Canyon Dreams 15

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Canyon Dreams 15, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Canyon Dreams 15, 8×8 oil on clayboard

This scene was painted a few months ago on an alizarin crimson underpainting. Today’s version uses pthalo green underpainting, in two shades.

The watercolory transparent effect comes from using thinned, overlapping color.

Nest of Prosperity

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Nest of Prosperity 2, oil on clayboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Nest of Prosperity 2, 8×8 oil on clayboard

Green is the color of money (in this country, anyway) and reflects Mother Earth’s abundance. A nest of eggs symbolizes prosperity; something many of us need during this trying time.

This work uses transparent oil paint on a clay panel with a bit of scraffito.

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.

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.

Oak Tree, for Inspiration
All Around Us challenge

© Pam Van Londen 2013,  Oak Tree 1.2, oil on gessoboard,  8x8

Purchase this painting via PayPal's secure payment system
$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Oak Tree, oil on 8×8-inch archival Gessobord panel; unframed.

Every other Tuesday, Dana Marie from Dana Marie Gallery in Corvallis, Orgon, posts a new photo to draw inspiration from on the Inspiration All Around Us blog.

This oak tree is my first submission. I revised it in 2013 to improve color and composition.

Forest Dreams abstract painting

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Forest Dream 1, oil on canvasboard,  8x8

Purchase this painting via PayPal's secure payment system
$50 © Pam Van Londen 2010, Forest Dream 1, oil 8×8-inch canvas panel; unframed.

For weeks now, I’ve been trying to work out what this painting ought to be. I think it is done now. Not sure if this one is the start of a new series or not.

If you like it, let me know and I’ll make more.

Monthly Painting Challenge
Creek Reflections

© Pam Van Londen 2010,  Johnson Creek 6 Winter Creek, oil on gessoboard,  8x8
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2010, Johnson Creek 6 Reflections, 8×8 oil on gessoboard

This month’s Painting Challenge is Winter Creek, a complicated landscape with confusing branches and subtle colors; one I find the hardest to paint.

I am still working with a transparent oil technique, this time on gesso rather than Claybord, so I’ve left the crimson underpainting showing through and exaggerated the color where I could.

This location is my favorite in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland.

Molalla River Shore 3

© Pam Van Londen 2009,  Molla River Shore 3, oil on clayboard,  8x8x1

SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2009, Molalla River Shore 3, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

The transparent oil technique that I’ve been using the last couple of weeks took a new turn this morning with this painting on Gessobord (instead of my usual Claybord.

The topmost oilier layers push the bottommost layers to the side, creating thin dark edges. I like this style and will try it again next painting session.

Willamette Valley in the morning

© Pam Van Londen 2009,  Valley Morning 1, oil on clayboard,  8x8x1
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2009, Valley Morning 1, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

Driving towards the Cascade Mts in the morning when the sun is shining is spectacular!

Even if the mountains are a ways away, the lighting brightens up the grasses of the valley floor and cools off the far peaks.

This painting is the first in a series of memories of our drive from Corvallis to Lebanon this morning.

Canyon Dreams 7

© Pam Van Londen 2009,  Canyon Dreams 7, oil on clayboard,  8x8x1
SOLD © Pam Van Londen 2009, Canyon Dreams 7, 8x8x1 on oil on clayboard

More memories of driving through canyons in various states like OR, CA, AZ, NM, TX, and UT.

See these works all together at the Mod Pod Artist’s Night on Feb 27.

Joy 1, 2, and 3

© Pam Van Londen 2009, Joy3, acrylic on canvasboard, 8x8x1

© Pam Van Londen 2009, Joy 3, 8x8x1 on acrylic on canvasboard

Due to some technical glitches, I am repainting this series. I’m experimenting with thick, squirted paint and a funny brush made of several rubber tips.

Check back next week for the final work. The paints are quite thick and take a long time to dry.