Cloud Study 1 by Lyn O'Neal

Cloud Study 1

Lyn O'Neal

oil on canvas board

9 x 12 inches

It is so GREAT to be painting again. Over the winter months I am simply too busy with business to have focused painting time. But, in March I kicked off getting back to the easel with a three day workshop held at my gallery taught by Jason Tako. It was such a wonderful time and I learned so much. This is the little painting I started during the workshop and finished last week. It was from a photo I had of clouds over the Gettysburg Battlefield. Clouds have so many nuances and I really love the essence of the beauty of the heavens and firmament. This is just the first of many cloud studies I plan to undertake.

Rockville Bridge with Train by Lyn O'Neal

Rockville Bridge with Train

oil on canvas board

9 x 12 inches

I painted this plein air piece in two sessions. Started last year on a bright, sunny day down at the boat launch at Ft. Hunter Mansion in Harrisburg. Came close to finishing, but needed to finish the water and bridge. So, last week we painted there again, only this time I was at a different viewpoint, though it didn't affect the painting. However, the light this day was overcast and even. Thankfully I remembered the backlit bridge from the prior session and the moving, shimmering water was similar. It would be nice to finish them all in one session, but that's rarely the case for me.

Late Winter at Wildwood Lake by Lyn O'Neal

Late Winter at Wildwood Lake

Oil on panel

11 x 14 inches

I'm a little slow in posting this piece. We painted en plein air at Wildwood Lake in late Winter this year. I loved the soft, subtle palette of grays in this scene. We paint at this location often because it changes so dramatically from season to season. I love to capture the natural wetlands and the light/color shifts throughout the year.

Plein Air Painters gather to paint at the Two Mile House in Carlisle

Sunshine!  It was a beautiful, warm and slightly breezy day at the Two-Mile House outside of Carlisle.  While a Red-tailed Hawk and it's mate communicated with each other perched in the trees and took turns soaring above, these artists took advantage of the glorious landscape and painted to their heart's content. 

In photos above, the participants of today's plein air paint out were:  Linda Young (not shown because I was taking the picture), Claire Beadon Carnell, Lyn O'Neal, Ralph Hocker, Johanna Monighan, and Clare Klaum.  Also, another painter, Jim Henry was there but was not present for the photo.

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Harrisburg Skyline I by Lyn O'Neal

Harrisburg Skyline I

oil on linen board

6 x 8 inches

Painted from the West Fairview Boat Launch, this little piece is the view of the Harrisburg city skyline and the bordering Susquehanna River. I've been wanting to paint the skyline for a while and the day finally came. The Boat Launch was a beautiful location with outstanding inspiration for many paintings. I know I'll be painting there again.

Amity Hall Boat Launch by Lyn O'Neal

Amity Hall Boat Launch

9 x 12 inches

oil on canvas board

We had a windy, cool but beautiful day painting at the Amity Hall boat launch this past Thursday. It was a little chilly but I didn't mind in the least with all the heat we've had this summer. We saw a bald eagle flying above and two grey blue herons soaring over the waters. The light changed every minute or so since the clouds were large, puffy and moving fast. I made a quick thumbnail sketch when the sun was hitting the trees and tried to remember the colors that drew me to this scene. I have a few touch-ups to make but, for the most part, I'm calling this scene finished.

Pathway at Two Mile House, oil, 9 x 12, Lyn O'Neal

This was the little scene that captured my attention at the Two Mile House on Monday when several of us painted en plein air. I was attempting to capture light without the sky in the scene. I also liked all the linear aspects. I tried to keep it simple and within 3 hours.

Liverpool Morning by Lyn O'Neal

Liverpool Morning

oil on board

6 x 8 inches

Oh what a beautiful morning! Yesterday we met along 11/15 in Liverpool. It was a breezy summer morning - much cooler than it's been - and a perfect day to be outside at the easel. The silvery hills, sky and waters of this scene were so appealing in the hazy summer atmosphere. I think everyone was inspired by this scene.

Codori Farm, Gettysburg by Lyn O'Neal

Codori Farm, Gettysburg

oil on board

11 x 14 inches

Last week was the Gettysburg Festival and the Plein Air Paint Out. My favorite event of the year. This painting is of the Codori Farm which is located on the historic battlefields. There is no way to adequately describe the quite serenity and overwhelming peace that I feel while painting on the vast open fields of Gettysburg. It is breezy and scenic in every direction. The historical significance is weighty. The tranquility of this scene is what I hoped to capture in this painting. Though my mind knows the "roughness" of events that occurred on this very field, my spirit saw rest and quite.

