"Storm Clouds Over Morven Park", first strokes

Left side of the studio with the start of "Storm Clouds"

     I am ready for some new beginnings.  I reorganized my studio in anticipation of the work station I was purchasing from an artist friend who works in pastel.  She found that the Todd Rieffer work station did not suit her needs and wondered if I would like to purchase it.  I jumped at the chance!  It works perfectly for me.  Temporarily I am using my plein air palette but I will be purchasing a sheet of glass to cover that entire space you see the palette, sketch book and can of knives sitting on. That will then be my palette area.  I am the perfect distance from my easel and there is a roll top that covers the open space you see.  That helps to keep the paint on the palette space moist as well as providing a great surface to do some framing on.  I now have everything I need in easy reach plus I have added to my storage space.  I am a happy camper.
       That is the left side of the studio.  I have left the center of the room empty so I can walk back and forward as I paint.  Below is the right side of the studio with my small taboret and table top easel.  I have a chair on casters that I use when painting at that station and I can zoom back and forth across the room on the chair.  I love this!

sketch for "Storm Clouds Over Morven Park"

         In the first photo you can see the beginning of my latest painting, "Storm Clouds Over Morven Park".  I had toned the linen canvas with yellow ochre and this afternoon put in the first couple of hours work on this painting.  To the left is the graphite and Prisamcolor marker sketch I did for the painting and you can see this small study sitting on the work station in the first photo.  Morven Park is in Leesburg Virginia and is the property immediately adjacent to the Marion Du Pont Scott Equine Medical Center.  As you have already read below, I spent 19 days there with my horse Gypsy.  When I was finally allowed to hand graze her I found myself surrounded in every direction by magnificent vistas.  Paintings began to form in my mind.  I will definitely be going back there this fall to do some plein air paintings but meanwhile I have plenty of material to work from in the studio.  This is just the first studio piece in that series.

"Storm Clouds Over Morven Park", 24x30 oil on linen

      This is where I left off this afternoon and I am happy with this start.  I hope to show you more tomorrow.
                    Please take a few minutes to view the online exhibit at the Salmagundi Club in NYC (47 5th Ave. NY, NY) at www.salmagundi.org  The exhibit is "Summer Pot Pourri" and I have fall and winter paintings in that pot pourri, so no, it is not a selection of summer paintings.
                    Still no time to update my website.  I am not lazy folks, just too busy and I have to prioritize. Please stop by anyway....www.jeanschwartzpaintings.com