Greens

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Just taking the opportunity to post this painting which is titled "Greens".

This was painted during one of my oil painting classes.  I set up a still life of all green objects to fully explore the color.

www.julieriker.com

Breaking Ice Around The Bend

11x14 oil

Artist friend Beth Bathe and I painted today at Fort Hunter.  Probably my last time to paint the ice this season since a lot of it melted during the few hours I painted this. Another sign of spring was the swarm of bugs that were clinging to my paint, palette, crawling down my shirt...I think at least 20 of them hitched a ride home in my gear. A bit of Googling and I learned they were Winter Stoneflies. Apparently they come out of the river in the early spring sunshine, feed on vegetation, mate and lay their eggs back into the river.

www.julieriker.com

St. Paul Lutheran Church in Dillsburg

That's me on the scaffold.  I painted this wall in Sherwin William's "Major Blue" and stenciled the fleur di lis design as a backdrop for the figure statue.

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

My latest paint decorated blanket chest

The design is a reproduction of an original piece in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Stencilling a Focal Wall

The project this week was a stenciled focal wall in this combined living/dining room.

     The stencil was painted using a high gloss enamel in a taupe color over a background of an aqua color flat finish.  The difference in sheen between the glossy stencil and flat background creates a shimmery effect that changes as you walk around the room.  It is very pretty in person but difficult to photograph.

   Treating the same wall in both living and dining room areas creates the feeling of a large open space, even though the areas are separated by a large opening.  It is a more modern treatment of the traditional living room and dining room.

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

Snowy Stream

Here's the painting I did about a week ago during a plein air outing with my friend Beth Bathe.

 

8x10 oil

 

Rockville Bridge After The Snow

9x12 oil

Last Tuesday's storm left a heavy snow clinging to everything, creating a winter wonderland of lacy branches.  I set up at Fort Hunter to paint this plein air scene.  I made it a goal to not use any pure white in this painting.

This is one of 3 new pieces that I have just delivered to Art & Soul gallery, above the West Shore Farmer's Market.

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

Painting in the Snow

Two artists interpretations of the same scene.

Artist Beth Bathe and I met to paint in the snow.

We set up on this walking bridge that crosses a stream.

We painted for two hours and then went out for some hot soup.

Exhibit At Oyster Mill Playhouse

Rainy Day On The Square

8x10 oil

I will be exhibiting about 30 paintings at Oyster Mill Playhouse during their production of Agatha Christie's "Spider's Web" which runs from Jan. 24 - Feb. 9.  The exhibit will be mostly my direct observations of nature (aka "plein air painting).  All of the work will be available and I am donating a portion of the sales to the playhouse.

Oyster Mill is a volunteer run community theater that sits along the Conodoguinet in Camp Hill.  

Support local theater - and check out my art!

More information and tickets at http://www.oystermill.com/

The Day After Christmas

I am finally getting around to posting about this plein air experience I had on the day after Christmas.

There is so much activity leading up to the holiday - things to make for family, friends, and clients.  I have always enjoyed the release of obligations once the holiday is over.  I woke up that morning to a blanket of fresh snow.  When the sun came out I knew what I had to do.  It was peaceful painting on this wooded path.  The only other person I saw was a woman walking her dog...probably enjoying the same sense of solitude that I was.

I wish everyone peace in the new year!

8x10 oil

Peony Painting

This is a 24x36" oil on canvas that I have been working on in between other jobs for the last few months.  It is a commissioned portrait of my client's peony tree which she had me photograph last spring.  I am happy to be delivering this to her tomorrow.  Happy with how it turned out.
Here is a detail of one of my favorite areas...

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

Faux Limestone finish

This monolithic drywall chimney was treated to a faux limestone finish.

All ready now for Santa's grand entrance!

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

Commissioned House Portrait

12x16 oil on canvas

One of several Christmas commissions I am working on, I just finished this painting for the couple that owns this charming house.

I recently a new camera and I am hoping it improves the quality of the images I post here.

Enjoy!

Christian Baker Farm

Christian Baker Farm

11x14 oil

Saturday was the perfect fall day to paint at the historic Christian Baker Farm and home of Lawrence and Tammi Knorr.  I thought the display of foliage complemented the brick house and red barn so well.  The sun was in and out, but I managed to quickly capture the shadows when they showed up.

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

Aster Garden

16x20 oil

This was commissioned as a 70th birthday present for a very special lady.

Now that she has received the gift I can finally post it.

 

I expanded my limited palette for this one, adding some Quinocridone Magenta and Dioxazine Purple for the vivid colors in the flowers.

