Castle Rock-tober

"Castle Rock-tober"
9" x 12"
Acrylic on canvas panel
Some of my favorite images were photographed in October in Colorado a year and a half ago. It had been a wet summer, which made autumn resplendent, even after the aspens had fluttered-away their leaves. The hills around Castle Rock unfurled a tapestry of greens, golds and russets, while the distant hills and sky wove an appropriate border of complementary purples and blues.  

In a week I will be photographing the beauty of New Mexico. Can you sense my excitement?

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Mid-October Morning

"Mid-October Morning"
12" x 12"
Acrylic on canvas panel
An outing to the Botanic Gardens in mid-October proved to be more beneficial than I had thought on that particular day. My eyes were accustomed to layers of brilliant colors of that season, so I tucked the photos away.  But yesterday when I revisited my cache of landscape photos, this one caught my eye. 

Compared to the monochrome of snow and ice in the real world, this looked mighty yummy.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Cattle-scape

"Cattle-scape"
5" x 7"
Oil on hardboard
Unlikely subject matter — cattle — for a rose painter.  But I enjoyed it. When people see things as they travel, they send me photos.  I like to challenge myself to capture the essence of what was in their hearts as they thought of me. In this one, it was probably the texture and color, so different from that of my zip code. 

 Thank you to everyone who sends photos to me. I will eventually use them. I do appreciate your kindness and efforts.

Carol

Brushstrokes@comcast.net
CarolKeene.com
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Island in the Wheat

"Island in the Wheat"
7.5" x 10.5"
Pastel on paper
An island off shore of a harvested wheat field shone its flaming maples that October morning.  I saw them through the evaporating haze and was happy I drove this route instead of the other. 

 I'm in Colorado visiting galleries, looking for a place to represent me. If I miss posting for a few days, please know I'm fine, just here with only my camera.

Carol

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It's Official

"It's Official"
7.5" x 7.5"
Pastel on paper
The landscape seemed to decide over the weekend that it's officially autumn.  There's more gold than green and what green there is is reluctant rather than robust. I might add that the sky was in agreement.

I've painted this before, but in oil.  I may be revisiting some of my favorite scenes with my new medium.

Carol

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Wandering

"Wandering"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas
The path I traversed in yesterday's painting opened into one more lovely field, which I followed to my friend's front door. Oh, to live in a place where serenity looks like ... this.  

I spent day one of a three-day workshop at the Mainstreet Art Center in Lake Zurich, Illinois today with New Mexico artist, Laura Robb. Her passionately deliberate method of applying color notes to a canvas is something I've been wanting to witness for years. I'm delighted to say she's as lovely and exquisite as the art she creates. 

Carol 

Sunshine Path

"Sunshine Path"
12" x 12"
Oil on wrapped canvas
The path to my friend's home led me through a field that, late in the day in early October, was almost more stimulating than my senses could tolerate.  I lingered in the sunshine as I passed weeds and flowers of all different species. 

 This is painting one of two, a diptych, that can be hung side by side.  I painted this one today, the second one is being worked on currently.

Carol

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Paused

"Paused"
5" x 7"
Oil on hardboard
Atmosphere like this is as fleeting and ephemeral as most pleasurable moments. The joy in painting a scene like this is a lot like pausing a video at a favourite scene and partaking of its essence for as long as it ... takes.  

I paused a few times today to capture the beauty of this place. The season and the time of day were both instrumental in creating a likeness I could almost turn an ear to and hear.

Carol

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The Maroon Bells

"The Maroon Bells"
30" x 38"
Oil on Hardboard
Unless there are changes from my clients, this will be the final posting of The Maroon Bells, two of the "fourteeners" in Colorado. It's been fun to show you the progress as I've painted this piece for them. Thank you for your comments throughout the process. 

Carol

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Snow on the Peak

"Snow on the Peak"
16" x 20"
Oil on hardboard
I was in Colorado in September a year ago when we wakened to snow on the Peak.  Pikes Peak acts as an indicator, a harbinger of sorts, to announce the arrival of autumn. 

I was also there in October when I took the photo that inspired this painting. I love the colors of Colorado in the fall. Green is kept to a minimum and I get to squeeze colors from tubes I seldom use in Illinois landscapes, or roses.

Carol

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Turning

"Turning"
5" x 5"
Oil on hardboard
Along the bank of this stream was a bed of weeds that shone with such a vibrant red orange that I had to stop to photograph them. They were NOT indigenous to our locale.  Had someone planted them to amuse, bewilder, astound? 


I put the deep red weeds in the foreground of this traditional piece to give it life. And because of it, I tucked a bush in the background of the same color.  It had to be there.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Carol

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My DPW Gallery   280 paintings
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Lily Lake Autumn

"Lily Lake Autumn"
8" x 20"
Oil on panel 
My favorite body of water wears autumn with panache.  She dons an unusual assortment of foliage colors, including aqua, prior to the traditional golds and browns most plants succumb to in their final days.

It's Lily Lake again, you're right if you suspected that.  She's so accessible, calm and photogenic—like the beauty of a lioness, with the temperament of a kitten. 

Thank you for visiting today. I appreciate that you come back regularly.
Carol

Fishing Hole

"Fishing Hole"
18" x 18"
Oil on wrapped canvas
We found the place where we had been told we'd catch a few. It was peaceful and accessible.  But what about that pond back in the distance, is that a better spot? 


I painted this with the sole intent of depicting a lovely autumn day in the forest preserve near my home.  Then two men told me it looked like a fishing hole, so the name stuck.

DPW 
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Stoic Oak

"Stoic Oak"
8" x 8"
Acrylic on canvas panel
Because I pushed my "publish" button on Friday before leaving for a couple days, my post for today doubled up and snuck in ahead of time.  Well, this one will have to do for the REAL October third.


This stoic oak is in the middle of a field in Bull Valley, Illinois.  He's an ornament in a place where crops grow for profit.  Someone made the decision to leave him there—to plow, seed, combine around him.  I've watched the seasons change around this oak—nodding his only acknowledgement of inclement or otherwise, with his leaves. 


Last week's Daily Paintworks Challenge was to paint autumn where I live. But the kicker is to tone the canvas with an unlikely color first. I painted on a blue/green and set about the business of knifing on some autumn colors to honor Mr. Oak, here, in a wheat field that has just been harvested.

This painting is part of a Challenge on DailyPaintworks.com, but will be auctioned as usual, and can be seen in my gallery on that site.

Thank you for visiting.
Carol