Maine Rocks

Maine Rocks

6x6 oil on RayMar panel
$125

The title is a play on words. 

Maine does rock and the rocks in Maine are spectacular. 

This was painted off the back shore of the "secret hideaway" where there was a painting everywhere we turned. No need to even leave the property. My kind of place. 

My apologies for this poor photo, I will upload another in its place asap.

Happy 2015!

Wendell

6x6 oil on raymar panel NFS

The last post of the year is for our GJWP painting challenge blog, the topic of which is 'memory'.
From many cherished memories, I chose this painting of my dearest, much missed boy, Wendell. 
I am a total cat girl and am about to embark on a cat painting challenge. If anyone has any cat photos they'd like me to try my hand at, please send them to me at wendl15@verizon.net. 
In the meantime, every day is a new day to start over. To be better. To reach a goal. To change what you can and accept what you can't. Happy New Year to all of my family, friends and supporters. I wish you the best in 2015. 

AWOL on my Blog

Santa Tea Light 6x6 oil $125 available at Homegrown Arts & Crafts

Technology. Love it or hate it it's here to stay. My computer is experiencing some issue that causes it to freeze up after it runs for about 5-7 minutes. I've run every diagnostic test that I know of and can't remedy the problem. I don't think I have to tell any of you how stressful and upsetting computer problems are, so please bear with me here while I work it out and if anyone wants to email me with suggestions or advice. I'm listening. Meanwhile check out my work at Homegrown Arts and Crafts in Duxbury on St. George Street. Such a wonderful little shop with many beautiful and unique gift items.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all.

Stacked Jelly

6x6 oil on RayMar panel  $100 plus $10 S&H (click to buy)

Kelly and Susan are usually slamming each other with jelly on Donut Mondays but today Kelley did a beautiful rainbow sprinkle number while Susan painted a fabulous chocolate frosted on a nifty patterned plate. I just ripped a jelly in half and stacked one piece on top of the other and then stuck a munchkin in there just for fun. I have a plethora of reds and was able to get these glorious glowing tones in my jelly using Thalo Red Rose, Quinacridone Red and Quinacridone Magenta mixed with Cad Yellow Med for that hot orange. I like to sneak up on the donut girls, unexpectedly. Guerrilla Donut Wars, you might say.

Painting Safari

It has come to my attention that when my blog is sent out it appears against a white background making my text all but impossible to read because my blog template is set to a black background and I use light colors against it for readability. If this is happening to you click the Just Painting link at the very bottom left corner of the email which will take you directly to the blog. Who knew? Also, blogger is sending out a post I made from Sedona in May. Huh?
Today's Painting Safari was held in the dunes on the River side of the Rexhame Beach parking lot. Glorious day! Here is my demo. 

first block in (that's a shadow on the top edge)

Mid Stage

Finish

A visitor named Brady. I meet so many people and dogs out here!

Beach Boys Two

 SOLD

This is a 6x6 version of 'Beach Boys' (my nephews last September). The difference between painting on the very small cotton panel as opposed to the 4 times larger, very smooth birch panel is obvious in the finish. I think I prefer the smooth.

Sanibel Lighthouse II

 

From the beach side of Sanibel Island. Man it was beautiful out there. White sand and lots of boaters moored in the shallow water. If it weren't so darned hot here in Southwest Florida, I could be tempted to 'live the Florida lifestyle' as they say in the Bealls ads ;) Don and I went to the beach yesterday. Low humidity and a Gulf breeze made it a perfect day.

Don't forget to visit my friends at the 4th Floor Artists Spring Open Studios this weekend.  

Sanibel Lighthouse

 

SOLD at the Art Boutique at Tin City in Naples, Florida

 Last weekend we took a ride up to Sanibel Island on a beautiful day. I took this shot of the lighthouse from the bridge as we were leaving.  This is the first of two paintings I did today while I listened to a replay of Blog Talk Radio featuring Carol and David Marine. It's absolutely true that if you paint several in a row they get better and better. Stay tuned.

