Plein air painting class
yields 3 new works

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Valley Evening 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Valley Evening 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Valley Evening 2 ~ Jake Birdwatching, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Valley Evening 2 ~ Jake Birdwatching, 8×8 oil on clayboard

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Joanne’s Porch, oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel, unframed.

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Joanne’s Porch, oil on 8×8-inch archival Claybord panel. Unframed.

It is such a joy to take a class with other artists. I learn so much. Mark Allison’s plein air class started last night at the home of Joanne McLennan in Tangent, Oregon. The evening atmosphere was pleasant and magical.

I first painted the front porch, where I found a range of blues and green/grays contrasted with the orangeish rock.

Then, I created a fast sketch in paint of the row of trees out yonder. My goal was to paint brightly with few brush strokes.

Jake the friendly dog needed to have his portrait done, so I woke early this morning to paint him into the landscape. For some reason my camera does not want to focus on this one…I’ve shot it 10 times and each is blurry. Perhaps when the sun shines I can shoot it again.

Crow at the Beach

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Crows at the Beach 8, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crows at the Beach 8, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This crow symbolizes my desire to take flight and vacation somewhere.

I won’t have much opportunity to get away from my routine life until August.

I shall live vicariously through all your vacations until then.

Organ Pipe Cactus NM #6

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Organ Pipe 6, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Organ Pipe 6, 8×8 oil on clayboard

The cool shade and warm sun provide a spectacular view here at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

During the blooming season, the sages and other brushes provide a variety of pastel colors.

Crocus revisited

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Crocus 1, oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel; unframed.

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crocus 1, oil on 8×8-inch archival Claybord panel; unframed.

These crocus bloomed months ago…perhaps I want the spring to start over. Sure wish the sun would come out! I prefer sun over rain this time of year.

Canyon Dreams 21

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 21, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 21, 8×8 oil on clayboard

If you know the name of this land formation from AZ, UT, NM, please write in and let me know. I think it is from AZ but just caught it driving by.

One of my memories from childhood is that the fields of crops were labeled, which meant I was learning something as I drove by. I’d love our highways to tell us what we’re seeing as we drive along. Perhaps we can someday use GPS to provide blow-by-blow descriptions from our phones.

South Beach, Oregon

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  South Beach 4, oil on clayboard,  8x8

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$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, South Beach 4, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This lonely tree has withstood the winds and rain for many decades and is a sentinel to the South Beach campers. May or June is the month to visit the beach to see the wildflowers blooming.

Black Eyed Susans

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Black Eyed Susans 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Black Eyed Susans 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

Corvallis is alive with flowers right now. I can’t walk 5 feet without stopping to take a picture. These flowers are from last summer’s neighborhood garden in our cul de sac.

California Poppies blowing in the breeze

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  California Poppies 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8  SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, California Poppies 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This one is from another in a series of homogenous compositions of flowers. These three make a nice set.

© Pam Van Londen 2010, Lavender in Full Bloom, oil on claybord, 8x8 SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Lavender in Full Bloom, 8×8 oil on claybord

© Pam Van Londen 2010, Under the Vines, oil on claybord , 8x8 Purchase this painting via PayPal's secure payment system $64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Under the Vines, 8×8 oil on claybord

Grand Canyon 4

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Grand Canyon 4, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Grand Canyon 4, 8×8 oil on clayboard

Love this big hole in the ground. Hope to paint more of it over the next 50 years.

Walk Around Campus

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Walk Around Campus 2, oil on clayboard,  5x7

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$35 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Walk Around Campus 2, 5×7 oil on clayboard

Spring in Oregon means lots of flowers. These bluebells and daffodils can be found a block off the OSU campus.

Prague Traffic, for the
Virtual Paintout

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Ke Krci Branicka Prague, oil on clayboard,  8x8

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$64 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Ke Krci Branicka Prague, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This month’s Virtual Paintout is Czech Republic. This scene was shot by Google in Prague.

Perhaps someday I’ll get to travel there in person.

Willamette River 9

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Willamette River 9, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Willamette River 9, 8×8 oil on clayboard

I just hate wasting paint, so I keep painting until the palette is clean. This Willamette River scene was the result of yesterday and today’s palette cleaning.

Mary’s Peak

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Mary’s Peak 6, oil on clayboard,  8x8

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Mary’s Peak 6, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This quick sketch of Mary’s Peak outside Corvallis and Philomath uses exaggerated color and the same transparent oil on Claybord technique I’ve been using lately.

Canyon Dreams #20

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 20, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 20, 8×8 oil on clayboard

I started this painting before last weekend’s Art Walk, worked on it while I had an audience milling around, then finished it today.

The layered colors are mostly transparent, so there is an etherial feel to the image.

This item is featured in an Etsy Treasury.

Campus Garden 2

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Campus Garden 2, oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel. Unframed.

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Campus Garden 2, oil on 8×8-inch archival Claybord panel. Unframed.

My favorite garden on the way to work is behind the Cafe Yumm.

The hedges are trimmed regularly so they are round and the aspens are lined up in a row. The concrete wall is pointed at an angle, so the whole scene is whimsical.

