Day #29 :: SNOWY STREAM :: January Daily Painting challenge (in February)

SNOWY STREAM
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

After a short hiatus, here's another painting from the January daily painting challenge. I know it's February. We get done what we can. Winter packs a wallop, and with it come issues of cold and snow, power outages, commitments, and other motivational difficulties. Funny, too, because our surroundings are quite inspiring. Seems the problem lies in time management and, perhaps more appropriately, light management. When it's dark at 4:30pm, I swear I'm ready for bed at 8pm with the kiddos. 

This painting was a challenge from the start. It's on a bright red surface which I thought would be a good way to warm up a cool subject. While that was the case, after a while the surface wouldn't take any more pastel and so I had to be quite deliberate about my warm and cool color notes. 

Perhaps it's more abstract than my usual work. The color harmonies make me so very happy. 

Again, this is a subject in my neck of the woods. We're so happy to have landed where we did, two years ago from February 1st. 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #22 :: RIDE HOME :: January Daily Painting Challenge

RIDE HOME
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

This piece is inspired by the same day and drive of the previous post. The consistency of the shadow line on the distant trees alludes to that.

I remember a painting demonstration at a local art association years ago. The artist mentioned that when one looks at a painting, the time of day, season, sometimes month should be noticeable from the visual clues in the work. Color, light, and other timely hints let us know when the painting is meant to show. 

This January challenge really cements this idea for me. So many of the paintings are so obviously January and winter for me. The color of the light on this one is all January. 

A wise-guy in the audience told the demonstrating artist that his painting felt like a Tuesday. I don't think you can tell that! 

The colors in this painting are not as punchy as some of my other colors. The light gave an overall cast of blue to the piece, making for the grass in the field to be a difficult color to pin down. 

In the end, I love the result. It was nice to get back in the studio and spend some time really concentrating on a specific time. The next piece I'm going to post to bring me up to today is also from the same ride home.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #21 :: WINTER MOON :: January Daily Painting Challenge

WINTER MOON
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

In the midst of this Daily Painting Challenge I got pretty sick. The girls had been ill, along with Tim. The rascally germs were bound and determined to get me, too, despite my best efforts of hand-washing and over-sanitizing. It's now three days later and I'm still sick, but I'm painting! 

Here is a painting from my ride home. The light was just perfect as the final light shone warm and constrasting against the cool shadows. Trusty camera to get a poor-quality photo along with some composition notes and later today in the studio, safe from the first BIG snowstorm of the season, I made this painting. 

I could have spent forever on limbs. But I need to play and experiment with saying enough without having to say every little last word. Detail is important but only in balance. 

This was the first of three today. Off to post the next!
Ah-choo!

Thanks for reading! ~kmw  

Day #19 :: DOG WALKER :: January Daily Painting Challenge

DOG WALKER
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

People in paintings add scale and the personal, storytelling element to the piece. People, though, are difficult to make interesting and not too engaging to the viewer. If I paint a really great painting of my own children, what are the chances that someone else would want that painting, or that I would want to part with it? 

The saying goes that you should paint from your heart, what you know. When an artist doesn't do that, something about that comes across in the end product. With everything it seems to be about finding balance. 

The January Daily Painting Challenge for me is a chance to exercise some muscles. People aren't my strong suit. Neither are dogs. But we have two wonderful daughters and a new puppy, so it's time to insert them in my work more! 

Today's painting of our youngest walking Hunter was a challenge (appropriate during a challenge, right?) to make look painterly and interesting. At one point I almost took out our daughter which would only leave the pup. My mothering instinct prevailed and she remains a great element of scale in the painting. She also lets me use colors in painting that often just stay in the box. Turquoise! Coral! Scary bright green! Hurray! 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #18 :: COLD SHADOWS :: January Daily Painting Challenge

COLD SHADOWS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

Blue is my favorite color, and it is so prevalent during winter. The shadows, the sky, and the snow all feel so blue. Tonight I went out to shovel the four inches of snow we got last night and the light flakes all sparkled with crisp white and blue. Teeny electric blips of blue. It was beautiful -- but it was still winter and shoveling, so don't get me wrong ;)

This piece looks great on my bulletin board of work from this month. Next to yesterday's piece it is around the bend from that riverbank. My neighborhood inspires yet again. 

