Wet Paint and Falling Into Place

I'm feeling a little melancholy at the moment as I feel like time is flying by so quickly, I'm missing out on precious moments that I should be savoring with every bite.  Yesterday was my firstborn's 27th birthday.

What?  When did that happen?  I know we have all uttered those same words.  I texted him through our "family" group text, first thing, recalling our family tradition:

Mom:  . . . with presents in hand, we sneak into Ryan's room early in the morning, singing "happy birthday to you . . . happy birthday to you!  Happy Birthday . . . dear Ryyyyyyy an . . . happy birthday toooooooo youuuuuuu!!"  and someone always chimes in with "and many more . . . ."

Doug:  Ah, hun, you should let him sleep in on his birthday!  Happy Birthday Ryan!

Ryan:  *yaaawwwn*  Ah, thanks guys!!  

Wesley recalled the "trumpeting" sound that Doug generally made when waking the kids in the morning.

Amy chimes in "Hahaha!  Happy Birthday Ryan!"

We would all jump on his bed and we all get comfortable while he opens his presents to start his wonderful birthday!

I also got a wonderful gift from Wesley who took all of my videos and "camcorder" tapes, along with my parents "home videos" and put them all into digital format.  Wow, talk about a flooding and long ride down memory lane!  In most cases, it seems like a different life time.  That being said, I'm back in the saddle of Braithwaite Fine Art and chief in charge!  So much fun running this business and working with Doug and Wesley that I am thrilled to be back in charge, crackin' the whip!  and laughing my head off while Wesley cracks jokes!  Did I mention that kid is so funny??  and did I mention that I love pretending that I'm the boss!   

So let's get at it!  It's been a crazy warm winter but that didn't stop Doug from painting ski paintings!  They've been flying outta here like nobody's business!  We did a few for Art & Soup last month and then some special requests and commissions!  All in all, they were killer ski paintings!!

This first one was another first for Braithwaite.  Lone skier, no buildings, no cars, just a skier and his mountain.  Sweet painting.

"Ready, Set . . ."
8 x 10
Available at Terzian Gallery, Park City

This won't last long.  I think 2 or 3 of you have already asked about it!  This next one went to a great home in Colorado to a long-time friend, Dorothy Strehl.  She taught skiing at Alta for many years and loved this very scene:

"Mountain Village"
9 x 12
SOLD

This was a popular one as well.  Went quickly at Art & Soup.

"Lunch Ideas"
11 x 14
SOLD

This one just went up to Terzian as well and is already on hold.  We had it in the window, maybe 30 minutes when someone came in and asked about it!  Doug and I stopped on our way out of town a few weeks ago as we watched the cross country skiers enjoy the peaceful "gym" that we soooo envy while we fight for a treadmill at Gold's Gym!  See the little skier on the path?

"Crowded Day at the Gym"
9 x 12
Sale Pending at Terzian Gallery

This is the one he painted for the demo and live auction at Art & Soup.  He had it mostly finished but put the final touches on it while people watched him paint there at the Salt Palace.  Great painting.

"Descending"
11 x 14
SOLD

Not a great image, but you get the idea.

Doug has a couple of classes scheduled for 2015!  I'm not sure how people are finding out about the classes as I've not advertised them yet, but we've had some new students already sign up!  We will be doing two workshops this year.  The first one will be in Huntsville from June 25-28.  Torrey Workshop will be September 10-13, 2015.  Both will be 3 1/2 days with 7 sessions.  We are limiting the classes to just 12 students.

I have made some arrangements for some lodging options if you're interested.  In June, with the workshop being in Huntsville, we have reserved 4 rooms at the Snowberry Inn which is within a couple of minutes to where we will be painting I like how I say "we" when referring to painting!  The Snowberry Inn is absolutely beautiful and they have offered us rooms for $99/night + tax which includes breakfast!  If you're on a budget, I have also reserved some rooms at Days Inn in Clearfield, which would be about a 20 minute drive to Huntsville (which is what Doug will be doing from our home here in Sunset).  They have offered us rooms for $56.99/night + tax.  In both cases, let them know you are with the Doug Braithwaite workshop to get those rates.  June's workshop will start first thing Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m.  If you're coming from out of town, you will most likely want to come in the night before.  There will be two sessions each day, usually from 8-noon and then 2-6, depending on the "best light!"   I'm still figuring out that "best light" stuff . . .  The final session will be Sunday morning, June 28th from 8-noonish.

