Once in a Blue Moon over Provincetown

 $110 plus $10 S&H

In 2009 the moon was full on both December 2nd and December 31st which is the blue moon. I was visiting my friend Irene who lives on the edge of Race Point and Provincelands. We took a walk in the dunes and on the way back I shot photos of the moon which was visible before the sun set that day. There's just something about the moon that enthralls us.

I am busily working on paintings for my Provincetown gig but I do want to give a heads up about the 4th Floor Artists Open Studios this month. I'm not back from Naples until the 10th of May so I won't be able to participate.

Awaiting Summer 6x6 WC

$110 plus $10 S&H

Our challenge subject for Girls Just Wanna Paint  is 'three'. I kept thinking literally, three flowers, three jars, three lipsticks etc., but while I was painting this I noticed something. This old fashioned summer cottage sports three old fashioned Victorian Shutters. Sly? Yup, but it works. If you're in the area my GJWP 'homies' are painting in Hingham Square this weekend at White Magdelena House. Meet the artists, watch them paint and share some refreshments. For information on locations and hours go here.

Beach Point Sunset 8x8

 

Beach Point Sunset

8x8 oil on panel

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It doesn't seem possible for a sunset to be so bright or so colorful but trust me....I was there. This was done from a photo I took from Beach Point in Truro on September 14, 2001. There's a story there but you've all heard it so I won't repeat myself. I did three paintings today and this was the only one that I liked ;) One point I'd make is that the blue in the water photographed much brighter than it actually appears in the painting. Thank you all so much for your comments and visits. It's what makes blogging so much fun!!

Purple Door

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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!

Matlacha Ice Cream Shop

It's amazing how many photos I have of yellow cottages and buildings. This little place is in Matlacha, Florida a teeny town between Cape Coral and Pine Island. All of the little shops along the main road are painted bright colors. I love it.

This morning I went on an Orchid Tour at Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge out in the Everglades. The Guide who led the tour is a wildlife biologist and photographer who also works at the Naples Zoo. He knows everything about the flora and fauna and it was a fabulous trek through the swamp, which is very dry at the moment. Afterward they gave us a nice lunch of hot dogs, chips and a soft drink while we listened to another guide talk about the work they're doing to save the panthers. A single male panther needs about 200 square miles of habitat. The whole tour was fascinating and it is free. You just have to sign up ahead of time. If you're a Florida voter they need your support. 

Can you see the gator?

Maine Cottage

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Don and I took a ride to Goodland, a tiny fishing village at the Northeastern tip of Marco Island which is a mixed bag of newer and older (funky) homes and trailers. One tiny lane across from Old Marco Crab House is on a skinny peninsula with houses on one side and a canal on the other side so despite the small no trespassing sign at the end we drove up there to look at the view and turn around. Of course I had to get out and take some photos and that's when I was bagged by Mr Important who came out of his house and berated me for trespassing mentioning that he owns both sides of the street and didn't I think I should knock on someone's door and ask permission blah blah blah and 'we don't want....this....." I think he meant to say 'interlopers like YOU'. He did say, spreading his hands "we pay money for this." That never happened in Maine when I was photographing the beautiful cottages in Stonington. People are very friendly there.

This is a larger painting (8x10) of the Downeast cottage. 

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

Stonington Cottage

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This little summer home is perched on a ledge of rock in Stonington, Maine which is at the 'down-est' part of the Downeast Deer Isle peninsula. It's one of my favorite places in the world and there are many. Yesterday I did another 'booth sitter' gig at the Mercato Fine Arts Festival which was wonderful.  This very cool residential neighborhood is built around shops, restaurants, a movie theatre and Whole Foods.  I brought home delicious macaroni and cheese and Swedish meatballs from the vast hot food bar there. Awesome day!!

Naples National Art Festival

Here I am with a couple of (wax) characters at the Festival on Saturday. I'm a volunteer booth sitter and my niece Chrissie joined me and snapped this photo. We had a blast and the art was awesome. Over three hundred artists!!

I am mesmerized by these mobiles made of wire by Artist Michael Gard of San Francisco

 

 

 

Emilie Pritchard fiber artist

My Chrissie and her Tugboat

Be sure to check out the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge and see our magazine spread :D

Beach Sunset

I go to the beach later in the afternoon and I always wait for the sun to set which is a big deal here. The West coast of Florida is like an Island where the sun sets into the Gulf of Mexico. People start showing up with their coolers and dinners and beach chairs around 5 o'clock and everyone settles in for the show. Here's a little sketch from the beach last Wednesday and a shot of the star of the show.

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 ;)

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!

Snow Peas

 

Ever be working in the kitchen and have to stop and photograph the food?  I've had this photo of snow peas for a while and I was needing a challenge so I threw caution to the wind today and painted it without a drawing. This is a 10"x10" painting on 300lb Arches paper.Here are the stages of the painting.

Buoys Club

 

These buoys are hanging on my friend Sue's shed right next to the beach. This is the quintessential 'at the shore' scene. My pal Kelley MacDonald did a fabulous painting of this very shed which appears in the current issue of South West Art on the sixth page in which is an ad for Contemporary Fine Art International. Half of the fun is thinking up titles for each post!

Going to the Dogs

 

Provincetown is known  to be one of, if not THE most dog friendly town on the planet. I encountered these two in a Provincetown gallery last summer. Wonder what the dog thinks.

Wonder how long it takes these two to just go out for a newspaper

Provincetown Sunset

I got the most wonderful comment from my friend Lorna on yesterday's post. 

She said, "Mary, I think this is my favourite of your paintings.  I don't know why but I love being able to recognize something without it looking exactly like what I would see if I were there myself."

I loved what she said because every artist creates for the connection with the viewer and literal interpretation isn't the only way to go. Thank you Lorna! 

Today's painting is a bit more literal using watercolor and my Micron Pigma pen.

Provincetown at Dusk

I applied and was chosen to show my work in a Trap Shed on McMillan Wharf in Provincetown for the week of July 18-24. About a half dozen of these little sheds are rented out to artists with the approval of the Pier Corporation and are fairly new to the Wharf scene.  I visited with some of the artists this past summer and wanted to go for it since I've always felt a connection to Provincetown and love painting there. The beauty of the location is that everyone who comes by boat has to walk right by these sheds. That would be many hundreds of people each day :D This scene is from Bradford Street looking toward the Pilgrim Monument. I never get tired of the beauty of this place.

Shovel Me Out

 

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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

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