Tishman Speyer Show

Tishman Speyer Properties at 125 High Street in Boston, hosts an Artist of the Month show in their beautiful Atrium lobby. There are 20 paintings in this show which runs through November 28th. The building is only open to the public during business hours and not on weekends. Don and I hung the show and then went over to the North End for some wonderful food at Mother Anna's Restaurant. Hanover Street sparkled on a beautiful night in Boston with a full moon and no wind. It was fabulous.

White Carnations 12x12

I finished this and hung it in Boston yesterday with seven other 12x12's and twelve 6x6's. The show looks great and I am thrilled about the frames from kingofframe. I personally liked the unfinished version of this with all that cool pink showing but I didn't think I should quit there. So, there you have it. I'll post photos of the show tomorrow.

Carnations and Stripes 12x12 WIP

Be warned that posting a WIP (work in progress) is a touchy thing. This is a block in for white carnations with a few red peppers and limes scattered about for counter balance to the green stripes. It was making my head spin. It's not finished at all but this block in appeals to me because of the under painting. I just love the colors. I have already taken it past this point but think I need to back up a bit because I lost some of my darks. I sort of wish I could call this the finish. I suppose I could. It's my work after all. Check out 4thFloorArtists.org for information on our upcoming Open Studios. 18 years!

Works In Progress

I am still painting 12x12's for my show. So far so good. Here are some of them in the fabulous frames made for me by kingofframe.com in California

Red Hot 12x12

Another painting for my 12x12 show. Sorry, I'm unable to be clever with the title since I'm still painting like mad.

Also, apologies to my followers for some recent posts that have gone out in email when I pushed the publish button, only to have to delete the post due to some glitch caused by Blogger, which has changed its posting format just enough to cause confusion ;)

The Gift 12x12

I am back from Mexico with a tan my dermatologist will have a fit over. Back in my studio yesterday, I put a few finishing touches on this painting. I was also given a beautiful assortment of flowers by my dear friend, Teak and can't wait to begin using them in my still life set ups.

Going to Mexico

Don and I are off to Cancun for a week so no posts until after October 10th. I'm only bringing a small sketchbook and a bunch of books to read :D  This is me in the pool a few years ago.

Holding Court 12x12

This was part of the girls just wanna paint challenge blog, but it's also going into my upcoming show. 

White Mums and Stripes

Still my favorite flowers. So much drama with white! I have been honored with bloggy awards by two of my fellow artist bloggers which I'll get to tomorrow. The blogosphere is a great place to be!

White Mums and Stripes 12x12 WIP

I bought this wonderful fabric at Building #19 for $2.00 a yard.  They even had some Waverly for $3.00 a yard. Such a deal! I'll be finishing this up tomorrow and starting the next one on my painting marathon. For those of you who got an empty post in your email with this title, I apologize. I hit something and off it went unfinished.

Three Green Apples 12x12

SOLD

I'm painting 12x12's for a show I'm having in November so I've filled the studio with flowers and produce and set up a corner with black out drapes on the windows where I can control the lighting. It's too cool! Much to do here ;{

Three Green Apples WIP

I'm posting all 4 stages of this painting which still needs a bit of work but this is the process. Since I took a workshop with the talented and dedicated Carol Marine I've been trying to use her lessons in my own work. Here, I block in with Burnt Umber to get my values and shapes and then begin to add color. Carol's beautiful compositions and color harmonies speak to me and I have many favorite props to incorporate into my own still lifes. I spoke with Carol about my self consciousness in emulating her work and she more or less said, 'Get over it.'  One way to improve your own paintings is to copy work that you love, be it the dead painters or contemporary ones. I say, if you're going to emulate someone's work, emulate the best. Don't sell it though.

The Huddle

Click to bid

These garlic cloves remain perfectly preserved as studio props. Who says you can't take it with you?

Party Favor

Click to bid

I was at the same party as Kelley the other night and this is my version of the sweet little party favor our hostess with the mostest, Sally Dean made for each of us. I added some lobelia and I must find my tube of Grumbacher Thalo Red Rose because, dang, I couldn't get that shade of purple-y blue. Next time.

Lone Mum

 

click to bid

 No time to prattle on about my absence of late. Suffice it to say, I'm back.

Edge of the Marsh #2

Click to bid

This is my second painting from our wonderful day on the farm, done between 5 and 7 pm when the light is best. If you wonder why I didn't paint the actual animals or the buildings it's because I wanted to concentrate on a simple composition with atmospheric perspective. Besides, the animals move ;)

Edge of the Marsh

Click to bid

I spent yesterday painting at Taylor Bray Farm in Yarmouth. This fabulous little farm is open to the public and has a collection of farm animals including goats, sheep, two of the sweetest little donkeys, chickens, and a couple of Scottish Highlander cows named Scotty and Fiona. I painted two views of this tree and had a great time with my friends. Kelley and I stayed late and had the thrill of seeing a red tailed hawk up close as he hunted for his supper.

In the Spotlight

Click to bid

I love painting peppers and there are more where these came from. I have a whole basket of produce ready to go. Come back tomorrow and see who the new model is.

Storm Swarm

Click to bid

Perhaps it has something to do with Hurricane Bill which is bringing us stormy seas and humid breezes, but my reference for this painting was nothing like what turned out here. I added the birds, placing them in my initial sketch so that they would show through the sky later on and keep their nice edges. The focus is on the light, momentarily breaking through a cloud striking the side of the lighthouse. The birds give it motion. I actually like it.

Wipe Out

I had so much paint left on my palette that I tried to get a little floral painting done. Not. Values are not right and it could be drawn better. So I wiped it, but, there's a lesson in each one. I like the highlights around the daisies and some of the tones in the flowers. Charles Sovek said "don't make anything too precious." He was right.

Onion Shadows

Click to bid

I was trying to for a tonal effect here, but the color found its way in anyway. Neutral seems to elude me. Next vegetable on the model stand..... come back and see.

Tomato Trio

Click to bid

Finally, some local tomatoes! I made sure the lights were far enough away that they'd still be edible! Also, a few weeks ago my good friend and painting pal, Kelley MacDonald, gave me a Bella Award which I'm supposed to pass on. I started collecting links during my blog travels and have collected about TWENTY seriously good candidates. So. My first pick is http://www.susanabbott.blogspot.com/ Versatile in many media, she uses bold saturated color, harmoniously, creating space and mood in her paintings of scenery in her Vermont town.

It's About the Journey

Sometimes you have to remember that it's about the journey and the lessons you learn. This is the type of study that sells well in my Open Studio $35 bin. Email me if you are interested in this one.

Two Up

Click to bid

I picked up this fabulous glass pot at the Duxbury Dump cast off pile. It's one of a pair. After a trip through the dishwasher, they were ready for prime time. This was not as easy as it looks. Yeah, right!

Don't Call me Yellow 6x6

Click to bid

These cherry tomatoes were bright yellow until they spent so much time under the lights. I THOUGHT I was losing a bit of their yellow-ness and when I turned off the light, I saw that they had, indeed, turned orange.