Gurnet Lighthouse, Duxbury Beach, 8x8 Inches, Oil Painting

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This painting is of Gurnet Light - it is for the Girls Just Wanna Paint Show at the Duxbury Library, which will be hung on May 1.  The Opening is not for a couple of weeks, but this is our Challenge for the month of April - a scene from Duxbury.  There were a lot of things to choose,  as this is a beautiful New England Coastal town. 

Such a super busy time of year!  Getting ready for our show, getting ready for some upcoming travel, preparing for a talk I'm giving on Blogging next Wednesday, and Blogger is going to be totally different as of Tuesday, and all my slides will be outdated - and new ones created this weekend...... AND tomorrow I get to be co-host to Leslie Saeta on Artists Helping Artists Blogtalk Radio Show, where we will interview Carrie Waller and Crystal Cook!  A full plate?  Yup.  That's the way I like it!

The Kiss, 5x7 Inches, Oil

This is actually a piece that started as the demo from my figure painting last month.  It still needs a bit of finishing, but I love the design of it.  I love how these two are so wrapped up in each other, literally.  And how their legs and feet keep your eyes swooping around and back to each figure.    This pair was at the door of the Apple store in Boston, and the abstract colors and designs were a perfect backdrop.  So... I'll post it again as I finish it.

I've missed you all, but I had a failing hard drive and thus a forced week off from posting!

I have also been very busy getting ready for the Artists Helping Artists Blogtalk Radio show today (Thursday) at noon Eastern Standard Time - it's on Pinterest, and if you are saying "What's Pinterest?" you are not alone, but it's a HUGE phenomenon, rapidly becoming one of the biggest Social Media movements!~  I'm now a BIG fan of the site.  And you'll notice that by clicking on the button on the top right of my blog you can 'follow' me on Pinterest, OR you can 'Pin' any of my paintings from my blog posts by clicking 'Pin it' below the post.  I'm planning a giveaway soon for my 'Pin Pals', so keep it in mind!  In the meantime.... 

My workshop in Hull on April 25, 26, 27 is filling up.  More Info on the 'Upcoming Workshops' tab at the top of the blog.  Come join us - we always have a great time and come away with some helpful tips and techniques!  To register email FAndahazy@comcast.net.  Sorry for the big post - long time no see!

Carnation, 6x6 Inches, Oil

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Last week at the workshop in my studio this was one of the demo's.  First we painted the image as a value study.  Then we matched the colors we applied to the values of the study.  Good to do, as it keeps you on track in terms of values.  If your values (lights and darks) are off, the painting will not have the punch you hope it will.

I don't know about you, artist friends, but I am very excited about Wednesday's Artists Helping Artists Blogtalk Radio Show at noon, EST.  Carol and David Marine have an exciting announcement.  Hopefully while I am listening I will finally paint my Girls Just Wanna Paint Challenge - nothing like waiting till the last minute!!!

Bristol Sunset

$100 & $10 S&H

One day I was driving home from the studio, and just as I was getting on the Mt. Hope Bridge (which is a very pretty bridge - if you've never seen it) and I noticed a pattern of vivid light on the clouds over the sunset on my right.  Now.  I'm in the car, in a single line of cars, and there's no way I can stop and get a shot - so I opened the sunroof and wildly snapped my camera - with no idea if I was getting this wonderful light show.... and I was lucky.

So today, after a wonderful breakfast out with my husband, his mom and our daughter, feeling so happy and full of gratitude, I pulled up this photo and tried to do it justice.  It's in acrylic, and sometime I'd like to do one in oil as well, just to see the difference.  I did it while listening (at last) to the Artists Helping Artists radio show I missed on Thursday - "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Paints" - and boy, I wish I'd listened to it live - I have definite opinions on the good and bad ways to bring your paints, various easels, and getting your paintings home safely!!!  Check out this one, if you have plans to go plein air painting - which, if you're a painter, of course you should!!!!

Wrap Up Of Atlanta Workshop

This was my attempt in Leslie Saeta's Workshop class to do a painting strictly with a palette knife.  Success, failure - whatever.. I learned a few tips on how to wield one of those knives.  Maybe I won't change from brushes to palette knives, but I do view them differently - as a tool that you need to develop a skill with to use effectively.  And even using brushes for most of the painting does not mean that the knife cannot come in really handy at the end.

And below, we had a really fun exercise in class on the 3rd day... we got a photo, and started the painting - and listening to the Black Eyed Peas we switched easels and just had to take what was in front of us and make headway on that painting till we were told to move to the next easel.  Eventually we ended up at our own easels - and below, this is the result on my easel. 

 It was fun. I feel like I tried new things, I loosened up, I got some fabulous tips on blogging/marketing/social networking.  Leslie and Dreama are very generous, open and fun.  I bought an Artists Helping Artists Painting Apron and Dreama's book "The Artist's Toolbox" on marketing tips.

Fabu!