Flag Reflections

Flag Reflections

6x6 oil on panel

The most important consideration when you begin a painting is composition or design. 

I was most interested in the shapes of the piers and the shapes of the reflections in the water. There was another boat docked across from this one and after struggling with it, I just eliminated it. Problem solved, and the composition is stronger without it anyway. Think about things like that when you are composing your picture.

What a beautiful summer it has been! Hopefully, it will continue for quite some time. We aren't ready to make the transition.

Also, stay tuned for information about my color mixing workshop!

Parrsboro Changing Tide

 Parrsboro Changing Tides

6x6 oil on panel

It's that time again. 

The Girls Just Wanna Paint monthly topic is "Saved".

I saved this painting from Parrsboro for this post!

This is my second painting of the changing tide from Parrsboro.

Parrsboro

"Cape Blomidin"

6x6 oil on board

I painted two in a row of this view from our little cottage on the Bay of Fundy. 

I love the simple shapes and composition as the tide rapidly returns, erasing the sandbars. 

You'll notice a slightly warmer tone when I post the second one as the light was changing more toward the "golden hour". 

I have been traveling and visiting friends and family this summer. I've visited Monhegan Island, Block Island, Provincetown and of course, I love spending the summer in my backyard oasis here in Marshfield by the sea, watching my birds and bunnies and hanging out in my pool :D

Yes, it's a kiddie pool, but that's all I need.

Monhegan Garden

Monhegan Island Garden

I was painting on Monhegan at the beginning of June with my cohorts Bobbi Heath and Carol Douglas. 
While waiting for the ferry we decided to try and slam another painting in. This has remained two thirds completed until last week when I got serious about finishing it. 
I probably had FOF, which is painter lingo for, "fear of finishing", just one of the many phobias affecting most of us painters.  A whole post could be written on artist's phobias and maybe I will, but, that's for later.
I have two more very good starts from that trip to finish up and you will, hopefully see them soon. 
I the meantime, Don and I are back in glorious Parrsboro.

Daisy

"Daisy"
6x6 oil on panel

Our subject this month is Daisy.

She is a newborn preemie and first grand child born to our fellow GJWP homie, Pamela Copeman's daughter, Emily and her husband Nick. 

Despite her premature birth she is making progress and each milestone is a big one. 

We are going to create a print of all of our "Daisy" paintings and gift it to baby Daisy and her parents.

Love you baby Daisy!

Provincetown

The Finial Cottage, Provincetown

This painting is in the Provincetown Art Association and Museum's  annual 12x12 auction. 

It opens on August 12th and bids are ongoing through September 24th. Bid early and bid often and above all, visit one of the most beautiful and unique destinations in New England.

Perfect Summer

Summer Skies

6x12 oil on panel

Summer Skies is the June theme for the Girls Just Wanna Paint and this is a stand in for the one that got away ;) 

I spent a few days last week on Block Island with my brother. We didn't bring a car so I just wandered around the main drag near the ferry landing enjoying the old hotels and the plethora of boaters in for the July 4th Celebration.

Hotel Manisses

There are beautiful old hotels on the Island and the weather was superb. I didn't bring all my gear but I found a shady spot and did a sketch of the Surf Hotel.

the architecture is very Edward Hopper

Lightburne Cottage

This little shop is a must see. Everything is handmade and Jan, the artist, is a bubbling fountain of creativity.

South East Lighthouse

More paintings on the way of this beautiful place.

Monhegan Church

"Gray Day on Monhegan"

6x12 oil on birch panel

$250

I spent last week exploring and painting on Monhegan Island with fellow artists Bobbi Heath and Carol Douglas.
I painted this from my perch on the 4th floor balcony of the Monhegan House. 
It was a gray day with intermittent sun and clouds mixed with sprinkles and downpours. 
Such is island weather. 

We frequently encountered Karl Nestleberger's Uber golf cart service with Anne Nestleberger, Jack Haran and friends aboard. 

It was a marvelous week. 

More paintings to come.

What Women Want

Sunflowers in Blue

12x12 oil $250

This was the loaded topic for this months Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge and the possible paintings depicting such, were like a roulette wheel going around and around in my head.
Finally, I pulled it out at the last minute after procrastinating over, what women want. 
They wanna paint!

This woman wanted to paint these beautiful sunflowers in her periwinkle blue, faux McCoy pitcher! So, she did.

Our meeting tonight ran from laughter to tears and back to laughter. Some of us are bearing up under loss and some of us are struggling with life's  randomness and inexplicable path. We all agreed that this group friendship, begun around our painting, is an anchor and that we feel safe and loved and supported by one another, and that that, is really what women want.

NRAS Roz Farbush Memorial Award for Color

MSW at North River Arts Preview Party 

with Mary Curran, NRAS Festival Committee

I am surprised and so very pleased to be awarded the Roz Farbush Memorial Prize for Color at the North River Arts annual Festival of the Arts! 

Roz was an icon in our artistic community, known for her  bold and colorful paintings. I was fortunate to make her acquaintance through two of my "besties", Kelley MacDonald and Paula Villanova, who invited me to be part of a girlfriend painting outing, which became known as "the Jeep Trip", to Provincetown and continues to this day.

