Shenandoah - SOLD

...Shenandoah...
oil on linen on board - 6" x 8"

I spent last weekend at Shenandoah National Park. Beautiful! The flowers in this painting are black-eyed-Susans.

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Silver Morning - Sold

...Silver Morning...
oil on canvas - 9" x 12"

I have been invited to take part in an exhibit, Carnegie Painted, hosted by 3rd Street Gallery in Carnegie, Pa. So, I went to Carnegie with Monica, an artist friend, to see what the town looked like. It was one of those misty mornings, and the sun was just starting to burn off the haze. I liked the silvery light shining off the rooftops.

Having grown up in the mountains, I know there is a comforting feeling of being nestled in among the hills, almost like being wrapped in a soft blanket. Their undulations protect you from the extremes of wind, snow, and sun. I lived for awhile on the plains, and it felt exposed, raw, but also expansive, and the sky was huge!

I really tried with this photograph, but can't get the colors to match the painting... Hope it doesn't look too bad on your monitor.

A Surprise!

Several years ago, when I first heard about Google alerts, I set an alert for my own name. Now, whenever "Linda Schweitzer" is mentioned on the internet, I get an email with a link back to it. Yes, it is usually something that I have put in the internet myself. And of course, it keeps me up to date on what all the other Linda Schweitzers are doing. ;-) Obviously, this only works if you have an unusual name.

Recently, I was very surprised to get a Google Alert for this:

Linda Schweitzer Painter (Nx Power Lite)

View more presentations from ADRIANA CIOBANU.

I have no idea who Adriana Ciobanu is, or why she made the slide show. From what I find on the internet, she is in Romania. She did a very nice job! There is no link back to my website or blog though. I emailed her but have not received a response.

You read so much about people "stealing" your artwork on the internet, it makes you sort of paranoid. So while my initial reaction was suspicion, I am now very pleased! Thanks Adriana!

Mill Run

...Mill Run...

oil on canvas - 8" x 6"

I was painting with the international plein air artists' group when I did this one. Every year we get together for a week of painting on location, taking turns going to each others' countries. This year the USA was the host country, and we were painting in Western Maryland, near Deep Creek Lake, Swallow Falls and Friendsville which was all beautiful! And the people were so friendly and generous! And, yes, we did see wild bears, but they didn't hang around long enough to pose for a painting (or even a photograph for that matter).

While I was painting, one of the other artists took my picture...

Heavens! I look like I am totally concentrating on it, which I guess I was...

Jake

...Jake...
Oil on canvas - 6" x 6"

Isn't this the most endearing dog! Who could resist that tilted head and rolled eyes? He looks like a furry person who is about to say something! Jake is a golden doodle: golden retriever/poodle, and this is a commissioned portrait, which is to be a surprise gift to his human dad. I just hope his dad doesn't see this blog before Father's Day!

Allegheny Forest

...Allegheny Forest...
Oil on Canvas - 6" x 8"

I guess I should explain my absence. Well, without going into a lot of detail, I had to deal with major home repair issues, the insurance claim, and two trips out of town. But the long and short of it is that with all that, I just got out of the habit of painting every day and posting to the blog. It's amazing how once you get out of the habit, it is so hard to get started again!

Here is a painting I did on another trip to Valley Head, WV. It was done outdoors, from life (plein air) and I had to work very quickly because the light was changing. The sun was rising behind these trees, creating a wonderful glow.

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Against the Wall Again

...Against the Wall III...
Oil on Canvas - 6" x 6"

This is the last of my red tulip against the wall paintings... at least for now. I had wanted to do a series of the same subject, using the same colors because:

1. They might make a nice set if displayed together.
2. I wanted to experiment with using a different medium for each one.

If you are not an artist, you might want to stop reading at this point, because here comes some "shop talk."

The mediums were:

1. Gamblin Neo-Meglip--This turned out to be the most difficult to work with, because the brushstrokes showed in the transparent paint, and the paint started setting up, becoming sticky after about an hour.
2. Garrett Copal Concentrate--A resin, not really a medium, seemed to make the paint thicker. Really easy to paint with! Strokes blended like a dream. Did not seem to speed drying. Because it thickened the paint, I ended up using more mineral spirits than usual, but that didn't seem to increase the transparency of the paint. (You know the expression, "Oils slip, resins grip")
3. Grumbacher Copal Painting Medium--After the above experience, I decided to try this medium, even though it is a synthetic alkyd medium. At least it is an attempt to duplicate the effects of a copal medium. It did thin the paint and give better flow. Did not become sticky before the painting was finished. Paint seemed to have more body and less transparency than when using Liquin (another alkyd medium).

So, which did I like better? Garrett Copal Concentrate, though I'm now curious to try Garrett's Copal Medium, which I expect would thin the paint a bit, so I don't have to use so much mineral spirit.

CLICK HERE TO BUY $75