Estes Valley Plein Air

I finished a total of 10 paintings during the Estes Valley Plein Air.  The show is up at the Art Center of Estes Park until September 27.  Don't miss it!.

Roaring (oil with impasto)

"Roaring" (oil with lots of pallet knife) fresh on the easel while plein air painting in Rocky Mountain National Park.

While painting at 11,320 above sea level I painted this miniature of Longs Peak from the Forest Canyon lookout in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, (oil, sold)

The shadows were striking early morning in the mountains so I painted 'Hayden's Spire'. (oil)

I had a toned warm linen panel and blocked in my purple shadows because I knew I would loose them as the time went by.

One of the categories we could paint in was a Nocturne.  I painted " Estes Glow" with a headlamp on the shore of Lake Estes. (Colorado)

The last painting I finished for Estes Valley Plein Air 2019 was 'Coffee's On' (oil with impasto) .  This sweet cabin sat above Moraine Park with a view that was nothing less than stunning.

Estes Valley Plein Air 2019

 The Estes Valley Plein Air Event has begun!  These are the  oil paintings I've finished en plein air last week.  I will spend several days in Rocky Mountain National Park this week painting there. 

 Dates: 8/24/19-9/27/19
Opening reception (all invited) 5-8pm
Location: Art Center of Estes Park
                 517 Big Thompson Ave
                  Estes, Park, Colorado 80577
Artcenterofestes.com
970.586.5882

Plein Air Event that features artists painting in Rocky Mountain National Park and the Estes Valley Area from August 10 - 24. There will be a Quick Draw and Auction on Saturday, August 24th from 8:30 - 12:00 and then the show opens through September 27th. 

Summer 2018 Art Classes

Art classes Summer 2018   Mary Giacomini

OIL:    Monet series; learn to see the way Monet did

#1 June 21 (Thurs) 9-12,   Home studio, Copy a Monet or be inspired to paint a painting in his style (9 x 12 or smaller)

#2 June 28 (Thurs) 9-12, Sweetheart Winery plein air.  Create a painting of your choice with the morning light.  Critique at 12pm on their patio with wine & snacks (not included in price) Since the winery does not open until noon, bathrooms available at Sandys Conoco or Devil’s Backbone trailhead.

#3 July 12 (Thurs) 5-8pm ***, Sweetheart Winery plein air. Recreate painting from class #2 in evening light to learn to see the difference time of day makes.  Meet at 4:15 for a glass of wine.

***watercolor class is welcome, also pastelists

WATERCOLOR: Sketchbook journaling

#4 June 13, 9-12 home studio  Learn to capture small, quick paintings with small watercolors in a watercolor sketchbook

#5 June 27 (Wed), 5-8pm, Sweetheart Winery plein air.  Sit by the Big Thompson river with a glass of wine to capture the scenery.  This is great practice for bringing along a sketchbook on vacation.  Meet at 4:15 for wine on the patio (wine not included in price)

I also teach classes through the Loveland Museum & have open spots in some but not all classes. https://www.lovelandmuseumgallery.org/programs-events/art-classes/adult-art-classes/

 June 11^th Sweetheart Winery wine glass painting class (tropical theme). $40

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wine-glass-painting-tickets-44496485185?aff=efbeventtix

I am proud to announce that "Joy Ride" (oil) was accepted in the 32nd Annual National Juried Fine Art & Photography Show and Sale in Louisville, Colorado.  I painted this horizontal original oil after plein air painting in Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado).  I had a perfect  Autumn day to paint outside.  Two riders on horseback literally rode through my scene and I knew I had to capture it in the studio.  

PAAC National Show

Scenes of Loveland at the Lincoln Gallery

Pallet Knife Poppies

 This month at the Lincoln Gallery I'm showing some local scenes from Loveland.  "Pallet Knife Poppies" is a 20" x 16" oil with lots of impasto pallet knife painting in the orange poppies.  This was inspired by a scene on the West side of Loveland with Longs Peak and the Colorado Front Range receding in the distance.

