Drive By #9 Yellow Truck

"Drive By #9 Yellow Truck"

6x6 oil on gesso board 

I took an extra day to recover from the big drive, but here's the first make up in my 30 Paintings in 30 Days painting challenge organized by Leslie Saeta. This cool overpass is at the beginning of a decent into the Newark, New Jersey area. The yellow truck was the big score in this photo from a previous trip. This time it was foggy.

Naples

I am itching to make up the Drive By paintings which have been on my mind for this entire drive by. I did snap 424 photos along the way, like I'd never seen any of it before, but, it's about the light and the light is always different.
We had a great trip, except for 12 hours a day in the car with each other ;) and two cats who were intermittently vocal, and the ultimate 'Pet friendly" DIVE (think cooties) of a room last night. Just kidding. You have to have a sense of humor to be doing this, and we do. 
We toasted our 10th season here in Naples as though we had never been here before and it was a new adventure, which, it kind of is.
I am setting up the studio tomorrow and will be ON these paintings, which as I've painted them have spoken to me in that way that makes me want to paint many more views of life on the road......so stay tuned...
Thank you all for following my 30 Paintings in 30 Days  journey, it keeps me going ;) ;)

Drive By #8 Road Signs

Drive By #8 Road Signs

5x5 oil on panel

The real Drive by begins early tomorrow morning. Car is packed. We are pooped and I will probably be doing some make ups with my 30 in 30. We'll see. Thanks for all the great comments. I know you all love a road trip!
* photo taken in lamp light and is not the best.

Drive By #7 The On Ramp

Drive By #7 'The On Ramp"

5x5 oil on panel

The 30 paintings in 30 days challenge is working pretty well considering I'm about to embark on the annual Drive By, haven't packed a thing, or cleaned the house, have to work today, etc. etc.. 

The point of this is to act and when I finish one I choose the next one and block it in. Decisive and committed. Wow, who knew?

Drive By #6

"Drive By #6 Mystic River Bridge"

5x5 oil on panel

There was no traffic on the Mystic River Bridge that day. Really.
See the 30 Paintings in 30 Days painting challenge at Leslie Saeta's blog.

Drive By #5 In the Bronx

Drive By #5 

5x5 oil on panel

I don't know if this was really in the Bronx but I like the sound of that word. Bronx. So let's say it was.

This is #5 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days. 

Drive By #4

Drive By #4 5x5 oil on panel

* I am currently unable to create PayPal buttons. All of my available paintings are in my DPW gallery

Somewhere along the Jersey 'Pike heading North. You know I love industrial scenes and there are plenty of them along there. Railroad tracks and bridges. Again, I had to invent color because the photo is quite monochromatic and I removed some phone poles that were in the foreground after deciding that they added nothing to the composition.
Check out 30 Paintings in 30 Days to see the rest of the work. 

Drive By #3 Late December Light

"Late December" 4x4 oil on panel
SOLD

I painted this view, looking up my street, in watercolor once before and from that study, I did this, for day 3 of the 30 in 30 challenge. Problem is, I couldn't paint yesterday because I was working, so this is going up on day 4.  Leslie has it worked out so that we can add our paintings to the previous days posts within an allotted timeline. BUT, it has to already be posted to the blog, or it can't be uploaded. So I'm posting it and uploading it and getting right onto days 4 & 5 :D

Are you confused yet?  

Oh, what I love about the late winter is the fiery afternoon light.

Drive by #2 New Jersey Turnpike

"Jersey 'Pike" 6x6 oil on panel

Somewhere in New Jersey, I snapped a drive by of this power plant. It was not as easy to paint as I envisioned when I took the photo. I'm shooting through the car window which creates a distortion in color, thus I have to invent. I really love the look of backlit industrial smoke and this is my first painting of the many photos I've taken of the subject. This survived the wipe off stage, barely. Be sure to go over to Slices of Life to see today's paintings for the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge.

Drive By #1 On the Road

"On the Road" 6x6 oil on panel

This painting is part of my 30 in 30 challenge. I've always been a road girl and as many of you know, my hubby and I are about to pack up the cats and embark on our annual trip to Naples, Florida. These overpasses near DC were inspired by Karin Jurick's from Georgia to NYC and back series.
All of the paintings are for sale and you can find them in my DPW gallery the day after they post here. 
*  for some reason my PayPal button isn't working so please use email instead. I will figure it out ;)

Painting Out 2012

Inspired by Matisse 6x6 

Another year goes over the cliff....Oh, wait, I'm listening to too much radio if I'm talking that way ;)  

I deem 2012 the year of the over used cliche.

Anyway, I have had the busiest December ever, including a second trip to Maine, this time to see the Winslow Homer exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art. In case you've never been, it's a first class Museum and very easy to get around. 

It snowed that weekend and my pal Sally Dean and I had a ball, slippin' and slidin' on the sidewalks of the city.

Be sure to visit Girls Just Wanna Paint tomorrow to see our Matisse inspired works. Here's a sneak peek of mine but I must say that the girls outdid themselves with this one!!! 

I also signed up to do Leslie Saeta's 30 Paintings in 30 Days beginning...well, pretty much, right now.

The View from the Irish Pub overlooking the Portland Ferry docks.

Happy New Year all and thanks for all your love and support. It's much appreciated!

The Farnsworth Museum, Rockland Maine

I took a ride to Rockland, Maine to see the Frank Benson exhibit at the Farnsworth Museum which is also the home of the art of the Wyeth's. 

When I think of Benson, I think of women in white dresses painted against the backdrop of the Island meadows of Maine. These famous works are luminous in carved and gilded frames that I so wanted to photograph, but it's not allowed. 

