Spring in Willow Park

Spring is a great time to paint in the park!

8x10 oil

I actually started this little painting around this same time a year ago and then set it aside for a long while.  Today was the perfect time to finish it.

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

Marbling a fireplace surround...

This week I painted the large columns and mantle surrounding this fireplace for a client.

Below is how the fireplace looked before I started...

It was important to compliment the client's tapestry hanging and not compete with it.  I chose to create a terracotta marble for the columns to pull those colors from the tapestry and a lighter marble for the upper and lower mantle.  A black marble effect was used on the bases and tops of the columns as an accent.

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

Redbuds and Rocks

8x10

I had never been to Gettysburg at the height of redbud season and I was impressed at how lovely it was to look into the woods and see all this brilliant color.   I drove around the battlefield for a long time to scout locations , and by the time I settled on a spot there was only and hour and a half to paint. I quickly sketched in some basic information and colors and then did some additional work on this at home.

Socked In

 9x12

Today's paint out was at Samuel Lewis State Park.  I was so excited for the rest of my plein air group to see the expansive river view from the top of the hill.  I was looking forward to painting that vista, but we arrived to find the area dense with fog.  Visibility was only about 100 yards ahead and the "view" was under a white cloud.  Most of us decided to make the best of the unique lighting of the day and focused on the rock formations and veiled trees.  Though it was not the painting I had planned on doing, I am happy with the results.  You can never really plan on nature to give you the perfect conditions, but it usually presents something different, and often better.

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

Just painted a ceiling FULL of flowers...

 ...for some wonderful clients in their powder room.

If you look closely you can see the tiny spider webs.

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

Locust Knolls Farm

      So much of my work straddles the line between "fine" and "decorative" art.  Sometimes I tell myself that the decorative painting for clients is a lesser art than the work that comes purely from myself, and I know that is a false insecurity that I need to work through.  Even though I am working for a homeowner or interior designer, and the work is on a wall or furniture piece rather than on a framed canvas, I still put the same thought into a project.  In fact, sometimes I feel it takes more talent and creativity to work within someone else's guidelines of color, size, or style.  You have to also think of the entire room as a work of art where all elements work together, and not just what is happening within the borders of your painting.

     This is a vignette I painted on a large stove hood which is being installed in the Harrisburg Symphony Designer Showhouse.  It shows the historic house and barn as I imagined it would look in the 1700's.   I did some sketching and photographing on the property which I used as references for this painting.  The color scheme (or lack of) was the designer's request, but everything else about this design is mine.   At first I was wishing I could add more color, but now I think the muted grays and creams add to the vintage feel of this and will work well with the other elements in the room.

     The showhouse will run from May 19 - June 10 and more information can be found at http://www.symphonyhouse.org/

Winter Reflections

6x12

This was painted a few weeks ago (just after our last snowfall) at West Fairview where I met to paint with some friends.  It started out being a sunny day, but by time we set up the skies became overcast and there was a strange pink glow on the horizon.  I saw it as a good opportunity to work on finding and emphasizing color in those dull muted tones.

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

Daylilies

11x14 oil

This is one of two paintings that I just delivered to Brath & Hughes Gallery for their Feburary floral exhibit.  I actually started this last summer when the lilies in my yard were in their glorious bloom, but then I got busy with other projects and the painting was pushed aside for awhile.  The prospect of this exhibit prompted me to finally finish the piece.

There is an opening reception at the gallery on  Friday the 3rd and the show will hang through the month of February.

Look who's on the poster!

 Camp Hill is having it's Plein Air Competition for the 2nd year.  The Call to Artists and application for 2012 can be found on this site.
 http://www.pleinaircamphill.org/
 The site is still being updated so make sure you are looking at information for 2012.

Another pet commission...

Maggie

11x14 oil

This was for a relative of the client who commissioned the dog portrait prior to Christmas.
I was given horrible photos taken on an Iphone, but managed to piece them together along with some research on the breed. 

  It was fun to play with the Rottweiler's complimentary coloring.

