Stephanie's Studio

Hmm. Current weather conditions didn't use to matter all that much. Now, they are controlling my work flow. I've always enjoyed sun and warmth but now all the variables in between are of keen interest. This is because I'm doing plein air painting. "Tiny Clover Blossoms" oil pastel, c. Stephanie Rose Bird, 2015 "Tiny Clover Blossom" was painted on a sunny Sunday morning. Some how, because of the sunlight, it reminds me on some of Gauguin's work in the South Pacific. It uses a very warm palette with just a touch of blues. "Garden Daisies" oil on canvas, c. Stephanie Rose Bird, 2015 "Garden Daisies" was done over the period of a month or so. It started in all warm colors, mostly red and then was over painted a number of times to achieve an impasto. The weather and light changed so many times during its painting that the light comes from within the painting, rather than from above. "Larkspur #1", col...

Like most of you, I've been pinning away for spring. I've posted about it several times, wondering where it was and when would it arrive. Yesterday, it was the warmest day we've had this year. It was a balmy and humid 91 degrees. It takes the body, mind and spirit time to adjust to such drastic changes. The day before that I was wearing a sweater and wrapped in a blanket. This morning when I went outside there was evidence it had rained overnight and it felt chillier but okay, considering the harsh winter that we'd just mustered through. Then on my way home from dropping my son off at school it started pouring. Traffic crawled. My morning that had started so promising, on the wings of yesterday, had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. We talk about the weather so much because it is our common experience as humans. It is what makes up much of our outdoor environment and yes, it does color our mood. In film and sometimes in books as well, when it rains or pou...