Thursday, August 20, 2015

Furrowed Fields

"Furrowed Fields" 8x8 oil on board, ©Laura Gable
This was painted on location looking down the Webber Canyon on a hazy winter day before the fields filled in with lush green. On a clear day you can see both Mt Adams, and Mt Ranier.

We've had haze this summer from the wildfires. With the exception of the lack of green, the scene is quite similar.

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Rattlesnake Mountain at Golden Hour (sold)

"Rattlesnake Mountain at Golden Hour" 8x8 oil on board, © Laura Gable, SOLD
As the Autumn day was fading towards evening these lovely peach tones appeared on the horizon and flooded the land with it's luminescence. I was privy to be there painting this scene, and added the golden tones before they faded away. The air was brisk with a slight chill - perfect and lovely Autumn weather. A fabulous afternoon spent painting with a dear friend, was a welcome reprieve from a taxing day.

Pleased to have sold this painting while it was on display at the Anelare Winery in Benton City. A beautiful place to sip wine and enjoy artwork. Visit when you can.

Clouds Overhead (sold)

"Clouds Overhead" 8x8 oil on board, ©Laura Gable SOLD
I've been doing quite a bit of plein air painting this year. I set out around late December in 2014 resolving to complete at least 2-3 paintings a week. I didn't go so far as to require one per day, because I know what that does to me and my creative psyche. So during the cooler, less colorful months, it was interesting to see what colors I could see in these sueded hillsides and the surrounding toned trees and brush. This was painted from an overlook near the Columbia River where the Yakima River merges into this expansive waterway. The largest mountains in our area are treeless. An odd claim to fame, but even Wikipedia acknowledges that fact regarding this Rattlesnake Mountain.

Rattlesnake Mountain (Native American name LalĂ­ik meaning "land above the water") is a 3,527 ft (1,060 m) windswept treeless sub-alpine ridge overlooking the Hanford nuclear site. Parts of the western slope are privately owned ranchland, while the eastern slope is under the federal protection of the Arid Lands Ecology Reserve, a unit of the Hanford Reach National Monument, managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Rattlesnake Mountain is often described as the tallest treeless mountain in the world, but this claim appears to be without foundation.[2] The highest winds recorded on Rattlesnake were around 150 mph (241 kilometers per hour).[3]

Just yesterday winds up on Rattlesnake were clocked over 100 mph. Glad I wasn't up there with an easel. ;-)

Sage Bouquets

"Sage Bouquets" 5x7 oil on board, ©Laura Gable
Living in eastern Washington, we are surrounded by rolling hills complete with clumps of sagebrush. The tones of the hillsides swing towards lavenders and gold at times. This little bouquet was begging to be painted.