Each season brings new colors and lighting to enjoy on my quick jaunt.

More canyons

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 18, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 18, 8×8 oil on clayboard

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 19, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 19, 8×8 oil on clayboard. See it in the Dad Etsy Treasury.

This 19th Canyon Dream painting is of Georgia O’Keefe’s mountain in New Mexico, called The Pedernal. This view is from the campground between Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu.

Canyon Dreams repeats

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 16, Oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel, unframed.

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 16, 8×8 oil on clayboard

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 17, Oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel, unframed.
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 17, Oil on 8×8-inch archival Claybord panel, unframed.

I sold three Canyon Dream paintings this week, so am eager to repaint some of them.

They never look the same twice; I’m just not that kind of artist.

Canyon Dreams 14

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 14, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 14, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This piece depicts the majesty of canyon walls towering above a swift running river. The walls are eroded smooth by wind, rain, and time.

Preparing for summer flowers

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Hollyhocks 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Hollyhocks 1, 8×8 oil on claybord

Hollyhocks are one of my favorite flowers. They are found in the south leaning against stucco homes and wooden fences.

We have them here, too, but they are often double-headed and less delicate.
When the sun shines through the petals the color is quite bright.

Caw!

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Crow on the Beach 6, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crow on the Beach 6, 8×8 oil on clayboard

For the love of crows. They are everywhere, cleaning up after us. This one is waiting for something to eat.

I was able to approach within 5 feet before it flew away.

It hopped around, called out, and checked the wood for morsels now and then.

More crows on the beach

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Crow on the Beach 4, oil on clayboard,  8x8 SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crow on the Beach 4, 8×8 oil on clayboard

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Crow on the Beach 5, oil on clayboard,  8x8 SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Crow on the Beach 5, 8×8 oil on clayboard

A popular series of recent paintings is of crows. Here are some images painted from video I took at another trip to Taft, Oregon, south of Lincoln City on the Oregon coast.

I’m trying the same technique as the canyon series where I start with an alizarin crimson underpainting and layer thinned pure hues on top, using as few brush strokes as possible.

Canary Islands Virtual Paintout

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Calle Gran Bretana Adeje, Canary Islands, oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel; unframed.

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Calle Gran Bretana Adeje, Canary Islands, oil on 8×8-inch archival Claybord panel; unframed.

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Camino Matoso Buenavista Del Norte, Canary Islands, oil on 8x8-inch archival Claybord panel; unframed.
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Camino Matoso Buenavista Del Norte, Canary Islands, oil on 8×8-inch archival Claybord panel; unframed.

This month’s Virtual Paintout is of the Canary Islands. Since the participating artists could not fly to the islands to paint plein air, we used Google’s pedestrian view to find scenes we wanted to paint.

The one-lane road of Camino Matoso would be quite a bike ride. The simplicity and expansive views are spectacular.

In the towns, you’ll see wall-to-wall hotels and cars; not so pleasing.

Forest Dream 2

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Forest Dream 2, oil 8x8-inch archival Gessobord panel; unframed.

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$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Forest Dream 2, oil 8×8-inch archival Gessobord panel; unframed.

After several days of contemplation, I was able to finish this work. It is similar to one done a few weeks ago, but on claybord instead of canvas panel.

This series derived from the desire to use leftover paint. The calligraphic use of a flat-edged brush keeps the brushstrokes simple and bold.

Brick Wall
Monthly Painting Challenge

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Brick Wall 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8
© Pam Van Londen 2010, Brick Wall 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

For April’s Monthly Painting Challenge, we are painting a fairly flat image; a brick wall with climbing ivy and electrical boxes and tubes.

This panel is the third attempt to render something interesting.
Painting every brick is tedious and sometimes renders a boring painting. So I’ve tried circular strokes rather than rectangular.

Canyon Dreams #11

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 11, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 11, 8×8 oil on clayboard

The daily painting ritual is at the same time theraputic and a duty.

Whether I am inspired or not, I hope to squeeze in a few moments of creative production each day.

In today’s ritual, I’ve reused a previous photo reference from Sante Fe, New Mexico. The result is quite different from the previous and much more alive. I won’t tell you which work is the previous; can you guess?

Turner valley farms

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Turner Valley Farm 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Turner Valley Farm 1, 8×8 oil on clayboard

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Turner Valley Farm 2, oil on clayboard,  8x8

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$64 © Pam Van Londen 2012 (2010), Turner Valley Farm 2, 8×8 oil on clayboard

I’m enjoying the hospitality of family for a couple of days and had a chance to paint with my son’s sister. She is a budding artist with a huge art supply kit!

Their view from the porch includes the coast range of mountains, tree farms, and pasture.

Canyon Dreams #10,
the never ending series

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 10, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 10, 8×8 oil on clayboard

I’m officially on vacation!

This series of paintings is born from car adventures in various places like Eastern Oregon, Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah.

We’ll be in the car (a 24-foot motorhome) again this week to see what vistas await us. Want to join us? Call me and let’s rendezvous.

Canyon Dreams 9

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 9, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 9, 8×8 oil on clayboard

Another one for the series.