Rainy Day. 9x12

Rainy Day, pastel on paper by Adriana Meiss

   This pastel was started a long while ago, then became part of my pile of unfinished work. A few days ago, wanting to participate in a juried show, I thought that perhaps I could finish something instead of starting something  new. This spring scene from the Adirondacks, spoke to me; perhaps that was because I'm so eager to see bright spring green on grass and branches! The good thing is that this time around I deviated a lot from the photograph. Trees were removed, others created, and the white blooming tree that was in the foreground half hidden by the conifers, found a better place in the distance along with a new companion, becoming a point of interest.

   My new goal for studio paintings is to study at least two possibilities a scene has to offer before jumping to paint it.

Yearning for Spring, 16x12

Yearning for Spring, pastel on board by Adriana Meiss

     Living in Central New York for so many years I have learned to expect long, cold winters. But in those rare occasions when we get mild winters, my mind rapidly forgets what's normal and starts yearning for the next season. I wasn't that aware of this yearning until I found this photo while cleaning my studio. The need to paint it right away took me by surprise, and it was finished in no time. It probably needs more work but the yearning for bright greens is so strong that it has blinded me.

    The scene is from our orchard, from a time when the Nanking Cherries did  not have much competition from the nearby apple trees. 

Spring, 8x8"

I always get the impression that spring passes by so fast. By the time I'm into "outdoors painting mode" the trees have lost that beautiful and delicate minty green. 

It's been too cold and cloudy to paint outside lately so this one was from a reference photo of my neighborhood that I took a while ago. I purposely tried to paint loose just giving a few hints of dwellings.

This piece and fourteen other new ones will be in the OAG spring show and sale at the end of the month.

White Barn, on location 9" x 12" SOLD

On Monday morning I went painting with my plein air pals of last time. The location: a barn at the intersection of Tecumseh and Waring Rd.

Seeing how they had started the barn with complimentary colors, I decided to follow suit. I have used complimentary colors in the past, but not very successfully, as I invariably ended up completely covering the first layer. This time I forced myself to use the pastel sticks sparingly, and it worked out!

One of the things I like about painting on location is meeting people, not necessarily for business purposes. While we were working, two drivers stopped to see what we were doing and asked for business cards. Then, a lady from the neighborhood came to talk to each of us. She was so happy I had included her house in my painting (red brick). I learned from her that the barn had been fixed recently and that the widower had the garden done in memory of his wife. A touching story I can associate with my painting.