Torrey Workshop will follow that same format, starting the morning of Thursday, September 10th ending Sunday morning, September 13th.  I have reserved a block of rooms at the Boulder View Inn for $65/night + tax.  Go to our website at www.dougbraithwaite.com and go to the "Workshops" tab to register!

We are also offering something new this year.  We always get requests for the boards that Doug paints on.  Wesley has heard your request and has gone to production!  He is offering the boards for you.  They can come either with or without gesso (if you would prefer to gesso your own) and in some traditional sizes (or special sizes upon request).  He also has a great little maple frame, either varnished in clear or whitewash, that can be easily put onto your painting when it's finished and ready to frame in minutes.  The boards have been prepared so the painting "floats" and you can paint right to the edge of the painting without the frame covering any of it up.  For you plein air painters, they're a dream!  We have a website for Braithwaite Fine Art where you can order the boards.  www.braithwaitefineart.com   Go to the "artist boards" tab for information about the boards.  Here's what they look like:

Gesso + floated

And here's a little painting fitted inside a whitewash maple frame.  Doug usually paints the "recessed" border with a dark color, usually the color he starts the painting with.  Something that compliments your painting.  Your choice.

We also have all of our giclee (pronounced "zhee-clay") prints on our website now as well.  They can be printed on either canvas or archival paper.  Check them out!!  Again, it's www.braithwaitefineart.com.

So there you have it!  Doug is getting prepared for a trip down the Grand Canyon on a river trip with some of his painting buddies!  Like I said, I'm back in the saddle so there will be more blogs to come.  Check back often.  Follow us on Facebook to see paintings posted by Doug as well.

Feels so good to be back and in the midst of you!  Drop me a note and let me know how you're doing or better yet, stop by and see me at the shop sometime!  We are at 461 West 1800 North in Sunset.  We do amazing framing!  again, I like how I say "we!"  hahaha

Have a wonderful day.  Here's what I learned recently:  Sometimes when things are falling apart, they're actually just falling into place.  That feels right.

Love to you all,

Jeanette

Plein Air Trippin' and "Campground Roulette!"

Oh man, what a great adventure this has been for Doug!  Door County treated him very well.  They had some great food, great weather and Doug rubbed shoulders with some amazing artists!  With no mountains to block the morning sun, he would get up and get out at 6ish, come back and have a quick bite before heading out again to a specific location where art lovers and collectors could watch them paint!  Then out again in the evening.  It was killing me all week because the internet was soooo slow that he couldn't send the images!  Ugh . . . The wait was brutal!

So when he finally got some service, here's the beauties that came through!  I was in awe!

"Tug Boat"
11 x 14
SOLD

Next came this one . . . gorgeous.

"Veil"
9 x 21
SOLD

The one I posted last week of the boat dock also sold and then this was the quick paint on Saturday morning.  This was done in 90 minutes.

"Boat Dock" (I don't know the title--I made that up . . . clever, yes?)
8 x 10
SOLD

The Peninsula School of Art, who sponsors the event, did take some pictures of the artists painting so I did get to see him in action!  Thanks, Cathy Hoke and staff, for posting some awesome pics of the artists!

Our dear friend, Scott Shearer, also went up and hung out for a couple of days.  He lives in Milton, WI (Did I get that right, Scott?) and Doug was very excited to see him!!  They had a nice steak back at the trailer one evening and, if I heard Doug right, they talked a little religion!!  haha  A favorite topic around our house!!

The rest of the paintings from the event, well, they really blew my mind.  I mean, I know, this is all called "from my perspective" and I'm a little partial to this guy, but GOOD LORD (yes, I'm going to go ahead and throw in a little religion!) talk about incredible.  He would post them on facebook and the comments that came back were so . . . RIGHT ON!  The guy's got a few fans, and not just with the last name Braithwaite either!!  And then he smiles his "ah-shucks-guys-stop-it-already" smile and we all love him a little more!

