Following Aspens

It's fun watching the aspens change through the seasons. I was planning to go to Glacier National Park at least one last time before the park officially closed for the winter to see the colors, but with the Govt shutdown, that plan was foiled! At least there is beauty everywhere here in the Flathead Valley, I don't have to go further than my neighborhood to find inspiration.

Anyways enough talk, here they are: They are all 10"x20" oil on canvas, and painted with a palette knife.

"Aspens in the Fall"
10"x20" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

"Autumn Aspens"
10"x20" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

"Late September Aspens"
10"x20" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

"Frosty Aspens in October"
10"x20" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

The largest aspen painting to date, "Early Fall Aspens" just sold! I am so happy it is going to a great home!

"Early Fall Aspens"
30"x40" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013
This is it hanging in my living room

I am going to miss the painting, so will have to just do another to take its place!

I have so many paintings in my head, I better get started!

Until next time! Raette

Mini Glacier Series

So I am through all of my larger "paint-over" canvases, and now I am working through my smaller canvases. All I have left now are 5"x7" canvases, so I thought I would play with light in Glacier. What this means is I use the structure of the landscape in photographs, but then I add my own light/fog, etc..

These are fun little quick studies!
Here are the first two:

Both are palette knife work, both oil, and canvas 5"x7"
$60 each

Logan's Pass, facing NW - mini
5"x7" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

Logan's Pass, facing N - mini
5"x7" oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

Glacier Park Series

So yesterday I completed this painting "Off Hidden Lake Trail", another of the Montana Views, Glacier Park Series. I simply cannot get enough of Glacier Park - I look forward to doing some hiking, off Going to the Sun Road to get more material to paint. Just need a new pair of hiking boots and I'm on it! :)

I really believe that Glacier National Park is one of the most beautiful and inspirational place I have ever been. Every time I turn around I see something else I want to paint!

To see more of my Glacier Park Series, visit my site: www.artbyraette.com and go to "Montana Views". Soon I will need to split my Montana Views gallery into sub categories, but for now they are all together.

"Off Hidden Lake Trail"
9" x 12" oil on canvas board
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

So here's what I'm thinking. I love the way the snow melt creates a zig zag pattern through the fields here, so much that I am going to paint it again, but this time I will change up the lighting a little bit. I have this vision of what I want my paintings to look like, and as much as I like the composition of this one, I want the lighting to be more dramatic. So when I am done, I will post another blog. Maybe today or tomorrow?

Bye for now!

Painting on location in paradise

This week I had the opportunity to paint on location for the first time in Glacier National Park. I pulled over in a turnout on Going to the Sun Road. One of my favorite views to paint is of Bird Woman Falls, facing South, heading toward Logan's Pass. It was quite the experience, painting on location - it was VERY WINDY!!! At times I had to hold on to my hat, and canvas board and just wait for the wind to pass. All I could do was laugh. I should have known that a paper palette was not appropriate for outdoor use on a windy day. Before I knew it, my arms and hands were covered in paint, just from holding the paper down.. DUH! Needless to say, it was a fun experience, and I am excited to go again as soon as possible!
So here it is.. a photo of the painting in progress, and finished.

"Bird Woman Falls in July"
11"x14" oil on hardboard
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

Painting on location in Glacier National Park
"Bird Woman Falls in July"

July 6, 2013 - working in the gallery, Paint, Metal, and Mud

How embarrassing! I can't believe it has been so long since I wrote last! Seriously, folks, where is the time going?

It's July and Summer is in full swing here in Kalispell. My daughters and I are playing the license plate game - where you see how many out of state plates you can find. So far, it's been a week, and we have already seen at least 15. Not to mention the visitors that I meet in the gallery - Paint, Metal and Mud! Today was Virginia day. I must have met 4 people that were from Virginia today, visiting Montana for the first time. It sure is fun to live in a place that people like to vacation. The scenery never gets old.

So today I am working at the gallery - one of my two shifts this month. I like to paint while I'm working as it passes the time when it is not busy. Unfortunately, I only brought two canvases, and when I finished the second I still had 3 hours to go. I could have easily done another. Ah well.. no biggie. Not sure how I feel about the second one, because I don't do wildlife very much. I would really love to become good at painting animals though, as I am fascinated by them. For now, my wildlife paintings are a little crazy but fun!

The first painting is 24"x20" and is called "Bird Woman Falls, Glacier National Park" and the second is called "Mountain Goat of Glacier", and it measures 12"x12". Both are oil paintings on stretched canvas and painted with a palette knife.

"Bird Woman Falls, Glacier National Park, MT"
24"w x 20"h oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013

"Mountain Goat of Glacier"
12"w x 12"h oil on canvas
palette knife work
copyright Raette Meredith 2013