Oh Canada

I spotted this kayaker in Naples this winter and knew I would have to post a painting of him today in honor of our friends, relatives and neighbors to the North. Today is Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day. This is also going up on Girls Just Wanna Paint as the subject for this month's theme, 'foreign'. Take a look at what the girls have posted. Happy 4th to all of us here in America the beautiful.

Provincelands

 

I had a great weekend staying in New Hampshire with my 'little boys' while their parents had a getaway weekend planned by my brother Tom. Big points there ;) 

We set up the paint 'studio' in the kitchen and we all painted together in between spontaneous trips outdoors to swing and draw pirate ships on the driveway and down the entire sidewalk. Believe me, there were many instances of boats burning and pirates jumping overboard, etc. We ate lots of pasta and Saturday was pajama day so we could go outside in our pj's which Colin loved.

Here they are painting in the kitchen. SO SWEET. I adore them.  This little painting is from last week's Cape trip. I set up by the Provincetown Inn and painted the late afternoon light on the marshes.

Garden Tour for Clift Rodgers Library

I had a great day yesterday painting at a garden tour organized to benefit the Clift Rodgers Free Library, a little gem of a library/consignment shop in Marshfield Hills. I set up right under the umbrella at the refreshment table and painted the beautiful sunflowers the hostess had set there to accompany all the sugary treats.The weather couldn't have been better and the day flew by as horticulture fans roamed the grounds enjoying the flowers. Thanks to all of the generous homeowners and the organizers of the tour for the beautiful day!!

Cape Trip and Sketches

 This is Penniman House, an old sea Captain's house located in Eastham on the Cape. I stopped there on my way to Provincetown Thursday to do a few sketches on a beautiful sunny day. Such charming architecture. I'd love to live there. 
Today I'm off to paint at a Garden tour in Marshfield to support the Clift Rodgers Free Library, a little gem in Marshfield Hills. Stop by if you are in the neighborhood.

Sedona Studies

Ok, I'm a bit 'off' on my blog right now. Lots going on. Watching the Boston Bruins win the Stanley Cup which is a BIG DEAL here.  I'm going to Provincetown tomorrow and hope to have a nice painting for you all. I SO appreciate your comments and encouragement and continued support. Here are all the Sedona studies together. No more suspense ;}

Cathedral Rock Study

What? I haven't posted this study yet? Where the heck have I been? Never mind. 

This study of Cathedral Rock was also done at sunset from our balcony at the Hyatt. 

I promise to replace this glare-y photo with a better one tomorrow. 

At Gisele's French Bakery in Jerome with a friend ;)

Sedona Studies

Sedona was such an adventure. We ate out and painted and laughed so much! Especially when Kelley's brand new easel box and tripod almost blew over a ledge into Oak Creek in a gale force wind gust. Not funny but funny if you know what I mean, and it did have a happy ending.  On Wednesday we drove up to Jerome to check out the incredible old car/truck graveyard at the Gold King Mine. Carol soldiered on despite the overcast light and painted trucks while Kelley and I poked around the galleries and the shops in Jerome. There was so much to see and too much to paint but I did some studies of the fantastic rocks 
from the balcony of our fabulous condo at the Hyatt Pinion Point. We had a 180* view of the rocks. Wow! I'm posting them one at a time along with some photos from the trip.

Old Trucks in Jerome

Disconnected in Sedona

Painting at Schnebly Hill

We have very spotty internet so I haven't been able to post or answer email. Suffice it to say that I am completely overwhelmed with the beauty of Sedona. Yesterday we went out to paint at Schnebly Hill and I did this study of cactus which will serve me well when I get back to my studio. Today we went out to Slide Rock State park. The paintings....well not so much. The fun and the surroundings? AWESOME!

Slide Rock at Oak Creek

 

Sutton Place Cottages and Sedona

 I am scurrying to get ready to fly to Sedona on Friday and have been cleaning and tossing and doing laundry and actually....painting! I also happened upon Karen Werner's blog and got a right on weather report for Sedona. She just took a workshop there with Jennifer McChristian (on my bucket list) and they were caught in a sleet storm with 40 degree temperatures!!

Ok, pack for New England summer weather. that means warm clothes TOO!

This watercolor is of Sutton Place cottages in Truro. Adorable one room places right on the beach. To die for!

Beach Point Morning

This is from a photo I took at Beach Point in Truro one morning in the late summer. Really, the light is more golden than I painted it in this watercolor, but I think I'll try it in oil and give it more of the mood I first felt there. The tide is low and the boats are all lying on the sand.

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.

At Attention

 

This is my painting for the Daily Paintworks Challenge. 

Can you see this asparagus saluting the rest of the vegetables? No?

In Transition

Abba and Wolfie looking skeptical

Just so you all know, I didn't just hang it up after getting a record amount of comments on this last painting. I spent last week getting ready for the trip North which takes a lot out of me. I'm not a good transition-er.  Each year I swear I'm not going to take too much stuff to Naples...yeah....right. We left Friday morning, spent two days on the road and arrived home Sunday afternoon. Initially the girls were a bit anxious. I never saw cats pant before so I released them from their cages and that calmed them some. All those big trucks going by was a new experience for them. It was a good trip and we're home and it's Spring!!

Beach Boys

 SOLD

I actually began this painting months ago and had almost completed the figures and most of the foreground sand and water when I stopped to do some domestic diva stuff like cook dinner.  It seems ridiculous now because the FOF factors, Fear of Finishing and Fear of Failure, took over like they do and it languished. Anyway, I took it to the finish today.

I'm not sure if I am satisfied with the area above the heads of the kids. Is it interesting enough or does it need a tweak? You tell me. From now on when I'm on a roll I'm going to call in sick to the kitchen ;)

Funky Monday

I've been funky this weekend. Everyone is going home and I'm feeling the pull of my studio and my 'homies'. Hubby doesn't want to leave early but we've been here for three months and I have work to do. Sometimes you just have to go to the beach and sit there until the sun drops into the Gulf of Mexico. Naples is beautiful. You really can't beat that. I came home refreshed.

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.

Provincetown Sunset #3

Still working on my Provincetown watercolors which are great fun to do. I've been asked what materials I use so I'll give it up. Any good sketchbook or watercolor pad will do. I'm using an Aquabee 6x12 (I like the long skinny format) 93 pound sketch paper. The paper has very good 'lift' quality even after the paint is dry for a while. I draw the sketch in pencil and then do some pen over it with waterproof Faber-Castell and Pigma-Micro pens. I then use liquid masking on the shoreline where I've indicated the buildings. I'll paint over them later. I also do a little masking in the water to keep some of the white which I can alter later if I choose. If it needs more pen after the paint I'll add some. In a sketch of a well known place with a recognizable skyline like this is, you must make the proportions and placement of the key buildings correct. From the left they are the UU Church, the town hall, the former Methodist Church which is the new (fabulous) library, the Pilgrim Monument and the two water towers.

Shell Game

$100.00 plus $10 S&H

Where's the pea?

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.