Okay - here's what I mean:

"Orange Buoy"
(how DO you spell that?  I know that's wrong but I haven't got time to figure it out!  Someone correct me please!)
8 x 10

Next one . . .

"Tapestry"
8 x 10

I guess there's a pretty cool story behind these quilts or quilt blocks on the barns - it's a very old tradition!  Yeah, true story - look it up!!  http://barnquiltinfo.com/history.html

Last but not least, okay - I think this is the winner of my heart!!  Seriously - I'll stop talking it up - just tell me it's not spectacular!!

"Gill's Rock Geometry"
10 x 10

Yep - I can hear you all now.  It's killer!  Zoom in and look close - the poles under the dock . . . the reflection out of the water - the water itself!  Damn, Braithwaite.  Daaaaay-uummmm!!  These are still at Door County and will be up till about the 16th of August.  I've already had people ask for some small giclee prints of these - we're going to get some and frame them up.  Can't wait!!

The trip back has been exciting!!  Remember my stalker-app "Find My Friends?"  Yeah - well, it's seriously our best friend!!  I map out a route for the day, find and reserve him a place to stay, stalk him on FMF, and then call him just as he's just about there to direct him to the campground.  Seriously, what would he do without me??  haha

I've done pretty well with getting decent campgrounds, but dang, in some of these small places, there's slim pickins!!  First night he stayed just east of Minneapolis in Woodbury.  That was okay.  I think he was able to send a few paintings at that point - here's a few more he did - don't ask me where he painted them - "along the way" is my best guess!  haha

"Wild Flowers"
8 x 10

"Reverence"
10 x 8
I think he probably was thinking just how awesome his wife is as he named this little beauty . . . probably said a little prayer here too . . yeah pretty sure!  

"Last Stop in Wisconsin"
6 x 8

And, as my dear Grandma Griffin would say "fare-thee-well" to Wisconsin.

Back to the rest of the story . . . Wisconsin and Minneapolis campgrounds were A+.  Great job, hun. (I'm referring to me here . . .)  Then he had to drive through Fargo.  I didn't dare let him spend the night in Fargo.  Have you seen the movie??  Have you seen the short mini-series on TV?  Jeepers Creepers people!!  So yeah, we forged onward and got to Jamestown, North Dakota.  That was okay too!!  Okay batting a thousand.  From Fargo west, well, not so many towns to choose from.  So we ended up hitting Glendive, ND.  Eek.  The name should have clued me in.  But, yeah, it didn't.  Didn't fare so well there.   When I called the Green Valley campground, the little guy said "ah, hell, you don't need a reservation.  Just c'mon in and we'll hook ya up!"  Ahh, I'm thinking, this sounds nice n cozy!!    Well, cozy it was - the trailer next to Doug's was no more than 5 feet away and he played the radio all night long.  Doug texted me and said "this place sucks so bad!  There is actually a giant "swooshing" sound like a toilet flushing!"  Oops!  Soooo sorry luvvy!!  I finally found a site that had "reviews" of the campgrounds in the area.  Yeah, my bad.  That one got a 1 out of 10.

Anyway, the only good thing that came out of that state was this awesome painting!!  Doug can find something beautiful, anywhere he goes.  So "farewell" to North Dakota!  Beautiful - BUT didn't really dig the "swoosh!"

"Last Day in North Dakota"
6 x 8

He then headed west and made it over the border of Montana!  Yea!!  That feels more like "home!"  Only bad thing about Montana is that he got off the interstate and headed onto a two-lane highway through the middle of NO where!!  And with no cell phone service!  And very few towns!!  Like 2!!  So I can't find him on FMF, and I'm praying he got gas before he left . . . I followed him all morning on find my friends . . . drained my battery on my phone by 10:00 am refreshing to see if he would show up!!  Finally, a text I sent finally showed "delivered" and I found him in, what was showing as, "Grass Range!"  bahaha!!

One last painting, DAMN IT, you stopped in FARGO???  Defiant little $%*#!!  Well, he did make something pretty stinkin cool out of a damn sign!  Seriously?!!  Uh-Mazing!

"Roadside near Fargo, ND"
6 x 8

 See the distant barn?  Oh yeah, sweet!!  And the sign and the grass and shrubs match!  Nice color coordination, Fargo!

