A very busy fall. I recently completed a new painting of the Plaza Lights in Kansas City. I have done variations of this scene several times, changing the horizon line, varying the windows on the lower right side and of particular interest, the street with lighting from the cars. I remember Monet's series of Rouen Cathedral. It is true that there are new things to learn, when returning to a familar scene.

If there is interest in any of the prints of the paintings, especially the Red Umbrella, please E-mail me at harrietbigham@yahoo.com.

I haven't been idle this summer; I am just working much larger to prepare for an exhibit in October. The painting, Twilight, is one of two large paintings that I have completed. It measures 30"x40". I have done this scene several times, and yes, it is really that intense . I contrasted the sky with the buildings in the forground. This used to be the Main Post Office, but now the IRS is there, together with the other buildings. There is no symbolism. The view is from our west window, and just wanted to try it again.

Outward Bound

Often, I am asked  if my paintings are done plein air. While I have  painted at various times in the past in plein air, (Arizona, Savannah, Europe, and locally) I now have little interest in working in the environment. Most of my paintings are done from photos that I take. After moving to a urban area, I have a passion to record what I experience, with the scene often lasting a few seconds. My process? Record the image, download to my computer and then start adjusting the composition-I am constantly trying to move beyond my photo-Outward bound is an example-I started with the red car-decided yellow would be better, and adjusted the color of Union Station. After developing the painting, I decided to add the two figures between the cars-I think this improves the composition. I am satisfied? I am never completely satisfied. I don’t think painting is easy and am constantly working to improve. If it were easy, I would be bored.

Plaza Traffic

I keep being drawn back to the Plaza in the rain. I love the colors of the evening.

The Red Umbrella

I had a photo that I took on the Plaza-started this painting out in Scottsdale-Ned Mueller suggested I change the figure from a black umbrella and brown raincoat to a red umbrella and use more ochre in the raincoat;when I returned home I used his suggestion  to paint a larger painting. I think it works much better-always am learning!

Plaza Evening

A new painting of the Plaza-this was the one time during the Chritmas holidays that it rained. I love the colors on the pavement. Planned to do a painting with snow on the Plaza, but there was no snow this year.