Five Islands Barn

Five Islands Barn 
SOLD

I love the dramatic light in this painting which was the point to begin with. My patient husband stopped dozens of times for me to take photos on this ride down to Five Islands last summer. I photographed every barn we passed from multiple angles. Typically I tell Don to drive down the road and turn around which gives me a chance to shoot quite a few pictures. When I showed him this painting he said, "Oh Yeah, I remember it." A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, right? Click on the buy link to purchase.

Honey 'Dew' List

$125 plus $10 S&H click to buy

 So, Susan Roden and Kelley MacDonald are locked into their donut wars but I have snuck up on them showcasing yet another local donut franchise. The little donut holes are called Dew Drops at this place ;)

That's why I called it the "honey dew list". Clever eh?

Also, as soon as blogger works out the bugs in their new template, I'm going to switch from my favorite black background so that I won't have to use pastel colors for readability. It looks good on the blog but when it goes out in email it's on a white background and difficult if not impossible to read. Click on the buy link to purchase.

Geraniums

 "Geraniums" 6x6 $125 Plus $10 S&H

I am toast after spending the entire day vacuuming and washing laundry and rugs because 'the girls' have fleas :(  It's not their fault though, they picked them up on our vacation to the Cape, the only place they've been outside our home, but trying to eradicate them is a cyclical nightmare. Neither of them is too keen on the combing and powdering ritual and they run when they see me. Fleas are the creepiest, most disgusting insects EVER.

This is my painting from Saturday's paint out at Kennedy Country Gardens Fall Festival which was great fun. Click on the buy link to purchase.

 we are SURE that the vacuum cleaner is coming to get us

Busy Busy Busy

One of my many participants

Kelley helps a student paint donuts ;)

I'm tired from my busier than usual week but I just want to post some photos of our artist in residence day at Furnace Brook Middle School demo (letting the kids help paint the paintings) on Friday. This is a parent sponsored program that takes place the first Friday of each month. Kudos to the parents and the teachers and the wonderful kids we meet there. 

View from inside one of the many greenhouses

Today I spent the day at Kennedy Gardens Fall Festival with some of the GJWP ladies. This premier garden center has a spectacular display of plants and anything and everything to do with gardening! It's always fabulously beautiful but they went all out for this 3 day event and you can see it in the wonderful displays of Pumpkins and flowers and classic cars to name but a few highlights. Food and music too. Don't miss it.

Munchkins

 "Munchkin Trio" 6x6 

A friend of mine asked me if I painted donuts and of 
course I do. I've been dying to jump into the donut wars between Kelley MacDonald and Susan Roden so I ran out and bought these Munchkins to go with my hoarded DD coffee cup. The lettering gave me fits but the whole thing was great fun to paint!  When I came home last night one munchkin was missing from the setup.  Did one of the girls eat it? I couldn't find any evidence :? Click on the buy link below the painting to purchase.

Fire Light

"Firelight"  $125 plus $10 S&H

I've been wanting to do a nocturne (night painting) but procrastinated in my usual fashion until this month's GJWP challenge which was FIRE. I knew I wanted to paint this scene of Joanie reading by the fire from our trip to Parrsboro a few years ago. The half moon was hanging over the Bay of Fundy and the pink of the setting sun was upon the horizon. That was a memorable trip. Click on the buy link beneath the painting to purchase.

Retro Beach Cottage

 

SOLD

This looks like it's on some Caribbean Island but it's right here in my neighborhood. A little flat roofed cottage that retains its 'back in the day' flavor sitting amongst the houses along the beach. The neighborhood is all makeovers and new houses created over the footprints of old beach cottages but the word is that there'll be no such thing happening to this place. The owner likes it just the way it is.  I zoomed in on this using the diagonals of the shadows to create a more interesting design.

Painting Safari and Blogging Workshop

My late afternoon painting from last Friday in the dunes. This weeks Painting Safari is going to take place again on Wednesday on the River side of the Rexhame Beach parking lot. I hike out about 400 paces to the edge of the river. Sounds like a lot but I travel light by setting up my palette before hand and using my tripod Coulter Easel. Class is $15 and we meet at 9:30 until 12:30. I will do a demo and give individual instruction. Email me for more info and directions.

Also, if you want to learn more about starting an art blog check out Kelley MacDonald's Blogging workshop on Thursday evening at North River Arts Society GAR Hall. 

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!

Step by Step Marsh and River Demo

Using my new viewfinder I lightly grid my canvas and sketch in the larger masses.

 It takes me three strokes in the sky to get the value correct. 
The sky and the water are the lightest values.

The light on the distant marsh is lighter than it seems

The grass is a middle value and I've lightened 
the far tree line to push it back

The final touches

The painting in grayscale

Thanks for all the emails about the Painting Safari!
Tomorrow looks like it will be clear so meet me in the Rexhame Beach parking lot at 9:30 for an out door demo and painting session.Fee is $15 per class and we will paint until 12:30.

Value Studies in the Dunes

 Prompted by the value challenge on DPW this week, I headed out into the dunes near my house to paint some landscape studies using my new Picture Perfect value viewfinder. This painting was done on Monday in the late afternoon. I didn't do a step by step demo on this one but I'll show you that on the next post. Altogether, I did three paintings out there this week at different times of day. I'm taking a page out of my friend Kelley's playbook and doing a Painting Safari class out in the dunes between Rexhame Beach parking lot and the South River. Email me for times and details.

Bear and Badger & Kelley's Show

  Bear and Badger are rescues from Curly Tail Pug Rescue whose Human was their foster dad until he was unable to resist their charms and adopted them. They sometimes stop and visit on their walk  down to the beach and I feed them unhealthy dog biscuits and take pictures of them. 

