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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Field Of My Dreams, 5x7 Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald


A friend of mine posted this lovely image as a photograph on FaceBook.  When I saw it I knew I had to paint it!  Even though I always think I don't want to walk Paco at night, as soon as I get out there, (if it's not below 20 degrees & windy) I feel like I'm floating.  Paco likes to walk up a steep hill near my house and I feel like I am IN the stars, so close to the moon.  It helps that at the top of the hill the street light is iffy - and it is very very dark, and velvety navy sky seems all around us.  

I thought about going back into this and refining the grasses, and maybe I will.

So was I thrilled to get to pick the topic for Girls Just Wanna Paint this month?  You bet - I already knew the painting I wanted to do!  So I picked "Nocturne" as a topic, and HERE is a link to our responses.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Tuxedo Bunny, 5x7 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Isn't he adorable?  It's a companion piece to Honey Bunny, for that special little girl.  I have to say I love, love, love painting eyes, and glass.  :) 

I'm also thinking of changing the background on Honey Bunny to this color - too 'matchy-matchy'?  What do you think?

So much is going on - lots of deadlines.  I'm happy with them, though.  I'm enjoying my commissions, too, and only have a couple more.  Spring is the beginning of Plein Air painting, too.  And I'm thinking of putting together a Painting Safari Class - where we meet at a different location every week, with a demo, instruction and a critique if desired.  Anyone interested?  Let me know.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Chillin', 6x12 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley Macdonald

I've been struggling for a few days.  Many, many, wipe-offs.  Then I thought I'd start this painting from an image I really liked, and it literally 'fell off the brush'.  I really, really like it.  I'm conflicted as to what to do with it, as I painted it for a gallery… but I would also like to paint it larger.  Much larger.  And just putting it on Facebook has brought inquiries (and 107 'likes') literally within minutes of posting it.

So… my very wise husband says when you don't know what to do, doing nothing will reveal what you SHOULD do.  So, tonight I"m posting this just to show you I haven't been slacking off… and I'll decide what to do with it soon!

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Honey Bunny, 5x7 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald

Who doesn't love bunnies?  I hope a special little lady loves this one!  I enjoyed painting it so much I think I'll do more - The markings on this bunny are hysterical!  When you have an artist in the family, it's pretty predictable what the gift will be, no matter the occasion! 
Someone said the ears reminded them of Sister Bertril - remember her?  Showing my age…..

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Ready For The Close Up, 7x5 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD

This is where the jelly girls are ready for their close up! I love painting the drippy jelly - with all the layers of juiciness.  All the levels of highlights.  Did I tell you that in my last set up, my cat and dog got together and knocked over and ate my donuts?  Not only people like donuts!  Another thing I like about painting donuts, particularly jelly donuts, is that they are all different.  A puff of dough may come out very rounded, or get squashed, and the jelly sometimes spurts, and sometimes drools out.

Annnnd…. I will warn you… you might not like my unfortunate selfie.  It was a fabulous afternoon with friends at the Boston Museum of Fine Art.  We could have thought more about where we were standing….




Tuesday, April 22, 2014

You Are The Only One, 6x6 Inch Acrylic Painting by Kelley MacDonald


Nothing says 'Spring' like flowers!  I find it very hopeful to see yellow and blue bursts in the gardens and sides of the road.  In the language of flowers, Daffodils (even the mini's) means a few things - one of them being "You're The Only One".  Hyacinths - and these are Grape Hyacinths (blue) means "Constancy".  So I think they go well together, as a message as well as visually!  I love love loved painting the green glass mini bottle, too.  Picked it up at Brimfield, and it's a treasure.

I've been working at my 'other' job a lot lately, and that's a good thing because I like to eat, and turn lights on in my house!!!  :D BUT I did take a day out for fun, and met a couple of friends, and went to the Museum of Fine Art in Boston.  We took a rather unfortunate 'selfie', which I can post tomorrow if you want to see it.  Let me know.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Finalists, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

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Oh, YUM!  Soft, pillowy, sugary sweetness, one on top of the others.  It's like they're the 3 finalists for the Miss Donut Beauty Contest.  It's a real art, you know, coaxing just a dribble of that jelly out.  My family thinks I'm dotty because I first suspend them opening-down to get the jelly to pool in front… then I gently squeeze till just one ruby droplet peeks out - ahhhhhh…. perfect.  Lights… Paints… ACTION!

Friday, April 11, 2014

Raphael, 8x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald

This is archangel #2 for a collector who wants 4 archangels  - one for every corner in a very special spa room.  Now she has Ariel, and this one, Raphael.  Two more to come.

I went to Joreen Benbenek's opening at the Pratt Library in Cohasset tonight - fabulous work.  A lot of her paintings were from our Maine trips, although she had wonderful huge paintings of Marshfield landscapes - and a gorgeous Hummarock Beach painting.  It's really a great show, she's very talented and prolific!

It's going to be a jelly donut weekend for me… heh heh heh… so guess what I'll be posting next week! I have a friend running in the Boston Marathon Monday, so I'll hopefully get to see her at the finish line - no painting Monday! 

Anyway - 'hi' to Kathy, who I met in person tonight…. someone who 'gets' the angels… and the donuts!  Great to meet you in person, thanks for the comments on my blog!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Patchwork Fields, 6x6 Inch Oil Painting by Kelley MacDonald


Things are starting to green up…. we are barely out of winter, but lots of budding going on - HOORAY!  There are farms around here, and I love the patchwork look of the fields as they get ready to dress for 'the season'.  Soon there'll be corn, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, hay… all kinds of things.  And I don't know about you, but I. Am. Ready.

I did my first plein air piece today at the beach.  It was a total failure, but it didn't matter because I WAS OUTDOORS!  I've spoken to folks who say this winter didn't seem so bad to THEM.  Oy.  They are welcome to my world, where I spent half the winter shoveling and re-shoveling paths for the dog.  Or whole evenings trying to convince him that there is NO grass available, as he gets more anxious as our evening walks progress.  Days where it was so cold IN THE HOUSE that I couldn't paint.  Just crawled under blankets with the dog and cats.  Yes.  Now we will have heat and ticks and mosquitos…. but I'm feeling grateful for this gentle warm up.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Angel Of Healing Love, 5x7 inch Mixed Media Painting by Kelley MacDonald

SOLD
I know there are some hearts out there that are hurting, and when I was painting this angel I thought two things: 
1) She looks like she's strewing love, a healing love, as she swings by, and 
2) I can make this even better for someone by absorbing the shipping cost.  So… my contribution to a healing heart.

In the photograph the weave of the canvas looks so prominent.  In person, it is less so.
I love her little purple and blue flowers in her hair, too. :D  Have a lovely weekend!
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