I confess that we trespassed to paint Edward Hopper's house in Truro and I probably could not find it again but, it was one of our great adventures!

Thank you Roz, I'm sure you had a hand in this.

Cleaning the Catch 18x24 framed

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MSW, Roz Farbush and Kelley MacDonald with Edward Hopper house 

Spring Tulips

"Tulips"

12x12 oil

SOLD

We took a trip through Gettysburg last week on our return from our winter in Naples.
The Gettysburg Military Park includes a fantastic museum and a most unexpected and spectacular treat, the Cyclorama, which is a 377' by 42' high, painting of the battlefield mounted in a circular venue with a sound system and light show. The Cyclorama on Tremont Street in Boston was the original venue for this painting! 

We did a self guided tour of the battlefield using a CD we bought in the visitors' center which gave us the option to visit at our own pace. 
I can only say that if you haven't visited, you must. The experience was moving and beautiful beyond anything I had imagined. It's cliche but just being there is a sobering experience. 

We arrived to perfect spring weather and this past Sunday I set up this bouquet of tulips on my deck and painted some post worthy work for the first time in weeks. 
In order to get these pinks and purples I had to go into my (can't live without) stable of "reds". They are Grumbacher Thalo Red Rose, Grumbacher Thalo Violet and Winsor Newton Permanent (Quinacridone) Rose. You must have at least one of these colors to make a real pink. 
The painting sabbatical is over ;) 

Looking Up

"A little piece of Heaven"

8x8 oil on panel

I am always looking up in Florida. 

We have beautiful cumulous clouds and two story 

coconut Palms. Squadrons of Pelicans fly over the white sand beaches here on the Gulf of Mexico and all is well.

Check out 

Girls Just Wanna Paint 

to see our take on "Looking Up".

Girls Just Wanna Paint

 Boston Skyline

8x10 oil on canvas

February's topic for Girls Just Wanna Paint was palette.

I came across some paintings by Paul Klee and I liked the way he broke the subject up in different colors and this is the result.

This is the Boston skyline as seen from I-93 or in local parlance The Southeast Expressway. The tall building is the Prudential Center and I don't know the name of the building with the "crown". I call it the Party Hat building after a review I read on its architecture after it was built. 
It looks quite festive.

Studio Lights

"Studio Lights"

8x10 oil on stretched canvas

My studio is located in the Sandpaper Factory and I've long thought of doing a painting of the hallway which has sawtooth skylights on the roof which are just fabulous to look at as well as being functional. Such a great abstract subject.
As you walk down this hallway the lights in my studio are visible over the drywall so I called this painting, "Studio Lights". 
The Girls Just Wanna Paint subject this month is "the golden mean" which is a mathematical something or other which I don't understand well enough to define it, nor do I know whether this painting is an example of it. 
Check out the Girls' paintings to see how everyone handled it.

Cozy Harbor, Maine

Cozy Harbor

8x10 oil on canvas

SOLD

This is just one of many sweet little harbors tucked away all over the coast of Maine. I would have liked the tide to be lower because I think that makes the painting more interesting, but you get what you get.

I am planning a return to my Monhegan "garret" in early June!

top right! 

Tulips

"Tulips"

11x14 oil on canvas

My sister left me these tulips as a welcome present and I painted them in acrylic which is a new medium for me. 

I really like the smoothness of the paint. 

Because it dries quickly, but not as quickly as I thought it did, you can work over it and the under layer shows through.

I'll post a step by step of the next tulip painting. 

Stay tuned.

Sitting on Top of the World

"Sitting on Top of the World"

8x8 paper and paint collage

This collage is my take on "Chair" for the Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge. 
I thought I was on this but after several attempts I resorted to cutting out the chair working with the stamps again. I love working with the sheet music.
My New Years resolution is to not procrastinate. 
We'll see how that goes as it's in my DNA.

Ernie

"Ernie" 

12"x12" oil on panel

SOLD

This commission had to be painted from a photo, of course, but there are many pitfalls in that and it takes some knowledge to find a way around them.

The original photo gives me enough information in the dog's face but the glare on his body erases his chocolate brown markings. What I ended up doing was to just fill in what I knew to be there. 

Don and I are packing for our annual trek to Naples, Florida on January 8th. 

I like to take this last day of the year to thank all of you for your visits and comments. They are much appreciated!
Happy New Year everyone!

Underway

"Underway"

12x12 oil on Panel

Commission

SOLD

I love painting boats and water! 

This is a commission for a friend who will be giving this to her husband for Christmas. It wasn't initially on that kind of timeline but it sure works!

December Marsh, Green Harbor

Green Harbor Sunset

5x5 oil on panel

I'm busily painting a couple of commissions and needed to prime the pump before working on larger paintings so, I painted this little sunset down by Green Harbor. 

It wasn't that cold today and it felt great to be outside!

By the way. Don't miss the North River Arts Holiday Sale going on all week at the GAR Hall at 157 Old Main Street in Marshfield. They have gone all out as always, beautifully arranging the art and artisan work. I have a bin with some serious bargains there!