Finished the year with this fun job...

 

 

 

...for a lucky young girl who loves frogs.

 2011 has been a fairly good year for me.  I am fortunate that I have had somewhat steady work in this slow economy , thanks to my wonderful and loyal clients who continue to challenge me with new and interesting projects.   I wish for better times for everyone in 2012.  Happy New Year! 
                                                                                                                                Julie

December Rapids

8x10 oil

Today is the winter solstice - the first day of winter - but it felt more like April today with temperatures in the high 50's.  I knew I really should have stayed home and finished my holiday preparations, but the sunshine and warm weather beckoned me outside to paint.  I went to a spot on the Yellow Breeches Creek near Boiling Springs and did this small study of the rapids there.  I am not certain that this painting is done and  I might make a few adjustments to it another time, but it was great to be out.  I saw lots of people out walking, fishing, enjoying the nice day - even saw a guy fishing in shorts and flip flops!  I hope this is a sign that we will have a mild winter with many more plein air painting days ahead.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

www.julieriker.com

"Bubba"

11x14 oil

A decorative painting client called me last week to ask if I would do a painting of her teenage daughter's puppy.  Fortunately I was able to squeeze it in during this busy time.  It is to be a Christmas gift to her daughter.   I hope the young girl is pleasantly surprised.

Markers

 

6x8 oil on mahogany board

Now that my church project is complete I am happy to be able to find some time to paint with friends.

This week I joined the Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters for a brisk morning paint out.  Cecelia found an interesting place for us to paint.  The Lincoln Colored Cemetery is full of old Civil War graves, most of them were older than the surrounding trees.  I decided to focus in on the shapes of some of the stones.  I was also experimenting with a new surface, a clear primed mahogany board.  I enjoyed using this smooth surface as an alternative to the canvas texture which I am sometimes fighting with.  The warm wood color also made a nice base which peeks through the paint in areas.

First Church of God Restoration

It has been awhile since I posted here. I have been busy working on this church restoration.  I meant to post photos as the project progressed, but didn't seem to find the time, so here they are:

 

 

The original plaster cove was badly cracked.  I was able to trace some of the original artwork prior to repairs.

This photo above shows, on the right, the patched plaster with some of the original artwork peeking through.  Because there was so much patching it was decided to completely paint out the cove and reproduce the artwork.  On the left of this photo is a repainted shield.

 New artwork in process

A closeup of the shield scrollwork.  I think the original was painted around 1900 and had a loose, folk art feel to it, so I tried at best to duplicate that style.

The completed cove.  There are 12 shields in all, each with a different center motif.  It was discovered that they are the shields of the 12 apostles and most of the symbols in the shield have something to do with the way in which they were martyred.

Camp Hill Cafe Exhibit

Lotus on the Lake - Wildwood

8x10 oil

This is one of 13 paintings that I am currently exhibiting at the Camp Hill Cafe on Erford Road.  The paintings will be hanging through November and are mostly small plein air works.  The cafe is opened for breakfast and lunch so if you have a chance please stop by.

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

Maggie

 Last week I said goodbye to Maggie, my cat for 16 years.  She was a great cat - beautiful, sweet, and affectionate, yet full of personality - she was always surprising me.  On cold days she was usually on my lap sucking up the warmth, and she loved when I sat down to work on a studio painting as that meant a long lap nap for her.  I will miss her.

I did these 3 small 6x6 paintings earlier this summer.  I had been searching for something to paint when I realized the perfect model was right in front of me.

The Refuge - Looking East by Julie Riker

12x24 oil

This is another painting that I did from the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge.  This is actually painted from the same location as the previous work I posted, only turned 180 degrees looking the other direction.  This side of the marsh has more water and less solid land.  I painted this in two afternoons, when the sun's direction allowed the most reflections of trees and sky.  Aside from the mosquitoes it was a peaceful place to paint.

