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My last plein air painting in the Gardens for this season. On this day, the Plein Air Painters of the Flathead group met here for their weekly paint out. I had volunteered to be site captain so I knew I could only paint for a short period. I walked under the crabapple tree and loved how the sun was throwing dappled light. The red jeweled fruit against the green leaves was stunning and I added the dark blue in the background since I didn’t want anything to compete with the elements at hand. As with all the paintings, I added some refinements in the studio. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 10" x 6" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
I again liked that the dark foliage offered a foundation for the foreground to come forward. The flowers ranged in the cooler color range and the pink added a pop of color. The bright green was the warm tone to complement the flower colors. The leggy plant added a capricious touch. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 6" x 8" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
Walking these paths many times during my over a dozen visits, this was one of the main tributaries in the front gardens. Another bounty of color was blooming underneath the trees at this intersection. I felt inspired by the play of light and shadow in this scene. Light was spilling through tall trees on the right contrasting warmly with the cast shadows. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
I was feeling a little more comfortable with painting the tulips and decided to try a wider view. The meandering path takes one through more tulip beds and under an ornamental plum in full regalia of bright pink blossoms. The dappled light was caused by trees off to the left side of the painting that are not seen. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
The early morning sun was streaming in and creating interesting patterns of shadow and light. I loved how the warm glow of the background highlighted the shadow in the foreground. The path leading to stairs invites the viewer to come down and discover more of the Gardens. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
An Asian flair to this beautiful gazebo that can hold 15 people comfortably on benches encircling the sides. This painting makes me chuckle. I literally tried three times to draw the gazebo but I couldn’t get the perspective right. I always take photos of the exact scene I’m painting so that I can reference the photo in the studio and make corrections. After the third attempt, I realized my time and stamina were limited and I had to move on. I turned my attention to the garden bed at the right and it was one of the most challenging I had painted because of the number of varieties. I painted simplified representations of each variety to give a flavor of the abundance and the color planning that goes into these floral works of art. I left the background in basic shapes as well as the lawn to provide a place for the eye to rest. Back in the studio, I referenced my photo and saw where I was making the mistakes in perspective. I redrew the gazebo and since this was a fairly small piece, I used pastel pencils which also helped make the rendering more accurate. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
I set up my easel to this east view with the Swan Mountain Range beyond. I was looking for that long view with the grass path pulling the viewer in. The sun was fairly harsh at this time of the day but there were some shadows from the overhanging branches which added some interesting shapes. While I was painting this scene, I met a very nice couple. He was a photographer and loving the brilliant subject matter. He and his wife asked if I would like some photos taken of me at my easel and they would send them to me. How kind of them! I received the images by email as promised and promptly shared them on social media. Those are some of the wonderful connections one makes with art lovers. Art is the bridge to community and camaraderie. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
This morning I thought I’d take a big challenge. I brought a panel that was 10” x 16”—quite a bit bigger than I usually paint when on location. I liked this landscape format and focused on one of the main paths in the Gardens which pass the stables on the right. You can just see the wood slats of the barn’s siding. My intention with this composition was to pull the viewers eye through the sunlit path to the open area at the end with another bed flowers. This path of the garden is mostly in shadow so it was planted accordingly with impatiens and begonias among others. Being such a large panel, I worked on this for a solid three hours before I finally had to quit because my brain couldn’t make another decision. I wasn’t finished though so the next time I came to Bibler, I set up in the same spot and spent another hour finishing the painting and refining some of my previous work. Then I was ready for my next subject. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 10" x 16" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
The tulips in the Bibler Gardens are a kaleidoscope of riotous color. Tulips everywhere. Lots of them. I can’t imagine how many bulbs must have been planted to produce such a gorgeous display. I later learned from one of the gardeners that they had planted 30,000 bulbs. And yet, I still can’t fathom it... The contrast between the softness of the blossoms and foliage against the hard edges of the rocks created an interesting dynamic. The sun was bouncing off the rocks and the brick pathway behind illuminating the foliage with warmth. The bright color notes of the tulips pop off the background in a playful way. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
This small painting was done in my studio from a photo taken the previous week. The tulips were fading and the season was almost over. I wanted to capture the translucence of the tulip’s petals and approach it from a more unusual angle. It’s easy to take a photo from low down with the lens angled upwards to the blossoms—not quite so easy to paint from such a low perspective. Having observed the tulips for so many hours over the previous couple of weeks, I felt like I was well versed to paint this portrait of the three blossoms. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 6" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
It was a beautiful summer morning and the gardens were extensive. I’d often heard of Bibler Gardens but this was my first visit. It did not disappoint. The many beds were intensively planted and the range of varieties was mind-boggling. After running around snapping photos of a dizzying array of options, I settled on this view. I liked the big flox blossoms against the dark foliage behind. The sun was rising on the right and adding a warm glow to everything. I set up my easel quickly to capture the golden sunlight before the light changed, working on a 9” x 12” board. I eliminated some trees and foliage to simplify the scene and allow for interesting shapes in the sky around the tree tops. The trees and bushes offered the perfect backdrop to highlight the blossoms. The pink tones compliment the warm greens and dark turquoises. The arched pink flowers add movement to the composition. Original pastel on archival board Image size: 9" x 12" This piece is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. -
Beargrass is unique to the Pacific Northwest and nowhere are they more abundant and lovely than in Glacier National Park. The plants bloom in June and only once every seven years. Luckily there is such a proliferation of plants that every year one can enjoy the blooms. Original pastel Image size: 11" x 14" This painting is sold UNFRAMED. Free shipping to locations in the continental U.S. No sales tax. -
On a beautiful July day, our plein air group was invited to Purple Mountain Lavender Farm on the west side of Flathead Lake to paint the lavender bloom at it’s peak. This charming set up was an invitation to sit, relax, and enjoy the sweet aroma surrounding us.
Original pastel
Image size: 12" x 16" -
The east side of Flathead Lake is lush with cherry orchards as the micro climate is ideal for growing this delicious fruit. A painter friend invited us down to Finley Point to plein air paint when the trees were in full bloom. There were also newborn lambs but that is the subject for another painting. Original pastel Image size: 9" x 12" -
Bird of Paradise flowers are stunning with a rainbow of colors that are accented by raindrops. Framed in a gallery-quality dark brown wood frame and anti-reflective glass. Original pastel Image size: 12” x 16" Framed size: 19" x 23" This painting is showing at FoR Fine Art Gallery in Bigfork, Montana. Price includes shipping in the continental U.S. If the painting is purchased here on my site, FoR Fine Art will pack and ship it to you. No sales tax and no other charges apply.
