Today I entered 6 pieces into the Ohio State Fair competition . I will find out the results in June.
Last year I was happy to sell my work during the exhibition.
One of the six that I entered. This is titled "Illuminated" and is a 15x30 oil painting
Thistles
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil:
Size: 20"x24"
Price: $
This painting was done for a competition held by the Ohio Plein Air Society. It was a pretty cool idea. The competition took place over a year with the object being to paint an Ohio prairie. (yes, there are prairies in Ohio) Artists were asked to paint during the year 2014 depicting all seasons and prairies throughout the state. At the end of the year the paintings were judged and those picked were exhibited in The Springfield Museum of Art. The exhibit titled " Painting the Prairies" was to help educate the public about the conservation of these small islands of original prairie grassed in the state.
I had two paintings excepted to hang in the museum "Thistles" being one.
Rising Water
This is an 8"x10" oil of a rushing creek.
Exhibit.
This is a very fine show with a contemporary flair!
The details.
Crossing over at Dusk
At the edge of town runs the river. We were driving over the bridge just at the time the water captured the last of the sun on a perfect fall day. I was amazed at the shades of violet and purples plus the orange reflection of the autumn leaves.
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 10"x10"
Price: $
Low Country Sunset
Low Country in South Carolina at sunset can include all the colors on a palette. We were driving in a preserved area and were lucky enough to stop and take a few shots one of which inspired this painting. It is a 11"x14" oil on canvas.
medium: Oil on canvas
size: 11"x14"
price: $
On one of my walks with my buddy and Izzy the trail passes this abandoned looking house. One day the drive had several cars parked and to our surprise using the track behind the house were jockeys driving buggies for harness racing. ( you can see I don"t know the right terminology) It was the red truck that called for a painting as well as the muted hues of the unpainted wooden siding on the house.
Red Truck
The Road Home
In September The Ohio Plein Air Society held their annual Paint Out in Alexandria, Ohio.
My painting "The Road Home" was selected after the competition to be shown in their show for two months at Sunbear Gallery.
In this plein air competition artists are given locations that the land owner has approved the painting on their property. We also had the option of just driving around until we found a spot that inspired us. The event last three days with Friday and Saturday for painting and Sunday for the judging. Friday i was driving around looking for a spot and was captured by this farm early in the morning. This is a 15X30" board and I think I liked the way using a long rectangle helped convey the acreage on which this small farm was sitting. The fields at that time of year were that wonderful golden color.
Swensons Drive In
Friends from my hometown still frequent the drive in restaurant that was a cruising spot when I was in high school. This past summer they drove their VW beetle to Swensons for a burger. Chris being an former art teacher saw the photo op happening so stood behind their car and got the shot. I was really taken with the orange and neon just popping. After I saw it I asked permission to use their photo as a reference for this 8 x 10" oil painting.
Nine Forty-Five PM
This is a small 5"x7" painting that is done from imagination.
Medium: oil
Size: 5x7"
Price: $
Therapy
Artist: Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 8"x10"
Price: $
Therapy is free here. A walk with a dog in the sunshine.
Bridge in January
Our home sits up on a cliff above the creek and for 10 years if we wanted to drop down to play, our transport was a heavy yellow rope tied to the big Maple tree. Otherwise we could take a path that slowly descended to the bottom. The rope has been loved by the kids and not so much by me. Last summer we had a bridge built the spanned a ravine and wooden steps taking us down to Big Walnut Creek. This has been a gift that has brought such joy to the whole family giving access to all who wished to be up close and personal with the fishys.
Flood Aftermath
When there is more than normal rainfall, our creek overflows into the woods and the sunset on this night turned the scene a brilliant orange.
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil on Board
Size: 16"x 20"
Price: $
Fireflies and Stars
The night before heading out on a weeklong backpacking trip in the Laurel Highlands in Pennsylvania I was restless in a second floor room in our B&B. The night was beautiful and I look out onto an expanse of field between the home and the mountains. I was mesmorized by the seemingly continuation of the fireflies and this starry night.
Last Light
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Sized: 6"x6"
Price:
This small painting was from my thoughts of a sunset over the dunes by the Atlantic.
I love the way the brush works show in the photograph. Its said there is a green flash right at the moment the sun dips below the horizon. I keep watching for it.
Trail to the Cave
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 36"x48"
Price:
In the Fall I had to deliver a painting to southern Ohio and we stayed in a cabin in the area.
In the morning I took a trail called Cave Trail and was awed by the way the light filtered through the trees in the forest. This painting won Best of Show over many entries at the Cultural Arts Center in Delaware.
Heading Out
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 8"x10"
Price:
For the past 7 years I take a week long backpacking trip with friends and Heather.
I decided to paint the trail at Laurel Highlands from the perspective of Cheryl and I hiking ahead. I'm guessing we were photographed by the stragglers!
My trail name is Small Curly and if you were standing next to me you would know why that is so.
I get so much inspiration from being in the woods for this extended period.
Dog and his Boy
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 24"x 36"
Price:
Izzy our golden retriever is always so excited to go down to play in our creek. It was the perfect summer day for my grandson Harrison and her to do some stone skipping while cooling off.
I think i captured the distance and mood of the day.
Tunnel of Trees
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil
Size: 6"x6"
Price:
Beyond our creek is a woods and in the woods our neighbor farmer has cut a path where i sometimes walk with Izzy. The painting reminds me of a road in western Michigan which is called Tunnel of Trees. I've ridden my bike on it a few times and the trees almost meet above the road.
The light at the end where the field starts is what interested me in this scene.
Free Music in the Park
Artist: Carolyn Heffelfinger
Medium: Oil
Size: 6"x6"
Price: $
We took the island ferry to Ocracoke on the Outer Banks to attend their summer music festival.
The weather was perfect so that in the mornings i could go for a beach run. In the evenings all over the island musicians played in different venues. The central park was set up with a stage and lighting and there was something magical about the stars, lightening bugs, and good music that made it a vacation to dream about during those long Ohio winters.