Road Trip and Celtic Cross

Celtic Cross

7x9 Sketchbook Watercolor

My desire to participate in a Plein Air event, arose from the advent of the first annual Parrsboro International Plein Air Festival, which took place in June of 2017. My husband’s mother comes from this remote part of Nova Scotia, Canada, located on the North West shore of the Bay of Fundy and we have spent two decades traveling up to visit relatives and stay in a little cottage on the shore.  Thus, when I was alerted to the PIPAF event, I just had to apply, because Parrsboro is mine. I stopped in this cemetery in New Brunswick and snapped a few photos. I love cemeteries for their garden like settings and beautiful monuments. This is my contribution to Girls Just Wanna Paint, “Not New England” challenge.               

The Girls

"The Girls" 

9x12 oil on panel

The dairy herd at Two Islands in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, one of my favorite places in the world.  Cape Blomidon is in the distance. 

I made this fit into this months Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge, which is 'Women'.  After all, dairy cows are females.

Selfie with Shades

"Bad- itude" 

12x12 acrylic on panel

I have never done a self portrait but I was shopping and found this pair of oversized, mirrored shades and took a selfie with them on. I didn't buy them, but I liked the effect. 

I'm recently enjoying working in acrylics which offer a very different experience. They dry quickly but, you can layer over them with transparent colors. 
Check out the Girls Just Wanna Paint, Sunglasses Selfie post here tomorrow.

Girls Just Wanna Paint June Challenge

"Lotus Flowers"

8x10 acrylic on canvas paper

I love lily pads and waterlilies also known as lotus flowers. They are prevalent in Asian art and culture. The flower opens with the sun and closes at dusk.

*The main meanings of Lotus flower are: Beauty, Grace, Eloquence, Direct and deep spiritual contact, Mysticism, Faithfulness, Patience, Love, Compassion, Purity, Rising out of suffering, Enlightenment, Self-awareness and Rebirth. 

There is a time when we think there is no way out of a situation, like we will stay stuck there for eternity. However, all the pain we are coming through will be soothed. Lotus flower is here to remind us that we mustn’t give up, but fight against all the difficulties. We have a chance to rise out of the pain, but first of all remember that no one will do it for us, but ourselves.

Check out Girls Just Wanna Paint to see the paintings of the "together apart" challenge.

*except for the first paragraph, this text was copied from myflowermeaning.com

Swimming Against the Tide

"Swimming Against the Tide"

8x8 Ink and Watercolor 

Swimming against the tide is a metaphor for the way I feel these days. 

Check out the Girls Just Wanna Paint interpretations of FISH here.

"Still Life" GJWP challenge

"Still Life" Acrylic 12x12 

$350 click link to buy

I'm primarily an oil painter, sometime watercolor painter and dabble in other media. I picked up acrylics a couple of years ago when I took a workshop with my friend and fellow GJWP artist, Page Pearson Railsback. 
I love the creaminess of the paint and the way I can create transparent layers over previous passages. The color is rich and not chalky as I remember it from my long ago, art student days.
I'd been working on this abstract piece which seemed like a metaphor for life coming to an abrupt stop. Placing careful brushstrokes next to one another, as I worked out the color harmony on this was fun and meditative. I plan on doing more.
I'm still in Naples and don't plan on returning home until the insanity subsides. 

GJWP Shadow

"Light and Shadow Still life demo"

Painting is all about light and shadow. 

I did this demo for my Naples Art Association, Friday morning Painting A Day class.

This month's GJWP subject is "shadow". I particularly like painting white objects and pushing color.

Dragonfly

"Dragonfly"

4x4 sketchbook drawing

$125 click link to buy

Dragonflies symbolize rebirth and transformation. This sketch was done as part of Inktober. Check out my fellow GJWP homie, Jody Regan to see her fabulous daily sketches.

GJWP Challenge - Chinese New Year

"Chinese New Year" 

4x4 Ink and Watercolor
$125 click on link to buy

Our GJWP challenge is Chinese New Year.

2020 is the year of the Rat.

Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge "Vintage"

"Vintage Pin Cushion"

4x4 oil on panel

SOLD

This month's GJWP challenge was "vintage" and this little pin cushion, which belonged to my mama is the perfect subject. 

It is so cute and of course, functional.

Expressive Brushwork Workshop

"Tootsie Pops" 6x6
SOLD

I am excited to be teaching my "Expressive Brushwork" Workshop at North River Arts Society, this Saturday. 