The painting is a donation to "A Spirited Affair" a fundraiser for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute  which takes place at the Cyclorama in Boston on Friday, September 16th. 

Coincidently, I was at TJ Maxx after dropping off the painting and a sweet woman shopping the racks with me mentioned unselfconsciously that she is a cancer patient and was rating the clothes for their softness or lack thereof. When you have cancer she said, things like heavy seams or scratchy tags (that we all hate) are unbearable on sensitive skin. She remarked that she was determined to keep her sense of humor while enduring the side effects of chemo. Her honesty and courage were touching and again, I realized that any problems I have in my life pale in comparison. Gratitude.

I must post this great photo of Kelley and me last night at her Opening at 'Nest', a little boutique on High Street in Dedham Square. Here we are in front of her fabulous paintings. It was wonderful!

Surfer Boy

 Surfer Boy
8x8 oil on panel

In New England you can't count on the weather (can you anywhere?) and these last two weekends were perfect beach days. I was lucky to have my little boys visiting both weekends for which I am so grateful because they're growing up way too fast. As I was walking down to the tide pools I saw this tiny little boy surfing. I complimented him on his surfing prowess and asked how old he was and he told me five and a half! I took enough shots to make sure there'd be a good one to paint from and then joined Ryan and Colin and my brother Tommy at the tide pools where we spotted lots of crabs and shrimp and snails. Perfect Day!

Classic Chevy

 Click to Bid

 This fabulous Chevy lives in my neighborhood near the beach. The Massachusetts plate is My 54 and the 'just for fun' plate on the front says Beach Bum. I love painting these beautiful cars from days gone by.

I'm feeling sad today about the misfortune of my dear friend and inspiration Carol Marine who lost her home in the Texas wildfires. We all have our pain and difficulties but things could (almost) always be worse. Today I will be grateful that my life is good and that I am not facing tragedy or misfortune. My heartfelt thoughts go out to those who are. 

Also, our sweet but very short summer is ending and I'm never ready for that.

Sittin' it Out

6x6 oil on board

Ok, so I left you hanging but not intentionally. The power came on Monday night while I was cooking dinner by battery powered lamp and feeling so great about scoring 6 bags of ice at a liquor store that had just opened about an hour before and still has some left. Yup, 6 unnecessary bags of ice but WHATEVER. We have electricity. We're so spoiled, really but those long dark nights are just nasty.

This little cow creamer is sitting down. Don't ask me why but I bought a sitting pig creamer and a sitting duck creamer. Don't tell Don ;)
Check out Girls Just Wanna Paint for the latest posts from the ladies.

Goodnight Irene



Black Eyed Susan 6x6 oil on board

I'll make this short and sweet. We have no power and although things could be much worse it might be a while before we are plugged in again. The storm for us, wasn't all that bad although we lost our favorite shade tree. No biggie. Sitting in a dark house at night is a drag. Reading by candlelight doesn't work for me because two curious cats are way intrigued by the flickering candles. This little painting was a one stroke at a time exercise that I did on Saturday.
I'll be back. Really.

Nantasket Beach Sunset

8x8 oil on Gator Board with Black Wood Frame 

 Last week I was invited to paint and dine with a gracious friend who has a seaside condo with a sunset view. SO BEAUTIFUL. Pam is an interior designer so you know her home is 'done up'. We arrived in time to have some wine and munchies and chat but soon set up to catch (and I do mean catch) the sun setting. I was only able to get in a few color notes before the show was over but I had photos and have finished it from those. I will take another crack at this in a larger format now that I've gotten the composition and some color harmony worked out because I think I could loosen it up just a bit. To the left is the main boulevard with the lights of passing cars and street lights. Pam served us some fabulous food and we had a great night laughing and talking all things art.

Classic Bug and Painting Classes

12x12 oil on Birch

 

I couldn't resist painting a much larger version of this classic Volkswagen with the Peace sign in the back window. Fabulous and really fun to paint! Some paintings seem to paint themselves.
I've also revamped my look here using Blogger's new template to add one of my favorite features, the blogroll with thumbnails. How can one resist those images? So tempting. It isn't complete yet so if you aren't on there it's because it has to be edited one blog at a time and I have a lot of links. Now you can add up to 10 pages on your blog so check out my Paintings for Sale and Sold Work pages. I also have a class planned for which I'm working out the details. Stay tuned......

Gallery Opening!

6x6 oil on board

I've been most fortunate to have been invited to join Homegrown Arts and Crafts a new gallery opening in Duxbury on St. George Street right across from Far Far's ice cream shop.

Lisa Mackin is the owner and an artist in her own right doing fabulous "baked" bead jewelry and intricate scratch board drawings. She has an eclectic mix of arts and crafts including jewelry, paintings, prints, photos, fabric, sculpture and glass. Lisa has the 'touch' as I call it for display and presentation. I think her fabulously decorated little shop will be a one stop gift destination when people begin to hear about it. May I say that the pricing is extremely affordable? I have some prints there as well as a selection of my small paintings such as this little 6x6 of 'The Gem' (again, a commission). Check out the opening this Sunday all day.

Pilgrim Monument History Lesson

 

   It has long been believed and stated in history books that the Pilgrims first landed in Plymouth Massachusetts, however history may have left out a stop in Provincetown.  Pilgrim Monument was built to commemorate the Pilgrim's landing in Provincetown and the signing of the Mayflower Compact there. The tower is impressive and can actually be seen from here in Marshfield on clear days. The distance as the crow flies being only 17 miles. Driving distance, 97 miles. Lots of other things getting in the way of my painting including a few wipers. I just realized that I never posted this one done a few weeks ago. Jackpot!