And how does this piece read? Is the blue water? Marsh? Field? It's not up to me. What I loved about this composition was the space and the light. 

Remember how I mentioned that new set of 200 pastels I bought at the beginning of the month? It's great -- but I need more blues! The Terry Ludwig Best of the Blues set of cobalts and ultramarines should do nicely. My birthday is in March, hint hint. :) 

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #17 :: RIVERBANK :: January Daily Painting Challenge

RIVERBANK
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

The sixteen prior daily paintings are all lined up hanging on a bulletin board in front of my desk and it's quite something else to see an expanse of work so obviously inspired by winter -- with the exceptions of only two florals on days four and five and one rogue Swanboat painting.

Today's piece is no exception to the #embracewinter hashtag I've been using on Instagram for the past few winters. Winter and I have a difficult relationship. It's of course beautiful. White snow makes everything look clean and crisp and blue. The light is purer in winter, without the humid haze of high summer.

Funny that--we have high summer and deep winter.

Winter does me in, though. I get cranky and a bit sad. Often it seems like so much is harder. And there's little light. We wake in the dark. The girls are off the bus and it seems that darkness comes upon us so quickly.

Good therapy for embracing winter is to approach it with mindfulness, and I think painting is a perfect example of mindfulness. I have been taking time to examine the winter landscape and the light, although seemingly fleeting, and have been admiring its glory. The paintings from this month really embrace that.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #15 :: JANUARY :: January Daily Painting Challenge

JANUARY
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

For those who paint with pastels, I've been painting with a lovely complete set I purchased at the beginning of this monthly painting challenge. When looking at my work, I would guess the new set arrived for the eighth painting. The marks changed a bit and my palette broadened.

My go-to set for a while was Sennelier's plein air half stick set of 80 colors (funny how 80 color options isn't enough) because of its range of intense color and neutrals. My newest set is Gallery Mungyo Handmade soft pastels full set of 200 colors from Jerry's Artarama. If you're interested in adding to your pastel collection, take advantage of sales, coupon codes, and free shipping. Today's price is waaaaay more than what I paid, FYI.

With 200 pastel colors to select from in this set, I finally don't find myself saying "I wish I had this one color..." For this manufacturer, this is it. And so I force myself to make it work, and that is good practice!

Of course, despite the 200 (!!!) colors to choose from, I needed different blues (of course I did.)
What an important lesson that is. It took me a spell to figure out what sort of blue I wanted for the sky, the roof, the house itself, the snow, and the large evergreen. Some of that negotiation is visible in the finished product, but I am thrilled  with my result.

I'm getting good practice on painting buildings and it's obvious this monthly painting challenge is in winter --- everything is snow and cold and I have so many nocturnes. It's been SUCH FUN! For those in my neighborhood, this is the wonderful antique home on the corner of Miller and Myrtle streets. The candles in the window are still up and they make me happy each time I drive by.

All my posts end with a thank you, but, goodness! It's day fifteen and I have to thank all who have read, commented, liked, and encouraged me along the way. I appreciate your support more than I have words to express.

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #8 :: RIVER COLOR :: January Daily Painting Challenge

RIVER COLOR
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

The art supplies I ordered came in and yes, they are pastels. Perhaps tomorrow I'll take some photos of them and link up to where I bought them in case you're wanting an excuse to buy some new color! UPS was to deliver them "by the end of day" and dang it! They arrived at the END of the day --- 4:58pm! 

As is my norm when I have new tools, I fall back to subjects that I'm comfortable with to familiarize myself with my new (wonderful) materials. The juncture of land and water is a magical place for me, and I'm always striving to make a painting sing as the actual scene does -- and maybe stretch the color a bit the way I'd like to see it. 

This piece is inspired by my neighborhood and is painted on archival suede board. Usually I love the softness the board provides. Today, though, I would have loved the chance to get some straight, hard lines for the reeds. Next time! New surface. Perhaps a Sennelier sanded board. Or a UART mounted board. It's fun to make these decisions. 

