DPW Challenge '55 Chrysler Imperial

 

This classic Chrysler Imperial was the first subject of the Daily Paint Works new painting challenge thrown out to the artist community by Carol Marine. It's an exciting opportunity to participate in a high profile group of painters. Check it out!

The Boss

SOLD

On our recent trip to Nova Scotia we visited That Dutchman's Cheese Farm in Upper Economy. It sits high on a hill overlooking the Bay of Fundy and they have walking trails and an array of animals including chickens, roosters, turkeys, emus and even peacocks! Fabulous. We watched them make the cheese and of course sampled some and came home with a few wedges. It is a blissful place.

This painting is for the Girls Just Wanna Paint monthly challenge the theme of which is Fin, Fur or Feather. This fabulous white rooster had all the hens chasing after HIM!!

Open Studios Weekend

Come and visit me if you are in the neighborhood. Our 17th Annual open house is Saturday and Sunday 11-6. For directions and information about the artists go to 4thfloorartists.org

Jingle Bells and Red Ribbon

Here's another version of this bell and ribbon. I'll go back and add some highlights later. Time for a break. This is a good subject as the ribbon is just a series of angles, darks and highlights. Strangely, I am not afraid of reflective subjects and even find them easier to paint than, say, trees.

Rexhame Beach Dunes Study 7X9

SOLD

I consider this more of a study than a finished work. Using the limited palette gives it nice color harmony.

Beach Day

I sat in the dunes at the beach today and painted this. I need to refine the shapes and the angle of the waves hitting the shore and finalize this. I used a limited palette of Ultramarine, Rose Madder (Grumbacher) and a lemon yellow. I had a hard time getting sand color but I think I managed. Heavy surf today. I hate to say it but winter was in the air :(

Sandpaper Factory Studio

This is the before and after at the new studio. It took forever to sand this floor which was a grimy gray paint. My nephew, Win and I spent Saturday and Sunday all day and Don and I spent another 10 hours between Monday and yesterday. The results are well worth the agony of such a project which, I'll never be doing again :D This is the 4th floor of the building which has fantastic skylights over the entire roof. This is one of the very few remaining buildings of its kind in this area. I was lucky to get a space here.

Stonington Overlook Watercolor 9X12

This is a watercolor of Barbara's house in Stonington, Maine. It's done on Fredrix watercolor canvas which I'm not sure I like for watercolor, but may work better with opaque watermedia, like acrylic or gouache. After many attempts to photograph this painting, the results are washed out. Disappointing, but I suppose I should read the camera book?

Anna's Cottage 8x10 oil on board

I've been so lax in posting but I don't think anyone's hanging on my every word ;) I've had family togetherness since Saturday, beginning with a lobster cookout at my mama's house, in Brockton, with all the sibs and significant others. On Sunday, my baby bro Tom, his wife Anne and their toddlers Ryan, 3 and a half and Colin 2 came to stay until late yesterday afternoon. We had lot's of fun at the beach during a super high moon tide on Sunday and exploring tidal pools yesterday morning at low tide. Awesome to have these babies in the family after so long without young ones. I am working on another watercolor which I'll post in a day or two. With all the Codman trauma, some paintings never made it to the blog. I painted this 8x10 in Nova Scotia in June. I call it 'Anna's Cottage' after one of 3 sisters who owned the cottage. After I did the painting I found out that one of the sisters, Joy, had just passed right when I was painting it. Everyone who knew her said that her name, perfectly described her. She was a young woman of 72 :(

Five Islands 6x8

This was painted in Nova Scotia on a misty summer day in June. I stood outside with my palette on the hood of the car and painted this on canvas paper mounted into a little cigar box I picked up at the tobacco store. I love the landscape here. Sorry for the lag in posting. I'm sure with the move to the new studio, I'll be energized again.

Nantucket Lightship 8X10 study

This is a study of the Nantucket Lightship from the deck of the cottage in Wareham. It was a hot and hazy evening and I just blocked this in really quickly. It's very high key in terms of its color depth. I'll be getting back to it soon. Right now, we're painting the bedroom walls.

