SAVANNAS PALMS By Cecelia Lyden

acrylic/canvasboard

11x14

www.cecelialyden.com

I was alone on my last visit to the Savannas Recreation Park. I painted in solace, with only a bull frog croaking somewhere near me. A chose a composition that comprised of several of the many varieties of palms in this wildlife preserve. I love painting palm trees, but we will be heading North in a couple of days. Hopefully, we will return next winter, when I can resume painting Florida's beautiful landscape. 

A SHARP CURVE IN THE ROAD

oil/stretched canvas

11x14

www.cecelialyden.com

 

I made two trips to the Village of Lisburn to capture this street scene. I really liked the structures sitting on the road, as well as the curving road. Unfortunately, the height of the canvas is too tall for my composition. I tried to "lower" the height by darkening the top of the sky and adding more clouds. I didn't like it. I finally decided to add telephone lines for some interest. There were many lines crossing the road and I thought they were legitimately part of the scene. I was timid about applying the paint . I may darken them a bit. 

GREENS GALORE

 ORANGE CANOE ALONG THE CONODOGUINET

GOOSE GATHERING IN NEW CUMBERLAND PARK

 

 

SHIPOKE DRAMA

These four pantings are the results of eight plein air paintouts so far this summer.The other four were not completed.

HEATHCOTE GARDEN PATH By Cecelia Lyden

acrylic/oil/stretched canvas

9x12

http://www.cecelialyden.com/

I love a garden path as a subject for a painting. They can suggest adventure or mystery, as well as a casual stroll or peaceful journey. This path is in Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce, Florida. I went there with other artists to paint, twice this past winter. There wasn't much in bloom, but I did spy this twisty tree with curvy branches and foliage, hanging over a shaded path with some sunlight streaking across it.

An artist tries to move a viewer's eyes all around his painting. He wants them to see everything, starting with the most important and eventually all the details.Paths are such natural/easy way for the artist to lead a viewers eye "into" and around a painting. Also assisting this journey in this painting are the trees trunks, branches , and foliage. They twist, wiggle and move up the side of the canvas, across he path, down the other tree ,and across the path again to the twisty shadowsin the lower right corner and up and around again. 

TWO VERSIONS OF FOGGY MORN By C. Lyden

oil/canvas

11x14

www.cecelialyden.com

The first version of this segment of woods at Samuel Lewis State Park is closer in mood and atmosphere to the actual time and setting. When I paint en plein aire, I usually try to create the actual "plein aire", the lighting, the weather conditions, etc. We were completly "fogged in" that morning. There were no shadows or lights, just gray skies and trees receding in the mist. I liked the first version a bit, but I wanted to show more sky and to "punch up" the foreground a little. So I brushed over some of the branches, creating more negative space around, and therefore, more focus on the foreground trees. As the morning wore on, the fog diminished a bit and the sky lightened up. I reflected this slight change by adding some more white to my sky color.

A CEMETERY, RECLAIMED By Cecelia Lyden

oil/canvas

11x14

http://www.cecelialyden.com/

Inspired by a story in our Harrisburg Patriot newspaper about a local Vietnam veterans group becoming caretakers of the Historical Lincoln Colored Cemetery, I sought out the cemetery. It containes the remains of about 80 Afro-Americans, some veterans of the Civil War. I got permission from the owners of the property for a group of plein air painters and I to paint there . It's in a very small and carefully tended area, surrounded by serene, beautiful farmland. Its peaceful setting and clusters of trees reminded me of some of the Gettysburg battlefield settings, but its simple tombstones and small size made it much more humble.

MECHAANICSBURG WATER WORKS www.cecelialyden.com

oil/linen

16x20

I found this idyllic spot while driving around one morning looking for an "idyllic" spot to paint. It was about 18 minutes from my home-a home I have lived in since 1969-and I had never seen it before-been out much, Cecelia? I came back the next 3 afternoons- three rare, warmish , rainfree afternoons and painted it.

A SPLASH OF FALL COLOR by Cecelia Lyden www.cecelialyden.com

oil/canvas

11x14

http://www.cecelialyden.com/

Squeezed between a cold, rainy day on Thursday and a cold, snowy day on Saturday was a cold, partially sunny day on Friday. Our plein air group decided to seize that day and we headed for Willow Park. I shivered for most of the time we were there, but we managed to find a spot of color by the creek and, once again it was so nice to be out painting with friends.

WILDWOOD, EARLY SPRING By Cecelia Lyden

acrylic

8x10

http://www.cecelialyden.com/

lyden1819@comcast.net

Back from Florida as of March 8, I'd been hibernating inside, my tan fading, waiting for some warm weather. Today we got it- beautiful sunshine, pleasant temperatures. So several of our plein air group happily took our paints to Wildwood Park. After some cheery hellos and conversation, I started my first PA outdoors painting of the year. I had packed several shades of green, but found I did not really need them. My eyes searched, but could not detect any new growth. I did add a touch of green oxide to the foreground grasses just for some hint of spring. For the most part, it felt good to be back painting in PA with friends.