prairie.  I set up here for a long view of the miles and miles of grasses which filter the waters that run south from the Kissimmee area in central Florida.

Here's my beginning sketch.  It was really pretty dry this time of year but there was a little bit of water flowing just close to the boardwalk area.

This canvas is only 12" x 6".  I really enjoy that shape in either direction.  It was actually fun when a few visitors stopped to chat.  Many were foreign tourists but we had a lovely conversation with some retired Natl Park Rangers....

 

River of Grass

oil, 12 x 6

PaHayOkee, Everglades Natl Park, FL

 

Here's my final piece....keep in mind that the term "plein aire" implies that you are painting a size that can be done outside and then transported back to the studio.  I really want to review my photos and use this piece as a start for one done similarly but much larger.  While there are many different types of hammocks in the Everglades, the river of grass is the image that stands out in my mind.

 

I now feel like a real Floridian!

 

p.s. I will be activating my etsy.com shop again soon...all of my plein air work will be available at very reasonable prices for those who like to have reminders of places seen.  I'll give you a heads up!!