Cornstalks

"Cornstalks" -- plein air field study -- oil on birch panel 8x10"

The other day my friend Al Maciag and I were driving south on 31 when we spied this field of old-fashioned cornstalks.  Wow!  What an idea for a painting!  So yesterday morning we stopped at the farmer's house to try to get permission to be in his field.  I rang the doorbell and pounded on the door, but nobody was home.  We decided to just tresspass.  What the heck.  Live large.

I really loved the design of the cornstalks and the cool morning light!  It would have been fun to stay and do another painting, but we felt we were pushing our luck.  The farmer could come out with a shotgun.  So we vamoosed on down the road.

Cornfield in Leelanau County

"Cornfield -- Leelanau County" -- plein air field study -- oil on birch panel 8x10"

I loved seeing the corn rows and just had to try painting them!  NW Michigan is in its full autumn splendor this week.  The farmers are hurridly bringing in crops and the sounds of tractors and heavy machinery is everywhere.  As I painted, there was a wonderful smell -- rather like a hickory wood fire was burning somewhere.  Thin, high clouds were moving in from the west.  In a few more days rain will be moving in.

Ferry Road

"Ferry Road - October" -- plein air field study -- oil on birch panel 8x10"

This is the second painting I did yesterday, as part of the plein air paint-out, sponsored by the Charlevoix Circle of Arts.  My friend Al Maciag and I headed out on Ferry Road, south of Charlevoix, as it's one of our favorite areas to paint.  We love the views along the gravel road.  This is a big farming area, with lots of orchards and dairy farms.  I'm a real sucker for painting along roads!  

In the distance, on the right, is the edge of a cornfield.  The farmers are working hard this week, harvesting corn, as rain is moving in later in the week.  Several tractors and other big machinery passed by us as we painted along the road.  I'd pulled my car completely off the road, as it's not a good idea to be in a farmer's way!  We were serenaded by the roar of farm machinery the whole afternoon.

Corn

"Corn" -- plein-air field study -- oil on canvas -- 18x24" -- Margie Guyot

I'd been wanting to paint a pile of sweet corn for a while, so I finally bought a bunch the other day at a farm market.  This was one of the more pleasant plein airs to do, as I was able to paint it on my little patio.  A rare treat, being close to all the creature comforts!  

Again, I used one of my favorite vintage tablecloths.  In reality, it's got stains and a couple holes in it, but I prettied it up for the painting.  

I did this one day last week, right before we had several days of heavy rains and wind.  Knowing the bad weather was fast approaching, I painted as quickly as possible, using my trusty #8 flat brush.  I do probably 85% of most paintings using that #8 flat.  Generally I only use 2 brushes to do a painting, switching to a smaller one (sometimes a #4) only when absolutely necessary.  I've found a brand of brushes I really like: Silver Ruby Satins.  They're a blend of natural and synthetic, and what's so great about them is they hold their shape very well.  I can do a fine line with even a #8 brush.  It's usually easier to use that brush than a skinny brush for fine lines.  The fine silk hairs in this painting were done using the #4.

The corn ended up being pretty dried up, having laid there in the blazing sun all afternoon.  I gave all of it to my chickens.   Lots of happy clucking that afternoon!

Corn

"Corn" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas -- 24x12" -- Margie Guyot

I'd been looking at this cornfield near my house for the past couple weeks, hoping to find time to paint it.  The deer and raccoons have been ravaging the outer edges.  In reality, there are ears with chunks missing, ears hanging and entire stalks ripped out.  I "prettied it up" for the painting. 

And talk about a hellish, mish-mash of green to try to make sense out of!  Oy vey!  Didn't know if I could pull this one off, but hey -- nothing ventured, nothing gained! 

What I loved most about this scene was the interesting patterns on the ground, cast by the stalks and leaves.

And speaking of leaves: the wind was blowing them around, making it as difficult to try to paint as trying to paint a barnyard of crazy chickens!  I couldn't really tell you how I figured out how to get this picture painted!  Felt like I was treading on "new ground".  But I think it worked.

The wind blew my umbrella off twice.  But no bumblebee stung me this time -- I had the sense to wear LONG pants.  So maybe tomorrow I'll return to my neighbor's garden and paint their green cabbage (site of the infamous bumblebee sting of a few days ago).

"June Field" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas -- 8x16" -- Margie Guyot

A painter friend and I were driving around the Leelanau Peninsula the other day, looking for good spots to paint. I spied this view of the furrows and row of willows. That's a new crop of corn peeking up. The farmer apparently didn't plow last year's crop of cornstalks under. They'd been harvested, but all the stubs were still in place.

It was supposed to be partly cloudy, but it turned out to be mostly cloudy, turning to completely cloudy. At one point, just for a couple seconds, the clouds parted and sunshine appeared on the upper left portion of the field. I tried to capture that view.

"Leelanau Barn" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas -- 8x10" -- Margie Guyot

The sky was completely overcast. My friend and I were hoping to find something with a bit of color. He loves painting barns, so we stopped at did this view of an old barn. It was on one of the largest cherry orchards on the Leelanau Peninsula.

In the foreground there were a few daisies and a type of weed that has a rusty-pinkish bloom on it. Some call it "British Soldiers"; others call it wild sorrel.

"Peony Garden" -- plein air field study -- oil on canvas -- 8x16" -- Margie Guyot

Lots of rain here lately! But it's a good thing. Everybody with a garden is happy. Although I'm sure the campers are miserable. I knew my neighbor's peonies were in full bloom. They don't last forever, so I took a chance on painting yesterday. The sky was leaden. Every once in a while I'd feel a drop of rain, so I painted as fast as I could.