PEPS Whistle Stops and Depots Show at the Schulman Gallery at Luzerne County Community College

Here are some photos from PEPS current show at LCCC. The show runs through August 25th on Weds. through Saturday evenings from 5-8pm. There will be artists on hand to discuss the project and also some demonstrations of various painting techniques. This is a great show and should not be missed! That is especially true for railroad buffs!

The pictures displayed in order show:

Sue Hand and her watercolor of Jamison Station in Sullivan County

Participating artists Joanne Benson, Phyllis Rennie and Maryann Williams

Sue Hand's students Nicole Delevan, Chad Dymond, Ryan Frania and Chelsea Martin (all but Nicole have artwork in the show)

Ribbon Cutting by LCCC President Thomas Leary. Holding the ends are Woody Woodworth and Maryann Williams

Steamtown Ramblers Pete Rozdilski, Bill Clark and Duncan Perry performed at the opening

Alex Zdzinski and his painting of Forks Station in Columbia County

Diane Czajkowski and her watercolor painting of Ashley Boarding Station in Luzerne County

Joanne Benson and her sharpie sketch of Uniondale Station, ink and watercolor of West Hawley Station, pastel of the Nicholson Bridge, and watercolor of Glenburn Station

Maryann Williams and her watercolor painting of the Bedford Street Station in Clarks Summit

Benton Road Railroad Tunnel South Side - Pastel by Joanne Benson

I just did this painting for the "Whistle Stops and Depots" project.

Set up was tricky because the angle I wanted to paint from involved being precariously close to the drainage ditch along the roadside. I made the executive decision to park my car along the road and stand behind it to paint. It is a small local road with not too much traffic and I figured that way people would see the car and move over. Besides it is easy to set my pastels out in the back of my SUV with the back door up to be used for shade or rain shelter if need be. What started out to be a beautiful afternoon digressed into part sun and part shade and a brief barely there sprinkle. Luckily for me it was mostly pretty pleasant. A neighbor stopped with her dog and watched me work for a while and I explained part of my process.

After several hours I was satisfied with my result and began to pack up. As fate would have it, one of the legs on my french easel telescoped in unexpectedly and the easel overturned into the drainage ditch which, of course, was full of mucky water. On the upside to this minor catastrophy, the easel drawer was closed up and locked down and the painting was safely nestled on the back seat of my car. I proceeded to resurrect my soggy easel and clean it off. Another neighbor driving by stopped to chat and admire the artwork. All in all, I consider it a successful painting and a lovely afternoon. I may do some minor touch ups, like adding the date at the top of the tunnel, but I'm pretty pleased with it just as it is! I hope you like it too!

I'm hoping it will be part of the PEPS show at the Schulman Gallery at Luzerne County Community College in Naticoke PA. The show opens on July 23 from 6-8pm and will be on display until August 25. There will be many wonderful railroad images there.

Garrison Road Plein Air-Rodrica Tilley

Yesterday was my first plein air day of the year. Anyone else?

As I navigated the rutted, frost heaved gravel (MUD) roads of my rural county I finally found the picture I wanted to paint; this long view of rolling hills, farm and wood land, but...Oh, no, I had no long paper in the car. Luckily I did have two 9 x 12 sheets of UArt #500 so I taped them together (adjacent) and ran my painting across both sheets. I think I will frame it just like that. Why not? 9 x 24. I have a few finishing touches and it's done.

Thirty Days, Thirty Paintings

I spent the month of March living in the Sonoita/Elgin area of southern Arizona. This is high grasslands country; lots of cattle, no saguaros. My goal was to do a plein air painting every day. Such grueling work; one pastel painting every day, out in the warm winter sun, under a blue sky, take the dogs for a walk and then it was pretty much Margarita time.

The first few days I realized my Northeastern Pennsylvania palette was too dark and deep for the high key colors in front of me. A quick trip to the art supply store in Tucson and I was set to go with a full range of pastels much lighter in value than I would normally use here. I worked on various papers; Wallis, Art Spectrum and Sabertooth, tinted and white.

For now, I've framed 15 of them and they will be the "hot" part of my upcoming show here at my studio in Montrose; recent landscape paintings; hot and cold - June 29 through July 8.

Paint-out days are July 2 through 8, 10-6. Come and bring your art supplies. Paint out in the garden with me or your friends. Free. Fun. 570-278-2479