Brian Lee, Painting a day in Plein Air "McKinney Falls"

Since waterfalls don't last too long
in Austin,Texas, I decided to take
advantage of recent rains and try
to capture a scene at McKinney Falls:
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The last painting I had created of McKinney Falls is available
at the Wally Workman Gallery :

Brian Lee, Painting a day in Plein Air "Bull Creek"

After a few days of overcast skies I was able to
try and capture some sunlight this afternoon as
the revealed sunlight hit the falls, which were
brought to life again by the recent rains:

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Brian Lee, Painting a day in Plein Air "Garden Lantern"

A rainy, overcast day at the garden:
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Brian Lee: Painting a day in Plein Air, "Lakeview" 6x4"

Well, I decided to spend this overcast day atop Mt.Bonnell,
which is a favorite place of mine to venture to if I feel
like studying aerial perspective or just to get a grand view
of the lake!
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"Wall of Bells 12x9" Oil

I was greeted by bronze reflecting light
and bouncing temperatures throughout
all these port holes. I was inspired to
capture the play of color before me:

"Laguna Gloria Pavillion"12x9" Oil

The sunlight, first greeting the treetops,
danced along the columns:

"Mandola Estate Winery" 12x9" Oil

Today I ventured forth on the 290 Wine Trail,
and made my first stop at the gorgeous grounds
of the Mandola Estate Winery. Right next door
to the Duchman Family Winery
is a beautiful Italian Villa, housing the
Trattoria Lisina, which is the restaurant I was
drawn towards and decided to paint today:

"Hill Country Belfry" 12x9" Oil

Today I discovered this beautiful structure, perched
atop a tree-lined cliff. It houses a bell in the
highest part of the tower, and as I was finishing up
my painting, a child ran into the structure and tugged
forth to allow a resonating sound across the hills below.

I wonder if this Belfry serves a purpose for some people
that live nearby. Perhaps it marks a time to gather together,
or maybe it is simply there for a passerby to ring the bell,
marking a celebration of life. That's what it meant for me.

"View from Mt. Bonnell" 12x9" Oil

I've been learning more and more about the atmosphere
and how it aids in the colors I see, which I find to
be really fascinating. Here is a painting I created
atop one of the highest elevated points in Austin:

"Sunset Study"

I want to study sunsets, so here is the start:

"Driscoll Villa Garden Entrance" 12x9" Oil

"BullCreek Mansion" 12x9" Oil

High above the waters of BullCreek, past
the vaulting woods, look up towards the sky
and you can see the skyline occasionally
...framed with a mansion. Today I was able
to paint one that I found most beautiful.

"Mt.Bonnell View" 12x9" Oil

"Stony Brook" 12x9" Oil

I had come across this bend in a stony brook earlier today,
while taking a hike through the woods. I was drawn to the
rippling water as it flowed down the sunlit stones and
around the bend.

"Central Park Pecan" 12x9" Oil

I enjoy overcast mornings when the sky is bright
and not toned in blue.

Yesterday I had started a painting during an
overcast day, blocking in the color harmony
and still in the initial stage of the painting
the clouds started to part and the sun was
revealed, drastically altering the scene before me.

The harmonic note which I had already keyed in was
in contradiction to what was "out there", so I
ended up calling it quits, packed up my gear and left.

Today I went back to the same spot to paint, this
time I had an earlier start in the morning before the
clouds would part which gave me enough time to try
and capture a "time in place".

Lost maples State Park

I just arrived from a venture to Lost Maples State Park to capture
some of the beautiful changes that take place in the fall to the
maple trees that inhabit the area:

"Cemetery Sentinel" 12x9" Oil

Today I was in the mood to paint a cemetery
scene during an overcast day in autumn.
Shortly after I had begun painting the lighting
started to change, as the clouds which had
created a cool overcast started to break apart,
allowing the warmth of the sun to spill in over
the ground at differing intervals.

Anyways, I stuck to my original idea all the way
through and was able to keep the harmonious whole
while waiting for the clouds to reconnect and help to
create cool lighting.

"Ladysmith Stable" A Richard Schmid study

"Glistening Inlet" 12x9"

Here is a quick paint sketch, in which
I tired to convey my initial idea of
water glistening in the distance.(The
relationship of wind and sunlight acting
on the water caused this value mass, area
of water, to be lighter and brighter than
the sky in the distance. More drama thanks
to a windy day on the shore:

"Schmid Study of "Lake Champlain Victorian" 12x9" Oil

After work I spent a rainy day studying
one of Schmid's beautiful landscape paintings,
entitled ,"Lake Champlain Victorian", One day
I hope to be able to create a beautiful painting
such as his from the field.

"Windy Point Tree" 12x9"

I was inspired to go to Windy Point after learning that
the master landscape painter, Calvin Liang, had taught
a workshop there. I was searching for the tree that he
had painted.

"Central Park12x9" Oil

Here is my celebration of a beautiful day spent
downtown at Central park:

"Barr Mansion 12x9" Oil

"McKinney Creek" 12x9" Oil

There is something both challenging and rewarding
in taking all the foliage and undergrowth presented
to you out in the field and turning all of That into
This; making a statement out of nature:

"Autumn Marsh" 12x9 Oil

"Marble Creek" A Schmid study

Practicing my selective judgment:

"Evening Lit Home 16x12 Oil"

Studying Schmid's "Willows"

I spent earlier today by studying Richard Schmid's painting
entitled "Willows", in pursuit of gaining a better understanding
of variety, harmony, and keeping the "whole" throughout
the progression of the process from start to finish.

This was certainly a fun and learning filled experience.

Studying Schmid

Learning more about harmony and composition while studying Richard Schmid's
painting entitled, "Sugar Maples"

"Mayfield Woods" 14x11" Oil

"Lone Palm" 16x12" Oil

"Bridge Path" 14x11" Oil

"Schmid study of "Forest Edge"

I admire the work of Richard Schmid so very much, and look to his paintings for both
inspiration and problem solving. So, here is a study of "Forest Edge" :

"Palm Tree" 14x11 Oil

The subtle display of temperature changes along the shadow side of
the palm had inspired me to pursue a painting about this particular scene:

"Stone Window" 14x11" Oil

"Garden Gazebo" 14x11" Oil

"Garden Archway" 14x11" Oil

"Prairie Home" 14x11" oil

"Driscoll Tower" 16x12" Oil

"Evening at Bullcreek"14x11" oil

Ahh, feels great to be painting again after a few days of
overnight shifts at my day job:

"Villa Walkway" 16x12" Oil

I had an enjoyable experience doing this painting
despite the shifting cloud patterns up above which
created an annoying inconsistent light down below.

I had originally planned on seeking out a beautiful
building to do a delicate rendering under an overcast
sky, which I had seen earlier this morning, although
the weather changed from overcast to partly sunny
when I had arrived at my destination with my painting
gear so I had to switch plans and create a painting
involving the chase of light.

On another note: I get to work taxing over nights at my
retail job for the next five days, which means I'll be too
exhausted to do any painting until near the weekend.
I'll probably end up being really aggitated as the work
week draws to a close by virtue of not having painted,
unless I'm able to pick up the brush sometime in between.

"Wind-worn Heights" 14x11" Oil

"View Beyond the Boundaries" 14x11" Oil