There is something about painting outdoors that is so fresh and alive that I love. The immediacy of painting on location, while the light and conditions are changing, forces me to make snap decisions. The limitations of only using what I’ve brought with me also forces me to move quickly and not hesitate over this or that. I love it! I feel energized by it!

I've been intentional this past summer about painting outdoors and perfecting my pochade box for travel. I love painting in oil, but it’s the painting in oil with palette knives that I love most of all. I pack a couple knives, the sporadic brush, a twig and plenty of paper towels. The funny thing is, I find blocking in with paper towels to be lightning quick and precise, so I don’t use brushes much at all.

I like to pre-paint a ground with neon colors or a secondary color that I’m not planning to pack and letting it peak through, or “saving” it for places that I need that color. Otherwise I pack primaries plus a couple extra – I try to keep my magic number to six + white, otherwise my mixing palette starts getting very tight!
Here’s a look back over the making of two paintings that I’m especially happy with from this summer: “Hike at Gunpowder” and “Horseshoe Falls.”

“Hike at Gunpowder” is just that, painted from a hike with my husband at Gunpowder Falls, here outside of Baltimore. I found a high spot to stand in the creek bed and used my new Travel Painter pochade box.

“Horseshoe Falls” was painted in my hotel room overlooking the Canadian falls at Niagara Falls, Ontario. “Hotel room painting” doesn’t have a nice ring to it, so I’m totally filing this under plein air painting, even though I was 18 floors up and inside. But the view was pretty amazing, unparalleled even. Painting at the viewing platform was never an option; it was a zoo! We made great memories at Niagara and I’ve checked one place off my bucket list!

Now that we are getting closer to fall, I can’t wait to get some more outdoor sessions in along with hikes. Make sure to find me on Instagram for more updates.

Josh and I had our dream-come-true ceremony on September 17, 2017. We hosted an intimate little event in our home surrounded by our closest family and friends and lit by candlelight. It was followed by My 3 favorite C's: cake, champagne and Chinese food! Our wedding day was straight out of a dream! I could not have been happier and I'm thrilled to join the Land family!

October 1 to December 31, 2016

Baltimore, Maryland- Flora, an exhibition of paintings on view at Belvedere Square Market. 529 E Belvedere Avenue Baltimore, MD.
Flora captures swirling clouds of winter camellias, changing foliage, sunflowers, roses and the variety of colors to be found each season.