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

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