As seen in these examples, I limit and vary my brushstrokes so as to keep them fresh. We will focus on edges and transitions practicing with still life items.

This one day workshop will take place from 9:30 - 3:30 with a break for lunch. 

All levels welcome! NO pressure.

Bring your sense of humor and leave your inner critic behind. 

Follow this link to sign up.

https://www.northriverarts.org/workshops

"Over Economy Mountain"

 "South River Marsh" 16x20  block in 

 "South River Marsh" 16x20  finish

Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge: Forest

"Fundy Shore Forest"

6"x12" watercolor

My entry for Girls Just Wanna Paint, the pine forests of the Bay of Fundy.

Summer's End

Ferris Wheel

12x12 oil on panel
$450 click link to buy

Summer in New England is, sadly, a very short season. 

It seems to go from lilacs to 4th of July, to August's end, celebrated at the the Marshfield Fair.

I love the sparkle of lights against the dark sky. 

This is what's "on my mind", for Girls Just Wanna Paint this month. Stop over and check out the fabulous paintings!

Coast Guard Beach

Coast Guard Beach

6x6 oil on panel $125
Buy now with PayPal

This is my entry for Girls Just Wanna Paint.

Coast Guard Beach is a beautiful stretch of coastline on the outer Cape. High dunes covered in sea grasses slope down to the beach.

This day was windy with big surf.

PAAM 12x12 At The Bradford

"At the Bradford" 

12x12 Acrylic on Panel

SOLD

The Governor Bradford Inn is an Icon on Commercial Street in Provincetown. I love the abstract shapes of the kitchen doors and vents with the windows and doors of the rooms upstairs. 
This is a donation for Provincetown Art Association and Museum's (PAAM) annual 12x12 silent auction. 
Bidding starts at $125.
You can bid at this link Provincetown Art Association and Museum 12x12 silent auction. 
Or better yet, visit beautiful Provincetown and see the show!

Check out my DPW gallery to see my available paintings.

Maine, The Way Life Should Be

"Lupine Field" 10 x10 oil on birch panel

$300 Buy Now With PayPal

I just spent a week in New Harbor, Maine with a fabulous group of painter girlfriends. Girl friend trips are mostly about great, and I mean GREAT food, and laughing. We watched movies and played a hilarious board game, which, because we were unsure about the rules, was even more hilarious. Although the weather didn't cooperate, we did manage to get out and paint. 
On this particular day, the best day of the week, I set up beneath the shade of a pine forest and painted a study of this view for this months Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge.
We celebrate our tenth year (seriously?) of posting our paintings.
More to come.

Snow Birds

"Flight" 6x6 Paper collage
$125 

Passages is this month's Girls Just Wanna Paint topic. 
Since it is only a week before we "snowbirds" will be departing for Naples, Florida, a birds in flight theme seems like a good metaphor.
I used some craft paper for the background and then drew and cut out birds shapes from tissue paper to create a little paper collage on watercolor paper. It takes quite a long time for me to figure out the balance in the cutting and pasting, but I like the feeling of this one.

Rusty the Boardwalk Cat

 Rusty, The Boardwalk Cat 

8x8 oil on birch panel 

$400 click on link to buy

This was last month's theme for Girls Just Wanna Paint. We had a lovely dinner meeting at Sally Dean Mello's awesome, artsy house and you can see the paintings here.
Rusty lives under the Atlantic City Boardwalk. He and his feline friends are cared for by volunteers from Ally Cat Allies. Rusty's human friend, Tim, told me that through the trap, neuter, release program, they've completely eliminated the birth of kittens in the Boardwalk area. 
Rusty's left ear is tipped, to identify him as neutered. I left that in.

Girls Just Wanna Paint August Challenge: Edges

"Edges" paper collage 5x7

Cut paper has edges and I enjoy a little cutting and 

pasting now and then.

Check out Girls Just Wanna Paint to see this month's interpretations.

Fundraiser for The Trustees at South Street Gallery

 "Queen Anne's Lace at Two Mile Farm"

6x12 oil on panel 
SOLD

Acquiring, maintaining and protecting the beautiful marsh land here along the North and South Rivers is at the top of my environmental list. 
This is my entry for South Street Gallery's Paint to Preserve silent auction which is up until August 17. 
You can see all of the paintings HERE.