Happy New Year

I added the highlights to finish this bell. Watch for more ribbon paintings. Happy New Year everyone.

Jingle Bells and Red Ribbon

Here's another version of this bell and ribbon. I'll go back and add some highlights later. Time for a break. This is a good subject as the ribbon is just a series of angles, darks and highlights. Strangely, I am not afraid of reflective subjects and even find them easier to paint than, say, trees.

Jingle Bells

You know the expression K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) I find it hard to do. It may not be in my nature? Anyway, this not so simple set up is what I've been working with for the past week::::repeating to myself:::::keepitsimplekeepitsimple:: Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year too.

My Website Cache

Just to let everyone know. It turns out that the marysheehanwinn.com site which disappeared this past summer is cached and comes up when the Google search query is Mary Sheehan Winn fine art. And.. usually I don't post non painting related material on this site but I've been in New Hampshire for the weekend visiting with my two little nephews, thus, no painting but a whole bunch of fun. Colin is all silly smiles and Ryan has his man of mystery air in this photo.

Fall Birch Tree 8x10

I began this landscape several weeks ago when the leaves were still quite colorful and this birch tree was sporting its yellow green Fall foliage. The tree on the left is calling out for more work. Can anyone weigh in with a critique?

Playboy Lighter

I love these parasols. They're the perfect compliment to the 'party' mood this lighter conjures up. A Chinese New Year party at the 'Mansion' maybe? This was painted in ambient light thus no strong shadows. It needs final highlights on the lighter and more color in the parasol and a touch of dark to make the parasol 'sit' down. Some of my blog paintings are featured in Holiday Small Works at Oceanside 17 Studio and Gallery in Hull which is a sweet little space just next to Saporito's restaurant on Rockland Circle. Franny Andahazy is the artist/gallery owner who also throws parties as a business. Stop by and visit her and check out the work of a number of the South Shore's finest painters. Thanks for the visits and the comments. I really enjoy reading them and again, it's more fun to paint if people are looking.

Parasol Trio 5X5

Abandoned Blog? Not really, but I have realized that I'm not up to a painting a day. Other things take over and must be dealt with. I'm amazed by the painters who can bang out one great painting after another. Check out some of the links to the right. Edward B. Gordon from Germany is one of them. Beautiful work! Open Studios is finally behind me and I think it was quite successful. Many familiar faces found us at our new locations and many friends trucked up the 4 flights of stairs to bless my new studio with their good vibes. I appreciate it more than you can know. I finally changed the background on this painting and this is the finish.

Parasol Painting Update

Every once in a while I hit the send button by mistake and all my readers get a blank or incomplete post. Oops! What I meant to say was that after working on this painting to darken the values, I think I over did the dark orangy background and will have to rework it. Not today though. I'm in the final preparations for Open Studios which is this coming weekend. The photo with the set up is the before, where the darks aren't dark enough. The second shot looks pretty good under the light BUT in natural light the contrast between the blue umbrella and the background is lost. Another lesson. By the way, I invite critique and suggestion from all of you.

Parasols

This painting was started yesterday at Rockland Middle School's Artist in Residence day which is put on by a volunteer parent committee. We set up in the lobby and did our thing, chatting with the kids as they changed class and had a few moments to watch and ask questions. I set up my still life again today to work on the painting and I finally got the contrast I was looking for. In order to get the highlights you have to 'see' everything darker than it actually is. I'll photograph the painting in daylight tomorrow.

Cordage Park in Fall 5x7

Yesterday was another glorious fall day despite the hurricane winds we took over the weekend. The trees are still colorful and not all have turned. It's very late for that phenomenon to be happening in this region. Yesterday, I painted this little study at Gray's Beach in Kingston. Sitting in the car, of course, with my little 6x8 pochade box. When I got home I opened up Emile Gruppe's books to check out his pointers on landscapes. Gruppe , a Cape Ann artist was a student of John Carlson who wrote Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting, (arguably) the definitive book on the subject. Both of these guys were masters in their own right. Check them out. I'm after more polish in my paintings, loose control as it were. Doing these little studies is a good way to improve. Not to mention the enjoyment factor.

Cemetery Maple 6x8

Has anyone ever noticed that the most beautiful trees are in cemeteries? I did this little block in from my car before the hurricane winds took all the leaves. I am in the midst of trying to get ready for Open Studios and since I just moved in and the lights still have to be hung, and everything is packed. It's quite daunting.

Yellow Mug 6X6

This was painted in the ambient light of the room. No direct lighting. I love this mug and will paint it again soon.

Feeling Crabby Today 4x4

Feeling a little crabby lately? I am. My computer is hanging up in Outlook Express and I've already wasted an hour trying to post this painting. Drive me crazy! A few weeks ago, my grandson Andrue and I hunted Duxbury beach for horseshoe crabs and came home with this teeny one. I just love the shapes of these and the fact that they're prehistoric. I did a quick sketch last night while watching the Red Sox win the World Series, AGAIN! Wow! Check out Not Really A Cleaning Lady if you want to take a look at a painting in progress.

Fort Revere, Hull Massachusetts

I've been conspicuously absent these past several weeks first vacationing in Mexico and then coming home to various chores and duties that have kept me from my paints. Procrastination even. Yesterday I put the finish on this painting started on site at Fort Revere in Hull, about 3 weeks ago. I like architecture but this thing drove me crazy with all it's planes and values and temperature changes. I am a harsh critic of my own work and can see room for improvement here, but overall I feel I captured the feeling of the day which was freezing for September. I also started a panorama of the Lighthouses and the Boston Harbor Islands which is marinating in my studio while I ponder on where to take it, without losing the initial flow of the 'start'. How about those Red Sox ;)

Blogless in Mexico

I've been in Cancun for a week now and haven't been able to upload any photos. No matter. I haven't painted much anyway, but we have spent some time on the beach and also toured an archealogical ruin at Coba. More about that later when I CAN upload photos. It has rained alot, although I don't really mind. The sun is so strong here that it's good to have some rain and some overcast. I doubt that anyone here would agree with me but it works for me. Last night I sat on my veranda overlooking the pool and watched the Monsoon like rain pound down with some occasional flashes of lightening and rolls of thunder. Really cool. I'll post some photos when I get home . Adios amigos :D

Edward Hopper's House

SOLD

I stayed up 'til all hours finishing this painting. What a glorious day we had painting in the dunes of Truro.

Three Amigos

The most beautiful day was had painting in the dunes of Truro, with the Three Amigas.

Boston Light and Graves Light 8X16

Yesterday began with a Birthday Breakfast for one of 'the girls', a congenial group of women artists who meet in honor of the Birthday Woman at a breakfast and afterward, anyone who can join in goes out painting for a few hours. I was lucky to be able to spend the day painting high on the grounds of Fort Revere, in Hull where an incredible view of the Boston Harbor Islands, Boston Light and Graves Light and in the way distance, the North Shore coastal towns of Salem, Beverly, and Gloucester. This is yesterday's rough painting.

Rexhame Beach Dunes Study 7X9

SOLD

I consider this more of a study than a finished work. Using the limited palette gives it nice color harmony.

Beach Day

I sat in the dunes at the beach today and painted this. I need to refine the shapes and the angle of the waves hitting the shore and finalize this. I used a limited palette of Ultramarine, Rose Madder (Grumbacher) and a lemon yellow. I had a hard time getting sand color but I think I managed. Heavy surf today. I hate to say it but winter was in the air :(