Summertime Dreams is my way of saying, okay already it’s time for summer! Bring on the warmer days that we have dreamed of during this long, cold winter – I heard it’s snowing in Chicago today I’m mean it’s May 16!
Summertime Dreams, an oil pastel (11×14), was painted on a prepared gesso hardboard using a combination of Senneliers, Holbeins and neopastels OPs. An acrylic underpainting was first used to set some of the tones I was looking for, especially in the river and river bank of grasses and flowers. Because the grit on the hardboard is from the gesso it doesn’t lend itself to razor scraping, so tortiliums, clay shapers and sometimes my fingers were used for spreading and blending the oil pastels – oh my, you should have seen my hands by the time I was done with this piece! A reference photograph by Steve Lyddon, an awesome artist and photographer with pmp was used for inspiration.
Have an awesome weekend – we had a large tree branch crack on one of our old Oak trees, so you know where I’ll be, that and tending the flowers! Thanks for stopping by . . .
Oil Pastels by Mary 
Ah, amazing!
Love water reflection dear Mary❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much Violet for your wonderful comment!
I absolutely love this painting! It’s very beautiful. I wanted to apologize for not visiting your blog lately. My laptop is giving me all sorts of trouble so it’s been hard to keep up. Thankfully, a new one is on the way so I should get back on track after I get it set up. 🙂
Hi Jackie, thanks so much for your note – computers have a life of their own with control over us, and now we can’t live without them. I hope you are enjoying your new one – got a new myself a few months back w/Windows 8 took a while to get accustomed but now I love it. Really appreciate your lovely comment on the painting, it’s been great getting back into painting landscapes again.
My new computer is due to arrive on Tuesday so I’m still limping along with the old one. Thanks for mentioning windows 8 – I’m hoping it’s not as bad as I’ve been hearing. Your experience gives me hope! 🙂
A very peaceful setting.
Thank you Frank, glad you enjoyed the scene!
What a lovely painting.
Thanks Lady!
Gorgeous work.
Thank you very much Ladyfi!
Beautiful work Mary. Love the rich dark tones in the water contrasted with the lovely greens in the foliage. Summer will be here very soon! 🙂
Hi Rhonda, thank you for your wonderful comment – much appreciated. Thanks for mentioning the river, I really enjoyed working the darker tones in this piece.
Wonderful summer dreams, Mary! Have a great weekend 🙂
Thank you Calee! I had a great weekend, hope you did as well.
This is beautiful, Mary. This looks exactly like the west side of our pasture years ago. I’m sure it is not, but I held my breath when I saw it….. That was years ago, now, so sweet memories. Beautiful.
Hi Leslie, it makes my day knowing that the painting brought back nice memories – that’s what it’s all about. Thanks for your great comment and compliment.
Yes, definitely the perfect place to dream. So beautiful!
Thanks so much Francesca! Great to hear from you, hope you are well ~
Yes thanks! Just coming out of my blogging break!
Have a gorgeous day, Mary!
Lovely reflections in the river, and I can’t believe there’s snow in Chicago!
Thank you for your nice comment! I heard it on the news about the snow and couldn’t believe it either!
Oh Mary, what a wonderful dream it is, I can just see myself laying on that green grass, looking up to that blue summer sky, chewing on a piece of grass and dream the day away!Thanks for making me dream! Have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Eva – I like your dream, sounds like a nice way to spend a warm breezy summer day! Have a great weekend too!
Give me a break, willya, Mary ? – someone’s going to have to take out a large personal loan for the Post Office costs …
Ha – M.R. it’s all coming in a very large crate, or by this time container by boat! Thank you!!
That’s IT! – a container ! Whew ! – that gives us lots more room for what’s coming. [grin]
You are so refreshing!
OH Mary, I adore this painting. I can breathe the air, hear the birds, it’s marvelous!
Thank you Elena for your generous comments! The inspiration was a darker day, but in my vision of the scene I saw a sun-filled day. I can hear the birds too!
This is a wonderful painting Mary!
Thank you Tim! A great weekend to you and Mary!
And to you! 🙂
Exactly like your title; summertime dreams…. Gorgeous! Happy weekend, my dear Mary! 🙂 xx
Hi Marina, thank you ~ have a wonderful weekend!