Well, my artist friend, Erlene, and I went out on the first day of the Stems event. It was an absolutely beautiful day. Little on the cool side towards the late afternoon but still worth the effort. I tried gouache and the wind was a real challenge so next outing will be back to oils.
Well, spring is definitely here, finally! It has been such a joy to see everything blooming and bursting forth in my garden. Once again, I am participating in the Stems Plein Air Event which runs from May 1 to May 31, 2026 for the painting times of the event. Hopefully I will produce an artwork that will be juried into the show. The show will be at The Rice Gallery of Fine Art again this year at their new location at 8130 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, Ks with the reception on June 19th from 5-8pm.
I have already been outside painting and sketching now that the weather is warmer. It has been fun trying my somewhat new medium of watercolors and my new favorite plein air medium of gouache. For the upcoming plein air event though, I will probably revert to my preferred mediums of acrylics and oils for the plein air event. Even though I am mostly doing commissions now, I still keep up my practice of plein air as I think it a wonderful way to keep enhancing your skills. It also affords me some time out with other artists and friends that studio time does not. Although I do paint commissions in client’s gardens, commissioned work (even outside in someone’s garden) is a solitary task.
I will also be exhibiting my work from May 9, 2026 through July 5, 2026 at the Lakewood Golf and Country Club, 651 St Andrews Drive, Lee’s Summit, Mo. This is a three person show and will include myself , Carole Gray and Mike Lewis. The gallery is located in the foyer and hallway outside the Argyle Restaurant. I will be changing pieces out from time to time during this exhibit to keep things refreshed with new work. All my pieces in this exhibition will be on my website under the Lakewood Exhibit collection. All artwork will be for sale.
Well, that’s pretty up to date for now, hope to see you when I am out and about painting or at one of the exhibitions. If you enjoy watching a work in progress, give me a call and I can let you know where I will be setting up to paint that day.
Happy Spring!
Jennylynne Gragg
I submitted two paintings into the Stems Plein Air event and two were selected. The sale and exhibition starts on July 11, 2025 at the Rice Gallery in Overland Park, Kansas.
The two paintings were both trails out at James A Reed Wildlife Preserve in Lees Summit, Missouri. It is a beautiful area with 12 lakes and wonderful walking trails throughout the park .in both cases, I was drawn to the light coming through the scene in both cases. One path was a grass path and the other was more of a dirt and gravel path but both had dramatic lights and shadows.
I always start with an abstract underpainting to capture my light and dark values . Then I can start to carve out the painting from there. I had a ball getting lost in the day and really enjoyed capturing these scenes. They are both small paintings 8”x8” as I felt that would really draw the viewer into the moment of the day on those paths.
Both pieces are for sale at the gallery and on their website online.
Painting in nature is always a wonderful time .
Thanks for looking and if you would like to see all the paintings go to www.the rice gallery.com
Jennylynne
Whenever I am in a show that lasts more than a month, I like to refresh and change out some of the paintings that I first put up. Today was that day for this exhibit which runs through June 30.
stop by and take a look at the new works.
Jennylynne Gragg
I have finally been approved to paint in some of my favorite mediums again after a little hiatus from them due to a health issue. I was so elated to find out that it coincided with the 2025 Stems Plein Air Event. This is my first plein air event in almost two years. I have been painting in watercolor and gouache but longed to get back to my oils and pastels.
I have new guidelines that, at first, I thought would be a hinderance but have found the transition into painting with no solvents to be refreshing and simple. I have substituted walnut oil for my Gamsol and other agents with great success. I have also been cleared to paint in plein air events again. Those I have missed tremendously as I love painting with other artists and sharing the joy of outdoor painting. I am planning to get back to at least two of my favorites next spring.
This year I was able to sign up for the Stems Plein Air event which is in my hometown location. It was a great joy to attend the quick paint and see all the beautiful works crated that night and visit with old and new artist friends.
I have a renewed joy for painting for life and living in that moment of discovery. I hadn’t realized how much I had missed it.
So glad to be back!
Jennylynne
So at last, I have been approved to work in my favorite mediums, after my toxic medication scare. It has been a joy digging them out of storage and getting acquainted again. Whenever you take a break ,from either your medium or from painting in general , it is like a flower opening up again. You get to experience again the beauty and joy that those mediums brought you and remember why you love them.