The real surprise was that Benson was painter and printmaker of shore birds of all kinds. Eagles, ducks, gulls. Having recently painted gulls, with plans to expound upon the bird theme, I was treated, in a short film, to a lesson of him etching plates of copper and limestone and pulling prints. His composition is impeccable.

There is also a Jamie Wyeth and Rockwell Kent show of paintings of Monhegan Island. Jamie's birds carry meanings that are metaphorically representational of human foibles such as the seven deadly sins. Kent's paintings are strong land and seascapes of the island on which he lived and worked.

The Museum itself is a gift from the Farnsworth family through daughter Lucy and is delightful.

I was there for almost 4 hours and it was exhilarating!

Bird's Eye View

"Bird's Eye View" 6x6 oil on panel

I like to drive out over the beach road between Marshfield and Duxbury and paint or take photos. Part ocean beach, part tidal marsh, there's always lots of action there and the view includes Powder Point Bridge and the Myles Standish Monument as well as distant views of Plymouth. 
For this little painting I combined the birds from different photos flying toward the distant marsh. 
It also sparked an idea which I'd had (and then it eluded me) for a 24x24 canvas that is toned and has been waiting in the studio. I had hit upon an idea and didn't really ruminate on it long enough to 'set' it and it evaporated, but when I began painting this, I remembered that it was about birds. I made a solid start and just need to bring it to completion. So....stay tuned.

Paint Like VanGogh

Pictou Hay Bales 
6x6 oil on panel
click to buy

I chose this month's Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge which is Paint Like VanGogh. I used my photo and this is my result. I kinda like it and want to do another one.

Open Studios Weekend

Come visit from 12-5 tomorrow and Sunday. 

Over 70 artists and artisans in two buildings.

Stop into the Sandpaper Factory at 83 East Water Street in Rockland, MA. Enter through the left side door and you'll find me at the top of the stairs on the 4th floor!

Winter Woods Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser

Winter Woods 5x5
SOLD @ DPW Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser

I did this yesterday while the wind howled and the ocean roared. Another Nor'easter, making the lives of those ravaged by Sandy even worse. My heart goes out to these people. I had a similar experience during the Blizzard of 1978 when a huge storm wiped out the house I was living in (on a skinny barrier beach) and sent me into a bout with homelessness. Of course, I had places to stay, but no home and that is a lonely feeling. 
Carol and David Marine of Daily Paint Works are holding a fundraiser for the victims of the Hurricane and my painting has sold, so I'm going to put up another one. They are the most generous souls so go over and check out the paintings and help out.
Another fabulous art sale happening this weekend is at North River Arts Society. Their annual holiday sale draws crowds so get there early both days.
In true MSW fashion, I missed the deadline but will have all my small works priced right at my Open Studios NEXT weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 12-5.

A Walk in the Woods

4x5 study of snowy woods

Inspired by the jaw dropping, Aldro T. Hibbard show I viewed Monday at  Rockport Art Association, I did this is a little study on a scrap of luan, from a photo I took many moons ago for this purpose, trying to get the feeling of a winter day in the woods. I went farther with it but this image taken earlier in the process, is the better one. Concentrating on mixing color and applying it in shapes to suggest trees and a frozen stream, was the goal. I love the rich color nuances in this winter landscape and it was hard to know when to not add another color, no matter how harmonious.

I can only say that I was unable to tear myself away from this stunning show of 125 paintings, and spent two hours virtually alone, except for a few RAA artists who were visiting the show and served as 'companions' with whom I could discuss and exclaim over the beauty of the paintings. Totally soul satisfying and although the drive home was in rush hour, the sunset sky was indescribable and I listened to some great music!

If you wonder where I've been, sometimes I need to focus on what it is that I want to do in terms of my painting. It isn't always clear and the hamster wheel of marketing and selling does not come naturally. As always, I appreciate your comments and am thankful for your encouragement, and I love to paint for you.

Palette Knife Painting

Red Flowers 6x6
SOLD @DPW Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser

I have been paying more attention to leaf raking and perennial planting and purging of the extraneous clutter in our house than I have been to my painting and my blog. I did have a few studio sessions that yielded a couple of wipers but I have also addressed and mailed many Open Studios cards, so that's progress.
Open Studios is November 17th and 18th this year and I will have lots of little paintings for sale.
This palette knife painting is straight out of my head. It was fun mixing and slapping it on, late into the night while I watched a documentary about the Doors. That was a blast from my past! 

Chic

"Red"  (click to buy)

This month's Girls Just Wanna Paint challenge is 'Chic', a sort of celebration of one of our members who is, without question, a woman of style. 

Because I know that her favorite color is 'Poppy', which is the color of her living room walls, and that she has a red sports car and that she wears red lipstick, this little arrangement spoke her name to me. Tomorrow evening we will all meet at Pam's incredible oceanfront condo for a bite and a laugh and a glass of wine and maybe a fantastic sunset. Cheers, Pam!

Artists in Residence

Every Fall local artists are invited to participate in the Artists in Residence program run by the parents of the Furnace Brook Middle School here in Marshfield. Artists set up in the school lobby and demonstrate their skills and as the kids pass between classes they can stop for a visit.
Last year I tried out a color mixing exercise that let the kids be 'hands on' and they enjoyed it so much that I repeated it today.  
I was joined by Mary McSweeney (in the background) who was doing her beautiful charcoal drawings of dogs. 
A big thanks to the parents and teachers and the kids at FBMS for their enthusiastic warm welcome. Keep making art!