Diane Swanson Art

Pile of small watercolor paintings on paper, unframed

Pile of #pleinair littles. Only a couple will make it directly into a frame. Some will get a little more work done on them and then maybe into a frame.
And the rest? Either cut up into smaller works, gift cards and tags or just let them go, into the paper recycling…with thanks for lessons provided.

#workinprogress
#watercolorpainting
Might take me awhile to get this one done…but enjoying the journey 🖌️
#studiopainting
#trees

Little chipmunk in the garden standing with her paws tucked in front of her white chest

“Roxy’s Garden”, 6”x6” gouache on aquaboard
Sweet Roxy rules over the garden at the back of our house, and eats seeds out of our hands 🥹🐿️👑

A painting of a bright orange eastern newt eft crawling on a mossy green surface.

This Friday at Ticonderoga Arts, a reception and small artist talk about the process of creating paintings. I'm very excited to share new art with folks, all alongside the incredible @dianeswansonart.bsky.social ! Show is up until July 19th
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#adk #ticonderoga #art #oilpainting

Gouache painting of rushing cascade of water over rocks- La Chute River in Ticonderoga NY

"La Chute Rush" 7"x9" gouache on paper, ready to debut in "The Process is the Practice" at Ti Arts: Downtown Gallery in Ticonderoga NY.
Honored to show my works alongside those of @klingity.bsky.social in our two-artist show June 25-July 19.

#gouache #waterfalls #adirondacks

A long horizontal oil painting of a large dead tree on its side in two parts, one seemingly supporting the other.

A version of the previous image with unfinished drawn parts to the right worked up through finished painting on the far left.

Super excited about this one! Can't wait to display this piece and many more with @dianeswansonart.bsky.social at Ti Arts in Ticonderoga starting June 25 :)
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#adk #adkart #oilpainting #landscape

Thanks so much for appreciating my work and for all your reposts. Painting this way is a joy for me 😊

Thank you 😊
It does seem to step into a more magical realm than just a plain moonrise.

An oil painting of distant blue mountain peaks between/behind a slanted foreground, wispy grass, and green trees on the left and right.

A small peek at my upcoming show with @dianeswansonart.bsky.social at Ticonderoga Arts :)
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#adk #adirondack #painting

Watercolor Painting of the moonrise casting its light over and thru stands of trees and a field

Final version of “Moonrise Reprise”, 18”x24” watercolor on watercolor board. This one went through a few some things.
The Process is the Practice.
dianeswansonart.com
#watercolorpainting
#painting
#moon

Painting in gouache (opaque watercolor) of white fluffy chicken running after crossing a road

I came up with so many silly titles for this new little 5”x5” gouache painting and still haven’t settled on exactly which one, but for now I’m calling it “Chicken, Why?”

#gouache #chicken #smallworks

Painting in watercolor en plein air in the woods

The more I look, the more I see…painting outside in the woods today.
#pleinair #watercolor #paintingtrees

Watercolor Painting of two pine trees, one just bones and one alive, on the edge of a mountain meadow

“Legacy” new one just done,
13”x9” watercolor- two pines at the edge of a meadow, one dead and one still vibrant, a metaphor for the passing of time and the inevitabilities of the life cycle
#watercolor #trees #green

Watercolor painting of morning mist rising on a lake

New watercolor painting
“Looking Back”, 10”x14”
The bittersweet light grip of nostalgia and memory…

Painting in gouache of the total solar eclipse in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont

"Totality", a little 6"x6" gouache on aqua board, inspired by that amazing celestial event exactly one year ago today, the total solar eclipse.
Everything about it was otherworldly, the light before, during and after…
like something from a dream.

#gouache #solareclipse #painting

Watercolor painting of night sky with silhouetted trees and constellation Orion above

“Orion” watercolor 9.5”x12” Exploring the nocturne genre lately, inspired by the night and how light and color play in the dark.
Original watercolor March 2025
#watercolor #painting #nocturne

Watercolor nocturne of lake, water illuminated by dock light in foreground and reflected lights in the far shore

“Night Lake” watercolor 10”x14”
The lake is different at night,
Dark and secret.
Original watercolor painting completed March 2025.

#watercolor #nocturne

Watercolor painting in progress and of a nighttime lake scene

#workinprocess
Some paintings progress as if they paint themselves 🖌️🖼️
Happy with where this one is headed so far.

#watercolor #nocturne #watercolorpainting

Thanks so much!

Thank you! There’s a clump of trees in our woods that looks so amazing at sunset-I’ve always wanted to paint them

Oil painting of a stand of trees in the forest, highlighted by the setting sun

Finished my annual oil painting!
"Kiss of Sunset" 14x11 oil on canvas board.
I paint mainly in watercolor but there's always that one oil painting sitting on my easel.
At some point maybe I'll get more than one oil painting done a year, but so far, nope.
I like oil painting but I love watercolor.

Large watercolor painting depicting a forest scene and gently flowing steam and small waterfall in the Adirondacks

Mossy Cascade is done!
20”x16” #watercolor on board of a magical spot in the #adirondacks.
Mossy will make its debut in “The Process is the Practice” two-person show with fantastic painter Katie Langford @klingity.bsky.social coming up in June/July at Ti Arts Downtown Gallery in Ticonderoga, NY.

A grayscale marker, ink, and pencil sketch of a small tree growing in an opening in the woods.

Pencil tracings of the first image, with different outlines for the outer crop of the image.

The tree in a clearing is now drawn on a board with colored pencil, lots of vertical hatch marks.

An uncompleted picture of the oil painting of the tree in the clearing, very bright pale greens make up most of the view.

This summer I'll be participating in a double feature show at the Ti Arts Gallery!
I'm thrilled to be exhibiting alongside @dianeswansonart.bsky.social , a truly incredible painter. Our plan is to showcase landscapes inspired by the #Adk region, along with a few peeking behind the scenes.
#tradart

Where I’m at so far… #workinprogress of large watercolor on board with accompanying pieces and parts of the process in preparing for the larger work. 🖌️

#watercolor #landscapepainting #paintingprocess

The finished work: Moss Covered Rocks, 10”x12” watercolor on paper, completed Jan. 26, 2025.

#watercolor #painting #watercolorartist #contemporarylandscape

The stage of painting process where the shadows, highlights and middle values began to create the map to the finish.

#workinprogress #watercolorinprogress #watercolorpainting

Painting in watercolor is all about the process and the magic that unfolds between water, paint and surface.

#watercolor #artistsonbluesky #painting