Commercial Street Hollyhocks

 

Yes, the stars of the show here were actually the hollyhocks but I forgot to put them in the title. I took another shot at this because I needed the practice with such complicated subject matter. This on is 10x10 on a RayMar panel. Summer in New England is incredibly short but sweet and I'm enjoying the weather and the beach. Today my mama and I are going to lunch at the ocean side Fairview Restaurant. I'm posting this sneak preview of my painting in process. A 12x12 version of the Classic Bug. Stay tuned.

Kenny

Wow, it's August already. Summer goes too fast. Thank you all for your visits and comments. YOU make my day! and just because we have a cat subject, here's a photo of 'the girls' almost a year old. Abba on the left and Wolfie (Wolfamena) on the right.

This painting of Page's cat Kenny is our July subject for Girls Just Wanna Paint. 

Provincetown Hydrangeas

 I've been AWOL from my blog due to the move back from Provincetown and the re-entry if you will. I had a fabulous week at my shed on the Pier, though I was somewhat chagrined to find out that people would rather buy (imported) shell Christmas ornaments than real art. 

My Shed mate Eileen Counihan and I got along famously because we have the same (snarky) sense of humor about cheap goods from China among other things. She is doing something special with her wonderful night sky photos of "Starry, Starry Nights" so check them out at A Gallery in Provincetown if you're there.

Paula (click to see her paintings)

Wednesday, I went on the annual 'Jeep' trip with my fellow painter girlfriends to.....drum roll..... Provincetown. Yep, I can't get enough of this unique and beautiful place and the weather was perfect. We set up on the street and at one point Paula had to move the leg of her easel to let a car out of a driveway. Tight quarters there. I set up in front of a garden that I admire and photograph every summer but have never painted. This is the result. It was a perfect summer day! 

Provincetown

Here is my fabulous Trap Shed in Provincetown and a beautiful night shot. We are having a great time but my expectations for sales at the shed have not been met. Luckily my shed mate and I are birds of a feather in many ways including our 'dark' humor. We've been blessed with a good breeze which was more of a gale today and a beautiful view no matter how you cut it. My bother Lenny is also in town with his girlfriend Kathi and their dog Chandler so we've been busy eating out and drinking at the Old Colony Tap and people watching. Life is good. Notice Don in the background reading his book.

Night shot from my shed

Lady Gaga?

That's Classic

 SOLD

I once owned a VW just like this one. It was a powder blue, 1963 with a sunroof which slid open the entire length of the roof. It was classic and I did love it. I frequently see this car around Provincetown and think I gotta paint it. So I did.

Notice that I'm not putting up the buy now buttons as I have to hoard some of these paintings for my Shed Show which will begin a week from today :D   Maybe the owner of this car will come by and say "HEY, that's my car. Can I buy that painting?" and I'll say......"sure." ;)

Peace Sign (Detail)

Provincetown Shed

 Truro Gem 12x12

I've painted this iconic Truro cottage before because it is just too cool. This is one of the paintings I will be showing in my upcoming "Shed Show" on MacMillan Wharf in Provincetown. In addition to a great selection of paintings, including my daily 6x6 blog paintings I've also done up a selection of cards and matted prints of my work in various (easy to frame) standard sizes ;) 

The dates are Monday, July 18th through Sunday July 24th from 10-whenever. Stop by and see me!

Beach Baby

Beach Baby 6"x6" oil on Raymar panel

SOLD

Happy Independence Day! Last night Don and I took a ride around our neighborhood {prompted by a power outage ;)} all the way down to Brant Rock.  I never saw such crowds and lawn parties and the most fabulous fireworks display was taking place over the beaches all the way down the shore. SPECTACULAR! 
This is Colin last summer at the beach. He says it doesn't look like him ;)

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!!