Shell Game

$100.00 plus $10 S&H

Where's the pea?

Purple Door

 SOLD

This painting was done for a buyer who saw the original posted on September 30, 2010. The door belongs to my good friend and fellow painter, the doyenne of the art scene and founder of Girls Just Wanna Paint.....Kelley MacDonald!

California Palm

$100 plus $10 S&H

This fabulous scene from the mountains of California was painted from a photo by one of my blogger friends, Shelley Smart who kindly allowed me to use it as reference. Shelley is originally a Maine girl who resides on the West Coast and paints and photographs the beach out there.

I am enthralled by the beauty of the greenery against the snow capped mountains. I rarely do this but I'm posting two photos of this because much of the subtlety is lost in the photos. One is untouched and is warmer and one is Photo Shopped for contrast and it cooler. The actually painting is somewhere in the middle.

Photo Shopped

Coffee Break

 

My husband and I often muse aloud that we wish we'd started a coffee shop (gold mine) ;) Who knew that people would leave their homes in the early morning to go out and buy coffee at $2-$3 per cup and furthermore would continue to refuel all day long at the ubiquitous Dunkin' Donuts and Starbuck's coffee shops that have sprung up everywhere. Starbuck's keeps their coffee drinkers on site by offering WiFi and  den like shops with reading material, comfy chairs and nice lighting. Marketing genius. We have our own little gem in Marshfield called the Coffee Shack which has the best glazed jelly donuts in the world. This is my submission for my rockin' Girls Just Wanna Paint blog. Check out our magazine article over there.

Zippo

 

I'm catching up with myself. Yesterday was a painting marathon and I have a few finished pieces and one that needs a tweak. This one is the current 'challenge' on Daily Paintworks.  All of the paintings are for sale there as well as here ;)

Shovel Me Out

 

SOLD

Visit Girls Just Wanna Paint to see our paintings of "Winter". 

This is the Green Harbor General Store decked out in its Christmas finery and plenty of snow.

Pinned

Pinned 6x6 oil

SOLD

 Remember these wooden clothespins? They must be antiques. Everything's made of plastic now :( 

Liz

 Click to Bid

Merry Christmas to all my faithful readers, friends, and followers. I had a wonderful day with my family and of course my favorite little boys, Colin and Ryan. There was lots of food and desserts. 
Also, we've narrowly escaped 2 feet of snow from a 48 hour Blizzard which knocked out power and closed roads far and wide. Fortunately not our power. We are on the rain/snow line and got mostly a sleet mix and high seas. I'm going to post some photos over on my Not Really a Cleaning Lady blog for those who don't live near the water and haven't experienced it's 'winter mood'.

 Mama and I do the tree together every year

 Auntie Ag gives Ryan and Colin Hess Trucks each Christmas

Waiting

Click to Bid

 Another painting of my favorite subject, white mums. Waiting for Christmas, of course.

We've got a little bit of snow here and I'm inside painting with my little babies sleeping next to me.

Heaven.

 

Petunia Pig

 She's not the REAL Petunia Pig but she has pretty roses and vines all over her and she's about 43 years old!  In 1967 my father took me to a Red Sox game. We had dinner at the Prudential Center and when I admired this little piggy bank in a gift shop he bought it for me. A great memory of a night out with my dad. The Red Sox won the American League Pennant that year which became known as The Impossible Dream and was the most exciting year (in my lifetime) in Boston Baseball until 2004 when after losing the first 3 games to the Yankees the Sox won 4 in a row to take the AL Championship after which they went on to beat St Louis in 4 games to win the World Series under a stunning full moon!  It was very Hollywood!

Pick Me

Click to Bid

Which one should I open first is the dilemma. Ok, the box.

You all know that I suffered the loss of my dearest boy Wendell in October. Don and I couldn't bear the silence and we were lucky to be chosen as parents for these sweet little sisters. Abba (upside down) and Wolfie are amusing and affectionate and kitten crazy! Life is good. 

 

My Wendell

I only have about a zillion photos of this guy. 

We are searching for a new four footed fluffball.