Pink Explosion

I've noticed the last few days that all the cherry trees are beginning to shed their petals.  This particular grouping of trees caught my eye in a neighborhood where I was doing some painting for a client.  The trees were growing on a mulched hill and the effect of the petals laying on the ground was amazing - like a carpet of pink.  Surreal.

I experimented a bit with this painting, using a palette knife to lay in some thicker patches of paint.  

Here is my painting.

Pink Explosion

8x8 oil

www.julieriker.com

Showhouse News in "The Burg"

Thanks to Lori Myers for this nice article in the May/June issue of The Burg which describes my room at the upcoming Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse.

https://theburgnews.com/culture/house-note-beauty-awaits-discerning-eye-lindenwood

Painting Chairs

These stripped down plank bottom chairs were a great find at $30 each.  I've restored the paint surface  by researching similar chairs for my design.

I'll be placing these chairs in my room at the Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse which opens to the public on May 22nd.  The showhouse is in an 1860's stone farmhouse and I feel these chairs are appropriate to the period of the house.

 I love creating old and worn finishes - so much character!

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Spring Along The Susquehanna

9x12 oil

Another beautiful day to be out painting!

www.julieriker.com

Back Alley Forsythia

8x10 oil

It felt great to be out painting on this warm spring afternoon!

Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse: Progress Report

This it the room I am decorating for the Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse, which will be open to the public from May 22 - June 14.

I plan to turn it into an artist's studio and fill it with many of my paintings.

Work began a few weeks ago and so far I have painted the floor and started texturing the walls.

I am really loving this room.  The afternoon light is beautiful!  Perhaps once the easel comes in I will do some paintings in this room during showhouse hours.

For more information on the showhouse visit http://www.harrisburgsymphonyshowhouse.org

The Still Life

 I am eager for outdoor painting weather but still not ready to venture outside.  The past week I have dedicated some days to practicing the still life in my studio.  I am working directly from a live setup (no photo) and completing each painting in one sitting.  My subject matter all came from a trip to the grocery store.  The tulips were a delight to have in the house and made their way into several paintings before they wilted.  Here are two of them.

    

Tulips and Tapestry

11x14

Pink Tulips and Grapefruit

16x20

Empty House

10x8

oil on panel

I painted both Saturday and Sunday at the Empty House Tour for the Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse.  On Saturday I did the winter scene looking out the window, but for Sunday I decided to turn my easel around and paint the interior of the living room looking in to the hallway and library.  I don't usually paint interior scenes and I enjoyed it.

There were over 300 visitors to the house over the weekend - people anxious to get a sneak peek before the designers starting working.  I had set some of my paintings around on window sills and mantles to make the house not look so "empty" and was thrilled that 6 paintings sold over the 2 days...including this little one wet off the easel!

Winter Shadows

Winter Shadows

8x10

Last weekend I had the opportunity to paint at the future Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse for their Empty House Tour.  The house was open for the public to see before the designers worked their magic.  I painted in the light filled sunroom surrounded by windows and view of snow covered fields...much warmer than painting outside.

The Harrisburg Symphony Showhouse will run from May 22 through June 14.  More information is on their website http://www.harrisburgsymphonyshowhouse.org

Good Day PA

I did a live painting on TV!!

I was on Good Day PA with Amy Kehm helping to promote this year's Camp Hill Plein Air event and did a painting during the hour long show.

The producers showed several teasers with stages of my painting throughout the show.

There was a short interview discussing the plein air event.

You can view it here 

http://abc27.com/2015/03/06/plein-air-camp-hill/

Red Barn In Winter

8x10 

I painted along McCormick Road on Sunday morning.

It was great to be out but I realized I had not done this kind of painting from observation in a long time and was feeling like I couldn't concentrate due to the cold.  The forecast was 40 degrees...they were wrong...I was unprepared and my feet were frozen.

Perhaps the gloves, cold conditions, and stiff paint consistency led to the looseness of this painting.

To see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Florida #2

8x10 oil

Here's another plein air painting that I did during my stay in Florida as a break from painting walls.  This is a corner of my client's/host's pool looking out over the canal.  I left this with them as a thank you for giving me the business and making my stay so nice.

www.julieriker.com

Cloudscape

8x10 oil

This is one of three paintings that are included in a multi-artist "Skyscape" exhibit at Harrisburg's Whitaker Center.  The exhibit will hang through January 9, 2015.  If you happen to be there over the holidays to see a performance or the IMAX be sure to check out the art.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Florida

8x10

I have been away for the last month doing a large decorative painting commission in Florida.

Contrary to what many of you may think, it was not a vacation, but a lot of long hard working days.

I had taken my plein air equipment with the idea I would go out several times a week painting, but after most work days I only had the energy to jump in my client's pool. I did find time to do a few plein airs as a break from painting walls.  This was one that I painted from the homeowner's dock looking across the canal at a neighbor's fishing boat.

Sky Blue MG A

10x8

I painted this today at Carlisle's Harvest of the Arts where several of us from Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters were displaying our work to promote an upcoming show.

Part of the festival was the Meeting of the Marques, a great lineup of vintage English cars.

What fun!

It was hard to decide which to paint!

I was draw to the beautiful blue color on this one and the reflections of the trees and sky on the trunk.

