"Both Sides Now", 6x6 Inch Oil Painting of Clouds

NFS

This is my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge Painting: Theme:  July.

Remember as a kid - lazy summer days laying in the cool grass staring up at the sky ... looking at the shapes?  My best July memories.

I've spent a week totally off the grid - painting with 4 other painters in Maine.  It's been a tradition I've been happy to join (my 3rd year) - going back decades to other women who painted with fervor in Maine together Summers during their lives, but have now passed on.  We are immersed in art.  We talk late into the night about our joys and struggles with the artistic life as well as our technical progress.  Our mediums of choice, today, and yesterday... and tomorrow.  We compare easels, paint colors, methods.  We talk about inspirations from the past.  We take a day to visit the Farnsworth Museum, and see the Wyeths as well as their new show (Frank Benson - swoon!).  We visit a gallery and pretend we want to buy a rather famous artist's work so they will drag out a few more....

We eat sumptuous dinners with mind-blowing desserts.  We imbibe (wine and Cosmos were this years picks).  We read.  Talk about our dreams.  Our wonderful spouses and children.  Share recipes.  And paint, paint, paint.  Fabulous!

And every day we paint.  Inside, outside, every which way!

And for some far away fun, check THIS out... and scroll down to see Ray Rempel in an "I Love Kelley's Jellies" T-Shirt, painting plain air!  Go Ray!  Kim, your Dad is great!

TheMaineThing

I am away for the week, and cannot figure out how to post from my iPad! Sometime this week I hope to regale you with paintings from the coast of Maine! I'm with a band of convivial and inspiring artists and I am happy to report that my 'Perfect Cosmo' quest has yielded the desired results. I have photos.......

Cloud Dance, 5x7 Inches, Oil

SOLD

First day of Summer really made it's voice heard!  It sizzled here in Rhode Island, but I, luckily, spent the entire day in the sweet air conditioning (I am trying to look on the bright side here) of the Toyota dealership.  Half the day for routine maintenance and readying for a long car trip, and the other half for a freak malfunction of my audio system (hello - I'm music and GPS-less!).  At the end of the day my part could not be located (yet) and I will be entertaining myself with song, and reading maps (like in the 'old' days)!!!

BUT I kind of needed that calm before the storm:  tonight is Art Stable Gallery's Grand Summer Opening.  We have arranged for theatrical skies and sweet cocktails, fine wine and fabulous art for your enjoyment.  So many other good things going on tonight, I'm not sure of the crowd, but it will be magical nonetheless.

This painting is a view I see often from my front porch, of Aquidneck Island and the Sakonnet River.  The color is enhanced in my painting, but honestly not by much!.  I'm saying I'm celebrating the color.

These Boots Are Made For ... Running! 4x4 Inches, Oil

$65 & $10 S&H

I saw these boots in Santa Fe about 4 years ago.  I don't know why I hesitated, and then left without them (probably the sticker shock).  But I when I saw them something inside me went "YEAAAAAH!"  And when that happens, I have learned to go with it.  So this Fall I am headed out to Santa Fe again, and if I see them.... they will be mine!  If you encounter something that speaks to you (a pair of boots, a cream colored kitten, a piece of pottery...) you should grab it and run.

I have a pair of boots (blue.. from Arizona) and they, honestly, are among the most comfortable shoes I own.  And when you wear them, you get a little lilt in your step.  Definitely worth it.  I think every woman should own what I call 'running boots' (as opposed to 'flying' boots, I guess, 'cause that's how they make you feel!).

On another note, I'm having high anxiety that my Opening Friday night will be devoid of friendly faces that I know!  OH!  When does THIS fear end?  Seriously, there will be fabulous Blackberry Lemonade Cocktails, fabulous food, and very interesting art to look at.  I'm in with a good group....

