A bit of organization

I was inspired by this pin I found on Pinterest (bottom image) and it was brilliant!  I had an old dough board (I've had it for 25 years) in my attic.  At least I think it's a dough board.  I hesitated using it but thought it would finally be appreciated rather than tucked away unseen.  Love how it turned out.

Everything changes.......

My last post was in early March….the winter was showing no sign of letting up and I was looking forward to following the progression of Spring as each flower would come into bloom and I would take my camera and record the changing of the seasons.   My sentence began….”This is the month when everything changes…..”   What I didn’t know then is that by the end of the month my world would change forever.  On the 21st my husband passed away after a short illness. I’ve retreated into a quiet place while my heart attempts to heal.  I make attempts to paint because that is where my comfort zone is and having this place to record my artistic progress helps to bring me back to that familiar comforting place.  So gradually I will return….

A little of this and a little of that...

This is is, the month where everything changes.  I expect to see these by the end of this month.

I think I'm entering into a water-colour phase with this little piece.  Will be working on some lilacs next for a fabric I want to design.  

The sketch below is less about my accomplishing this than it is about the photographer (my daughter) and the sitter who models for her quite often.  Both lovely young women.  I just love the pensive mood.

Sketching Again

It's a grey day and I'm doing a little bit of everything trying to get a feel for ...something?  I thought if
I did some sketching I'd feel like I'd accomplished something worthwhile today.  Now I have the
desire to do more....which was the point.

Emilie at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts

Here is the final version just waiting to be varnished.  

Started this the week before Christmas and didn't get back to it until now.  My husband's favourite painting by Winslow Homer and my daughter.  Will post a proper photo as soon as I tweak the little things I'm seeing that will bug me if I don't!

Here's the link to the start of this painting.

Single Pear From Above

Single Pear From Above

6" X 6" x 1.5"

Oil on Wood Panel

The last of the four pear paintings from last week.   I've enjoyed this colour palette.  I may shoot some more set ups with this tablecloth and perhaps some blue bottles.  I will be putting them up on
Etsy tomorrow.
P.S.  I've just noticed that my page is loading a little crowded looking.  I'll look into that tomorrow.
I had been trying different page templates and in returning to my original, I may have disturbed a few
elements.

Pears and Pallettes

Blue and yellow is such a pleasant colour combination.  Perhaps that's why I felt compelled to do four of these in a row.  I was thoroughly enjoying painting the yellow pears.  I so often put my palette aside when I finish painting but sometimes I notice how wonderful the paint looks just as it is.

Three Pears on Linen

6" x 6" x 1.5"

Oil on wood panel

$80.00

This is one of those paintings that is deceptive.  It's the third one I've done of this pear series so I felt confident going into it.  But...the lighting was subdued and therefore it surprised me how dark the "white" of the linen had to be painted.  I knew if I kept going, it would work out and it did.  I knew the pears would really come forward against the sombre background and it did.  I can still see a tiny bit of tweaking to do but otherwise I'm happy with it.

I also generally avoid wiping out portions of a painting but I did this time.  I had to wipe out two of the three pears because I used a brush that was too small for the area.  I had forgotten one of my
intentions was to simplify and work more loosely and that means working with a larger brush and
choosing my strokes carefully rather than fussing.  So that necessitated wiping out.  And I'm glad I did.  The switch to the larger brush kept the pears more interesting than they started out.   I will
remind myself to not hesitate wiping out and re-working.

As always, comments, critiques and constructive criticism is always welcome.

The best place to be....

To the left of my table and easel is our old trusty Vermont Castings wood stove.  It kept us going in the great ice storm of '96.  And with nasty weather in the forecast today (just the usual winter weather stuff) Laycie and Louie know where to be.

Three Pears in a Teal bowl

I noticed my paintings had become a little fussy again.  Not that it was wrong but my intention has been to simplify and make brushstrokes more interesting.  So I think this is more like it.  Comments and critiques are always welcome.

Next Up...

I had a few good photos of this particular session and decided to make a little series of them.  This one on the easel still needs some tweaking but I'm almost there.

First Painting of 2014

and it feels good to be painting again.  I've already almost finished the second one and it will be a somewhat snowy Saturday afternoon so I will complete a third this weekend.  I will post better photos when I take photos in the light of day.

Slow Start to a New Year

...but that's okay.  I'm absorbing thoughts and ideas.  I am trying to be more selective about what to spend my time on.  Unofficially (because I don't make New Year's resolutions) I made a mental note to do more portrait and figurative work this year.  So quick sketches such as the one posted here is something I will try to make more time for.  I may even work on my journals and sketchbooks more this year....

A New Year

A slow start to a new year but I'm just re-charging.  January for me (as it is with most people I would think) is a time to re-assess and prioritize.  I never make resolutions but I do make lists of what I'd like to accomplish.  I like having that list to confirm where my energy was spent in the previous year.

I know that this year, I'd like to do more figurative work, some portraits, learn the ins and outs of collagraphs and work larger.  Having said that I love the small formats too and will not be ignoring that.  But after playing around in photoshop to drop my small format paintings into this blank wall photo, it does get me fired up to do something large again just for the drama.

Here is wishing everyone who visits a happy, safe New Year.

Painting Local Scenery

A few years ago I thought I'd try my hand at painting in water-colour some buildings in and around

my hometown.  This building housed a wonderful clothing shop for many years.  Before that it was a hardware/antique store.  And now there is a boutique of handcrafted items that helps to fund a charitable organization that builds homes, wells and provides educational material for villages in Peru as well as providing an outlet for local artisans.  On the second floor is a furniture and antique boutique and a caterer/café on the main floor.  I love this village that I live in!

A Funny Thing Happened....

This is the beginning of a  9" x 12" oil painting of our daughter Emilie looking at a painting of
Winslow Homer's "The Fog Warning" at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. We lingered in front of that one because it resonated with my husband (retired airline captain) as it represented the many times he had to calculate safe approaches into unfamiliar airports with heavy weather approaching.  We left the museum with our purchase of that poster.  It was left in various corners and closets waiting to be framed until I decided this would be a good Christmas present.  Then I remembered the photo I took of Emilie and thus began the theme for this year's gifts.  Now retired my husband had mentioned on more than one occasion the desire to try fly fishing.  The fishing rod became his main gift supported by the framed poster and my rendition of that day at the museum.  It's always fun when that happens.  So this week, I will continue and hopefully finish the year with this painting. (I had to wrap it in this half finished state!)

Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays and especially Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays or better yet...

Merry Christmas!

However you want to say it, that is what I wish for you!

Deck the Halls....

Well I thought I'd challenge myself to painting something other than silver that was highly reflective.

Not as challenging as I thought.  It was the colour red that proved to be the challenge, especially since it takes longer to dry.  And this was supposed to be a "daily small format" that actually needed 3 days to complete.   Since the pigments tend to be somewhat transparent, it can be difficult to get the range of values figured out.  But sometimes overthinking it is the real problem.  

This year's ornaments are out and I will set up some more subject matter like this.

A Little Christmas Show

An exhibition of paintings this weekend!  I love seeing them all together.  

I can't believe it's December 1st tomorrow!  But after the buildup towards Christmas is the

cocooning of winter which means time for books and more painting which is a good thing to

look forward to.

Silver & Gold Part II

18" x 24"

Oil and Acrylic

Collage on wood panel

Another one in the series of traditional subject on a fragmented field.  My previous post showed another format of this (8" x 24") and I think I like the outcome enough to pick it up again and

expand on it.  The painting from that post (Silver & Gold will be in the Small Format show at

Galerie Viva Vida for the month of December).... : > )