Wildwood Lake, oil, Lyn O'Neal

Wildwood Lake

oil

9 x 12 inches

Last week we painted at the Wildwood Wetlands Sanctuary. I only had about two hours so I painted this simple little scene. I was drawn by the layers. There was a little egret standing at the water's edge which I think I'll paint in. The photo image of this painting has distorted the colors somewhat. I still haven't quite figured out my digital camera.

"Morning Mist and Red Leaves" by Lyn O'Neal

"Morning Mist and Red Leaves"

oil

12 x 12 inches

The rainy day today reminded me of the day I painted this scene up at Kings Gap last year. It's a loooong drive up that mountain to see this view and it was really starting to rain. But a few of us were determined to paint anyway. This little red tree was so prominant against the mist, fog and rain I knew it had to be the focal point.

"Just Around the Corner" by Lyn O'Neal

"Just Around the Corner", oil on board, 11 x 14 inches

After a long time, I'm finally back to painting. I painted this piece last week en plein air at the Linden Hall Antiques farm on Old Stonehouse Rd. in Carlisle. It is so great to be back out there! It was a beautiful day - I was able to find a breezy location and I was so drawn to this little hill leading up past the shed and around the silo to the back of the old bank barn. The groundskeepers were there so the shrubs and lawn were freshly shorn and the morning light was filtering through the trees. Wonder what's around the corner? Antiques to be sure!

John C. Rudy County Park, oil, 8 x 10, Lyn O'Neal

This plein air study was painted at John C. Rudy County Park in York, PA on a hot summer morning. A haze in the distance and a smorgasborg of greens both warm and cool was the interest for me in this piece. I'll never forget the extreme heat that day and I finished quickly to find a place to cool off.

After Vermeer's "Christ in the House of Martha & Mary" by Lyn O'Neal

This is a painting from a class I took studying old master techniques where we ground our own pigments, used authentic mediums and classical paint applications to paint after the style of Vermeer. I narrowed the subject and focused just on "Mary" from Vermeer's 1655 painting entitled "Christ in the House of Martha and Mary." This painting started with an underpainting of complementary colors and VERY thin glazes building up the colors so as to not lose the complementary underpainting. Poppyseed oil was used instead of linseed oil as a medium. I enjoyed this process so much and gained invaluable painting experience.

"California Brigade Monument" by Lyn O'Neal, oil

Another scene from the Gettysburg Battlefield. The stonework on this monument intrigued me as did it's placement overlooking the fields and protected by the low hanging branches of this tree. It's almost like the tree is saying, "There, There."

"Confederate Fields", by Lyn O'Neal

This work was painted during the Gettysburg Festival Plein Air Paint Out. The beauty and serenity of the fields and the distant hills is displaced by thoughts of what occurred long ago on that battlefield land. I chose to capture the layers of distance and omit the rows of canons and confederate monuments. But in my mind, I will always see the whole scene.

"Throw the Ball", by Lyn O'Neal

This is my sweet dog Tobie and his favorite toy soccer ball that he'll let me throw all day and never tire. I did this piece in a watercolor media using fluid acrylics. I'm still undecided on the fluid acrylics. You can achieve brighter, richer color than with watercolors, but it's more difficult to resolve the hard edges.

"Susquehanna Sparkle", oil on board, 6 x 8 inches

Painted en plein air, this little study is of the Susquehanna River and the distant Rockville Bridge on a bright sunny day, which made the water sparkle as crystal. This study will be used to paint a larger, studio work, but seeing and painting the scene outside helps so much in remembering the day, the sounds, the movement of the clouds, the trains going by and, of course, that shimmering river.

"Breaking Light", oil, 9"x12" by Lyn O'Neal

Painted behind Allenberry Resort and Playhouse, this is the Yellow Breeches Creek. I was so taken by the light breaking through the trees onto the little waterfall, and the shadows all around it. It was Fall and the colors were peeking through. The crystal clear water hits the rocks and breaks into splashes and ripples. This painting is available for purchase at the Art & Soul Gallery in Lemoyne, PA. Call 717-761-1270 or email artandsoul@pa.net.

"November Tree" by Lyn O'Neal

I completed this little 8" x 10" painting today en plein air. It was a typically brisk Fall day and I loved how this tree was hanging on to it's bright orange leaves as if to say, "Winter, you'll have to wait until I'm finished with the display!" This painting is available for purchase through the Art & Soul Gallery in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania. Call 717-761-1270 or email artandsoul@pa.net.