I Just Met A Girl Named Maria!, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

Friends, meet Maria Bennet Hock.  Though she looks like a stern person here, it's just her mugshot persona.  She is just lovely inside and out, and we became friends at Karin Jurick's workshop in Hilton Head.  She is the brains AND the brawn behind the Hilton Head Gang Mugshots.  She's widely travelled, compassionate, smart and just plain funny!  I think I won't bore you with the rest of the mug shots - I'll show you the collage of them when I get THAT finished.

Very excited at selling my big painting of 3 Little Graces at my new gallery, the Art Stable Gallery - which, BTW is having our big Opening this very Friday evening, from 6-8:30 at 865 Main Road, Westport, MASSACHUSETTS.  (Caps for all the folks who asked me how many hours I have to drive to CT.... Westport MA is the next town over from Tiverton!)  Anyway it is going to be a TIME.

Cute Stuff, HHI Mug Shot, 4x4 Inches, Oil

This is my friend Sheryl, trying to look tough.  Yeah, she can't.  She's a softie.  And a wonderful artist, as are all my Hilton Head Gang friends.  I can't believe I haven't even known them a year.  Being in a workshop sometimes makes friendships 'ripen' faster.  I've met some of the best friends at workshops.

Anyway, she is - if you can believe it - a grandmother!  Stylish, talented and sweet... and with a red-headed sense of fun!  I have a few more to publish, but I'll space them out.  If you would like to see how we ALL painted each other - and this is a hoot - click HERE.  Just run your cursor over the images, and they'll all pop up.  

Dribble, 6x6 Inches, Oil

SOLD

I confess I've been missing my donut paintings!  For a while there I was a bit 'over' them... now I want to do them now and again!  

I stopped into not one, not two, but THREE Dunkin Donuts shops before I found 'good looking' jelly donuts.  And at that I had to ASK for 'not-weepy' jellies.  With the warm days the donuts don't cool down very quickly, and they stick them into stacks, where the sugar coating melts.  NOT appetizing.  However, the wonderful woman at the donut shop offered to re-coat them with sugar.  Made all the difference in the world.  How great is that dribbly jelly?  This piece will be nicely framed in a (famous) randy Higbee Frame, and will be offered in my new Art Stable Gallery.  Let's see how people in the area like donuts!

Dawn, Armed and Dangerous!, 4x4 Inches, Oil

nfs

I'm trying to finish up as many of the mug shots of the Hilton Head Gang as I can - as we have a  special surprise we're putting together.  Now, this was Dawn, and she was about the sweetest person there - but when it was her turn to pose for her mugshot she sure got an authentic 'criminal' look about her, don't you think?

I tried using (for the most part, I needed to add some umber & ultramarine for the shadow areas) a skin 'cocktail' from David Shevlino - whose work I love.  He uses Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Orange and White.  I'd never used that mix but it worked for the most part.  Now that I'm looking I see I did add a bit of Cad Red Light to her cheek area.

I've been absent for a few days, because my husband and I have spent a few days on Cape Cod - more anniversary celebration!  We never have real 'work free' days for either one of us, but I tried to limit his phone calls by ducking into a store every time he got one, and had stuff waiting at the register when he came to find me ;).... Other than that it was galleries, galleries, galleries, although, the 'season' hasn't started yet on the Cape, so they weren't all open yet.  VERY inspirational though, 

Brushes With Greatness (In Hopes), 6x6 Inches, Oil

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This month, the Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge was "Tools Of The Trade".  I worried that everyone would think like me and paint brushes - not so!  It's an exciting month, and includes our two new members - so check it out HERE!  Of course you know how thrilled we'd be if you subscribed to that blog, or commented on it, or became a 'Follower'!  It's all good!

I tried to stay loose with this - I've painted my brushes before, and I'll tell you - it's hard to let those paintings go!  I will probably put this up for sale after our meeting this coming Friday - I like to hold them out so we can all see them in person.

I'm taking the smallest little breaks from painting - my anniversary (35th!) is this month, and we are treating ourselves to a couple of nights away, and our KIDS (this is still amazing me) gave us a couple of nights on Nantucket last week.  For real!  How fabulous is that?  Be well, all... I'll post 'em as I paint 'em!