White Mums and Stripes

Still my favorite flowers. So much drama with white! I have been honored with bloggy awards by two of my fellow artist bloggers which I'll get to tomorrow. The blogosphere is a great place to be!

White Mums and Stripes 12x12 WIP

I bought this wonderful fabric at Building #19 for $2.00 a yard.  They even had some Waverly for $3.00 a yard. Such a deal! I'll be finishing this up tomorrow and starting the next one on my painting marathon. For those of you who got an empty post in your email with this title, I apologize. I hit something and off it went unfinished.

Three Green Apples 12x12

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I'm painting 12x12's for a show I'm having in November so I've filled the studio with flowers and produce and set up a corner with black out drapes on the windows where I can control the lighting. It's too cool! Much to do here ;{

Three Green Apples WIP

I'm posting all 4 stages of this painting which still needs a bit of work but this is the process. Since I took a workshop with the talented and dedicated Carol Marine I've been trying to use her lessons in my own work. Here, I block in with Burnt Umber to get my values and shapes and then begin to add color. Carol's beautiful compositions and color harmonies speak to me and I have many favorite props to incorporate into my own still lifes. I spoke with Carol about my self consciousness in emulating her work and she more or less said, 'Get over it.'  One way to improve your own paintings is to copy work that you love, be it the dead painters or contemporary ones. I say, if you're going to emulate someone's work, emulate the best. Don't sell it though.

The Huddle

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These garlic cloves remain perfectly preserved as studio props. Who says you can't take it with you?

Party Favor

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I was at the same party as Kelley the other night and this is my version of the sweet little party favor our hostess with the mostest, Sally Dean made for each of us. I added some lobelia and I must find my tube of Grumbacher Thalo Red Rose because, dang, I couldn't get that shade of purple-y blue. Next time.

Lone Mum

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 No time to prattle on about my absence of late. Suffice it to say, I'm back.

Edge of the Marsh #2

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This is my second painting from our wonderful day on the farm, done between 5 and 7 pm when the light is best. If you wonder why I didn't paint the actual animals or the buildings it's because I wanted to concentrate on a simple composition with atmospheric perspective. Besides, the animals move ;)

Edge of the Marsh

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I spent yesterday painting at Taylor Bray Farm in Yarmouth. This fabulous little farm is open to the public and has a collection of farm animals including goats, sheep, two of the sweetest little donkeys, chickens, and a couple of Scottish Highlander cows named Scotty and Fiona. I painted two views of this tree and had a great time with my friends. Kelley and I stayed late and had the thrill of seeing a red tailed hawk up close as he hunted for his supper.

In the Spotlight

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I love painting peppers and there are more where these came from. I have a whole basket of produce ready to go. Come back tomorrow and see who the new model is.

Storm Swarm

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Perhaps it has something to do with Hurricane Bill which is bringing us stormy seas and humid breezes, but my reference for this painting was nothing like what turned out here. I added the birds, placing them in my initial sketch so that they would show through the sky later on and keep their nice edges. The focus is on the light, momentarily breaking through a cloud striking the side of the lighthouse. The birds give it motion. I actually like it.

Wipe Out

I had so much paint left on my palette that I tried to get a little floral painting done. Not. Values are not right and it could be drawn better. So I wiped it, but, there's a lesson in each one. I like the highlights around the daisies and some of the tones in the flowers. Charles Sovek said "don't make anything too precious." He was right.

Onion Shadows

I was trying to for a tonal effect here, but the color found its way in anyway. Neutral seems to elude me. Next vegetable on the model stand..... come back and see.

Tomato Trio

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Finally, some local tomatoes! I made sure the lights were far enough away that they'd still be edible! Also, a few weeks ago my good friend and painting pal, Kelley MacDonald, gave me a Bella Award which I'm supposed to pass on. I started collecting links during my blog travels and have collected about TWENTY seriously good candidates. So. My first pick is http://www.susanabbott.blogspot.com/ Versatile in many media, she uses bold saturated color, harmoniously, creating space and mood in her paintings of scenery in her Vermont town.

It's About the Journey

 

 sold

Sometimes you have to remember that it's about the journey and the lessons you learn. This is the type of study that sells well in my Open Studio $35 bin. Email me if you are interested in this one.

Two Up

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I picked up this fabulous glass pot at the Duxbury Dump cast off pile. It's one of a pair. After a trip through the dishwasher, they were ready for prime time. This was not as easy as it looks. Yeah, right!

Don't Call me Yellow 6x6

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These cherry tomatoes were bright yellow until they spent so much time under the lights. I THOUGHT I was losing a bit of their yellow-ness and when I turned off the light, I saw that they had, indeed, turned orange.

Partridge Island

I really have been at the beach and working in the yard and revamping my 'home' studio. We are finally having some summer weather here, which is cause for celebration. My favorite place to go is the seawall about a mile from my house, where I can sit and watch the world go by and of course, my car is right there so if I need anything ...... This watercolor was done in Nova Scotia.

Wendell WC and Ink

Wendell was modeling Sunday evening (his main job) and while I was scribbling away with a non art pen on my nice watercolor block, I was thinking,"why am I wasting this nice paper with this bad pen?" But, yesterday, in a nothing to lose kind of way, I added some watercolor and Voila! I kinda like it. Perfect beach weather is keeping me from painting. It's a very small window ;) I included a close up of his eyelashes, which are adorable ;)

Mystic River Bridge WIP

This is a 12x12 I plan to include in my November Show at Tishman Speyer Properties. I don't always draw the image onto the board but for something as complicated as the bridge, I gridded my photo and my board. I will also use a print out of this stage to work out the trusses as they need a bit more work, but not TOO much. For now, I'm going to the beach at the end of my street because the SUN is out here!