Back Yard Plein Air

The expression, "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence", applies here. I live a block from the ocean and 2 miles from a working harbor filled with boats of all types. Old fashioned cottages can still be found and there are beautiful gardens galore. Right here at our house I have a bunch of container gardens and cool garden statuary and endless still life "props', the collection of which, is ongoing. Yet, I'm compelled to drive to Maine to paint lobster boats, to Nova Scotia to paint flowers and cottages, anywhere to paint anything. It's an artist thing. Here in my own backyard is just as nice as anyplace, really. This is my block in of this little setup with petunias. I'll finish it today. The heat has been replaced by cool sea breezes, my kind of weather.

View from The Codman 8x10

I'm suffering serious Codman withdrawal thus the huge gap in posting. Luckily some of my dearest friends and fellow sufferers understand and have given a shoulder to cry on and really, that's all you need isn't it? Then you're fine. I didn't get this painting in a moment too soon. They started removing the siding a day later. All the windows were covered in plastic. I hope this fabulous chimney is part of the new design. I love it.

Cordage Park 5x7

Here's the finish.

While on my mission over there, I collected some of the broken window glass, which is purple. I've loved those windows and have been skulking around this place for years in all seasons but never got a successful painting. Something about the scale is intimidating. These buildings were quite something in their day. I hope when they go condo, they'll be able to save the brick buildings. Sorry about the crappy photo. I'm shooting these at home when the studio would be better. Uh oh. I had to edit this because I chose the wrong photo and published, so I think my subscribers are going to get the same picture I last published. I don't know if when you edit the post and republish, it sends it out again. Sorry about that ;)

Cordage Park 5x7

I got this little sketch done while waiting for the security patrol to come and let me out after I trespassed (Yes, I KNOW) out in back of the old cordage buildings, taking pictures. While I was there photographing blissfully, ever the artistic explorer, someone locked the gate, Oh Crap :(

Luckily, and I do mean luckily, there is a new Marina down there where it used to be pretty much desolate. I got the attention of one of the workers and he called the Security guy to come and spring me. While I was waiting I thought I should paint. I'll finish this up and post the final. I was a little embarrassed in a 'curiosity killed the cat' kind of way. These beautiful old mill buildings are right on the water where they used to ship the rope from. Good thing I got my fill of pictures 'cause I can't go back!

Study at Two Islands

I've held this post back hoping to get a better photo but since Monday, July 2nd, when I arrived at my studio to find that 16 studios, including mine had been broken into, their doors pried open with a crow bar, I've been scrambling to visit several possible new studio sites. Our building was recently sold and zoned for condos, so the writing, as 'they' say, was on the wall. Nothing was missing or damaged that I can detect but it was upsetting to find my lock repaired, as best it could be. The building has never been completely secure, but we've had no real trouble and I've never been afraid there. Most of our intruders were homeless cats and kittens which ended up being taken in by group members, and neighborhood kids skateboarding in the hallways at night. So, this is the photo I'm going with. I will say that any painting I ever saw in with my own eyes, looked better than the best photo of it.

Island Street Marsh 8x8"

I travel far and wide to paint quaint fishing villages and lobster boats in harbors but all of that is right here in Marshfield, in my 'own back yard', as the saying goes. Aside from being hideously over crowded now, Marshfield is still a beautiful place to live. Quickly disappearing quaint cottages and old fishing sheds can still be found and the harbor has a working lobster and fishing fleet.

Two Islands Farm

This abandoned farm is a typical sight around the Parrsboro area. At one time, this entire region was a bustling ship building and fishing site. Many famous vessels got their start here and coal was brought from Springhill and exported by ship and rail. At one time the only road to Truro and the lower peninsula was through Parrsboro but this has been replaced by the Trans Canada Highway which bypasses it. It's a great place to paint and really get away.

Painting in Parrsboro

I've finally hooked up to the internet here in Parrsboro. Got here Monday night and had two glorious days with sun and warm temperatures. Yesterday we took a ride down to Springhill where we toured the coal mines. I also managed to do a couple of small paintings. This charming red shed is in progress. The blackflies drove me inside. Here we are suited up to go into the mine. Priceless :)

eBay Link Debacle

I just spent an hour trying to put up my eBay link as a page element. When I view the blog the html is visible and the link doesn't work. This wouldn't bother me so much except I've already used this method to add my eBay link and it worked. I just used to go in and change the item number. Now it doesn't work and I can't figure out why. Any suggestions? The Item number is 170123005296. My two cats never sit this close together. Usually Wendell (brown) won't let Nizzy (white) look out the door with him.