"100316" Painting Challenge #paintoctober

My third painting in the October painting challenge is "100316" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 6"x6"…painting at top, source material at bottom…in case you couldn't tell ;)

"100116" and "100216" Painting Challenge #paintoctober

Oil painter Celeste Bergin has challenged us to do a painting a day for the month of October, 2016. Here are my two from yesterday and today. I am temporarily titling them with the date that they were painted.

"100116" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 5"x10". The painting is at the top and is loosely based on source material below.

"100216" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 5"x10". The painting is on the left and is loosely based on source material to the right.

Highlights From The 4th Annual Paint The Peninsula Plein Air Competition

Just returned from the 4th Annual Paint the Peninsula Plein Air Competition in Port Angeles, Washington. I had a great time painting with new and old friends and seeing the lovely landscape.
Here are four of my paintings that sold at the event.

 Gotta start with my pastel painting that won the "Best Waterscape" Award! Such an honor!!

 "Late At The Creek" - pastel, painted en plein air, 9"x18" - SOLD

 "Elwah Unbound" - pastel, painted en plein air, 9"x18" - SOLD

 "Low Tide At Salt Creek" - pastel, painted en plein air, 12"x12" - SOLD

 "Bit Of Salt Creek" - pastel, painted in the studio, 9"x12" - SOLD

 I was asked to do a demo painting at Hurricane Ridge Lodge. Instead of concentrating on the beautiful mountains in the Olympic National Park, I painted the smoke of the Hayes Fire which was a prominent feature of the landscape these days. "Where There's Smoke…" pastel, painted en plein air, 9"x12".

  "Bachelor Rock" - pastel, painted en plein air, 12"x12"

   "From Tongu Point" - pastel, painted en plein air, 12"x12"

   "Waves At Rialto Beach" - pastel, painted en plein air, 6"x12"

  "Weathered Sitkas At Rialto" - pastel, painted en plein air, 12"x6"

2016 West Wind Lavender Festival, July 9 & 10

It was windy the first day of the Lavender Festival and I had to hang on to things to keep them from blowing away! Hillsboro Airport clocked one gust at 26 MPH and that one caught us off guard. All-in-all it was a fun weekend. I spent two days in a beautiful location and had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with many nice people. Below is a pastel painting I did on site.

"Waves Of Lavender" by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 9"x18". A gorgeous setting, lovely fragrance and the gentle buzzing of bees.

8th Annual Cannon Beach Plein Air & More 2016

It was a pleasure to once again participate for White Bird Gallery in the outdoor art event at Cannon Beach, Oregon, Plein Air & More. Here are a few of the pastels I painted during the 3-day weekend.

"Path Through Lavender" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 12"x12"; because of rain I painted this one from one of my photos while inside White Bird Gallery.

"Statice Quo" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 12"x9" painted at the Artist Swarm during Plein Air & More; again, this was painted from my photo while crowded together under a tent with other artists. It was fun meeting all of the visitors who came by to watch us work.

"Washington and Ocean" by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 9"x12"; at last I was able to paint en plein air (in the open air) as I prefer. It was windy the day I started this one but finished it the following day during beautiful weather. Painted at the intersection of Washington and Ocean Streets.

Los Gatos Plein Air 2016

It was my pleasure to present my following pastel paintings from the fun and fabulous Los Gatos Plein Air 2016

"Statice Status Quo" by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 9"x18", sold; recent rains caused the brilliant colors of wildflowers at the Campbell perc. ponds. The lovely lavender, violet and white of wild statice and yellow of other flowering plants caught my eye.

"Reeds And Weeds" by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 9"x12", sold; another beautiful perc. pond near LG Creek, Campbell, CA. It was fun to see a turtle moseying across the grass near me to head  down to the water.

"Hanging Out" by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 18"x9"; a view of LG Creek from the middle of the footbridge, Campbell, CA

"The Creek Rocks" by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 12"x12"; I've always enjoyed painting in the cool shade of Los Gatos Creek right downtown during the heat of the day

"Night School"by Gretha Lindwood, plein air pastel, 6"x9; the Los Gatos High School has been a favorite subject of mine for the past three years and this time I painted it as the sun was going down with a beautiful sunset in the sky above

"Tippy" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel 6"x6", a gift for our wonderful hostess for the past three years at Los Gatos Plein Air 2016; this is her personable little Maltese who always seems excited to see us.

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I'm Out Of Order!

Much happened in 2015 that I've not told you about…below are a few highlights.

"Call Of The Bittern" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 9"x18" painted en plein air during the 22nd Annual Carmel Art Festival. Had to duck into our van to finish painting this one because it started to rain. My concentration was interrupted by the call of a bittern who was hidden in the long grass. It took me a moment until I finally saw him(?) and enjoyed listening to the calls he made to what I like to think was his lady love. Look closely, you may spy the bittern I included in this painting.

"Landing Place" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 12"x16"painted en plein air during Los Gatos Plein Air 2015. Painted at Baylands, a tidal area.

"Patterns" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 12"x6" painted en plein air during Lake Oswego Plein Air Festival 2015. A scorcher of a day so I looked for shade and found nice shadow patterns to paint, sold.

 "Above The Beach" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 9"x18" painted en plein air at Arcadia Beach during the Cannon Beach 7th Annual Plein Air & More.

 "Gold In The Lavender" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 6"x12" painted en plein air at Westwind Lavender Farm Studio during the Lavender Festival, sold.

"Mist Rising II" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 12"x12" painted en plein air at Hurricane Ridge during the 3rd Annual Paint the Peninsula. I'm thrilled to say this painting won the Olympic National Park Superintendent's Award, sold.

"Reflecting Stillness" by Gretha Lindwood, pastel, 9"x18" painted en plein air on Sauvie Island. Sold at my studio during the Portland Open Studio Tour.

Update July 2016, 23rd Annual Carmel Art Festival

I had a fabulous time at the 23rd Annual Carmel Art Festival in May. All four of my paintings found new homes and one received two awards! The weather even cooperated. All paintings were created during the three days of the event and were fresh off the easel. For a plein air event such as this, we do not bring paintings with us, we do the work on site.

"Beauty And The Beach" by Gretha Lindwood, 9"x18" pastel painted en plein air, a French term meaning in the open air. I am very happy to announce this painting received two awards at the Carmel Art Festival for 2016…Best Pastel AND Honorable Mention! And it sold.

"California Gold"by Gretha Lindwood, 12"x12" pastel painted en plein air, sold.

"Awakening Sentry" by Gretha Lindwood, 18"x9" pastel painted en plein air, sold.

My 2-hour Quick Draw painting…"Cruisin' " by Gretha Lindwood, 9"x12" pastel painted en plein air, sold.