Well, my friends, Doug is heading up to Glacier National Park tomorrow and will be there for 2 or 3 days.  So excited to see what he paints for us there!  Talked to Anne Weiler-Brown this morning and she said to tell Doug "I'm so jealous of your painting venture and so inspired by all the work!"  Thanks Anne!  We need to take one of these road trips together - a whole bunch of us!!  Good time!  Oh the stories we could tell . . . and I would, of course, tell it from my perspective . . .

Good night all!

J

Wet Paint and Plein Air Trippin'! GO!!

And . . . he's off!!!  The plein-air trippin' has officially started!!  Can't believe the time is already here.  I always cry when he leaves and he probably cries because he'll wonder what project I'm going to take on while he's gone . . . I think he's probably pretty scared wondering what will be changed in the house when he returns!  bahaha!!  Oh, let's just make him wonder!!

So anywho, he will be up bright and early at the crack of dawn, painting a little somethin somethin in the morning!  Can't wait to see what he comes up with!!  He got a little practice in up in Midway and Heber a couple of weeks ago--always a favorite place to paint!  This one won 2nd Place Overall.  People were like "plein air?  This is plein air??"

"Park City Puzzle"
16 x 12

Yes, plein air!!  I know - how does he do this?  This one took 3 morning sessions on the parking terrace in Park City - luckily the weather stayed consistent.  Loved it - and there wasn't really anything else like this in the competition . . . I know, shocking, huh?  

This one won the 2nd Place Purchase Award from Zion's Bank.  Nice choice, Zion's!  

"Fourth of July Sparklers"
11 x 14
SOLD

The week was full of great subject matter and perfect lighting listen to me . . . good lighting . . and long shadows . . . Oh I'm getting this painterly talk down . . . Check these out and tell me I don't know what I'm talking about here!  

"The Letter Z"
8 x 10

"Selected"
11 x 14

"Grazing"
8 x 10

"Posts"
11 x 14

Haha!  Most people would leave out the posts . . . not Doug - awesome posts . . . and what an awesome week in Midway and Heber.  I went up on Tuesday to hang out and we really enjoyed rubbing shoulders with a lot of great artists up there, AND checking out all the fun shops on main street.  That's fun too!!   

He then had a week to get ready for his road trip and in the midst of getting 20 boards and frames ready to go, we got to enjoy a little "Wicked" family outing!  Yes, we do enjoy a little wicked now and again!!  Last fall, I did some work for an attorney friend of mine and when he paid me, I just turned around and bought 8 tickets to Wicked!  Total surprise to the family.  What a blast!  Dinner at Cheesecake Factory just before the show and then . . . Holy Wicked Awesome, Batman!!  I'm not gonna lie--I had ultimate high expectations and, no, I wasn't the least disappointed.  I had cold chills from the get go.  

Okay - the "Trippin" pricing starts now!  Anything posted from now through August 4th or 5th (whenever Doug returns) will be "wet paint priced!"  Text, call or email me if you're ready to start or add to your Braithwaite painting collection!!  Can I MAKE this any easier to be a Braithwaite collector??  Here's a picture of me being very serious about selling awesome paintings . . . and also having mustache day at work in honor of one of our team members who has a mustache just like this . . . yeah, it's what I do . . . 

The top painting is at Terzian Gallery (Park City Puzzle) so that one is excluded, but everything else, not showing "sold" is game!  

Talk soon!  I'm serious!  

J'net 'n Jeff holdin' the fort down . . .

We Interrupt this blog for a quick trip to the Emergency Room!

Well Mt. Rushmore was awesome - crazy busy and again, no dogs allowed, so we didn't stay long to hike and stuff (whew!) but it was so cool!  A perfect day and not too crowded.

Next stop along, what I thought was going to be boring, South Dakota was the Wall Drug!  I'm thinking a version "knockoff" of Walgreens but no, not this Wall Drug.  This is a drugstore in Wall, South Dakota!  Started off by a sweet little pharmacist and his wife in the 1920's who, to bring people over to their little store, offered "free ice water!"  Go figure.  

It's turned into this huge tourist plaza with all kinds of fun stuff, including a great burger and fries (which we tried) and homemade fudge (which we tried) and a frisbee that looks like a giant cow pie (which we bought for our crazy dogs back home!)  The list goes on of cool stuff but I'll stop there because I don't want you to think I bought one of everything (which I'm afraid I did).  

