New painting toys! A pochade box! I am ready to take my painting outside or ... anywhere!

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I am so excited about one of my new toys in my studio.

A custom made (by my hubby) and custom designed (by me)

pochade box!

(Pochade is a French word for small painting)

Basically it's a box that is an easel, palette holder and canvas or panel holder all in one!

This is set up to be mounted on my camera tripod and is portable.

The photos are all inside as it's cold outside right now.

In fact, we are expecting snow in Charleston in the next couple of days!

 The pochade box is shown here with a 12 x 12 panel.

Notice the panel on the left that holds my brushes and has plenty of room to set stuff on.

The palette is in the middle.

Below those 2 sliding items is plenty of room to store paint and extra stuff.

It's attached to my camera tripod and has a handle plus a long strap to hold on your shoulder.

The back side of the box has slots to hold another panel that would be attached to it.

The panels are made out of corrugated plastic so it doesn't add any weight to the box.

I can tape panels to them or actually screw in canvas so I can hold the paintings without 

touching the edges. 

And besides the panel slot for the paint in progress,

there is room inside for another panel.

In the case of a larger canvas, I just attached my canvas to the panel that fits into the slots.

I can still paint on it though I would need to take this one out to close the box up.

Summing it up!

This box is designed to pack my paints, brushes, panels and even canvas!

It is designed to fit an 11 x 14 panels or canvas and even store them.

There is storage for 3 panels! Two on the inside and one on the outside!

The panels are designed to hold a paint panel or canvas and still paint to the edge and store them

without damaging the edges as the box is slightly bigger than 11 x 14.

There is space in the bottom for paints and brushes plus clips for holding a trash bag and paper towel when the pochade box is in use.

The outside has slots to hold a panel or canvas, wet or dry....

All I need now is warm enough weather to go outside!

I used to plein air paint with my friends in St Louis all the time but have 

not since I moved to Charleston. And the weather is better here! Go figure!

This little box is also great if I want to just take my gear to another studio or the gallery to paint.

And its a great set up for workshops!

This is going to be so much easier than  my French easel! 

What a pain that is to carry around and set up!

Pretty darn cool!!!!!

Great Blue Heron in Flight

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Great Blue Heron... In Flight

6 x 6 oil on cradled birch panel

This is the same bird from the previous 3 paintings. 

He tried his hardest to get away from us. Bruce was able to catch

him in flight from his perch to his "hiding place". 

He was so majestic in flight

I loved how his wings just showed all the blues, grays and even some pinks!

This was painted on a birch panel that is cradled and doesn't even need a frame! 

Great on the wall as is or on an easel.

Great Blue Heron

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Great Blue Heron

oil on gallery wrap canvas, unframed

4 x 12

While I was contemplating the larger heron painting

I decided to tackle a smaller version without trees.

This little gem of a painting is great for that little spot on the wall as it is only 4" wide.

But in doing this painting, it helped me to get my composition right

for the larger version with trees. 

This is the blue heron that was trying to hide from us!

Little did he know, that we shot him!

With the camera that is and he has made some great inspirations for me.

He was in flight a few seconds before this little stop in the shallows

so I'm hoping to capture his flight on canvas soon!

Great Blue Heron, Hiding in Plain Sight..... recovered

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Great Blue Heron, Hiding in Plain Sight

oil on canvas

10 x 20

RECOVERED!

Well, as you know, I posted this bird several days ago and that was after several

days of fiddling with him.  I found that I was bothered by him... I couldn't figure it out, 

until

I realized.... it was the composition that bothered me!

Even though I thought I had it right, I didn't. But I had to sleep on it

for several nights before I did figure it out.

So, the Great Blue Heron that was hiding from us (though he was in plain sight)

went back on the easel (for the 3rd time) and was totally redone. 

I took away the "other" trees and did less of the grasses. 

But it was the trees that just didn't make it work... in my eyes. 

So, if you want, you can look at the old post and compare to this new one

and 

what do you think?

I do know..... art is in the eye of the beholder

and everyone sees things differently

but the wrong composition was definitely not helping!

Tell me... 

what do you think?

Moonrise Over the Creek

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Moonrise Over the Creek

oil on museum grade panel

12 x 12

This is my latest painting..... 

sometimes, it's hard to find my inspiration

but then, it happens

The moon is rising early in the evening these last few days so the light

is still good but yet there are some wonderful reflections. 

It is a beautiful thing to see a full moon rise over water. 

With this painting, the moon will always be full and rising over the creek!

Bruce has a new camera and he is having fun running out and capturing photos.

Moonrise Over the Creek was inspired from one his photos!

Thanks honey!

Great Blue Heron, Hiding in Plain Sight

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Great Blue Heron, Hiding in Plain  Sight

oil on canvas

10 x 20

As Bruce and I were on a walk at ACE Basin a couple of days ago,

we walked upon the big, beautiful Blue Heron. He was perched high up on a tree.

He took several photos of him as we approached, us watching him, him watching us...

As we got close, I waved my arms and OFF he went! Wings flapping, beak squawking.

He tried to get away from us and found a place to hide nestled in the shallows and among some small trees and grass. He thought he was hiding.  But Bruce's nifty new camera found him!

It was a cool, gray, overcast day. He almost blended in with his surroundings, 

BUT....  here he is.

A Royal Tern Talkin To moves the discussion to a new home!

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A Royal Tern Talking To

Oil, palette knife on panel

Move their discussion to a new home!

Now, in private collection 

These little birds have quite the character and attitude!

They love to squawk at each other, loudly!

But ther are so darn cute, with their bright orange beaks and "baldy looking heads"!

Sunrise on the Creek reworked

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sunrise on the Creek

5 x 7 

oil on canvas

www.rosiephillips.com

The morning is slightly foggy and gray,

the clouds are light and airy,

the sun is rising

and the colors of the morning take your breath away. 

Sunrise on a tidal creek just south of Charleston SC
Ok, if you saw this post on Jan 2, it was a different photo!
I finished the painting and went to bed, unhappy. So, this morning, I had to...
I had to fix it. I just didn't like the clouds. They weren't right in color or value.
So, above is the fixed one!
Below is the one I didn't like.
What do YOU think?