The owner has restored the car himself over 8 years and was so happy that I chose to paint it.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Retired

 8x10 oil

Another painting from my weekend at the Chincoteague Island Plein Air Event.  I love images of abandonment - of nature taking over what was once new.
There is no shortage of scenes like this on Chincoteague Island.  I could have created 5 compositions from this one property but chose to crop in on mostly the rusty truck with a bit of the old cottage.
This painting sold quickly at the show and was very popular.  I could have sold it again 20 times!  Maybe next year I should just paint rusty trucks!

www.julieriker.com

Summer's End

Where did the last month go?  It's been so long since I posted here and now the summer is over.

 

 

8x24 oil

This past weekend I participated in the Chincoteague Plein Air event for the fourth consecutive year.

Summer's End was one of 7 paintings that I did during the 3 day event which ended in a Saturday evening sale.  I brought this unusual size canvas with the intent of painting a beach scene but decided to use it for the sunset on the Wildlife Refuge.  I had to work quickly to capture the changing colors in the sky.  It did not take long before it was too dark and I could no longer see my work.  As soon as the sun went down the mosquitoes came out and chased me away.  I finished the painting that evening in my hotel room.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website

www.julieriker.com

Seaside Shed

8x10 oil

Today I was invited to paint at a private home outside Annapolis.  It's a lovely property - on a peninsula, surrounded on 3 sides by water.  

I painted this outbuilding and made it my intention to keep the shadows high key as the whole scene was blown out by sunlight.  The only deep shadow is the interior of the shed seen through the one broken window pane.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Back Alley

9x12 oil

Today I went to Easton, MD to participate in the Quick Draw - one of the largest plein air events in the country.  There must have been close to 200 artists and I can't believe no one else spotted this charming scene tucked between 2 houses in a back alley.

I was happy that the painting was sold to a couple from New Hampshire.

To see more of my work visit my website www.julieriker.com

Fragrant Lilies

11x14 oil

I stopped by to check it out a neighbor's garden - not even sure if I would paint - but the wonderful fragrance of the lilies kept me there!!  

Just heavenly!

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Salvage Inspired Stairs

These new pine stairs leading to an apartment above a garage were stained and painted to look like they were constructed from old salvaged crates...a fun and funky vintage look.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Red Roses And Bunting

8x6 oil

One of the paintings that I did as part of the Gettysburg Festival Plein Air Event - I was interested in the play between the crimson red bunting and the magenta red of the roses.

WISHING EVERYONE A 

HAPPY JULY 4TH 

HOLIDAY!

Forest Light

8x10

Painted today...a nice shady spot.

www.julieriker.com

Italian Lake Soiree

The Fountain At Italian Lake

8x10

This Saturday night, the 21st, I will be showing my work at the Italian Lake Soiree, an art/garden party held at a private home and benefiting the Art Association of Harrisburg. I am honored to be exhibiting along with artists Steve Wetzel, Jonathan Frazier, and Brian Eppley. We will be displaying plein air works created at the lake and surrounding areas.  Tickets are available from the website ($40) or at the door($45). http://www.artassocofhbg.com/index2.htm

Lowenthal Barn

 

9x12 oil

Nice surprise to find out my painting of the Lowenthal Barn won Second Place in the "Barn Art" show. Held as a benefit for the Gettysburg Adams County Preservation Society, proceeds from the show help their ongoing project to save historic Adams County Barns.  This painting also sold at the event.

Silvery Susquehanna

12x18 oil

Another painting from the week of Camp Hill Plein Air, this was painted from Negley Park on an overcast afternoon.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Red and Yellow Iris

 

8x10 oil

Yesterday I met some painting friends at Beech Spring Farm, near Gettysburg.  It is a beautiful preserved farm that is used for weddings and special events.  It is really quite lovely - but too manicured for my taste.  Feeling uninspired by the landscape, I decided to focus in on these pretty flowers.

I am starting to feel like my paintings are getting looser and the colors are getting brighter...must be the nice spring weather!

www.julieriker.com

Old Truck In The Alley

9x12 oil

Here's another painting from Plein Air Camp Hill. 

I did this for the 2 hour Quick Draw.

It's called "Old Truck In An Alley".

It sold at the event.

www.julieriker.com

Underneath It All

8x12

I was delighted that my painting won 2nd Place and also the People's Choice Award at Camp Hill Plein Air this weekend.

I have always wanted to do a nocturnal painting but this is actually the first I have ever done.

It was great fun.

I used a camping headlamp to illuminate my palette.  It may not have been color accurate but it worked.

The painting sold the next day to a woman who was visiting from Florida...a former shop owner.  I snapped these few pictures and that's all I have.

If you would like to see more of my work please visit my website www.julieriker.com

Good Day PA

I was on WHTM's "Good Day PA" today helping to promote the upcoming Camp Hill Plein Air event.  You can watch it HERE
Be sure to check out the festival site at http://www.pleinaircamphill.org/

Happy Easter!

18x14 oil on canvas

Here's a painting I started this week.  An Easter bouquet for you!

I may still add a few touches to it but wanted to post for you to enjoy.

Fun little fireplace surround

My customer wanted to paint something on this boring fireplace surround.  She wanted it to look like old delft tiles but in black and white, and it had to be whimsical to fit her personality.

We came up with this idea to do dog silhouettes...all her favorite breeds.

Cabbage

12x12 oil

A recent trip to a local farmer's market inspired this little painting.  Such a wealth of still life material there if you really look.  Even something as common as a cabbage can be quite beautiful.

www.julieriker.com

David Shevlino workshop

I just returned from Easton, MD where I attended a workshop with David Shevlino. Four intense but fun days of painting - no expectation of a finished product, just pure exploration of paint (reminiscent of my art school days) along with a great group of painters. Now I am fired up and ready to get back at it!

 David's demo