Continued on our way and tried to get all the way to Devil's Tower but it was a long drive.  Doug needed me to keep him company so I started reading something funny on facebook and laughed out loud.  Doug said "what's so funny?"  So I started reading these to him.  

10 fun facts:

1.  You can't wash your eyes with soap.

2.  You can't count your hair.

3.  You can't breath through your nose with your tongue out.  at this point, I looked over to see him doing this . . . I start laughing as he starts to say "hey . . . I can too"  I said, let me finish . . .

4.  You just tried No. 3  he starts laughing

6.  When you tried #3, you realized it's possible, only you look like a dog.   we are both laughing hysterically now!

7.  You're smiling right now, because you were fooled.

8.  You skipped no. 5

9.  You just checked to see if there is a number 5

10.  I just love these things!

So we had a good laugh for a while and that got us on our way a few more miles!  

I took lots of pictures and we had a few funny discussions about "good light and bad light" still working on recognizing what he sees as good light and bad light.  sigh . . .

Devil's Tower peaked around the corner as we started up toward it.  Talk about spectacular.  The campground was one of the funnest we stayed in the whole time!  They had a central bon fire they started each night and Doug and Max walked over to check it out.  I was having fun uploading pictures and checking out my amazing light!!  He texted me "Come over!!"  So I went over to find a sweet little guy playing his gee-tar and singing about as far off key as I'd heard in a while but it was very endearing!  We tapped our feet along and enjoyed the evening.  At 9:00 sharp, they showed "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" which was filmed at Devil's Tower (a fun fact, yes indeed!)  They show it each and every night!!  What fun!

Doug was going to get up the next morning and paint the tower but it was raining like cats and dogs so we had to pass on that - sad day.

We decide to "pack 'em up" and get on the road.  See if it might be possible to make a 600 mile trek home.  Not sure but we'll give it a try.  We got to Rawlins and we were spent.  The traffic and going through the small towns made the trek slow and averaging about 40 mph.  It took us 8 hours to get to Rawlins!  We decided to move on to Rock Springs and call it a night.  Being only 250 miles from home would make that manageable for tomorrow.

The campground in Rock Springs had a fenced-in doggie area so Max got to play "chuck it" and was in doggie heaven!  Quick video clip of Max and the chuck it!

Shortly after the "chuck-it-chase" we were getting some grub fixed up and I was excited to get my blog finished when I felt an uncomfortable but NOT unfamiliar pain in my back.  I looked at Doug and said "My back sure does hurt."  He gave me that look like "oh oh, not the kidney stones backache, is it?"  I said I was afraid to say it out loud but it sure felt like it.  Within an hour, I was throwing up and in so much pain, Doug had to take me to Rock Springs Memorial Hospital.  The first round of pain killer didn't touch it so they brought in the big gun of Morphine and that did the trick but not without whirling me into outer space.  OMG that was horrible!  Made it back to the trailer at 2:00 a.m. and we both collapsed.  

Doug made me a bed in the back seat of the truck and headed home.  I was about as much help as a bucket of hair but he was sweet and patient with making me comfortable and getting me home.  About noon, Doug leans back and says "Hon, where do we turn once we get to Cheyenne?"  I sat up in a hurry, still blurred by where I was and where we'd been.  "Just I-80 all the way home, hon."  He said "Well, which way do I turn in Cheyenne?"  I'm still in a daze and pulled out the map - "Cheyenne?? We're not in Cheyenne are we????  That's like the OTHER side of Wyoming!"  He couldn't contain his laughter any longer and busted a gut laughing. Maybe a bit of payback for the sticking-out-your-tongue-and-looking-like-a-dog trick!   If I'd have had the strength, I'd have jumped over the seat and choked him!  It's funny now, but it wasn't so much then!  I looked up and saw the sign that said "Ogden 25 miles."  Whew.  Funny.  Whatev.  

Was great to get home - kids were here to help Doug unpack and I collapsed on the couch.  I'm on the mend and have had lots of TLC from family, friends and neighbors.  Thanks one and all for your support and following our trip.  Was such fun to share it with you!!  