After yesterday's draining day, it was wonderful to have some support from you. I always end with "thanks for reading" but today there's a deeper meaning in that phrase. 

This challenge is shaping up to be a most interesting journey. Puppies and people and still lifes are bound to make an appearance shortly ;)

Thanks for reading! ~kmw

Day #1 :: SNOWY FIELD :: January Daily Painting Challenge

SNOWY FIELD
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125+ $8 shipping

Happy New Year! It's always busy through the holidays and tonight is New Year's Day and my dad's birthday. The girls will resume school on Monday and, while I feel busy crazy right now, come Monday, normalcy has the potential to resume. Perfect time to do another Daily Painting Challenge facilitated by Leslie Saeta.

The bummer of a January painting challenge could be the subject matter. Today I took our puppy, Hunter, for a walk and here is what I planned on painting tonight. Quick notan sketches in the field made for easy studio work tonight.

Subjects like this are my favorite. Depth. Foreground. Grasses. Color. Hmmm -- the color on this was a challenge and were so difficult to render on my computer. It's day one of the challenge and I'd bet I'll be writing that more often than I care to.

When I paint I strive to communicate a lot through the colors I choose. I want them to be somewhat unexpected. Today I got that right!

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 40 :: REFLECTIONS :: original pastel, 6x6"

REFLECTIONS
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

It was a stellar day, after a fantastic Friday night, making my two-day open studio event a humbling success. To have people who have followed my #30in30 progress from September come to my studio to see the paintings in person and offer their support and encouragement was beyond affirming.

To say the least, I'm pooped! My studio is in perfect order now, so it's time to get it messy again. I'll admit that this painting, Reflections, was one that I had completed for a day in the future, when I'd be too spent to paint. Today is that day! Tomorrow I look forward to painting something about the fall landscape. Tonight, I'm off to bed after a lovely evening with my family. Tim and I just watched an hour of mindless television, and I feel ready to conquer a new painting...tomorrow!

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 38 :: STANDOUT :: original pastel, 6x6"

STANDOUT
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

One of the farms near our home plants a field of sunflowers each year. It feels like a spot of Tuscany in Millis, MA. What fun to feel worldly in your own provincial place.

My painting from a few days ago, Flower Farm, had me thinking of my paintings and photos from Tangerini's Farm. A bunch of my paintings are inspired by their farm. This sunflower piece was worked from a photograph I had taken while experimenting with perspective. I knelt on the ground and took this photo of the sunflower from that position so it really takes center stage. It was fun to do that.

Tomorrow is Open Studio for the original #30in30 from September. I'm enjoying tidying up the studio a bit and making final touches on the paintings and their display. It'll be nice to welcome people in to my work space and hear the reactions to the work.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 37 :: ROWBOAT :: original pastel, 6x6"

ROWBOAT
by Kim Morin Weineck
 original pastel, 6x6"

Sold! 

Sometimes when I paint I am stuck with being a slave to reality. The thing with art is that I don't like paintings that are strict interpretations of what is seen. The paintings I respond to are the ones that interpret reality through the artist's filter. Funny how there is a disconnect when I start to paint and amp up the abstraction meter. My inner critic starts to question.

With this piece I tried to make marks that informed the viewer enough about what was happening. The lighting was important in this piece, and the colors I chose reflect that time of day. The marks I made are strong and informative.

In the end, I love this piece. My husband said it's one of his favorites. The blues in the distance aren't as zingy as they are in this post. Eventually my Photoshop skills will be up to that task.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 32 :: WIND SOCK :: original pastel, 6x6"

WIND SOCK
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

The field in my neighborhood which I find so inspiring used to be an airport. Lucky for us, planes don't take off and land there any longer. We still see vestiges of the property's former use, like this pole for the wind sock, even though the fabric part has been long gone.

Again there is snow in this painting -- only a little, though. My previous post was at the start of a major named snowstorm. This one was a mere dusting early in the season. The time of day was dusk, which seems to be a favorite of mine lately. The light is blue. I think this piece holds a very specific light story.

I took liberties enhancing the colors in this piece. Blue is my favorite color, and it's pervasive here. The color relationships are the classic complementaries: blue and orange.

