Tawas Bay Lighthouse

Many years ago I was a Michigan Plein Air Painter, then my focus turned to daily painting for a couple of years before I ventured into cold wax and oils.  This was started on location at Tawas Bay Lighthouse and then completed in the studio.

8 x 10 oil on canvas paper

FOR SALE

PADUCAH KENTUCKY ROBERT DAFFORD MURALS

 This project began in 1996, there are currently 53 murals, and the final 10 panels are being completed this summer.  I was seleceted along with some others to spend 2 weeks working on the final 10 panels, which will depict the train heritage, routes and states. 

Each panel is 14' x 40' , needless to say we weren't there long enough to complete them, Herb, Mark, Miguel and Robert will be fininshing the last 10 panels this summer.

From left to right, Wilson, Amelia, Loren, Debbie, Me, Robert Dafford.

The first evening some of us arrived in Paducah.

Shanon trying out the wheel in Shan's husband's pottery studio after an amazing dinner cooked by Robert, we had lot's of fun and good food.

Debbie on the left and Shan on the right, we also painted on the wall.  

It was high 90's in June during our two weeks in Kentucky.

Herb is an independent artist who has worked with Robert Dafford for many years on a variety of murals.  He is currently restoring (repainting) a mural from the Paducah flood wall.  

From the left front of the table down to the mural and over to the right, then up to the right front.

Mark, Miguel, Maddie, Wilson, Robert Dafford, me, Heidi, Amelia, and Loren.  Some of the crew that worked on the last 10 panels of the flood wall project others are missing.

 

Just a few of the murals

A trompe l'oeil mural

Main street Paducah

Paducah was part of the atomic age.

Boy scouts 

Each mural portrays part of Paducah's history.

Several times a week the river cruise ships come to port. The passengers walk the flood wall, tour town, visit museums, shop, enjoy a selection of restaurants, bars and ice cream shops. 

It's an amazing place to visit.

Surging

 

14 inches x 11 inches 

gallery wrapped canvas oil painting 

The rise and fall of waves coming to shore

Great Neighbors

Ray's sunshine with him and cookie painted in acrylics.

The sunshine is 36 inches around made by another neighbor Ricky.

We have the best neighbors in Au Gres everyone helps 

each other, has fun, hang out, seems like the old days.

I now have some of my paintings on my website.

darlenemowatt.com

I hope you check it out.

 

New Tree Painting

 

4 FEET WIDE   BY   6 FEET TALL

This is the largest painting I have ever created.   I am under 5 feet tall which is a foot shorter than the painting.  It was necessary to stand on a stool to reach the top when it was on the easel.  Often with cold wax applications of paint it is easier to work flat so it wasn't necessary to work upright all the time.  This will probably be the only painting I ever create this size.  If you have a large space for this painting let me know it needs a home.

Robert Dafford, muralist, Paducah Wall to Wall Mural Project

Once upon a time (1981) we lived in Kentucky near Eddyville.  Paducah was the closest town to get spirits so we often drove up to this town.  In 2002 Paducah began an artist relocation plan which I read about in an art magazine.  This prompted us to visit our old stomping grounds and check out what was happening.  The city was offering old homes and financing to restore the homes if an artist resided in the home and opened an art studio.  We visited the area shortly after this relocation plan was enacted and many homes had been restored and many still needed occupancy.  The project seemed to be off to a great start.  During this visit we toured the National Quilt Museum which was new to us since living in the area.  In the  Fall of 2021 on Cafe I saw a call for artist to participate in a workshop with Robert Dafford to contribute to painting the final ten panels of Paducah's Wall to Wall mural project.  I applied and was accepted to participate so I will be returning to Paducah this summer in June 2022 for twelve days.  I'm so excited to be a part of this project.