I think we're heading to Helper in a couple of weeks for the Art's Festival and possibly Spring City the end of the month.  He's doing a three-day weekend workshop in the Huntsville area in September so if you, or someone you know, might like to jump in, let me know asap!  It will be a spectacular class with amazing colors!!  Go to our website to register: www.dougbraithwaite.com.  

Talk soon everyone!  

Wet Paint left it's mark in Door County!

There is no doubt Doug left his mark in Door County this year.  hundreds, probably thousands, of people were wowed by this "newby" to the area.  Amazed that he came clear from Utah to participate in this event, they were awestruck by this last quick-draw painting on the pier of a cold and windy morning.

It was probably 40 degrees and a pretty stiff breeze blowing.  I guess Doug was feeling right at home.  I had a chair set up but I stopped at a coffee shop up in town to get warm and wrap my hands around a warm cup of hot chocolate!!

The foghorn blew and they all started at 9:00 sharp.  I thought to myself, "no one is going to be walking out on this pier to watch these guys paint.  It's just too stinkin cold!!"  I was blown away at what Doug took on as subject matter and thought there would be no way he was going to finish this painting in two hours with all those boats.  I thought maybe he'd work on one boat.

The temps started to climb slightly by about 9:30 and I was actually thinking some of the clouds were starting to separate a little and maybe, just maybe, some sun was going to peek through them!!  I was hoping.  A few people started trickling out onto the pier and I walked around to see what other artists were painting.  The drawing was pretty much sketched in and yeah, there were going to be a few boats in this painting.  Good luck there, maestro!!

Indeed, the sun did peek through those clouds and the temps started rising.  Nice!!  But, for a rookie plein air painter, that's an incredible challenge!!  I'm thinking - hmmm, what's going to change on this painting now?  The sky is now a different color.  The water is now a different color.  And the boats are different.  In fact, one of the boats started up it's engine and scared the living daylights out of me!  I thought a few easels were going to fly into the water!  bwahaha!!

Well, Doug takes this stuff in stride and soon the people started swarming around him, ooing and awing as it started taking shape.  "Look at the detail!"  I would hear.  A dot here, a quick line there.  A boat pulled out quickly and I said "Quick Doug, get that boat!"  5 seconds later, I said "Ah, you missed it."  Everyone laughed.  I'm sure people were thinking I was just heckling this poor artist!!

I ended up handing out the rest of the cards that I brought.  I think I brought close to 200 business cards and at least 200 of the bigger cards that had a picture of either "Court of the Patriarchs" or "Calf Creek Corridor" on one side and all of the website/blog info on the other side.  I kept one last one so people could at least take a picture of the info on the one side!

At 90 minutes, people were stopping to ask about the board and how it was set inside the "cradle" that he mounts it in.  He seriously was just taking his time - stopping to show people how it worked and how the frame worked.  He actually had drawn a picture on his easel because so many people ask about it!  The final painting was the best of the entire week!  One guy said "That's by brown boat right there!  No one has ever painted my boat before!"  It was just a couple of paint strokes but it was definitely his brown boat.  So cool how so many boats were identified by so few strokes.  In the last 15 minutes, the sun was out the the sun was shimmering on the water.  He did a couple of big bold strokes through the water and the "baby blue" strokes through the sky changed.  It was seriously just magical how it transformed from this "dismal" morning to this bright shimmering day.

The foghorn sounded at 11 and everyone stopped.  Here's the final product:

"Dockside"
8 x 10

We had 30 minutes or so to get this baby into a frame and back to the tent where the 40+ paintings were waiting to be viewed by hundreds and hundreds of people to be auctioned off.  The tent was filled with anxious buyers.  The coordinators strategically chose a painting that showed a lot of interest from buyers and guess whose painting was auctioned first?  Braithwaites.  Lots and lots of bidding action on this!  They started all the bidding at $300 and this went for $1,200!  Wish I knew who ended up buying it.  I couldn't even get close to the tent it was so packed but whoever it was, congratulations!  It was the prize piece!  (Love the two people on the dock on the right side and the American flag on the left).