Oasis
"Oasis" is a 12" x 9" plein air oil painting of the Devil's Backbone park just outside of Loveland, Colorado.  This is a favorite hiking trail in Larimer County. The park is normally desert-like but in Spring the Cottonwood trees were showing off  their green. I had fun carving paint with my pallet knife as a result this painting has lots of impasto.

Stillness
I painted this 9" x 12"  original oil painting en plein air very early in the morning at Rivers Edge Natural area in Loveland, Colorado.  The water was perfectly reflective and caught my eye. This is a popular city park with lots to offer.




You can see more of my artwork Online:
Facebook Page
FineArtAmerica
(a variety of prints and cards can be ordered)
MaryGiacomini.com
MGiacominiart.blogspot.com
 follow me on Twitter
Instagram

Chasing Light

I was once again invited to the 4th annual  "Chasing Light" exhibition with the Plein Air Artists of Colorado group.  I paint with these talented hardy artists on some Friday mornings in Northern Colorado.  For one week we are showing our landscapes, both from plein air and studio at the Community Creative Center in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado.  Check out the art show!

O

Oasis Oil; plein air

Expanse: oil, plein air

Deep Forest  Oil, plein air

Joy Ride; the journey

Joy Ride  Oil  12 x 24"

"Golden Blankets"
9 x 12"
 Oil

 Last Fall when I was plein air painting in Rocky Mountain National Park, a couple of horses & riders actually rode through my scene of Hallet Peak and the surrounding mountains.   I quickly grabbed my camera to get a reference photo and knew this could be an amazing painting.  The Aspen Groves were in their Autumn glory and it was a perfect, sunny Colorado morning.
I was happy with the finished "Golden Blankets" with it's thick impasto oil and warm Fall colors but in the back of my mind I wanted to make a studio painting with the horses.  I decided to try gamut mapping to create the new scene.  Gamut mapping helps you make a more cohesive painting by using a limited pallet.  I decided ahead of time what portion of the color wheel I would use, then made some color swatches from it to use for another reference during painting.

This is the portion of the color wheel I used for this image.  I examined my reference photo and narrowed down the colors I needed to make a more cohesive painting.

Once I had my gamut mapped out, I figured out how to mix my primaries which were orange, green & blue.  All of the colors had to fall within the gamut map but I could add white and black.

 I asked my oil painting students if they wanted to try to learn gamut mapping and they were game so this was painted almost entirely in class.  Although this is a challenging way of painting, it's also a learning tool that most did great at and appreciated knowing how.  I am starting up my solvent free oil painting classes on Thursday mornings mid September.   I do currently have an opening if you are interested in joining us.

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

The Milner-Schwarz house; plein air

In Loveland, Colorado we have a historic treasure: The Milner-Schwarz house.  The Loveland Historical Society has lovingly restored this 1873 brick home and it is now open for the public to enjoy. 

 I have had the pleasure of plein air painting this house a couple of times now.  This  summer, I painted this first original oil, "Little House on the Prairie".   I kept thinking off what it might have been like to live there 140 years ago while I was painting.  They have brought in an old windmill which I wanted to include in my painting.  I noticed the early morning shadow of the windmill on the brick home so decided to capture that.  When I plein air paint, I always try to capture the shadows first as they are fleeting.  This was especially important in this composition as I watched it moved across the house rather 

quickly. 

In the second painting, "Mrs. Milner's Irises", I was draw to the  colorful blooming irises in front of the classic front porch.  The Loveland Historical Society has also planted flower & vegetable gardens around the house along with fruit trees. This painting has some impasto.

These paintings are both currently available for purchase. Contact me for more information.

Little House on the Prairie

Mrs. Milner's Irises

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Plein Air Artists of Colorado National Show

I am proud to announce that "Sail Away" was accepted into the Plein Air Artists of Colorado National show at the Mary Williams Fine Art Gallery in Boulder.  The opening is September 1st, 2016  from 5-8pm and all are welcome.  I painted this little plein air oil last summer in Anacortes, Washington.

