January 2026 30-in-30
Russ and dozen+ other members of Art Plus Gallery are starting 2026 with the goal of creating and posting every day. Follow Russ's progress here (hopefully) every day, and catch posts from the whole crew at www.facebook.com/DailyArtPlusChallenge/
Special Mid-Event!
30-in-30 with 3
During my recent stretch of studio painting, the number of tubes next to my easel crept up to 23. My style has been getting tighter, fine for studio work but also not good for plein airing, which I'm aiming to hit full throttle in Spring.
To reboot, on January 4th I took a 3-mile hike from Art Plus to my house. Every 200 paces, I stopped and photographed the most interesting thing I could see from that spot. The idea:
1. Make myself see familiar sites differently
2. From the 60+ images, choose a dozen to paint in a series of 6 x 8s
3. Start each with a limited palette of 3 colors (plus black & white)
4. Aim to finish each within 3 hours
30-in-30 with 3
During my recent stretch of studio painting, the number of tubes next to my easel crept up to 23. My style has been getting tighter, fine for studio work but also not good for plein airing, which I'm aiming to hit full throttle in Spring.
To reboot, on January 4th I took a 3-mile hike from Art Plus to my house. Every 200 paces, I stopped and photographed the most interesting thing I could see from that spot. The idea:
1. Make myself see familiar sites differently
2. From the 60+ images, choose a dozen to paint in a series of 6 x 8s
3. Start each with a limited palette of 3 colors (plus black & white)
4. Aim to finish each within 3 hours
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January 13
Back by the Bend Wyomissing Oil, 6 x 8” $190 A big idea behind the 200-step stops was to make me focus on new subjects and angles, but I’m happy my trek took me back by another favorite spot to paint: the stand of sycamores at the bend on Old Wyomissing Road. I think this is my first winter painting of the area. |
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January 12
On the Rise Wyomissing Oil, 6 x 8” $190 Between the Reading Museum and Highlands hill, the trail through the park is flat. The exception is a rise along the branch that takes you by a deck and Old Man Echo, the legendary storm drain occasionally explored by local youth. |
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January 11
Skim Ice by the Stone House Wyomissing Oil, 6 x 8” $190 Over the years I’ve painted the Stone House and surrounding area of Wyomissing Park a dozen times at various angles and seasons. I caught something new each time, including this trip, as the patchy ice on the pond provided some different textures and hues to work in with the reflections. |
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January 10
Cool Run West Reading Oil, 6 x 8” $190 Brightening up the Reading Museum Park landscape at one of my 200-step stops was a jogger enjoying the sunny morning. To get the winter hues I wanted on the last two paintings, I expanded my palette with ochre, burnt sienna, raw umber and Payne’s gray. |
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January 9 Every Scent West Reading Oil, 6 x 8” $190 One of this perambulating pair was more excited than the other about stopping at every lamppost in Reading Museum Park. |
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January 8, 2026 Arboretum Bridge West Reading Oil, 6 x 8” $190 Back in one of my favorite hunting grounds for painting, Reading Museum Park. While I painted this bridge before, my 200-step stop put me in a different position to grab the photo that I worked from. |
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January 7 Walkway West Reading Oil, 6 x 8” $190 The walkway from a Reading Hospital parking lot to the Doctor’s Building. It’s the last stop among the structure-packed stretch of Seventh Ave. before I get to the park. |
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January 6
Divergent Views West Reading Oil, 6 x 8” $190 Another 200 paces down 7th Avenue, the next winner of The-Most Interesting-Thing-I-Can-See-From-Here Award is this coupling of semi-detached homes. Both attractive, but each having gone its own way over the decades. |
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January 5
Seeing the Light West Reading Oil, 6 x 8” $190 First stop: 200 paces west of Art Plus. Most interesting to me was the way the iconic frog at 7th and Penn seemed to keep an eye on the traffic light. Not counting black and white, 99% of this was done with Ultramarine Blue, Cad Yellow Light and Naphthol Red. I used a touch of Phthalo Blue for a hint of iridescence on the frog. |
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January 4:
The Stone House Wyomissing Park Oil, 6 x 8” $190 Awright, just this one more in my traditional style and a familiar setting before I dive into the new technique I think will be freer and faster. |
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January 3: After the Shower Wyomissing Park Oil, 8 x 8” $250 Fall color brightened up after a shower. I’m refining some techniques that I hope can up my game for plein air competitions this Spring. This one took close to four hours in the studio. I’m aiming to get it down closer to two. |
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January 2:
Fall in the Park Wyomissing Oil, 6 x 8” $190 The barn along Old Wyomissing Rd, from the middle of the field back in November. I liked the structure's crisp counterpoint to the soft colors and textures of fall in Wyomissing Park. For my next few paintings I’ll tap the archive of summer and fall photos I took with this paintathon in mind. |
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1.1.26 Manhattan on the Granite Oil, 8 x 10” $290 This year's 30-in-30 starts with a toast to a happy, healthy new year for family, friends and fellow artists! The Manhattan Up in a vintage glass (this one is vintage 1950's) is, in my opinion, one of the more attractive cocktails, and contrasts nicely with the granite in my kitchen. After consuming some of the props I’ll return to my comfort zone of landscapes. |