So all in all, an incredible week.  Doug definitely left his mark in Door County.  He didn't win best of show but hey, when you win it all the first year, what do you have to aspire for the next year, right?  I could not have been more proud of him.  It was so wonderful to meet so many incredible artists as well as some wonderful people who were gracious enough to buy the art there and encourage us to return again!  The staff at the Peninsula School of Art who put this all together were just amazing.  Probably the most well-run event we have ever participated in (and we have been in a lot of them!)  Huge Kudos to Cathy, Kay and the whole staff at the Peninsula School of Art.  What an incredible job you did.

We are now meandering our way back home.  Stopping off in Minneapolis - maybe for a day or two.  Doug is actually out taking some pictures or painting this morning, I'm not sure which.  As we were traveling across Wisconsin yesterday, I got his camera out and was taking pictures.  I'd see something I thought he'd like and he'd say "Oh you missed that - that was good light!"  I'd say "huh?  I thought THIS was good light."  He laughed and humored me.  I still don't get it.

I finally got some wifi here in my campsite and Max is curled up by the door waiting for Doug to get back!  I'm going to post this along with the painting below of the last painting he did on that last morning that I missed showing you!!  Another beautiful "backlit" painting that is so hard to capture and paint.  You painters out there appreciate how hard this is!

"Sunrise"
12 x 16

Thanks for your faithful following of our blog and our website.  All of his paintings are on the website now!  I love love love your feedback.  Send me an email if you'd like to be on my mailing list for workshops, updates to blogs, etc.!

all my best,

J'net

PS - Doug just returned!  OMG!!  The painting he did made me cry!  Seriously!!  I can't wait to post it!

Wet Paint, Barns & Rhubarb Jelly!

Day Two was incredible in Door County!!  The morning took Doug back to County Road EE again as there was just too much to take in for just one sitting!  He had a great size board which let him do a wide painting - an 8 x 16 I believe.

"Bus Stop"
8 x 16

The venue for this plein air event is so fun in the sense that you get to meet a lot of people!  They have two places each day where artists will be painting.  This way, the artists get to not only meet each other, but viewers and admirers also get to watch the artists paint.  How fun for them to get to see the process go from start to finish rather than just the final product.  

For lunch, we decided to venture out to try some local restaurants.  I had a white fish sandwich with some fresh local fish and it was UHHHH-mazing!!  I also went for the mighty splurge and treated myself to a leaded AND loaded Pepsi (caffeine AND sugar!)  haha I know, I'm pretty easy to please!  

We came back to home camp and chilled while the wind rocked the place (check the weather, it really was the wind - 20-30 mph I think!!)  Max refuses to come inside.  He sits sprawled out on the grass and watches people as they go by and watches the slightest movement.  He doesn't sleep for fear he will miss something!  

Doug ventured out around 2:30 for painting #2 for the day.  Moonlight Bay.  I worked some laundry and spent 48 minutes on the phone with Frontier Airlines to cancel my one-way flight (that I was supposed to be on today) but as you can see, I came early and was here for the WHOLE trip!  Lucky me - or even more lucky, lucky Doug!!  Oh yeah!!  And I keep reminding him just how damn lucky he is!  

"Moonlight Bay"
8 x 10

So this morning, we've been out already but with no wifi so I will post the two paintings from today in the morning!!  Prepare, again, to be wowed!  We are going tonight to a Sunset Paintout at Sisters Bay.  Should be some spectacular paintings to post tomorrow!

By the way, thanks to Scott Shearer (or his lovely wife) for the delicious rhubarb jelly that went absolutely perfect with my toast and peanut butter this morning.  What a treat!!  It won't last till I get home, I'm certain.  I bought a fresh loaf of bread last night and have a nice hiding place in the trailer!  

I love hearing from you!!  If you're new to reading the blog, please send me an email and I'll add you to our mailing list so you can be "in the know!"  

Thanks friends!  I've heard back from so many of you and I LOVE it!!  Talk soon!!

xoxo

J'net and Max-a-milllllion!!  I love him a millllion!!  and sometimes just a thousand . . . hahaha sorry Wesley, I couldn't resist but I knew you missed hearing me say that!!  haha  

Wet Paint and Humidity!

Will this paint ever dry in 87% humidity?  Holy humidity!  Who needs a shower, just walk outside, lather up, wait a few minutes (that's the rinse) and go back inside and dry off!  Crazy!!