Sail Away

 You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available)
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

National Treasures show

"Silence"
oil
representing Voyageurs National Park 

 The Cultural Art Center of Estes Park (Colorado) is celebrating 100 years of the National Park service by showcases over 100 paintings and photographs of the National Parks in July 2016.  I had 5 of paintings accepted into this juried  art show.  "National Treasures" can be seen through the entire month of July.  All of these original paintings are currently available for purchase through this show.

"Mesa Arch"
watercolor
representing Canyonlands National Park

"Opposites Attract"
oil (plein air)
representing Glen Canyon National Recreation Area 

"Loose Moose"
oil
representing Denali National Park

"Serenity"
oil
representing Rocky Mountain National Park

      You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

A Villa in the Mist

A Villa in the Mist (7.5 x 18")

 One thing I learned about plein air painting in Tuscany is you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to paint.  I'm used to brilliant morning sunshine in Colorado.  On my first day of painting in Italy I woke up to heavy fog.  I set up my pochade box anyway and started to paint a villa on a neighboring hilltop.  I kept completely losing my subject!  I  had taken a photo, but mostly I learned to just paint quickly, from memory.

Islands in the Sky (9 x 12") plein air oil

 This is an example of the creation of a studio painting.  I start with being there to photograph then paint my inspiration.  I can then use both of these 'props' to create what I had in mind with enough time to develop the scene the way I envisioned it.  I always tell my students how important it is to use your own photos for reference.  Having a plein air piece of the same place is extremely helpful with color and mood. Both of these original oils are currently available for purchase.

My reference photo from a Tuscan morning

You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Tuscan Vines

Tuscan Vines

I just finished "Tuscan Vines", a 24" x 18" original oil painting.  While in Italy I plein air painted in the Fuglini vineyards just outside of Montalcino.  I used the reference photo from the night before (when we were 'scoping' out a place to paint in the morning) and the plein air oil I painted in the morning.  I loved the evening shadows of the grapevines better but still the plein air study was very helpful with color.  This plein air day was nothing short of perfect as we even were served Brunello wine with our lunch.  I painted both fairly Impressionistically but the studio painting has much more impasto.    Contact me for current availability.

Brunnello di Montalcino

You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com

Chasing Light

Poudre Rapids

“CHASING LIGHT”

3rd ANNUAL INVITATIONAL OF

NORTHERN COLORADO PLEIN AIR ARTISTS

Featuring Plein Air, Landscapes, Flora & Wildlife

December 2nd-13th, 2015

The CCC, Carnegie Building, 200 Mathews Street, Fort Collins, CO

Gallery Hours 12:00-6:00 pm

Wednesday-Saturday

Opening Reception

First Friday, December 4th, 6:00-9:00 pm

with The Rocky Mountain Woodturners Association

Participating Artists

Kevin Aldrich, Kay Borrett, Marilynn Brandenburger, Jenifer Cline, Ann Delzell, Susan Driver, Andrea Gabel, Mary Giacomini, Nelia Harper, Danna Hildebrand, Patty Hughes, Ken Knox, Margueritte Meier, Christine M. Torrez, Laurie Waddell and Laura G.Young

Artists demos will be on Fri., Dec. 4; Sat., Dec. 5; Fri. Dec. 11; and Sat., Dec. 12

A Special Thanks to The City of Fort Collins for their Support

Plein air Washington Coast

"Splash" sold

Sail Away

Legend

"Glow"

Orcas Island

The Cannery at Annacortes (sold)

I had the pleasure of a plein air painting trip to the coast of Washington this past summer.  I went with 4 artist friends and we were based out of Annacortes.  I painted 6 small oils in 5 days and the weather was perfect. I brought my paints in a large suitcase and purchased solvent in Seattle.  We experienced the turquoise clear waters of Deception Pass State Park and took the Washington State Ferry to Orcas Island one day.  The San Juan Islands are nothing short of enchanting.  The last night I painted a sunset view quickly of the orange and blue waters of Puget Sound.  Email me for current availability of these original oil paintings.

You can see more of my artwork online: 
Facebook page (open to the public) 

fineartamerica.com    

(a variety of my work: prints and cards available) 
 artforconservation.com  
(limited edition canvas giclees)

marygiacomini.com

MGiacominiart.blogspot.com