Thursday, May 06, 2010

Caldwell Lily Pond


"Lily Pond" Oil on Linen 24"x24"
Over the past four years, Caldwell Lily Pond has become one of my most favorite places to paint in Chicago. I find it amazingly beautiful even in winter although difficult to get into during the off season. This painting is made in my studio using a few plein air paintings made at Caldwell for reference. I decided to pull into the scene and make it a close-up and amped up the color intensity.

12 comments:

Carol Blackburn said...

Mornin' Susan,
I love the lily pond. Such an ethereal quality to it. Did you work onsite or from photographs?
Thanks for leaving you kind comment on my blog. I did leave a response to you there. Enjoy your day!

susan hong-sammons said...

Hi Carol,I worked on this piece in my studio but used some plein air paintings I had done at the pond as my muse. Enjoy your day too!!! and thank you for stopping by

Carol Blackburn said...

LOL, Shape-ups huh! Comment for you at my blog. I need to try plein air painting. I am an extrovert so if people happen to stop and watch it shouldn't bother me.....

Erik van Elven said...

Thats's beautiful Susan. Love the brushstrokes.

Pam Holnback said...

Susan, Really like the water. Good mixture of blues and greens. The softness of the lily pads complements the water.

susan hong-sammons said...

Hi Pam, Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it.

Deborah Younglao, Silk Painter said...

ooh Susan I love the dreamy quality of this, so well suited to a water scene. Perfect palette too. Give this woman a 10!

susan hong-sammons said...

Thanks Deborah. Caldwell Lily Pond is a "dream-like" oasis for me because you can barely hear the racket of the city and barely see some skyscrapers.

Love your new piece in-progress.

Kerri Settle said...

I love the dream like quality of this, and the palette is so soothing.

Janelle Goodwin said...

This painting has a meditative, dreamlike quality. Beautiful, Susan! My daughter went to DePaul and lived near the Caldwell Lily Pond. The first time she took me there, I found it hard to believe we were still in the big city.

jsicignano2.blogspot.com said...

Susan, it's beautiful. I love the colors and the fact you painted from your smaller plein air paintings. Another lesson learned from you. Thank you so much for sharing your amazing work.

susan hong-sammons said...

Thanks Kerri, You helped me settel on a title, "Dream" Love love love your ocean paintings!!!!

Good Morning Janelle, we should gather a time and paint together since we're practically neighbors.

Joan you make me feel so good. I'm trying and having great fun making huges messes in my studio and on the streets.