Paintings By Katherine Schneider Juried into Southern California Show at Higbee Gallery

If you're in Southern California over the Holidays, I hope you have a chance to see this amazing show at the Higbee Gallery. I'm pleased to have my paintings "Full Moon Rising" and "Summer Sky" included with over 300 paintings from nationally acclaimed artists on exhibition from December 4 - 23, 2010.

"Afterglow" A Painting of the Evening Sky

The late evening after the sun has set in the west is one of the most fleeting and beautiful times of day. 

My oil painting "Afterglow" shows a lone tree on a Lowcountry marsh hummock silhouetted against the soft colors of the evening sky.

Painting in the Moonlight

Painting outside en plein air is always a challenge. Shifting weather conditions and rapidly changing light are only a few of the problems to be considered when painting on location. Recently I decided to take on an even more challenging task - Painting outside in the dark to study the subtle effects of moonlight on the landscape.

I had a great evening painting in the moonlight even though I wasn't sure of what the paintings looked like til I got back to the studio.

I decided to work on a larger than usual (16 x20") canvas. It felt good to paint in a larger plein air format but I had to mix and paint faster to get the job done before the light changed.

I also finished a second smaller painting of the full moon seen through swaying fronds of SC's state tree - the palmetto.

I look forward to more painting in the moonlight - It's an exciting challenge to try capture in paint the subtle beauty of the moon!

"The Old Boardwalk to the Creek" A Plein Air Painting by Artist Katherine Schneider

"Springtime in July" could have been the weather forecast today. The unseasonably cool and dry air here in Charleston made painting out by the creek a relaxing event - unusual in this subtropical climate in the summer.

The late afternoon sun casting interesting lights on an old boardwalk out to a fishing hummock on a tidal creek is the subject of my plein air painting. Over the years, I've watched this bluff on the creek grow smaller and smaller as it is being eroded by swift tidal currents. Today I decided it was time to make a painting of it before nature has it's way and the creek reclaims the old boardwalk and the little hummock.

"The Old Boardwalk to the Creek"

Oil on Cradled Panel

Unframed dimensions: 14" x 11"

Price: Sold

Making Canvas Panels for Painting

Many materials may be used for making painting panels. In this post I'm using birch plywood and fiber board as supports for canvas panels. I prefer 1/4 " or 1/2" birch plywood to fiber board (or white board) because of it's strength and resistance to warping in sizes up to 11" x 14".

First I cut the board to size and sand it with a medium grit paper or pad.

Glue is applied to the panel with a trowel. The canvas is cut to sizes 1/4" larger on each side to allow for shrinkage.

Glue is also applied to the back of the canvas with a trowel. Several different glues can be used on the panels. It's important that the adhesive used is acid free, archival (ph neutral), and water soluble. I'm using "YES!" brand paste to glue the canvas to these panels.

When the glue has been spread evenly on both the panel and the back of the cut canvas, a brayer (roller) is used to smooth out the glue and air pockets. Start in the middle of the panel and roll out to the edges.

A cover sheet of newspaper can be used when rolling the surface to catch excess glue that comes out at the edges of the canvas.

The panels can either be stacked between paper and dried under weights like books or air dried on a flat surface.

After the glue has dried, excess canvas is trimmed from the edges of the panels. The dried and trimmed canvas panels get another coat of gesso.

When the gesso has dried, the canvas panels are ready for use.

"After the Storm" A Study of a Lowcountry Sky

The summer weather patterns are creating beautiful skies here in the Lowcountry - towering thunderheads, cumulonimbus clouds, silvery patches of summer showers and rainbows! I've been out studying the rapidly changing effects in the summer skies recently.

"After the Storm" is a study of the atmospheric effects of passing rain clouds and an ephemeral double rainbow over a pine island in the marsh.

A Plein Air Painting of the Restored Bandstand in White Point Gardens by Katherine Schneider

White Point Gardens was a great place to paint today. The park was full of activity as children hunted for Easter eggs, blankets were spread for picnics, and everyone enjoyed the sunshine by the harbor.

The newly renovated Bandstand looked lovely with it's lowered platform and fresh paint.

"What's Old Is New Again"

The Bandstand at White Point Gardens

Oil on cradled birch panel

Plein air painting by Katherine Schneider

"View of a Charleston Alley" Painting on Location in Historic Charleston

Spring is finally here. Today was a beautiful day painting in this quaint alley in the historic French Quarter of Charleston. Our city is a great place to walk, especially in the spring when all the gardens start to bloom.

Little alleys like the one in my painting are hidden gems just waiting to be explored!

"View of a Charleston Alley"

Oil on canvas panel

8" x 10"
$325.00

"Marsh Creek Reflections" Plein Air Painting by a Lowcountry Creek

A bright blue sky with cumulus clouds reflecting in a tidal marsh creek was the subject of today's plein air painting.

Lots of sunshine and temperatures in the 70's made it a great day for painting on location near Edisto Island, SC.

As I painted, I noticed that young green grass has started to push up through the brown reeds of winter.

Soon the marsh will change from the winter brown into the fresh green of new growth for Spring.

"Marsh Creek Reflections"

Oil on canvas panel

8"x 10"