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

The Refuge - Looking West

 
      This is one of the paintings that I did for the Plein Air Chincoteague event.  This view of the refuge is one that I have wanted to paint on my visits to the island in the past.   It is a view that most visitors to the Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge will recognize - almost everyone who stops along the road at this spot to photograph the vast marsh will see the wild ponies grazing in the distance.
   
     I was so fortunate to have some sunny days for this trip.  It was the same week that hurricane Lee was flooding Central PA, but since the storm stayed inland the coast was pretty nice.  There were some interesting cloud formations though - the large sky streak across my painting was, I think, the edge of the storm on the mainland.

 The Refuge - Looking West

12x24 oil

 
     This painting was carefully planned.  I even purchased a larger horizontal format canvas to take with me with this scene in mind.  Since the light changes drastically I worked on this 2 separate mornings and stopped at noon each time.  The painting sold at the Saturday exhibit to a nice couple from New Jersey who I had met on the beach earlier in the week and drove by several times as I was painting this.

     I was thinking I may sometime to do a larger studio version of this painting.

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

Painting on Chincoteague Island, VA

     I have just returned from a week of plein air painting on Chincoteague Island, Va.  45 artists participated in painting throughout the week and on Saturday night they held an exhibit/sale of the finished work.  Despite the heavy rains and flooding in Central PA, we were blessed with great weather all week on the coast - even the one day of drizzly mist led to some wonderful atmospheric paintings.  There are so many painting possiblities on both Chincoteague Island and the wildlife refuge on Assateague, from houses and historic sites, boats and marinas, marsh, beach, bay, and ocean.  Such a beautiful place to visit.

 

     This was my display for the Saturday night event.  I was delighted to sell 3 paintings and still have 3 to bring home as souvenirs of this fun week.

     I will be posting on the individual paintings in more detail later...

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

Painting at the McClain Celtic Festival

Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters had a small exhibit of paintings hanging in the Two Mile House this weekend as part of the annual McClain Celtic Festival, and a few of us painted during the event.  I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to do a small study of this reenactor's tent.

I have mixed feelings about painting at these events.  I never feel like I can focus on my painting and am usually unhappy with my results. On the other hand, I enjoy the comments of people stopping to watch the process - the children are especially interested in quietly watching me paint. With live fiddle music and folk singing in the air, there is a joyful spirit that is just fun to be a part of.

And who doesn't love a guy in a kilt?

 

 

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

Commission completed!

48x48

oil on stretched canvas

I am happy that I finally completed this client project and it is now at the framer's.

This was a new challenge for me and I enjoyed every minute of it.  It is good to step outside your comfort zone sometimes.

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

Wildwood Lake

Last Friday I painted with Mary Beth Brath and Patricia Griffin of the Daily Painters Blog.  Patricia travelled to Harrisburg so that we could spend the day painting together and we had a great day.  We painted at Wildwood Lake which is a nature preserve and marsh area on the edge of the city.   I  painted there a few days earlier and loved seeing all the lotus blossoms and loosestrife  blooming.

8x8 oil

 8x10 oil

Yesterday I went to paint at Wildwood again with some members of the Susquehanna Valley Plein Air Painters and was shocked to see that the weekend's heavy rain had knocked off all the flowers and the rising water level had left brown mud over everything.   All the color was gone.  It reminds me how fleeting natural beauty can be.  I am really glad that I took the time to capture it when I did.

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

www.julieriker.com

Turning a problem area into a focal point

Pretty ugly right?  This concrete pad was found under 4 layers of floor during a kitchen restoration project.  There are no clues as to why this was here - maybe remnants of an old hearth or porch?  My guess is that the flooring was used in part to cover up the ugliness, but the customer removed the flooring down to the original hardwood and now needed to deal with this concrete mess.

First order of business was to clean the old concrete, removing the residual glue, and then skim coat the entire area with a cement mix, filling all the pitted areas.  After that was dry I applied Loxon to prepare the surface for painting.

 I sketched out my design to show the client.  I was originally planning to do a portrait of their bulldog in the center medallion, but the client requested a monkey in fancy clothes....OK, I can do that....thought it was a bit odd at first, but now I like it.

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