Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Fence Row Oak


When I was a farmer's wife in Missouri I spent a lot of time out in our growing fields and the horse pastures.  I was the breakfast and lunch person that showed up with a warm breakfast and a good lunch for my farming husband while he stayed in the field to disc, plant or harvest, depending on the time of year.  The fence rows in farm country are most interesting.  You will fine a variety of plants from trailing vines to big trees that only have survived because they were in the fence row and not at the mercy of the tractor's disc or flail mower.  The fence line sometimes got stretched as a big tree pushed for space and this painting reminded me of those days walking the fence line and made for "A Painting Day".

"Fence Line Oak"
5x7 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre

Silvana Small Works Show

The holiday season is brimming with Small Works shows and I am happy to report four of my small palette knife landscape paintings have been accepted into the Second Annual Small Works Group Show at the Silvana Gallery in Southern California.  It is an honor to be a part of the invitational.  Having my work selected to the show is also a nice reward for my plein air outings, cold feet, bugs and all the rest.
 It has made for "A Painting Day"

1731 West Glenoaks Blvd.
Glendale, California
818/662-7070
Reception December 10, 2011 6-10 pm
Show:  December 10-2-11 - Februarty 1, 2012




"Oak on Turner" 8x8 in, o/c by Ruth Andre


"Harbor View" 6x6 in, o/c by Ruth Andre


"Trail-Side" 6x6 in, o/c by Ruth Andre


"Quiet Sentinels" 6x8 in, o/c by Ruth Andre


Monday, November 28, 2011

Follow the Fence Line


Here is one more painting from my outing over the week-end.  I love the old oaks and the fence posts that sway this way and that as they move up the hillside.  This is Peggy's home place, my neighbor, just east of where I live.   My view in any direction is one of peace and tranquility and has made for,
 "A Painting Day".

"Follow the Fence Line" 6x8 inches, o/c by Ruth Andre

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Painting in My Backyard - Valley Oak


"Valley Oak" 5x5 inches, o/c by Ruth Andre

I hope you all have had a great holiday week-end and were able to enjoy family and friends.  The weather was good so I decided to head outside and paint in my own backyard.  My neighbors D & R were out for the day and offered me their hillside view to paint the rolling valley oaks.  


Here I am heading out of my driveway taking the easement  road to paint up the hill.


The road gets steep here and the view is gorgeous.  The grasses will be an emerald green in a few weeks.


Here is the view from my neighbor's front yard.  The sun was playing hide and seek but I decided to set up my easel and start painting.  It was good to get outside today and feel the cool air and be with the quiet of the landscape.  It was, "A Painting Day".



Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Trail-Side



I was out painting and it was cold with the morning frost just starting to melt on the ground.  The bluff was still in shade while the hillside in the background was alive with sunshine.  The colors of the old oak and the brushy trees along the trail side were varied shades of dark reds and grey greens.  It was a special time and it made for, "A Painting Day".

"Trail-Side" 6x6-inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre


Monday, November 21, 2011

Paintings & Frames

When I send paintings to a gallery I have each painting framed.  I know you can paint on thick canvas covered stretcher bars but I always think paintings have a more finished look when framed.  I ordered a couple of new frames from Custom Tile Frames in Canada.  I was amazed with the beauty of the 1/4 sawn wood and the lovely finish.  The oak Arts & Craft frame came from an artisan, David Eklund, owner of Custom Tile Frames.  David has a beautiful portfolio of frames all available to order online.  The painting below, "Harbor Inlet" has a frame from Custom Tile Frames and I truly love its rich beauty.


My local framer, Jim Ginney in nearby Placerville, California also has a great inventory of frames and I was happily surprised at how the little landscape painting, "The Pond", was enhanced with this Asian influenced black frame.


Each painting has its own personality and style.  Finding the right frame to match and enhance the painting is very important.  Looking at frames has made me think of, "A Painting Day".

"Harbor Inlet" 6x8 inches, oil on canvas, framed - by Ruth Andre
This painting is going to the Segil Fine Art Gallery "Small Works Show" in Monrovia California.

Small Works Show
December 3-December 31, 2011
Reception:  Saturday December 3, 5-7 pm
110 West Lime Avenue
Monrovia, CA
626/358-5563

"The Pond" 6x6-inches, oil on canvas,  framed - by Ruth Andre -Available SOLD

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Tux


I must be thinking of New Year's Eve with this lively painting of a Texas Long Horn Cow.  The colors remind me of a celebration party that goes into the wee hours of the night.  The painting could also be a view of a lone cow on the prairie with the night sky folding in around him.  I could not resist naming this old boy, "Tux".  The black body and the white horns remind me of a very finely dressed man in a tuxedo.  Painting the prairie sky made for, "A Painting Day".

"Tux" 8x8 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Oak Breeze


Last week I sent 7 paintings off to a new gallery in Park City, Utah.  I will give you the scoop on that in a few days.  Hopefully I will have some photos to share.  Today's painting was also painted while in Sutter Creek last week.  The sun kept hiding behind the clouds so this one gives you the feeling of an almost rainy day, while the other, "Down by the Creek" is filled with sunshine.  The tree leaves and the grasses were all turning from their summer green to varied color of fall.  It was a nice day to be painting plein air and made for, "A Painting Day".

"Oak Breeze" 5x5 inches, oil on canvas by Ruth Andre