The sky is more dynamic in the original, with confident streaks coming down into the next subtle gradient. At the treeline is a subtle suggestion of a greeny-golden light. It really works with the turquoises in the piece.

The pile of references and notes and drawings in my sketchbook is massive, and I'm loving the discipline of daily painting. We'll see how long I can follow through. I'm bringing my pastels to visit my bestie in New Hampshire. I wonder that I'll take them out for tomorrow's painting....

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 31 :: SNOWFALL :: original pastel, 6x6"

SNOWFALL
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

SOLD! Thanks!

It's October 1st and I'm still painting. Before September I painted often, too, but the discipline of making art daily has been a good exercise and is adding a little balance to my life.

This painting is from a stack of photos in my studio which I've been collecting for years. It's been such a joy to tackle these references and see them through to fruition. Excuse the subject of snow, it is only newly fall and the first of October, but this image was on the top of my pile and the colors were so appealing to me. I think it made a good painting.

Snow is tricky to paint. Cold paintings don't look warm and inviting. How can you make snow look warm and inviting? You have to play with the temperature. Cooler in the foreground and warmer as it goes back in space. This atmospheric perspective for white is the opposite of how we usually paint.

And again this is from the field near our home. It's such an inspirational place for me.

Thanks for reading! I'm off to teach my Thursday night class -- kmw

Day 23 :: PLANT SALE :: #30in30 Painting a Day Challenge

 harPLANT SALE
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

This weekend past I volunteered to work at a local plant sale fundraiser. Volunteering is always time well spent, but this volunteering was doing double-duty as a super-duper workout! The woman I worked with and I moved and watered and arranged and sold and restocked a TON of plants. And it was fun.

The sunlight of the morning at the antique building we were at was GORGEOUS, such a beautiful contrast in warm and cool. I have been working on temperature in my paintings, so I thought I'd take this on as a painting subject today.

The lesson from this piece is that it's difficult to paint the warm gorgeous light on clapboards. It's difficult to keep the color clean and cool where needed and differentiate shadows. What I find most problematic is keeping the painting loose and painterly while still maintaining enough detail to ensure that the piece reads appropriately to the viewer who probably wasn't there and isn't familiar with the scene as I am. (Whew! Long sentence, that last one.)

In the end, this piece was a true challenge, and this is the reason for painting every day this month. I'm stretching myself and enjoying the process. (Italics to remind me of that fact.) Working to include people in my work and cutting myself enough slack that to become familiar with specific subjects means taking them on with intent. I only have mastered marshes because I have been working on them for --- GASP! now that I think of the actual time --- 14 years! ACK!

I'm proud of this one, despite the changes I'd make should I decide to take this one on as a larger painting. Already some of the small works here have been re-imagined as bigger paintings. It'll be fun to show you which ones they are at my show at Gallery9 in Norwood, MA this November.

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 17 :: SETTING SUN :: #30in30 Painting a Day Challenge

SETTING SUN
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

$125 + $8 shipping

Whoa! Today was a whirlwind ending with teaching my art class, enjoying our customary afterparty, coming home and heading to the studio. This piece is the only of the 17 that I may have to revisit tomorrow when I look at it with non-tired eyes in the morning.

We live in the best neighborhood! This is an abandoned road near our home. The light was setting and the colors were vivid and lush as they were laid out in streaks across the grasses and pavement. People walking their kids and their dogs were scattered throughout. I added one walker with a red skirt because how could I not?

Thanks for reading! -kmw

Day 5 :: TWO TREES :: #30in30 Painting a Day Challenge

TWO TREES
by Kim Morin Weineck
original pastel, 6x6"

Sold! 

Day five is a whirlwind --- it's Labor Day weekend and there's fun to be had! I'm off with family for barbecues, walks, conversations, and making great memories.

This painting was fun and a challenge. The entire scene was green! I'm trying to make the color more interesting. My students will also recall that foregrounds are often tricky. The resolution of this one made me quite happy.

Those who live in our happy neighborhood may recognize these two trees. I've painted them before in nearly all seasons. My suspicion is that I'll revisit this scene before the month of September is over.

Thanks for reading! -kmw