If you've been following my posts on facebook, you see we are on our roadtrip and are now in the heart of the beautiful, but humid, midwest!  The truck and trailer and doing great and so are Doug and Max!  Cheyenne the first night (400+ miles), West Omaha the 2nd night (400+ miles) and last night, Galena, Illinois.  We are just a mile or so from the Mississippi River.  It is seriously gorgeous but the humidity is brutal.  We think 24% humidity in Yew-tah is rough!  bahaha!!

I'm ready to play, whenever you have
a minute.  Just waiting. . . still waiting . . . 

Each of the campgrounds we've stayed at have a doggie park so Max has loved going to play fetch!  Doug posted this picture on his FB a week or so ago but I'm going to repost it because it is Max to a T! He is ALWAYS eager, ready and available to play fetch.  He races like a mad-man to get the ball, brings it back, drops it at your feet.  If it rolls or isn't close enough, you say, "right here, Max, bring it right here," and he grabs it and brings it closer.  Then he sits down in this pose.  Backs up a bit.  Then if you wait to decide where you're going to throw it, he starts to shake and shiver with anticipation.  I'm so glad we decided to bring him.  He sits between us in the cab of the truck.  Occasionally, scoots over and puts his whiskery chin and paw on my lap.  Ah, a dogs life.  Doesn't get better than that!!

So as we were driving through Iowa and Illinois, we were amazed at the literally thousands of "barn paintings" at every turn.  Just incredible!!  So today was the first day we didn't have an 8 hour drive ahead of us so I am sitting comfortably in the trailer with some cool air while Doug is acclamating himself to the heat and is out doing a plein air study this morning.  I've had many of you ask about purchasing these plein air studies so I've talked Doug into letting me offer this little plein air study to my blog readers FIRST for the "wet paint plein air" price, which is straight off the easel, unframed and will be ready to ship within 3-4 days.  (We will give it time to dry so Doug can put a varnish over it).  Saw Wheat!!  (say it fast . . . )  Sooooo, first person to call, text or email me with dibs . . . I'll list those numbers and addresses below.

We went into a great little town last night - Galena.  I came to this town almost 30 years ago and I was always thinking "I want to come here for my honeymoon!"

Well, 27 years after the "first" honeymoon wasn't half bad!!  It is the cutest little town ever tho.  We walked all over and finally found a restaurant we wanted to try only to find out it is closed on Tuesdays!!  bahaha!!  Just our luck!!  I sent the picture of "Poopsies" to my kids last night.  Wesley said "I'm glad you didn't go there for dinner, I heard the reviews were kinda crappy!"

Below are a couple of paintings that are ready to head to a gallery soon.  First one is "Sculpting" and is heading to Terzian Gallery.  Hoping we can get it to Salt Lake City while we're gone so Amy and Karen can coordinate a pick up curbside on 2nd South and State!

"Sculpting"
18 x 24

This other one is for the Zion's Plein Air Invitational in November.  We are looking forward to going down to that the first week in November!  In the meantime, it will be sent down to Zion's to be in their museum in August, I believe.  It is for sale down there.  If you're down that way, stop through and look at the incredible work of the artists that will be participating in the plein air event in November.  It is growing each year.  Such a fun event.

"Zion's Arch"
18 x 24

The Art-Teest is back!!  Wahoo!  He went back over the Mississippi to Iowa - ahhh!!  Good choice, hun!!  It's incredible!  I'm waiting impatiently while he takes a picture.  Can you see my fingers tapping on the table.  I'm almost chilled in here with this AC going . . . oops, that's going to get me a dirty glare!  sucks being a plein air painter, doesn't it?  ouch, that's gonna hurt!  

K - going to post this beautiful little painting.

"Iowa Barn Painting"
8 x 10
For Sale - Blog Readers first dibs!!

K - we're heading to the Paul Wolff Campground to start scouting out for our workshop that starts tomorrow.  Talk soon!!

Hope to hear from you!!  If you can't get through on my cell, send me an email so I can check time stamps!

xoxo

J'net

801-668-3409

jgbraithwaite@hotmail.com

jgbraithwaite@me.com

or post a comment below - but just be FIRST!!