My favorite painting from my week of painting en plein air is this one, “Mount Lebanon Doors.”
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| 8″ x 10″, ink & watercolor on Canson Montval 140 lb. paper |
It’s laid out in a gridded design, just like the ones I use on my sketchbook pages. The subjects are four of the prettiest front entries I found on my wanderings around Mount Lebanon, PA, during the plein air event last week.
I loved the green tile roof on House #1 (and the homeowners loved my painting so much that they purchased it on the opening night of the show!)
House #2 had lots of interesting detailing: a slate roof, unique brick work, an awning, flowers, stained glass windows, a flag, and window boxes.
The grand entrance on House #3 was irresistible. Just look at that gorgeous stonework!
And House #4 was just one of the cutest, most charming cottages I saw all week. A copper roof with a beautiful patina swooped up from the arched front door to a window box overflowing with dark red coleus and chartreuse sweet potato vines.The front yard was filled with exuberant masses of flowers, including an amazing elephant ear plant by the front door.
I’m glad this painting went to a good home!
3 Comments
Leslie,
As always, your paintings take my breath away. The beautiful and unique style of each door made me think of an old song 'Green door what's that secret you're keeping…'. Thanks for sharing and teaching.
I don't think I know that song, but you're right, the whole time I'm painting someone's house, I wonder about who lives there and what goes on behind that door.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, BB.
I love this series of Mt. Lebanon paintings, Leslie! Your work is so inspiring to me. Lately, I've been exposed to a lot of very fast, gesture, almost abstract sketching technique, which just doesn't seem to suit me–and which can lead to doubt and frustration when I can't "get it right." And then your posts pop up in my mailbox in all their glorious detail, and I breathe a sigh of "yes." I love taking in every inch of your paintings; there's always something, some detail or line or color, to discover. Thank you for sharing!