FIELD IN MOTION 8.5 x 11"

Day 2 of the 30 Paintings  in 30 Days Challenge
I grew up in farm country, my parents had a farm in Ohio and even when we moved to Michigan we were in a rural area with a big farm field behind our house. I have many happy memories of my childhood and I think that must be why farm scenes attract my attention as subjects for my paintings.

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/fineart/susan-klabak/field-in-motion/189979

SUN KISSED WIND ROW 17 x 22

The soft evening light skimmed across the tops of the  trees in the distance and on the tops of the trees planted in a wind row. Just beyond my back yard this scene  frequently provides a visual feast, often including sandhill cranes, turkeys, hawks, geese, or deer, and an occasional fox, coyote, or bald eagle.

SUMMER CLOUDSCAPE 12 X 22

It is summer in my studio!

ROLLING HILLS AND MORNING SHADOWS 14 x 26

With the world around me covered with snow, this green provides a welcome change.

GOLDEN FIELDS 12 x 18

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
These three got away!

                                         

TURN, TURN, TURN 9 x 24"

To everything turn, turn turn,
There is a season turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven.


These are lyrics from the song by The Byrds that my son and I danced to at his wedding on September 24th. What a reminder, just how fast time passes. Of course, it seems like only yesterday that he was a little boy. How proud I am of the man he is today and how happy I am for him as he begins his life with his wonderful bride, Jessica.

The past couple of months have gone by without a post from me. I have not taken a break from painting, I've been working on special requests. I also have been working on some studies which are "for my eyes only"! I've been learning from them, but they are not worth the time to photograph and post. I've been experimenting with small "100 strokes" paintings. I'm attempting to loosen up, get to the heart,  reduce detail, and "see" only the large abstract shapes. Sticking to 100 strokes is much more difficult than I thought, it can be very hard to stop. We'll see if this experiment affects my larger works.

Here's my latest painting, I've decided Turn, Turn, Turn would be a fitting title.

It's Gonna Be a Great Day 12 x 21.5"

Rolling Hills 8 x 23"

                                         A typical Wisconsin farm scene.

April Melt, Plein Air 4-2-11, 10.5 x 8.5

After painting March Melt we had another snow storm, so there was still snow to melt in April. Today however, almost all the snow is gone.... yesterday was in the 80's and we had a hard rain last night. Only a few piles left and the ice on the lake is breaking up. I am looking forward to the next plein air painting which will hopefully have plenty of spring greens.