You also get to appreciate what you learned in the new medium that you worked in, in this case, watercolors. I have loved exploring new techniques and ways in which it enhances my art journey. Working in watercolor has also taught me patience, but in a good way. It has also taught me that , sometimes, what we think we know about something is far from the truth. Working with watercolor has sped up my plein air painting because of the fast drying times when outside. It has also been amazing to find that if you make a goof, in most cases, you can correct it.
Now that I can finally work in my preferred mediums, I will still be doing studies in watercolors as the spontaneity of that medium provides a freshness to my work and the challenge to not overthink it.
so I am looking forward to seeing where this takes me on my continuing journey through art.
Happy Painting,
Jennylynne
So, after regaining my health back and feeling wonderful after my surgery, I developed a toxic reaction to the statin that they put me on. This new challenge has radically changed my art path and life. I am working through the damage done to my muscles by the medication and should be recovered completely in about 18 months. The medication will take that long to get out of my system and I am in ongoing physical therapy which limits my ability to plein air.
However, I have embraced my new Art direction and am going back to my first art path. I have focused on studio work, commissions and continuing to learn a new medium , watercolors. It’s interesting how life sometimes takes you down a path you might never had imagined.
I have also started up our duo with my husband and playing music again. I love music and had forgotten how much I enjoy laying got people until this happened.
So moving forward into a new future, join me on my journey,
Jennylynne
So four days before the new year, I had a life changing experience in the form of a heart event. After spending almost two weeks in the hospital, I returned home to recover and start my rehab journey. At first, I was devastated that I would not be able to participate in my favorite plein air events this year but then-
I suddenly realized that with adversity comes advantage. I have been wanting to dabble in watercolors and lo and behold, here was my chance. I signed up with an online instructor and have been enjoying my journey into the world of watercolor. It is an interesting and ,actually, very forgiving medium. This totally surprised me as I had heard how unforgiving watercolor could be to work with. I also love how you can use a line pen drawing and slosh the watercolor on top. I have also explored the metallic watercolors with wonderful success. So I am having fun exploring and putting to bed all the horror stories and myths that I thought and heard about watercolor.
I am also taking on commissions again which I throughly love. I love the collaboration between client and artist. I know some find that commissions can be daunting but I have always enjoyed the journey. Commissions come in many forms and requests and I am constantly amazed at the new subject material my clients come up with.
So I am refocusing and recharging my direction in art somewhat and finding that it’s a good thing. Change can be challenging but so rewarding if you embrace it and move thru into that new door.
Happy painting,
Jennylynne
So, I have been noticing lately the absolutely gorgeous sunsets that appear on the lake where I reside. They have really been spectacular of late, or I have just not been paying attention. I have decided to start a series of sunset paintings , not only on the lake that I live, but the places I visit. I have also had wonderful friends send me their glorious sunsets and have given me permission to paint from their photos of the beautiful places they live.
As an artist, I am constantly amazed at the beauty and wonders that surround us everyday and go unnoticed. Perhaps we all need to just stop occasionally and "smell the flowers", so to speak. Just walking around my own neighborhood is an eye opener. The daffodils have started to bloom along with the lenten roses and even some tulips. Haven't seen any tree budding yet, but I know it is not far behind.
Spring always sparks renewal in me and gets me motivated for the upcoming Plein air season. April , May and June calendars are filled and I am working on adding even more events this year to fill out the summer and fall.
So get out and enjoy the beauty around you and, hopefully, I'll see you out there-on the road.
Happy Spring,
Jennylynne Gragg
Have been busy doing quick Pleinair sketches in anticipation of the upcoming plein air season and also painting larger paintings in the studio for some upcoming shows and sales. I love spring with all its freshness and hopefulness that it brings.
As an example, the above oil painting was created using a Pleinair sketch in gouache on the lake where we live. I have found that to really capture the true colors, sketching in color helps remind me of the actual colors in the field and are a much better indicator than just photos.
I have also been doing a few commissions which I can’t post yet until they have been given to their recipients.
We have also been working with a stray cat that we rescued and hopefully will become part of our family,as soon as she and our male cat Bootsie, accepts her. Cats are not as social as dogs so it just takes patience and time.
So , busy season coming up,
see you out there,
Jennylynne Gragg
