Fall Colors and Beautiful Weather, October 2 & 3, 2016

The weather couldn't have been better Sunday and Monday! (OK, Monday morning was chilly, but with enough jackets on the temperature doesn't matter.)

Sunday afternoon from 4pm until sunset I was on 1st Street near the Tribune Building. Lots of people were using the walking path/bike trail along the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin Rapids. I met Jean, Maria, and Eli.

Monday morning in Demitz Park I got a good sense of the fall colors in the foliage.

October 2, 2016 - 1st Street near the Tribune Building

October 3, 2016 - Henry Demitz Park, WI Rapids

October 2-3, 2016

Color or not, WI Rapids, here I come. 

Arriving Sunday afternoon, October 2. Hoping to paint along the river near the Tribune Building. On Monday morning, October 3, I will be painting at Demitz Park from around 8:30am-11am. See you there!

Where's the Fall Color?

I was hoping to come to Wisconsin Rapids this week, to see the fall color. One of the paintings for the conference room will be featuring fall colors. I have roughed in the skies for both of the paintings for the conference room. I'm hoping to paint en plein air on both of these paintings. The fall color report online says peak color will be the first week in October. Depending on the weather I will be coming back to paint at Demitz Park sometime between September 26th and October 3rd. I will keep my eye on the fall color reports and the weather and do another post when I firm up the date.

Here are some teasers - the skies are, while not finished, fairly well described. Every time I've scouted or painted in Rapids the skies have been quite dominant. These paintings will reflect that. They will also speak to the new Tribune Building project as a bridge for the community. Bridges connect people and places.

Belle Island Bridge Phase 1

W Riverview Expressway Bridge Phase 1

Plein air painting at Hanson Park - May 26-27, 2016

Thursday evening, May 26, 2016 I'll be plein air painting in Hanson Park along the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin Rapids. Look for me around 5:30pm. I'll be painting some small sketches. I'm looking to inform a larger painting from that area. It's a beautiful park with terrific views of the river and the opposite shore. But then, if you've been there, you know that.

Value studies using markers.

Friday morning, May 27th I'll be back at Hanson Park painting the morning light on the river. ~7am-10am.

Plein Air Painting the Sandhill Wildlife Area, April 28-30, 2016

Had a wonderful time painting with fellow artists on Friday. Deann and Diane joined me Friday morning; Dawn joined me Friday evening. I painted solo on Thursday evening in the rain. The colors were beautiful but the rain and cold were slightly daunting. Friday was a better weather day. Saturday was again overcast. We spotted a pair of swans nesting on Gallagher Marsh, also saw muskrat, otter, deer, great blue heron, coots, ducks, geese, evidence of porcupine and beaver. We could hear all sorts of birds and frogs. There were a few insects plus the ever-present ticks.

Deann painting a beautiful birch tree

Diane painting Gallagher Marsh

Jan painting Gallagher Marsh

Dawn painting Gallagher March

April 28, 2016 Spring at SWA (Sandhill Wildlife Area)!!!

It rained all day. Scouted the SWA for about 2 hours and then decided to paint in the rain. It worked for a while but as the wind picked up the rain started to cover my palette and then my painting. Retreated to the car. Painted a while longer then decided to pack up. Yup, it stopped raining by the time I'd put away everything. 

April 28-30, 2016

I'm planning to paint at the Sandhill Wildlife Area near Babcock WI, (April 28-30, 2016) Thursday late afternoon (4pm to sunset), Friday (8-10 or 11am and 4pm to sunset) and Saturday morning 8-11am. The drive within the area is 14 miles long so at this point I'm not sure where I'll be painting. I'll post my location each day as soon as I know it. This place is one of the hidden gems of south Wood County. What a resource!

Scouting trip April 8 & 9, 2016

Winter won't let go! We drove around in snow squalls and intermittent sunshine Friday afternoon and evening. Saturday was sunny but still very cold and windy. But, the trip was a success since I could see the bones of the landscape around south Wood County. And I found that there is no shortage of beautiful trees in the area. Always a plus in my book. None of the photos below are black and white, but Friday the weather seemed to erase color!

Friday, April 8, 2016 - scouting and plein air painting

Today's weather: extremely windy, cold, snowy, sunny, snowy and snowier!!!  Drove through snow squalls most of the afternoon. Did tons of reconnoitering. There is no shortage of cool trees. Mission accomplished - to see the "bones" of the landscape before leaf out. 

The Sandhill Wildlife refuge officially opens Sunday, April 17th. It's a hidden gem. Looking forward to scouting some painting sights there, too.

Photos from today: a portage road off County Z, the Wisconsin River at Firemens Memorial Park, County Z. Also scouted the wildlife refuge, Highways 54, 173, 80, GG, X, the ATV park and points in between. 

Watched the sunset from Firemans Park to see its effect on the scene. Did a drawing of the shoreline from the parking lot.

Getting Ready!

Quarter inch MDF for painting panels. I have 1/4 size, 1/2 size and full size panels. I'm in the process of gessoing all the panels. I'll start my plein air painting by using the 1/4 size panels. The small studies will help me get a feel for composition and color. Then I'll graduate to 1/2 size panels once I've got a good idea of the subject and composition. 

Each panel will have both sides and four edges painted with gesso to seal them from any moisture. 

Snow event postpones start!

Our mercurial Wisconsin spring weather is not creating favorable conditions for the start of the scouting/plein air painting trip I had planned for March 25 & 26. Predictions are for 8 inches of snow followed by some rain. Hoping to start next week but will watch the weather forecasts closely!

Weather permitting, first plein air date: March 25-26

I hope to paint in the late afternoon, early evening March 25, 2016 and again in the morning, March 26th. These plein air studies will be small oil paintings done on location. I will scout locations in the early afternoon and post directions if you want to paint or watch.

Jan Norsetter painting on a country road in Ireland, October 2015.