Detail from Stonington Bridge

I did tweak the bridge painting today despite getting two different opinions on the cables. I put some subtle highlights on the bridge itself and just a hint of light over the cables. Hope I didn't wreck it. I'm posting a small detail of the birds today (did anyone know they were birds?) because after endless attempts, I couldn't get an accurate photo of the finished painting. I'll have to wait for a brighter day.

Bridge to Stonington

I took this new photo this morning and I also figured out the problem I was having with PhotoShop, of which I have only very basic knowledge. Yesterday I referenced Frank Gardner who's exercises using mixtures of oddball colors ( which we all have in our collections of paint tubes) can yield surprising results. In this painting I managed to get a nice blue from Dioxazine Purple and Thalo Blue Green. Who knew? For some more paintings of Maine bridges check out Cooper Dragonette's blog, Tomato Can Brushes. There is a bit of glare on the suspension cables. They show up better in actuality.

Bridge to Stonington 4.25x5.25 Oil

After much ado with Adobe PhotoShop somehow I can't crop this photo so I'm posting these 'details' of a painting pulled from a 'grab bag' of colors a la Frank Gardner . Grumbacher thalo red rose, which is one of my Must Have colors for really good pinks. Classico Thalo Blue Green which I once thought I needed to paint the Carribbean (not so) and only used a few times before jettisoning it to the 'what was I thinking' bin. Dioxazine Purple, which I bought on a whim, NEVER use but had read that it makes nice grays mixed with cad yellow light which was my first Yellow and Cad yellow medium, my second yellow plus Titanium White. I did a premix of the Classico TBG and the Diox Purple not knowing the outcome and found that it made a rich blue (surprise) which lightened with a bit of white was a great sky color so I started blocking in with that. This is a favorite scene from a photo I took on my way home from Stonington, Maine where I was when gas had climbed to $2.79 per gallon. I remember leaving Stonington with a full tank and by the time I hit Marshfield, gas was $3.05 a gallon. Those were the days, huh?

Tiverton Shack 6x8

Lately, I have been less successful in getting paintings that are ready to post. I did find this little start from an outing in Tiverton, with the girls last late summer. I was surprised that I found it 'not bad' and think it doesn't need much to be moved over to the finished pile. So up it goes for my faithful visitors whom I don't like to disappoint.

Open Studios Saturday 10-6

I will be opening my studio today along with other members of 4th Floor Artists. The group originally started in the early 1990's at the FL & JC Codman building over on Plain Street in Rockland, MA. Last year we were forced to find homes in two buildings within a mile of the Codman. After the dust settled about 50 artists remained of the more than 100 that had been in the old building. I am in the Sandpaper Factory at 83 East Water Street in Rockland. Two blocks away is the ET Wright building at 379 Liberty Street at the corner of Webster Street. I'll have some snacks and some coffee for those who might brave the rain and 4 flights of stairs up to my studio which is at the front of the building. Here I am in my previous studio at the Codman. I will only be open today as I am going to New Hampshire tomorrow to visit the little boys.

Watermelon Still life (detail)

Please forgive my absence as I came home from Florida a week ago to a dirty house with Christmas decorations still in evidence. It took me longer than I thought it would to get back on the horse. No matter. Today my friend Sally Dean invited me over to her fabulous little home studio. We painted a watermelon still life. Both of us braving the elipses. I cropped mine because this is the best part of the painting and shouldn't go to waste. It was good for the spirit and the soul to just sit with a friend and paint and chat a bit.

Copper Cups 2x3

This is my last post for at least a few days as we are leaving Naples for home bright and early tomorrow. It takes us about 12 or so hours to get to our first stop in South Carolina. The next day we stop in either New Jersey or Connecticut depending on when we've had it and then Sunday we arrive home mid afternoon. Don't forget to come by in the meantime and check out my links to fantastic artists all over the world. Where else can you take a trip through the art world without leaving your house? I tried a little teeny 2x3 of these copper cups I got at Goodwill last Christmas for like 99 cents. A real deal. Thanks to all of you for stopping by. I appreciate it more than you know.