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

Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters exhibit

I will have 4 paintings in this show of recent work by my plein air group. Opening reception is Friday the 4th from 6-9.  The gallery will also be open every weekend in October, Sat. 12-4 and Sun. 12-4.  This will be a great show!

Restoring a dower chest

This 1780's PA German blanket chest was stripped of it's original paint decoration, so I painted it back on again and aged the surface to make it appear original to the piece.

Chincoteague Plein Air

   I've just returned from a week of painting on Chincoteague Island, VA as part of their annual plein air event.   46 artists painted all over the town, marina, wildlife refuge, and beach, culminating in an exhibit/sale on Saturday night. This was my display panel for the exhibit. I am very happy that I sold 4 out of the 6 paintings I did this week.

  

This is one of the pieces that sold...

Three Houses On Main Street

9x12 oil

It was a great time and I look forward to next year's event.

www.julieriker.com

Tulula

8x10 oil

I just delivered this commissioned doggy portrait.

I seem to be getting a lot of these lately.

www.julieriker.com

Music To Paint By

 10x8 oil

 

Today's Gallery Walk was a great event.  We saw a lot of traffic at City House Bed and Breakfast where 8 members of Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters are exhibiting work.  Several of us painted on location during the day.

Violinist Betsy Barnicle played folk and pop tunes throughout the afternoon and I took the opportunity to practice painting from a live figure.  She moved quite a lot.  I started this painting by sketching loose gestures in burnt umber and moving the lines around until I got the pose I wanted.

www.julieriker.com

House Along The Lake, Boiling Springs

Yesterday my friend Cecelia and I painted in Boiling Springs.  We drove around the town for awhile trying to decide where to paint...there are so many great compositions there.  We settled on this corner.  She worked around the front side of this house and I chose this angle.  I liked how the sidewalk appeared to dive right into the lake (I actually could not see the lake from where I was standing because of all the shrubs, but I "imagined" it)

 Today I did some fine tuning on the perspective and punched up a few colors, but I still am considering this a plein air painting.  As you can see from the photo above, I worked out my entire composition, covered the canvas with paint, and established the mood of the painting all on location.  It was just some minor tweaks that were done in the studio.

House Along The Lake

9x12

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

Big Barn/Little Barn

11x14

I met some friends this morning to paint in the village of Lisburn.  At least 16 painters were in attendance despite the unpredictable forecast.  It was great to see so much talent in one place.

I chose to paint this barn complex of two matching buildings.  I liked the geometry of shapes and the strong red color on the roof.

I am thinking there must be some name for the matching outbuildings that you often see on historic PA farms...such as the Star Barn and it's matching smaller buildings...but I cannot seem to find any information on it.  If anyone knows please share.

www.julieriker.com

Sherfy House = Best of Show!

I am so happy to share that my painting of Sherfy House on the Gettysburg Battlefield won Best of Show at the Susquehanna Art Society exhibit in Sunbury.

I painted this entirely on location during the Gettysburg Festival Plein Air Event.
At the time of the Civil War, the Sherfy House, on Emmitsburg Road,  was the residence of Joseph Sherfy and his family who were the owners of the Peach Orchard across the street, and the location of the famous battle which turned the war for the Union troops.

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

August's Featured Artist at Trinity Lutheran, Camp Hill

I am exhibiting 28 paintings through the month of August at Trinity Lutheran Church in Camp Hill.

The work is mostly plein air, local landscapes with a few studio pieces mixed in.

The light filled atrium is open to the public M-F 9:00am to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Stop by to take a look!

www.julieriker.com

Seneca Lake Hollyhocks

11x14 oil

On Saturday I participated in the Finger Lakes Plein Air Fest.

  These gorgeous hollyhocks were growing at Atwater Vineyard along Seneca Lake. 

www.julieriker.com

Something Refreshing...

8x8

I think we have all had enough of this current heatwave.

Today I just stayed in the AC and did this little still life.

Now to make some watermelon gazpacho!

www.julieriker.com

Finished Florida mural

 Today I finished the large Florida mural.  It feels so great to complete a project of this scale.
Here are some detail shots...

...makes me want to go to Florida!

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

Florida mural

I've been working on this large mural in a client's home for the past two weeks.  The wall is about 15' high and 30' long.  The room has a glass conservatory ceiling and the client has brought in real potted palm trees.  I designed the wall to be an extension of the scene.

 It is almost completed...just a few finishing touches.

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

Shipoke Sidewalk

8x10 oil

I painted on Saturday afternoon in Shipoke, a historic area of Harrisburg, with some friends from the Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters.

Purple House

I painted last week in historic Lewisburg with some friends.  This purple house caught my eye.